Local craft brewery Carbon Brews new outlet soft-opened this week on Wyndham Street. It would be slightly misleading to call it a ‘taproom’ or ‘gastropub’ because (as you can see from the photo) it has a far more clubby/ lounge vibe.
With thirty taps, there’s likely to be a beer for everyone – flavour profiles range from the traditional to a pina colada flavoured Kokomo – and they are served in small, medium and large sizes. As well as Carbon Brew beers, other local craft beers and collaborations will rotate across the taps. There’s also an option to buy a keg and have your own ‘tap’!
Chef Sean Yuen’s menu features a selection of tasty starters and mains that the knowledgeable staff can pair with a beer to enhance your meal or snack.
Local band Smoke in Half Note has released a video, produced by 2Hz Resonance, of their recent live session at Cult Key.
Formed in 2014 @smokeinhalfnote are known for their reverb-swamped sometimes twangy experimental sound that paints sonic ‘pictures’ for the audience to enjoy.
If you enjoy the video, the bands first album One to Be Whole is on Apple music and physical copies can be bought at Infree Records.
Some good news amidst the tidal wave of closures across the city, gay bar and nightclub Petticoat Lane announces its reopening and relocation from Wyndham Street to Lan Kwai Fong Tower.
Here is the opening announcement, and entry rules.
We have some good news in a world of bad headlines. Petticoat Lane will open its doors, 28th of January, 2022 at 2:38 pm.
Our entire team at Petticoat Lane has worked really hard getting the new venue ready to welcome you home.
We sincerely hope we will make you and our community proud.
Because your health and safety, and that of our team, is our priority; and to ensure we all comply with the HK Government’s Covid restrictions, kindly note:
– Reservations must be made in advance by DM’ing us on Instagram or Facebook.
– Masks must be worn when walking through the venue.
– Masks can only be removed when seated and eating or drinking.
– Proof of vaccination is required upon entry.
– The Leave Home Safe App must be used to check-in.
– Food must be purchased when ordering drinks.
– All guests must leave the venue by 5:59 pm.
Going forward, our opening hours will be from Tuesday through Sunday, from 12 noon to 5:59 pm until further notice.
We have missed you very much and are so excited to see you again soon.
We know it is a very challenging time. We also know, that by supporting one another, we will get through it together.
From all of us at Petticoat Lane.
Stay Positive. Test Negative.
Petticoat Lane 8/F, California Tower,
30-32 D’Aguilar Street,
Central,
Hong Kong
Opening hours: Noon-6pm
Live music has been one of the industries hardest hit by Covid and after a 2021 almost devoid of concerts, we can only hope that the Countdown Concert is the start of a year full of gigs and the uplifting feeling and happiness that sharing live music brings.
The concert was live-streamed on New Year’s Eve and is now available on the HKTB youtube channel.
Hundreds of thousands of HongKongers braved a chilly evening and gathered on both shores of Victoria Harbour to kick out a depressing and stressful 2021 and communally embrace the hope and expectations of a New Year.
It was disappointing that even after months of no local Covid infections and harsh quarantine measures, the government still cancelled the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display. The ‘enhanced’ Symphony of Lights didn’t really offer anything to those watching from Kowloon side, not even a 2022 on the front of the HKCEC…
But you would be wrong to think too negatively, people gathered knowing there were no fireworks. We gathered peacefully, no shoving or pushing, to recharge each other. To support and strengthen the old and the young after the harshness of the last twelve months.
Where alone and individually we might not feel strong to face 2022, together unspoken counting down to midnight we recharged each other’s batteries and shared our strength.
Together we are HongKongers and our flame burns brightly in the cold dark night! Happy New Year!
Even looking behind the mirror there’s not been much to get excited about for local live music fans over the last 18 months as COVID and government regulations have decimated live music and concert venues.
Sometimes though, behind a cloud there is actually a silver lining as fans of the iconic hardcore band King Ly Chee found earlier this month with the surprise announcement of the band’s first concert in four years.
As resurrections go, this was totally unexpected – seismically similar to the ABBA reunion among pop fans perhaps – as the band’s break-up in 2017 seemed terminal with former members all getting involved in new bands and musical projects.
In 1999 when Pakistani frontman Riz Farooqi returned to his birthplace from New York ‘hardcore’ barely existed in Hong Kong. Riz though was a passionate devote… finding happiness, joy and release/freedom in the music and community.
Finding some like-minded musicians King Ly Chee was born and a generation of HongKongers found their voice and identity in Hong Kong hardcore.
bc magazine spoke with Riz Farooqi ahead of their new concerts:
King Ly Chee live again, honestly didn’t expect to see that to happen – how did it come about? The band ended in 2017. I carried the band through numerous lineup changes which I did because I had made a commitment to myself back when I started the band in 1999 that I would keep it going no matter what. So regardless of who left I just kept it going which is why it ended up feeling like a revolving door of members. But by 2017 I was done looking for new people – it finally came to a point that it just wasn’t right to keep replacing people. That particular lineup that ended in 2017 included a total of 5 people (Myself, Ivan, Brian, Ho, and Joe) who pretty much made the band their lives and dropped everything to be able to honour commitments when it came to shows, touring and recording.
So in 2017 it was done and I was ready to move on with my new band Dagger.
But then Covid came and put a complete stop to Dagger because my drummer, Ivan, lives in Macau. In fact the very last show I’ve played was two years ago when Dagger played at The Wanch in Feb of 2020 which was also the last time I saw Ivan. So it’s been two years of absolutely nothing going on in my life. NOTHING. I even started another band, Regret, in that time trying to get the fire going again. But the drummer of that band, Egas, ALSO lives in Macau.
I started reminiscing and a bunch of old KLC photos and videos kept popping up on my newsfeed. These photos were from an era of the band that was MOST beloved by Hong Kong. That’s not even an understatement…looking at all those photos and videos of people right here in Hong Kong losing their minds to this band was something that really meant a lot to me. Interestingly enough the drummer for that era is an amazing dude named Kevin (out of all the band members I’ve had the honour to play with in KLC, he was always the closest to me – like a full-on brother), just so happened was also missing that era too. I contacted Andy who played guitar back then and the three of us decided to try it out to see how it felt. It was just a quick jam – but we ripped through all those songs as if literally NO time had passed. After the first jam we all kinda sat there smiling from ear to ear.
There have been many members of King Ly Chee since 1999, who will be in the 2021-22 line-up? That’s the thing. When people ask if we’d ever reunite I always say, “which era”? For Hong Kong there was never any doubt that the ‘Stand Strong’ era would be it. So the band that is back together is myself, Kevin, and Andy (Unfortunately Alex is not in Hong Kong so it won’t include him, but our good friend Ho (also an ex-member of KLC) will be on bass).
What has it felt like to prepare for a gig and play the King Ly Chee songs again after such a long time? As mentioned above, it was like literally no time had passed. Kevin, Andy and I got right back into it and the craziest part was that the vibe was exactly the same from back then. People have to understand, we’re talking about something we did almost 20 years ago, and for it to click like the way it did today in 2021 is something none of us envisioned. But it felt right being back in the practice room together and we’re currently gearing up to play the first of our comeback shows. We’re STOKED.
For those who might recognise the name but don’t know the band, can you give us a quick potted history of who are/were King Ly Chee? King Ly Chee is a hardcore band I started back in 1999 as a way to introduce the world of “hardcore” to HKers. I wanted to introduce this underground culture in a language that was more easily digestible to the local population (Cantonese) because it’s what saved my life once (as did metal and punk rock) and I wanted to see if it could help others as well.
Are you going to record/film/live stream the upcoming King Ly Chee shows? The current plan is to film the first show back and then see what happens.
The first show sold out in minutes, the second almost as quickly – is King Ly Chee back as a band? Will there be any new KL songs? We have been totally shocked by how fast both shows sold out!
Yes, we have 2 brand new songs done and will continue to write into the new year. We’ve talked about maybe getting a brand new EP out in 2022 but will see how it goes. The most important thing about getting back together is to just have fun and put zero stress on each other. All of us are married, have full-time jobs, the majority of us have children, we’re just getting back together to have fun, play shows, write music, and use this all to have an excuse to be in the same room together.
Which of the various online music channels can readers buy/stream King Ly Chee? We’re on everything – bandcamp being the best because bands get paid the best on this platform.
Where can people purchase King Ly Chee albums, merchandise? Currently, the only store selling our stuff in Hong Kong is the amazing Infree Records in Mong Kok run by a true HK legend Soni. If you all haven’t visited this store yet, you’re missing out on an absolute cultural event.
As a musician what has been the hardest aspect of life under COVID? Not being able to play shows and tour. I couldn’t care less about recording – I actually HATE recording – being a studio musician/band has never interested me at all. For me the whole point of being in a band is to actually play shows in front of people engaging with music screaming their heads off.
Apart from the King Ly Chee gigs, what’s on the musical horizon for your other bands Dagger and Regret. Nothing else…not until it’s easier for people to travel to Hong Kong.
Apart from writing, singing and performing in three bands Riz Farooqi started and runs the hardcore website UniteAsia which brings together bands and fans of hardcore, punk, metal from across Asia.
The Wanch team announced on their website and Facebook page today that the popular live music venue will reopen in early 2022. The new location will be just along the street from its previous incarnation at 90-92 Jaffe Road in what was previously Uptown 90. That’s opposite Joe Bananas.
Here is the post:
“Hi Everyone,
It has been challenging times since the pandemic hit worldwide in 2020. Times have been difficult for individuals, businesses, and the arts. It was a difficult decision to suspend operation of The Wanch back in August 2020, but a necessary one. At that time we made a promise to Hong Kong and the music community to reopen The Wanch when the time was right.
Well that time has come as on Dec. 1st we take possession of the venue that will become the new home of The Wanch at 90-92 Jaffe Rd, 1st Floor Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90). Renovation starts the same day and we are targeting to open the doors with our first show sometime in Feb. 2022.
We will keep you all updated on the progress of the renovation with weekly pictures & videos on our website, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. We look forward to rocking Hong Kong once again and joining all the other music venues that have been keeping live music alive. We look forward to being part of Hong Kong’s music scene & community once again.
Take care & watch for our updates.”
Many of Hong Kong’s musical legends created marvellous memories in the old location. Let’s hope the new Wanch inspires a new generation to create and inspire the beauty and sensuous pleasure that is ‘live music’.
The Wanch
1/F Henan Building (Formerly Uptown 90)
90-92 Jaffe Road
Wanchai
