There was a movie called “Suppose They Gave A War And No One Came”.
And I often think that would be a great idea when I see how our “leaders” are fucking up what is, overall, a peaceful world.
To think, some of us gave them their gigs.
Anyway, whenever someone mentions this movie – and which someone did tonight- I keep thinking of Hong Kong and What If They Gave A Music Festival And No One Came.
As my mate Jasper wrote in to say, many in Hong Kong have never been to Summer Sonic or Fuji Rock or Glastonbury or Roskilde.
Do they really know what a music festival is like and/or can be?
Are these the same people who clap like trained chimpanzees every time they hear some gawdawful “jazz” solo- and when it’s about as “jazzy” as white bread with a dill pickle?
Remember Rockit a few years back and held at Victoria Park?
Good idea, good start and then- nothing: It folded. It could not carry on at a loss- nor with a sound ordinance where the music had to be kept so low down, it could have been a hootenanny with some folk musicians.
Does anyone remember that idea from a legislative councilor as to how to get around this problem of LOUD sound?
Wear gloves, clap quietly and listen to the ‘live’ music with headphones?
Do you think this dullard had ever been to a bona fide festival?
These are the realities of holding things as ambitious as music festivals back: They need financial support and no red tape and which is what the Hong Kong Government is clueless about.
They cannot see the plus side to music.
It’s not a priority- and which is a major problem.
Frankly, this Hong Kong government is like a wife chasing their husband into the arms of another woman.
And this woman is Singapore. And Macau.
And soon Cambodia.
The Hong Kong government’s stupidity/naivety is incredulous.
But, bitch, whinge, moan- and the Hong Kong public still takes it.
We are gluttons for punishment.
In the meantime, Singapore keeps taking on all which Hong Kong’s Government and Tourism Board believe to be of low importance and high maintenance.
Sure, F1 Rocks was a flawed concept, but Singapore has far better festivals going for it- and with more to come.
When it comes to nightlife in what tries to pass itself off as “Asia’s World City”, Hong Kong has no soul and which means the nightlife has no pulse.
What “night life”?
All those samey same bars down Wyndham Street full of pretentious “dudes” and “dudettes”?
All those over-priced and over-rated restaurants and bars and 5-star hotel lounges with ‘live’ music and hyped to death by all those freebie tabloids published for expats?
And audiences who think “Knock On Wood” and “Mustang Sally” are “jazz”?
Still, there are those who at least try.
Might be fucking awful, but beauty is in the ear of the beholder.
Hell, even the women in this city are overrated.
Just pop down to Staunton Street and see the “choice on offer”.
Mama, takes these guns off of me ‘cos I feel like I’m knockin’ on heavens door.
“Asia’s World City” my arse.
Hong Kong is “Asia’s Most Overrated City” and it’s now also “Asia’s Non-happening City”.
It needs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
In a few weeks, the Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival will be in Hong Kong.
Yes, after 2-3 years of going around with a begging bowl and coming up against tangled webs and red tape- it’s always easier to say No than to say Yes- Clockenflap is back.
And, bigger and better.
And I doff my hat to the organizers for their persistence.
This should be the event to make Hong Kong live up to its boast of “Asia’s World City.”
Or at least, look at this event as taking baby steps to being what the city is currently not.
While Singapore opens its arms, legs and mind and makes it easier for the “Internationalism” of what was once fobbed of being “Singabore”, Hong Kong over-thinks, over-analyzes and then does nothing.
It’s like a number of senior executives in a number of local industries.
Seldom have I seen and worked with such dysfunctional and over-paid twats.
As for Clockenflap, this would be the first major-to-a-minor music- and arts- festival to be held at the new Western Kowloon Cultural Centre which has been the subject of mass debating for fucking years.
Looking at the list of sponsors for this event, one has to wonder, where is InvestHK.
And more importantly, CreateHK?
Duncan Pescod, you old hypemeister, what the hell happened to all those grandiose plans you fawned to the media about and how this Hong Kong organization was going to take local creativity to another level?
What’s a Day In The Life of Jerry Lui who runs this hard-to-fathom organization like?
A few speeches here and there and under-writing some little design show no one hears about?
Come on, Duncan, put your wooly bully balls on the wicket and stop hiding behind that faceless entity known as Hong Kong bureaucracy and Hong Kong governmental bullshit.
Fuck, even CreateHK’s videos are bad!
At least they’re quiet.
Getting back to Clockenflap, check out the list of acts and artists.
Then check out and support the Festival.
It’s not Summer Sonic or Glastonbury or Denmark’s Roskilde.
But it will be the best Hong Kong has seen.
And it sure beats sitting at some 5-star hotel lounge surrounded by wankers and listening to what is passed off as “jazz”, or “cool”.
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