Clockenflap 2011
18,000 music-lovers, cinephiles, hipsters, toddlers and grannies alike headed down to the West Kowloon waterfront promenade this weekend to celebrate some of the biggest up-and-coming (and golden oldies - hello Santigold, you rocked our world) artists from around the world: all for free! Temperatures dipped to almost ten degrees Celsius over the two days but the crowds kept warm by wrapping themselves up in the awesome waves of music, drinking San Miguels and keeping watch on the brightest lunar eclipse on Saturday night since the 1700s. ‘It’s been one of our best gigs ever!’ Bombay Bicycle Club screamed at the hopping crowd that night as the moon began its orbit behind the earth. ‘Did you guys all know that there’s a lunar eclipse tonight!’.
The music was acoustically sound, clear and surprisingly quiet for an outdoor festival, but perhaps that was the appeal of it: the crowds responded in like, acting with civility and general consideration. Even the mosh pit for the French Horn Rebellion was orderly and evenly spaced. The food queues made our eyes pop but the selection of booze was rather unique. You can’t get a pomegranate cosmopolitan at any old festival. Popping into the Film Tent, you had to be careful not to doze off in the midst of all the oversized silk pillows - we spotted one, two, three couples a-dozing. The Future Shorts programme, as always, provided the creme de la creme of the short film scene, while the local short films showed festival-goers that Hong Kong can be a poignant setting for fleeting narratives. A particularly inspired 7-11 advert (animated, seeing a young man boarding a 7-11 1930s themed junkboat) was a highlight.
By the end of Sunday night, the promenade was thoroughly chipped and the shortage of bins and trash collectors meant that the entire area was littered with empty cups, crisp packets and various festival paraphernalia (lost scarves, flyers, dropped hot dogs, you get the point). All in all though, it was a stellar night, which reached its stupendous climax on Sunday night with Santigold being called back onto stage for a third encore. The crowd, literally, went wild.
See you next year at the Flap!
Ysabelle Cheung
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