Big Smog

When seven nudist buddies gathered together at a karaoke box (dressed, of course), they realised they could combine their love of being naked with their love of singing. And from that simple idea, the Naked Male Musical was conceived. Just like Genesis, which was part of the theme of the musical, the men were as naked as Adam and Eve.

“It’s been a year of preparation. We meet about twice a week after work for three hours,” says head organizer Zeno. “Everyone that’s participating, from the actors, to the production crew, are all here on a voluntary basis.” Basically, a close-knit group of friends came together to produce a performance that was both provocative and meaningful.

The main message the musical wanted the audience to receive was that religion, homosexuality, and nudism are not mutually exclusive. In fact, all three can blend harmoniously together through song and dance. This production chose to incorporate popular Cantopop love songs with homosexual undertones, like Denise Ho’s Rolls Royce.  The harmonies were actually pretty good for a group of amateur singers. Better than a few Hong Kong pop singers to say the least.

If you were expecting some grand spectacle, this show isn’t for you. But, if you wanted to be in the company of an intimate group of people, enjoying themselves, baring it all, then it’s perfect. 

When it came down to it, the production was simple and low budget, but one can feel how much fun and joy the actors were getting out of their performance. None of the actors showed the slightest bit of hesitation or anxiety, as they presented their naked bodies to the audience. The whole production seemed authentic and genuine. After a while, seeing naked men just seemed as normal as having an egg tart during afternoon tea. But maybe hot dogs will come into fashion in Hong Kong.

Arthur Tam

Check their Facebook page for more info on the Naked Male Musical production: 
www.facebook.com/pages/Naked-Male-Musical/103272933073613

While food and wine have a long history being matched together, wine and music make a less likely pairing. Last weekend, Time Out spent a Saturday afternoon at Soho’s Le Moment for Tasting Jazz – a lunch paired with wine and jazz music selections from Ronny Lau. Ronny is a music critic who has written about how certain types of music can enhance the experience of enjoying a glass of wine over a meal.

Our meal started off with an appetizer of Spanakopita – a Greek pastry filled with spinach and feta. The course was matched with a white wine native to France, and a track from a Balkan jazz band called Amsterdam Klezmer Band. Next was the main course of duck breast with cranberry sauce, matched with a red wine that Ronny said was the only bottle we were likely to find in Hong Kong, as it was sent to him as a sampler. Last was the dessert – a rich Tiramisu paired with a sweet red wine that was the perfect compliment.

Le Moment will be serving the main course from their special Jazz menu until October 2, so head over to Peel Street if you want to enjoy it. Meanwhile, head to www.hkijf.com to learn more about the Hong Kong International Jazz Festival on from September 25 to October 2.
 

While most of us were sleeping off our mooncake-induced comas this past Tuesday, 64 lucky young basketball players took to the courts for an intense one-on-one basketball tournament. Hosted by Red Bull, players had only five minutes to reach 11 points before their opponent, or get sent home.

The sun was out in full force at Wan Chai’s Southorn Stadium, but players who had their eyes set on the prize were in high spirits. Both a combination of amateur players, as well as some from professional leagues were in attendance. Glen Joe, from Hong Kong’s Winling basketball team, admits that he wasn’t here to take home the trophy, but rather, to help promote basketball in our city.

Close to four hours after the games began, 64 players were whittled down to two finalists – Jason Yam and So Yi Chun. It was an intense game with a sizeable crowd gathered around the perimeter of the court. While Yam impressed the crowds with his three-point shots, So eventually came out as the winner of the tournament.

So go on to San Francisco’s famed Alcatraz prison to battle out other city winners across the globe for the finals on September 24. You can tune in to a live stream at www.redbullusa.com/kingoftherock to see if So can take home the title of King of The Rock.

Time Out has been to the media briefing for Hong Kong Disneyland's Haunted Halloween event this year - and we're screaming with excitement. We've been introduced to Disney's dark side - a new theme which will run alongside spooky events at the park over the Halloween period. The Revenge of the Headless Horseman will, we believe, offers frightening amounts of fun to visitors - a contrast to the usual 'happily-ever-afters' we get from signature stories such as Aladdin, Little Mermaid and Snow White.

The media briefing was a unique experience as Disneyland marketing director Frederick Chan dressed up for the occasion. Chan played the part of Barker, a con-artist circus leader who is one of the central characters in the Horseman theme, and he was joined by a cowardly gravedigger. Barker elaborately told the audience what HK Disneyland has planned for All Hallow's Eve, while the gravedigger nervously protected his neck (the Headless Horseman is supposedly angrily on the lookout for both his head and revenge!)

Barker told us there will be his special travelling show, where he claims he has the Headless Horseman's head, as a new Halloween attraction. He also said there will be Glow in the Park Parades, which will feature ghoulish villains on floats in the dark, led by the inimitable Jack Skellington, and Adventureland will be transformed into the Cursed Jungle. Phantom facepainting artists will provide Halloween makeovers at the Boo-tique in Tomorrowland, said Barker.

We enjoyed this amusingly spooky take on the usual stuffy media briefing format - and, following the fun, we were told all about what Disneyland has to offer Hongkongers of all ages from the end of September to the end of October, including some cool technology which Disney is employing this Halloween to extend the frightful fun beyond the park. Augmented Reality (AR) technology is being used to create a series of 'webisodes' where you can become one of the characters in the Headless Horseman story by uploading a picture of yourself onto the internet.

There is a sweet deal for those of you who can't wait to 'lose your head' at Disneyland - a Thursday Night Pass is being sold at Circle K stores for unlimited access to the theme park every Thursday from September 22 to October 27. Disney's Haunted Halloween begins on September 22 and ends on October 31 and is on every Thursday through to Sunday from 6pm to 11pm. For details, visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com.

Natasha Tong

Some breaking Hong Kong whisky news: Johnnie Walker Blue Label has a new bottle. Sure, it’s just a fresh face to an old friend, but to underline their aesthetic credentials, Johnnie Walker has gone all out, turning Sheung Wan gallery The Space into a blue universe.

And it’s impressive. The normally minimalist white space has been transformed into a chic, sleek nightclub, replete with deep velvets, lounges, a sexy bar and an expansive dining setting, and has been hosting private functions all week.

If you’re eager to get a taste of both the sexy space and of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, they’re hosting special guided tours and a tasting session on Saturday September 10 at 3pm and 5pm. Interested? Email blue@webershandwick.com to register.

The Blue Journey at The Space
210 Hollywood Rd, Sheung Wan
 

 Joining the distribution revolution started by Radiohead, local electro-pop duo Pixel Toybid farewell to selling discs and made their music free online for download. Now the group is selling pixels and toys to support their work. 

Pixel Toy’s gig on Friday (Aug 19) was electrifying with heart-pounding beats. The show was intimate, Ho Shan and lead singer Candy Wu credit their success to the hearty assistance of friends and families. On multiple occasions, they waved to uncles and aunties in the crowd.

To start the set, the duo greeted a frigid crowd with Mama doesn’t love Jazz from their album “O…Oh.” Although Candy’s vocals seemed at odds with the dominating background music at first, the pair swung into synchronicity after a few songs. 

Remixes and covers are a consistent element in Pixel Toy’s music. On Friday, they performed a twist of their signature electro-mechanical vibes with Joy Division’s Love will Tear Us Apart, from their last album. New remix tunes this time included Paris by the recent in town Friendly Fires and Canto-pop classic Grey of Sandy Lam. 

The drum-jam between Ho Shan and guest performer Arai Soichiro was a highlight in the Friday show. Ferocious on the conga, Arai’s drumming amplified Ho Shan’s kinetic set.   

After the second guest performer Veegay finished her solo, Ho and Candy reappeared on stage in pixel-themed pajama outfits. Their Summer, Spring, Autumn—an adaptation of Shocking Blue’s Inkpot—turned up the heat on the crowd. Despite a few technical problems with lights and sound system, audience fervor persisted until the end of the show. 

A fortnight ago, Ho Shan announced on Weibo that new songs of Pixel Toy will be free for download from now on, and in return, he urges fans to buy Pixel Toy merchandise.

“Thanks for buying tickets to our show. Before you go, please get our t-shirt designed by my cousin (owner of Fashion label Triple-Major) and Francis Lam (local pixel artist who owns label dbdb). The tees are definitely a hipsters must-have.” Ho Shan half-jokingly emphasized on the fashionista part.

In recognition of the group’s name, Pixel Toy, merchandize currently comes in two varieties—tees with naughty pixel icons, or a sex toy (cock ring vibrator).

Michele Fan

For more pictures of the gig, visit our Tumblr blog at http://timeouthk.tumblr.com/

On Tuesday night Friendly Fires set the Rotunda alight with their enthusiastically energetic debut performance in Hong Kong. The Mercury Music prize – British nominated electro-pop trio were on form with a 14 song set list which started on a high with Lovesick from the new album Pala and delivered on every single track during the hour long gig. Lead singer Ed Macfarlane made the Rotunda his playground, throwing himself into the audience and climbing up onto rigging to engage the already excitable fans.

Guitarist Edd Gibson also put in a performance which I swear could only have come from drinking a crate of red bull – the energy the band had was intoxicating and would have won over any sceptics that were present that night. Fans were thrilled to hear favourite tracks Paris and Skeleton Boy, taken from the first album Friendly Fires, so much so some men needed to lose their shirts and become one with the lasers.

Glow sticks rained down on the raving revellers during Show Me Lights and Jump in the Pool really got the crowd going while the encore of Hawaiian Air was a perfect come down after a show stopping performance from the three British boys.

Photos from Untitled Entertainment

AsiaWorld Expo, Thursday August 11

Hong Kong loves Suede. En masse, we love the dark Britpoppers like we adore few other bands, more, perhaps, than perennial Britpop leaders Oasis and Blur, and well ahead of the likes of Pulp. This frenzied and almost unparalleled reverence was on show on Thursday night as the Brett Anderson-led outfit returned to Hong Kong since 2007, armed with a heavy swag of all the Suede favourites.

Sadly, The Drowners – the group’s first single from the amazing self-titled breakout album – was absent. But it was one of the few hits omitted from a night that largely lived up to its billing – a Greatest Hits gig, where the ageing rockers merely stood and delivered faithful renditions of their best-loved tunes. From 1992’s Metal Mickey to 2002’s Obsessions – with Animal Nitrate, Trash, Beautiful Ones and Saturday Night, et al, all making an appearance – the gig spanned the entire five-album life of the band, with each song greeted by the crowd’s untiring shrieks of excitement.

Like the crowd, Brett Anderson, even at the ripe age of 43, was also indefatigable. He flitted lightly across the stage, climbed upon multiple amps, thrust the mic into the crowd, threatened occasionally to stage dive, and more than occasionally summoned the frenzied crowd into a huge chorus singalong. They duly obliged. That’s not always easy in Hong Kong – but for the Suede-faithful Anderson, it seems, has that magic – and timeless – touch.

Setlist
She
Trash
Filmstar
Animal Nitrate
To the Birds
By the Sea
We are the Pigs
Flashboy
Can’t Get Enough
Everything Flow
Obsessions
So Young
Metal Mickey
Wild Ones
New Generation
Beautiful Ones
______________
She’s in Fashion
Saturday Night
 

It was a packed house at Grappa’s Cellar for Yelle’s first ever gig in Hong Kong. The crowd chanted her entry, prior to her arrival on stage, but were met instead with a robotic mop-like creature which was, of course, the pint-sized Gallic singer in disguise. She opened with S’eteint Le Soleil, off her latest album Safari Disco Club, and then shed the mop coat to reveal a fetching one-shouldered leopard print dress fit for the zoo.

Front woman Yelle, drummer Grand Marnier and keyboardist and DJ Tepr had the crowd’s heartstrings tightly pulled from the beginning, regularly interacting with the audience. Heart-shaped hands were in the air for Que Veux-Tu, and she tested the crowd’s memory during a call-and-response for Yelle’s first internet sensation Je Veux Te Voir.

After a costume change into a hot pink leopard-print and skin-tight body suit, the jam-packed audience was dancing and fist-pumping along to selections from both of Yelle’s albums. A Cause Des Garçons ended the encore, will have been a highlight for many with a crowd-crash of nearly 30-plus fans clambering up on stage. The band didn’t seem to mind though, as they each dove into the audience for a quick crowd surf before calling it a night.

A handful of fans stayed behind for a meet-and-greet with the artists, which graciously autographed album liners and posters despite being sweaty and exhausted from the fantastic performance just delivered.

For more pictures, visit our Tumblr blog at http://timeouthk.tumblr.com/

How many rock gigs are sell-outs in Hong Kong? Be honest. Not that many. But when you’re talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you’re not just talking about any old rock band. In the footsteps of acts like Guns ‘N’ Roses, Metallica and Nirvana, the Chilis are one of those bands who have worked hard to harness a universal audience, beyond just the rock fans. And the 15,000-strong crowd at AsiaWorld Arena on Tuesday night was testament to that.

It was the first night of the Chilis’ world tour ahead of their 10th album, I’m With You. And it was spectacular. The new-look Chilis, sporting debutant lead guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, were awesome from the off, opting to go for their classics like Under The Bridge, Californication and Give It Away, while just peppering the set with a couple of numbers from the new album. The effect of a great background light show, a simple stage, Flea’s charismatic antics and a moustachioed Anthony Keidis’ energetic vocals made it a night to remember.
 

There was a deafening roar throughout much of the arena during the set, particularly after Keidis bigged up the Filipino element of the crowd. And those who knew the words sang along where they could – including during an excellent rendition of Scar Tissue and in the opener, By The Way. A blast from the past, Higher Ground, was also lapped up by the masses who jumped in unison at the front of the stage.
 

The support was also good, in the form of The Mars Volta. Superb guitar work and great instrumental breaks, however the lads failed to inspire like the Chilis did. But, of course, that was to be expected. At the conclusion of the high octane night, Keidis thanked the crowd with the words: “If you’ve got something to say, let it be peace.” Kind words, but there was little peace during the set. It was just the noisy night the crowd had been relishing. Most definitely red hot. 

Matt Fleming.

For more pictures, visit our Tumblr blog at http://timeouthk.tumblr.com/