We’re pretty much starved of festivals in Hong Kong, so when anything comes along which even slightly resembles anything like a sweat-inducing, beer-swilling music marathon, we tend to get rather giddy here at Time Out HQ. And one event we look forward to every year (with the ensured July 1 public holiday in tow) is The Wanch’s Handover Hallelujah.

What started three years ago to celebrate the change of ownership of Hong Kong’s tiniest rock mainstay has now swelled to, well, absurd levels. We’re talking 45 bands over four days, rocking the intimate, lager-soaked Jaffe Road venue from 4pm to all hours of the night, providing a condensed snapshot of what you’re likely to see at The Wanch over the course of months.

You’ve got a raft of classic cover band specialists, including The Wanch owner John Prymmer’s own Don’t Panic (12.15am, night
of Mon July 2), who close the fest; there’s searing original rock from some of Hong Kong’s favourite outfits, like The Sleeves (Mon
Jul 2, 9.15pm), The David Bowie Knives (Fri Jun 29, 11.30pm), The Sinister Left (Fri Jun 29, 10.45pm) and Shotgun Politics (Sat Jun 30, 10pm); dark drum’n’bass beats from Sushi Robot will make an appearance (Mon July 2, 10pm), as will some lighter, rootsy folk from The Bollands (Mon July 2, 7pm).

Yep, it’s the Wanch in a sweaty, four-day nutshell.

Mark Tjhung 

Handover Hallelujah is at the Wanch from Jun 29 to July 2.