Looking for something vibrant to re-charge your energy? Head over to The Southside at the Wong Chuk Hang MTR station for some great melodies and rhythms.
Focusing on the theme of ‘Art & Play in Island South’, The Southside is hosting an exciting series of captivating street dance and music events every Friday and Saturday. These include the Bel Canto Singers-produced Musical Community Concert, organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department; busking performances by singer-songwriters Monkey and a Bu; and some fantastic movements by local dance troupes Quickies, ChestRoll, and AYO.
For some free toe-tapping entertainment at The Southside, guests can take in 10 busking shows presented by My Main Stage, a music production pilot program spearheaded by Chiu Tsang-hei, an all-around musician and one of the most celebrated names in Hong Kong's music and entertainment industry. The program is designed to nurture young musical talents, giving them an opportunity and platform to create and publish original music.
Singer-songwriter RUMBU is one of the performers who will be demonstrating his distinctive musical vision at the mall. He started his musical journey at high school, as he recalled: "I joined up with My Main Stage when Chiu visited my school to introduce his program.”
Having participated in the program for seven years now, RUMBU says that Chiu's mentoring is of immense help to him. "My knowledge of music creation was nonexistent in secondary school, but with Chiu’s encouragement, I started to study pop music and have composed songs using computer programs.”
Since joining the program in 2018, Monkey, another singer-songwriter and illustrator, has now released 19 original works. He is no stranger to the stage as he has previously performed at graduations. Beginning with street performances, he progressively gained recognition and was asked to take part in several music events held at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Lau Bak Freespace Livehouse, and Lost Star Livehouse Bar & Eatery.
To prepare for his shows at The Southside, he would include pop songs from the 1990s and 2000s. “My repertoire would depend on the age group of mall visitors,” he said. “Aside from familiar numbers that appeal to their taste, I’d also try to pair them with my own creations.”
In addition to teaching him how to arrange music using computer tools, Monkey points out that Chiu has also let him undertake music production, which he eventually used to turn his compositions into professional pieces.
"The program offers lots of opportunities for me to collaborate with other artists, to see professional live shows and productions and gain more experience performing," he adds.
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Dates:
Every Friday 12 nn – 2 pm (until May)
Every Saturday 3 – 5 pm (until May)
Venue: The Southside LG Atrium
Monkey
RUMBU
Chiu Tsang-hei
