Clockenflap weekend upon us

Musicians are sure to rock tens of thousands of fans at the popular Clockenflap Music Festival, the SAR's largest international outdoor music fete, from Friday at the Central Harbourfront.

It will mark the festival's second edition for 2023 after the hugely successful comeback in March, when most Covid restrictions were lifted in Hong Kong, that drew a record 83,000 music lovers.

The three-day festival - dubbed "Asia's answer to Coachella," the world-famous music festival in California - will feature some 100 international artists and bands. Japanese super-duo Yoasobi will be Friday's headliner, while Britpop rock band PULP headline Saturday's program. Japanese singer-songwriter Joji is Sunday's headliner.

Local artists are excited to perform at the festival, including the female indie pop duo Running Youth, featuring Hongkongers Soft Liu and Soni Cheng, who are currently based in Taiwan. They will perform on Sunday.

"We are really excited to be part of Clockenflap this time," the pair said.

The pair had already appeared in Clockenflap twice, in 2014 and 2016, as members of the local girl band GDJYB.

Jason Kui, a local metal guitarist, will perform solo for the first time. Also playing are Mexican duo Deer MX, who developed their trip-rock and industrial pop sound in Hong Kong.

The band's vocalist, Adriana Falcon, said: "This year has been the restart of Clockenflap, and we are happy to be part of this restart and be considered part of the music scene in Hong Kong."

Taiwan-based singer-songwriter Subyub Lee, who is a Hongkonger, said he could not wait to return to Clockenflap after his last performance in 2017.

Clockenflap's music director and co-founder Justin Sweeting called on music fans to look forward to the music festival's future editions.

"We certainly have the drive and desire to be doing more. So essentially it's a case that the more interest there is in the kind of things that we do, then the more we're going to do," Sweeting said.

"So please do watch this space for news coming soon for what we're planning for next year and beyond."

Clockenflap's organizer told The Standard that three-day weekend tickets and Friday single-day tickets have already been sold out.

"A limited amount of Saturday and Sunday single-day tickets are still available, but they are expected to sell out before [Thursday]," the organizer added.

The March edition was sold out for the first time in 15 years.

The event will be free-standing, with festivalgoers being able to move easily among various performances, as well as food and beverage stalls.

Clockenflap was launched at Cyberport in 2008 and found its home at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade in 2011, before moving across the harbor to Central Harbourfront in 2016.

It was canceled in 2019 due to the mass protests and in 2020 and 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

eunice.lam@singtaonewscorp.com