The Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2025 (PCF) organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has once again invited renowned local music producer Carl Wong to curate two concerts, known as "Ko Shan Fest", in June. Local bands and musicians from different generations and styles will gather at Ko Shan Theatre, a former band sound landmark, to introduce their favourite band music and showcase their original works. The concerts will allow audiences to reacquaint themselves with the culture and history of band music in Hong Kong, and experience both the tradition and innovation of local music.

     Band music has always been an integral part of Hong Kong's pop milieu. The Ko Shan Theatre in Hung Hom, now mostly associated with Cantonese opera performances, was once a place of pilgrimage for local and also numerous well-known overseas bands between the 1980s and 1990s. The venue, formerly set with a semi-open stage design, has spawned different styles of local pop music including rock, electronic and punk, and has created memories for music fans. 

     With Wong as the music director, the first "Ko Shan Fest" concert on June 20 will feature pop bands The Hertz and Mr., as well as guitarist Jason Kui along with a number of musicians. The second concert on June 21 will showcase heavy bands NiLiu and Instinct of Sight, with Wong himself playing bass alongside drummer Jun Kung and his musical friends. With incendiary and passionate music, the audience will experience the unique style of these Hong Kong bands.

     Wong has served as the producer or music director of albums and concerts for various local singers such as Juno Mak, Eason Chan, Nicholas Tse, Wilson Ng and Jer Lau. He has also received numerous awards, including Best Arranger and Ultimate Album at the Ultimate Song Chart Awards, Best Album Producer at the 30th Golden Melody Awards and Best Music Arrangement at the Jade Solid Gold Best Ten Music Awards.

     The Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2025: "Ko Shan Fest" will be held at 7.30pm on June 20 and 21 (Friday and Saturday) at the Theatre of Ko Shan Theatre. Each performance will run for about two hours and 30 minutes without intermission. Tickets priced at $380, $580 and $780 will be available for sale from May 2 (Friday) at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). On the first date of sales, tickets are available only on the URBTIX website, its mobile ticketing app URBTIX and by telephone bookings (3166 1288), with a maximum of 10 tickets in each transaction per person. URBTIX outlets and self-service ticketing kiosk bookings will also be available from the second day of sales (May 3) onwards. Package discounts will be available for each purchase of standard tickets of both performances of "Ko Shan Fest". For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1832.html.

     The programme will also feature two pre-concert sharing sessions (in Cantonese), entitled "From Zero to One: Dissecting the Process of Pop Music Production" to be held at 7.30pm on May 16 (Friday) and "The Transformation of Hong Kong Pop Music Production" to be held at 7.30pm on May 23 (Friday). Speakers include Wong and veteran music professional Wong Chi-chung, and both sessions will be held at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Admission is free and online registration is required (https://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1832.html#tab_6_0). Limited seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

     This year, the LCSD presents the third Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, themed "More Than Joy". Humour has been a trendsetter in Hong Kong's pop culture scene. The PCF features a diverse range of formats including stage performances, film screenings, thematic exhibitions, and library and outreach activities. Offering insight into the multifaceted development of Hong Kong's pop culture along the line of "happiness", the Festival brings audiences not only joy and laughter but also an opportunity to appreciate how pop culture can be transmitted and transformed, and how integration and breakthroughs are possible. For more information, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.

Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Issued at HKT 15:35

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