Toeing the EDM Line Are Not That Far Behind Either, Says Neil Li
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CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Friday, December 14, 2018 | 11 Electronic dance music has a major following Music in Chinese mainland. Hong Kong and Macao Toeing the EDM line are not that far behind either, says Neil Li. n the past, electronic dance music appealed primarily to “Many of them are often new to the EDM world and go by the nightclub afi cionados as music to dance to, but today EDM latest trends in pop culture. However, there is also a large group tracks and artistes are regularly heard on the radio and of more experienced fans who demand the highest quality of fes- can be found on top mainstream pop charts. Hundreds of tival experience. Therefore, in order to meet the di erent needs Ithousands of fans attend massive international music festivals of fans, we have to ensure that attendees are not only guaran- headlined by EDM DJs and producers, including the ones teed the best EDM tracks, but also a visual and sensory feast.” held in Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese mainland, with Creamfi elds Hong Kong is also banking on a star-studded the number of EDM festivals and shows hosted in the region line-up to draw a large contingency of EDM fans from around growing every year. the region. The two-day festival, which will be held on Dec “It has come into the Chinese mainland as a foreign trend 15 and 16, features some of the most popular DJs and and taken o very fast. In the beginning, it was trance, house, producers in the world such as Diplo, Alesso and breakbeat and techno music shows on smaller stages. Now Armin van Buuren as well as seven to 10 acts play- with this EDM phase, it has brought more of a commercial ing each day. Last year, for the fi rst time, the UK value to these regions,” says DJ Chozie. dance music festival organized an edition in A seasoned DJ, promoter and founder of a pro- Asia as it celebrated its 20th anniversary. duction and events company, he has worked in DJ Chozie says local acts need to develop their craft to sustain the Since then Creamfi elds has expanded into the mainland for the past 20 years and seen the EDM wave sweeping across China. PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY China and this year other editions of the changes fi rsthand. While interest in EDM has festival have been held in Guangzhou, grown quickly, he says many fans don’t yet Chengdu, Beijing and Shanghai, with know who the DJs are or recognize the dif- smaller shows in Changsha and ferent types of electronic music, as most of Shenzhen. them are simply following the trend. “In the Chinese mainland, we “With the big festivals in the Chinese know that the demand of EDM mainland, you will have a more top-40 is very high and expanding commercial vibe, as they tend to feature with more clubs opening and main headline names,” he explains. organizers trying to add more “With places like Hong Kong and Macao, world-class festivals,” says a you still have the headliners with com- representative from the orga- mercial hits, but they will add in more nizer, Live Nation Electronica elements of quality DJs with di erent Asia. genres. So, they would have a bit more JIGSAW International Music Festival’s second edition took place last weekend in Macao, of techno, trance, house, rather than featuring Grammy-nominated DJ Steve Aoki (left) and DJ Quintino. Focus on the local just one genre.” Zhou believes there is room for improvement in develop- World-class DJ line-up IF YOU GO ing the region’s EDM scene. DJ Chozie recently performed at Creamfields Hong “For example, 90 percent of and helped produce the second edition Kong 2018 music festival projects in the of the JIGSAW International Music Dates: Dec 15 and 16 Chinese mainland are still not Venue: Halls 8 & 10, Festival, held on Dec 8 and 9 in Macao. AsiaWorld-Expo fully profitable, which would “Whereas Hong Kong has already host- www.livenationelec- really become a challenge for ed several large-scale EDM festivals in tronic.asia long-term development and recent years, there is currently much scope building investor confi dence. Nev- for growth in Macao’s EDM scene,” says ertheless, I think the overall market Lingxun Zhou, general manager of Elite Fun The Jigsaw festival is still full of opportunities and will Entertainment Limited. in Macao was an grow at a fast pace over time.” The Jigsaw festival aims to fi ll that gap and immersive, interactive While the demand is certainly there, contribute to building the city’s unique creative show, involving lasers, DJ Chozie emphasizes that the events experiences, he adds. 3D hologram screens need to be managed with greater profes- A successful EDM festival requires a world-class and life-sized robots. sionalism, otherwise the trend will pass. One DJ lineup and an unforgettable overall festival experi- way to build sustainability is by helping the local ence for fans, Zhou believes. This year Jigsaw featured ecosystem grow with local promoters and brands Grammy-nominated DJ Steve Aoki and other big names like promoting local EDM acts to encourage di erent Quintino and Ummet Ozcan as well as an immersive, interactive genres of electronic dance music and more stages for show that incorporates technology such as lasers, 3D hologram performances. screens and life-sized robots. DJ Chozie adds that they tried to “I believe strongly that festivals in China need to be local. keep the festive vibe going non-stop throughout the event just They need to be home-grown, done by the Chinese and for the like in the rave days of the past, where the music would play Chinese, but with an understanding of the Western mentality,” non-stop until the end of the show, with the help of intermission DJ Chozie explains. “The region is big enough to create its own acts to cover the spaces between DJ changeovers. brands, and it will become one of the leading festival destina- “The ‘fan economy’ has played a key role in the development World-renowned DJs Diplo, Alesso and Armin van Buuren tions in the world once it fi nds its true identity, loyalty to its own will appear in the Creamfields Hong Kong event. of the EDM market in the Chinese mainland,” Zhou explains. brands, and supports more local talent.” Justice vs mercy Hong Kong Rep puts on a stage version of the film An Our pick of city events from Dec 14 to 23 Unjust Good Fellow. Written by Callas Cheang and di- rected by Octavian Chan, the story explores the paradox between justice and mercy in society. Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor winner Ben Yuen returns to reprise Time for photos the role of Pastor Cheung Yu. Works by acclaimed photography in Hong Kong An Unjust Good Fellow contemporary photographer over the past 40 years with Organized by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre Dates: Dec 21 to 30. Joseph Fung Hon-kee, dating 10 of his artist friends on the Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre Studio Theatre, from the 1980s to the present, afternoon of Dec 16. 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui are on show until mid- www.hkrep.com/en/event December. Divided into four IF YOU GO sections, the exhibition traces Infinite possibilities four of his creative periods and Time/Space: Brief as photos A show of works by artists from China, America and demonstrates how his work – Dialogue between Joseph Europe using traditional and non-painterly media Fung and his contemporaries has changed with time. such as powdered charcoal and sand as well as ce- Organized by Hong Kong ramics, videos and films. The exhibition explores the Fung’s artistic versatility International Photo Festival many ways in which easily available materials serve shines through the exhibition, and Hong Kong Arts Centre as a medium of art. which includes work in social Dates: Through Dec 19; Talk: Dec 16, 3 pm documentary, conceptual Material Musings Venue: Pao Galleries, Hong Presented by the K11 Art Foundation photography, portraits and Kong Arts Centre, Dates: Until Dec 31, 11 am to 6 pm photographic installations. 2 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Venue: chi art space, 663 Clear Water Bay Road https://hkipf.org.hk/events/ Fung will exchange notes http://www.k11artfoundation.org/en/programme/ kollectors-series-material-musings/ on the development of If you have an exciting event in the pipeline and would like to see it here in What’s the Buzz, do write in to [email protected] Food Countdown to Christmas Day By MAGGIE BEALE — followed by a robust dish Cruise restaurant and bar Delectable Christmas de- cal ingredients and season- ternational spread that in- of oven-cooked potatoes on the 23rd fl oor of the lights include seafood on al imported produce from cludes shucked oysters, Bos- Festive specialties from with Swedish anchovies, west wing. ice, red wine foie gras ter- Italy. ton lobster, Canadian snow around the world are on cream and onions. The The HK$988 dinner rine, blue-fi n tuna sashimi, Their Christmas Eve and crab leg, brown crab, blue o er in Hong Kong in the main is the famous Nordic starts with a warm Medi- roasted turkey, oxtail soup Christmas Day four-course mussels, beef tartare with lead-up to Christmas. meatballs with mashed po- terranean red carabineros and a selection of char- set dinners feature a choice parmesan and tru e cream At The Flying Elk on tatoes and pickled cucum- shrimps and burrata cheese coal grilled short beef ribs, of Chef Theo’s Italian clas- and Japanese sashimi and Wyndham Street in Cen- ber, and the luscious des- salad.