6 Questions With Hong Kong Hardcore Bands: Embryo, DIV, Dagger, The Squawk, FightXClub

On October 6, 2018 Hong Kong once again, after what seems like an eternity, will belong to hardcore.

Hong Kong hardcore (or HKHC as its more affectionately known) is a scene that has been in the making since 1999 though in most recent years it has been mostly dormant save for bands like King Ly Chee, FightxClub, Yau Dong who, against all odds, have kept the flame alive. In these past 19 years there have been many phenomenal bands that were formed, left their mark and moved on. But regardless of what has happened, who has remained, and who is finding their way back – the heart and soul of HKHC still remains strong.

The bands who will perform this coming Saturday are bands who feature members who have seen ALL of this right from day one.

Today we sent them 6 questions about Hong Kong to get their feedback about their favorite restaurants, favorite parts of Hong Kong, and of course what they feel are the most important Hong Kong releases/bands, etc. It is incredibly interesting to see which band all 5 of these bands mentioned feel represents Hong Kong the best!

If you can make it, please come check out the show this Saturday October 6 at Hong Kong Baptist University. All the information can be found further below.

We hope you find something that peaks your interest below and will choose to support our humble little HKHC community. All these bands fucking rule, put a lot of heart and HAVE put a lot of time into Hong Kong hardcore.

DIV
https://www.facebook.com/divhk

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong? Why?
Shing: Shatin – Salem – nice local food, always have a good time hanging out here with bros.

What is your favorite district in Hong Kong? Why?
Shing: Shatin – this is where most of us grew up together. Actually, it’s a pretty chill place.

What was your favorite show you’ve ever seen in Hong Kong?
Shing: King Ly Chee “Stand Strong” CD release show back in 2003.

What band best represents Hong Kong?
Shing: Evocation

What is the one album you’d give to people if they asked you what’s good from Hong Kong?
Shing: “聚” compilation by touch music.

[Editor’s note: The entire compilation features 14 bands from back around 2003-2005 era of underground Hong Kong bands such as Attention to Piss, King Ly Chee, 5 Disciplines, Milkshake 7. You can actually hear clips of the WHOLE thing at this link: http://www.touchmusic.org/%E8%81%9A-compilation/]

What bands would you say describe your sound the best?
Shing: Converge/Norma Jean/The Chariot/Bury Your Dead

Dagger
https://www.facebook.com/daggerhk/

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong? Why?
Riz: Hong Kong has so many great restaurants…I think my favorite for the time being is a restaurant called Ma’s Restaurant in Sham Shui Po. My family and I are Muslim so it’s always nice to be able to enjoy food somewhere that serves Halal meat so we don’t have to worry about asking any questions.

What is your favorite district in Hong Kong? Why?
Riz: Tsim Sha Tsui is my favorite. Much like DIV’s answer above…this is where I lived my entire life…the diversity of different types of people that you see walking the streets, running businesses and living here makes this one of the most vibrant districts in Hong Kong.

What was your favorite show you’ve ever seen in Hong Kong?
Riz: There have been so many shows here…off the top of my head I can think of my top 3 and the reason why is because when I was watching those shows EACH of them brought tears to my eyes because a) of their presence in Hong Kong, b) the power in their music. The top 3 for me are: Bane, Sick of it All, Envy. For Bane and SOIA, it was their first ever time in Hong Kong that I will never forget…the fact that bands that I grew up listening to when I was just a teenager and then finally being able to see those songs being sung and performed on a stage here in Hong Kong was VERY VERY emotional. When Sick of it All sang Injustice System and My Life for example…I remember tears as I screamed the words “We must fight – Injustice system / Have no rights – Injustice system / We must fight – Injustice system / Have no rights – Injustice system”.

To: That’s a fucking hard question. What comes to my mind right away is King Ly Chee’s 15th anniversary show. The reunion of the classic Stand Strong era of King Ly Chee was fucking amazing.

What band best represents Hong Kong?
Riz: Evocation hands down. The way they are able to capture the sounds and feeling of Hong Kong Chinese culture and incorporate it into their music through use of Cantonese and black metal is un-fucking-believable. They continue to be one of my biggest inspirations in Hong Kong.

To: No doubt it’s Evocation. Does anyone have a better answer?!

What is the one album you’d give to people if they asked you what’s good from Hong Kong?
Riz: For me, the one band and album that comes to my mind right away is Hong Kong rap-metal legends LMF and their second full length 大懶堂. They took over Hong Kong and turned everything upside down with their lyrical content, general fuck you attitude towards Hong Kong’s mainstream audience and record labels. This was SUCH an exciting period of Hong Kong music.

To: The＂聚＂compilation album that has already been mentioned above. But this was released years ago. Someone should really do a 2019 version! Another great release was the King Ly Chee 15 year anniversary compilation CD which was a great album to represent HK’s heavy music scene.

What bands would you say describe your sound the best?
Riz: Hard to say…probably Turmoil, Foundation, Implore, END…90’s metallic hardcore.
To: I would say Converge, Turmoil, Code Orange.

Embryo
https://www.facebook.com/embryo.hk/

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong? Why?
Ray: 北方餃子源. We are dumpling addicts so this restaurant is totally the place for us to come back and reminisce about the good old days touring China. The taste of our memories.

What is your favorite district in Hong Kong? Why?
Ray: Shatin! It’s my hood where I grew up.

What was your favorite show you’ve ever seen in Hong Kong?
Ray: Comeback Kid Live in Pier 7 Central

What band best represents Hong Kong?
Ray: Evocation

What is the one album you’d give to people if they asked you what’s good from Hong Kong?
Ray: The compilation album 聚 released by Touch Music which had lots of different styles from Five Disciplines to Luke Chow.

What bands would you say describe your sound the best?
Ray: Every Time I Die/Bury Your Dead/Evergreen Terrace/Stray From The Path

FightXClub
https://www.facebook.com/fightxclubhk/

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong? Why?
Ming: 一心素食，in Kwun Tong. It is a vegetarian restaurant and it has become the canteen for FightXClub.
To: Beside of 一心素食, my other favorite restaurant is Loving Hut in Wanchai. This is a vegan restaurant right near where I work.

What is your favorite district in Hong Kong? Why?
Ming: Kwun Tong, it’s our hood and the place where FightXClub began from absolutely nothing.
To: Tuen Mun. West Coast for life! Hahaha, that’s where I grew up and where I will die.

Kwun Tong

Tuen Mun

What was your favorite show you’ve ever seen in Hong Kong?
Ming: For sure BANE‘s final ever Asian tour in Hong Kong back in 2015. The whole show ended with everyone on stage screaming their lungs out!

What band best represents Hong Kong?
Ming: Evocation, their music is of the highest caliber, plus their lyrics are in Cantonese and talk about the death and spirit of Chinese culture.

What is the one album you’d give to people if they asked you what’s good from Hong Kong?
Ming: King Ly Chee 15th Anniversary Tribute Compilation CD, more than ten hk local heavy bands paid tribute to HK Hardcore Legend KLC. A great chance to take a glance of hk heavy music scene in just one album.

What bands would you say describe your sound the best?
Ming: Throwdown, Terror, Comeback Kid, Embryo
To: I would add The Ghost Inside

The Squawk
https://www.facebook.com/thesquawkhk/

What is your favorite restaurant in Hong Kong? Why?
Bob: 金利來小廚 in Kowloon Bay. Most of the Hidden Agenda [Hidden Agenda is a venue in Hong Kong] after parties were hosted here. So this restaurant brings a lot of memories.

What is your favorite district in Hong Kong? Why?
Bob: Kwun Tong. This is where Hidden Agenda began.

What was your favorite show you’ve ever seen in Hong Kong?
Bob: The Chariot live in Hong Kong back in 2011.

What band best represents Hong Kong?
Bob: Evocation.

What is the one album you’d give to people if they asked you what’s good from Hong Kong?
Bob: Hyponic 前行者

What bands would you say describe your sound the best?
Bob: 黃秋生, Dead Kennedy, Negative Approach

https://www.facebook.com/events/233646277330255/

日期Date : October 6, 2018
時間Time : 7:30pm
地點Venue: Sir Run Run Shaw Building 401, Ho Sin Hang Campus, HKBU
演出單位 LINE UP:
Embryo
FightxClub
不平之鳴 The Squawk
Dagger
D I V

門票Entrance :
會員Member-80HKD
預售Adv -100HKD
即埸Walk-in -140HKD

購票詳請:
* 是次表演不設實體票，會員及預售門票只經由銀行匯款形式登記並發售，敬請留意。

如欲購票，請在Facebook 私訊 Fightxclub band page (https://www.facebook.com/fightxclubhk/) 或 WhatsApp +852 65415522，附上:
Tickets will be sold via bank transaction and please message Fightxclub band page (https://www.facebook.com/fightxclubhk/) OR WhatsApp +852 6541 5522 with information below:

1.姓名/Your full name
2.聯絡電話/Contact number
3.門票數量/Number of tickets
***樂社會員請請告知你們身份***
***Please inform us if you’re the member of BU band soc***

之後我們會附上匯款資料及餘下手續詳請，請把握早鳥優惠！
And then, we will reply you for further process personally, Thank you!

查詢 Enquiries
+852 65415522
Inbox FightxClub band page (https://www.facebook.com/fightxclubhk/)