NOW HEAR THIS音樂盛宴
Hong Kong’s biggest music festival is back. TIM PRITCHARD picks five acts to watch at Clockenflap 本城最大型的音樂節Clockenflap香港音樂及藝術節強勢回歸， Tim Pritchard精選五個演出單位
MY FIRST CLOCKENFLAP
was in 2009. Back then it was just a patch of grass on the roof of Cyberport in Pok Fu Lam, with a far slimmer line-up – but everyone there knew this little musical weekend was something special.
Clockenflap’s come a long way since. Well, about seven kilometres, to Central Harbourfront, via West Kowloon, landing even bigger names (New Order! The Chemical Brothers!).
This year marks Clockenflap’s 10th year. The headline acts have moved into World Conqueror status (chilled- out trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack, dancefloor madmen The Prodigy and indie-folk singer Feist among them) but the line-up is possibly also its most eclectic yet.
Tuareg musicans Tinariwen weave bluesy guitars with the rhythms of their Saharan corner of northern Mali into a genre that’s come to be known as desert blues. Listen to their hypnotic Saharan sounds and you’ll see why musicians as famous as Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant are collaborating with them.
Ibibio Sound Machine, meanwhile, pollinate their electronic dance music with upbeat West African rhythms, over which London-born Nigerian vocalist Eno Williams unleashes a stream of lyrics in her native Ibibio. Also sure to have crowds bouncing around are Aussie four-piece rock band Pond, who blend a kaleidoscopic symphony of psychedelic pop-rock with equally bedazzling live shows.
Slightly more chilled are British neo-soul group Jungle. Since making their big splash in 2014, original duo of Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson have been busy writing ever more ambitious tunes and have expanded their line-up into a modern soul sevenpiece powerhouse.
Central might be less grassy than West Kowloon, but Clockenflap’s grassroots vibe still runs strong – especially in its local bands. Supper Moment have been a staple of the Hong Kong music scene for more than 10 years, and take to the main stage on Sunday with tunes that bridge the gap between Cantopop and rock.
That’s just five acts to check out. You can listen to them – and many more from this year’s line-up – in the special Clockenflap playlist onboard. Clockenflap takes place 17-19 November at Central Harbourfront. clockenflap.com
我在 2009 年第一次參加 Clockenflap 香港音樂及藝術節，當年是在薄扶林數碼港天台的一片草地舉行，演出陣容遠不及現在強大，可是觀眾都感覺到這個小型的周末音樂會定非池中物。
果然， Clockenflap 的發展從此不斷前進，由最初舉行的地點途經西九龍，再進軍中環海濱，走了約七公里的路程，沿途更有鼎鼎大名的人物護航（例如樂隊New Order和The Chemical Brothers 等）。
今年 Clockenflap 踏入十周年，不但主打的演出單位已提升至國際級數（括迷幻電音先鋒 Massive Attack、狂野電子舞曲代表The Prodigy及獨立民謠歌手Feist），更可能是有史以來陣容最燦爛多姿的一屆。
只要聽聽來自馬里北部撒哈拉沙漠地區由圖瓦雷克人組成的樂隊 Tinariwen 的藍調結他和當地的動人節奏，就會明白為什麼 Led Zeppelin 樂隊主音 Robert Plant等知名音樂人會跟他們合作。
此外，樂隊 Ibibio Sound Machine 以 輕快的西非節奏融入電子跳舞音樂，倫敦出生的尼日利亞主音Eno Williams 以母語伊比比奥話唱出連串歌詞。澳洲搖滾四人組合 Pond將千變萬化的迷幻流行搖滾樂配合同樣令人目不暇給的現場表演，肯定令大批捧場客手舞足蹈。
英國新騷靈音樂組合Jungle 格調略為輕鬆。自 2014年打響名堂後，兩位創團成員Tom McFarland 及 Josh Lloyd-Watson 不斷推出大熱歌曲，現在更擴充為現代騷靈無敵七人組合。中環也許不比西九擁有大片草地，但
Clockenflap 香港音樂及藝術節的草根氛圍依然鮮明，從演出的本地樂隊可見一斑。
Supper Moment是屹立香港樂壇超過十年的中流砥柱，將於星期日登上主舞台，演出糅合粵語流行曲及搖滾樂的動人旋律。
以上只是眾多演出單位的其中五組。歡迎聆聽機上的 Clockenflap 香港音樂及藝術節音樂精選曲目，欣賞更多今年其他演出單位的精采作品。
Clockenflap香港音樂及藝術節於11月17至19日假中環海濱舉行，詳情請瀏覽clockenflap.com