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Hong Kong’s nightlife scene is nothing if not resilient, but one of our favourite underground music spots is currently fighting for survival. The Aftermath, the Central music venue on Wyndham Street, has put out an urgent call to its patrons to help cover some accumulated back rent. The good news is that they’ve managed to iron out a new lease with their landlord, but they now need to clear the old tab to keep the music playing.
Since opening its doors seven years ago, the independent livehouse has been a champion for the city’s independent arts crowd. Founded by Alicia Beale, the venue prides itself on being an open and welcoming cultural space where homegrown talents, international musicians, and the local community connect – something that the glitzy clubbing scene of Central simply cannot replicate.
Running an independent livehouse in this city has always been a notoriously tough gig. The ghost of Hidden Agenda – the popular indie spot that faced regulatory crackdowns before rebranding as This Town Needs and ultimately closing in 2020 – still haunts the scene, while the demolition of the medium-sized music venue at KITEC dealt another heavy blow, leaving local gig organisers with fewer options than ever.
To keep the lights on, remaining music spaces are having to get pretty creative. Spaces like Simpson Space operate with a private framework to keep things going, whilst Chez Trente relies on a similar intimate setup. Over in North Point, MOM Livehouse offsets the bills by running a restaurant alongside its venue rentals, and OG institutions like The Wanch are constantly tweaking their business models to stay in the game.
Naturally, The Aftermath is doing what it does best to solve the problem: putting on some brilliant live shows. The venue has locked in a great lineup for June to help drum up support. The fundraising efforts kick off on June 5 with an excellent mix of folk, rock, and indie tunes from The Pineapple Jam, The Lockouts, Mr Koo, and Levelling Out. There are four more major events lined up throughout the month, including a battle of the bands finals on June 27.
If you fancy a great night out or just want to make sure the city keeps its independent edge, now is the perfect time to grab a ticket and buy a round. Visit The Aftermath’s social channels (Facebook/Instagram) and official website to keep up with their latest happenings.
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