Grisella Luivindy

“Every exit is an entry to somewhere else”. This Tom Stoppard quote instantly lit up the bulb in Mr. Anthony Tao’s brain when he was searching for names for his gallery. Now a well-established platform for emerging artists, Gallery Exit has been paving career paths for many of them, creating a platform to rising stars of the art industry. We sit down with gallery director Anthony Tao to talk about how his Aberdeen art space is helping to make a name for homegrown talent. Hi Anthony, thanks for chatting to Time Out! When did Gallery Exit open?We planned it in 2008, and we officially opened in 2009. I have one other partner. Other people have helped out, but mostly it’s just me and another guy called Aenon Loo. Who in the art industry inspires you?Herb and Dorothy Vogel for their lifelong passion in art. What is it about art that touches you? Is it the visuals, the emotions, or messages, or something else? There’s different kinds of art, but I would say, something that touches me emotionally would be the pieces I pick. What motivated you to open Gallery Exit? I opened the gallery because I started out collecting and as I went along, I realised there are so many talented Hong Kong artists that need a reliable platform to showcase their work because they lack the exposure. So I decided to open the gallery to showcase mainly Hong Kong local artists, but to a certain extent other Asian artists as well like Mainland Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and other Southeast Asian art

With their mix of rock, synthpop and hip-hop, Japanese band Back-On have made their mark in the world of anime, videogames, TV dramas and commercials with a backlog attached to many mainstream anime. Since their debut in 2002, Japanese TV enthusiasts will have heard their songs on repeat while binge watching big name shows like One Piece, Fairy Tail or late-night drama Shinjuku Swan. ‘Back-On’ has similar pronunciation to <>, or “baku-on” in Japanese, the pun evoking an ‘explosion of sound’. As their name thus suggests, the group’s songs tend to be energetic and fast-paced, with powerful vocals and buoyant buildup. Back in 2008, their collaboration with hip-hop band Greeeen resulted in a new supergroup, Bareeeeeeeeeen, that released both hit singles and an album, making the two bands’ presence ever more prominent in the Japanese music industry. Six years down the line, despite the resignation and replacement of several drummers, Back-On returned to stun fans with their Gundam theme song, Silent Trigger, which quickly seized a top 10 spot in the weekly singles chart. Their popularity among anime enthusiasts has brought them around the world, touring various anime conventions in the US, Canada, Europe and China. As if Hong Kong wasn’t hot enough in summer, Back-On is bringing the heat this July, with a tour packed with songs from their recently released fifth album, Pack of the Future. With their highly infectious singles, Back-On are sure to blow you away with their energy and

Darkness Pool’s particular brand of thrash metal is guaranteed to blow the roof off The Hang Out. Equipped with a rich musical range and attitude, Darkness Pool have always distinguished themselves through creative experimentation between rock, classic 70s metal and death metal. Lead vocalist Yiu never fails to impress with epic, soaring riffs that blow out the sound system. Complex guitar solos and high-register rhythm chords seem effortless for the quintet.  Officially formed in 2006, Darkness Pool quickly rose to popularity in mainland China and Hong Kong. In the last 10 years, the band has played numerous gigs and released a studio album. They may have been positioned as thrash metal band, but these virtuosos are looking to explore different musical blends, even if they maintain a dark, deathly aesthetic.  If you’re looking for a real banger of a track, Democracy has got to be your pick. Its grating texture and explosive solos are repeat highs. But don’t worry, for fans who need to give their vocal chords a rest, the more melodic Burying Alive will provide some reprieve as it balances out the other shredders bound to be on Darkness Pool’s set list, though it loses no energy in doing so. The thudding rhythms and fast beats are carefully sculpted with a mass of groovy jazz ostinato. Rather than the fantasy monologues typical of many metal songs, Darkness Pool’s lyrics are often first-person stories that reveal human nature and the downbeat mundanity of life. With top-notch