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Second Clockenflap festival this December is ‘a leap of faith’, says co-founder, who promises ‘outrageous levels of fun for all who come’

  • December is going to feel like a true Clockenflap experience, says co-founder Justin Sweeting, on how the event will differ from March’s edition
  • Groups and solo artists will skew towards a younger demographic and key regional Asian acts will perform in an attempt to attract new audiences, he adds

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How will December’s Clockenflap festival differ from the March edition? Justin Sweeting, Clockenflap co-founder and head of music, talks to the Post. Photo: Dickson Lee

The upside of having two Clockenflap events this year, after a four-year absence, is that festivalgoers get to have twice as much fun. The downside, for the organisers at least, is having to live up to expectations.

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This March, the Clockenflap Music and Arts Festival heralded the post-Covid return of Hong Kong live music with an energetic three-day weekend that featured world-famous acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Arctic Monkeys and Phoenix.
Less than nine months later, the city’s biggest music event is back again in December. Given how soon it comes after the first, some music fans in Hong Kong may be wondering whether this second festival is worth paying for.

But perhaps there is value in heading to the Central Harbourfront again, even without March’s big names on stage.

Wu-Tang Clan on stage during Clockenflap at Central Habourfront on March 5, 2023. Photo: Dickson Lee
Wu-Tang Clan on stage during Clockenflap at Central Habourfront on March 5, 2023. Photo: Dickson Lee

“Having been away for so long, our comeback edition in March felt like a collective, joyous release, and it was palpable how much it meant for everyone there,” says Justin Sweeting, co-founder and head of music at Clockenflap.

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