Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok, has one of the largest pedestrian flows in Hong Kong. An indie show held downtown is rare. Indie shows are usually considered to be underground parties for a minority, but today it’

s moved to a busy street. Strong rhythms and sensitive musical themes have attracted many of the people passing through to stop and watch, to see what the young people are doing. On a hot summer evening watching the performers dancing, the audience begins to move along to the music.

YU QI RONG 18
Hong Kong
Student

∎ What brings you to Mong Kok?
I’

m having summer vacation in advance because of the H1N1 virus.

∎

What kind of music do you like?
I like local indie music and often go to gigs with friends. I want to see the local indie band - AN ID SIGNAL.

∎

Where do you find your styles?
I love vintage so I frequent the local secondhand clothing stores, such as Mong Kok Timmia clothes shops, and Band Tee is an indispensable store for me.

∎ How long have you been wearing Converse?
At 14, I bought my first pair of Converse shoes; within four years, I had six pairs. My favorites are black Chucks. I think that Converse has approachable style, suitable to match with vintage clothing, which is low profile, simple, but with a little individuality. The ones I’

m wearing today, the tail part has been cut off, for convenience and personal style

——————–

Conne 23
Hong Kong
Designer

∎

What kind of music do you like?
I like local indie music. Especially Chochukmo, AN ID SIGNAL and Green Mountain Orchestra.

∎

How would you define your style?
I like English vintage-style dresses, like this red and black tartan overall.

∎ What do you think of Converse?
My favorites are black patent leather All Stars, which have a strong feeling of England. On the other hand, I also believe that Converse is like a piece of canvas, on which any thing can be created and any views can be expressed. People can create their own unique shoes. Today I’m wearing a pair I bought nine years ago – my first pair of Chucks. They’re covered in paint and I wrote “Love and Peace”

on them.

——————–

GRAHAM 22
Hong Kong
Student, Staff of “Our Yell”

street concert.

∎

What kind of local bands do you like?
I like listening to indie music. My favorite local bands are Blackbird, AN ID SIGNAL, and Choke.

∎

What is your style?
I really like the vintage style, especially the style of the unruly hippies. My image is really influenced by classic British punk bands.

∎

Tell us about your shoes.
Today, I am wearing my Earth tone and brown Converse Trainers to match. I like shoes to match up with the color of my clothing.

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BAO WEI 27
Hong Kong
Designer, organizer of “Our Yell”

street concert

∎ What’

s your relationship to music?
I participate and organize local indie music, and I try to have the courage to express my position and views on politics through music. I hold concerts in the busy streets in Mong Kok to bring music closer to people. For local indie bands, I like AMK, King Ly Chee, False Alarm.

∎

What do you think of Converse?
My favorites are Jack Purcells, which are totally influenced by my ultimate rock idol. Converse is simple but with lovable meticulous design.

——————–

XIAO DING 30
Hong Kong
Working in book and magazine design

∎ How are you involved in the indie scene?
I am a member of Forever Tarkovsky Club and also the half-naked girl from highly controversial “Christmas Half-naked Party”

MV. I just planned Liao Yanning private photo exhibition, producing and pushing a series of hand-made books, badges, and T-shirts. Now I am busy with rehearsals for a drama.

∎ Can you tell us about your style?
I intentionally dress in sailor clothes for Forever Tarkovsky Club concerts, so as to match with my style in “Christmas Halfnaked Party”

MV. I like to wear simple and comfortable clothes on weekdays.

∎ What do you think of Converse?
I’

m a Converse fan, and I bought my first pair, orange All Stars, during secondary school. Afterwards, I bought more and more until I had like 30 pairs. I like to transform my Converse shoes, for example, painting color stripes on shoelaces, putting small badges on shoes to make them more unique.

——————–

WU YI ZHONG 19
Hong Kong
Design student

∎ What are you passionate about?
I enjoy the summer holidays, I’

m now busy with a study of the old districts of Hong Kong. I frequent old goods area in Sheung Wan for nostalgic goods. I love creations with wild imagination. The inspiration of painting is indispensable in my life. I bring a sketchbook with me always, painting as I like.

∎ What kind of music do you like?
I prefer Taiwanese music and often listen to Chen Chi Chen and Natural Q. For local indie bands, I like My Little Airport. I like their music and Ah P’s style. Last week, I watched my first indie show, which was Ah
P’

s Forever Tarkovsky Club concert. When I got home, I felt compelled to learn guitar and form a band.

∎ What is your style?
I like Old School style from head to toe –

meticulous. Second-hand shops are always on my destination list, and second-hand Old School T-shirts are an essential item. My black plastic frame glasses are also indispensable.

∎

How do your shoes fit your style?
I like to wear Converse shoes to match my Old School look, because Converse gives people a sense of classic, especially black high tops. This pair of Converse I got two years ago as an exchange with my classmate. I love them so much, especially when wearing them with shorts.

——————–

JANLI 21
Hong Kong
Fashion design student

∎ What is your style?
I like vintage clothing these days with matching Indian jewelry. I like to transform clothes and make them my own – the red necklace I’m wearing is hand-made, the broken jeans are self-processed, and I’

m wearing my favorite red Chucks to match. I like bright colors.

∎

Tell us about these.
These shoes were a gift from my mom four years ago. I have a special appreciation for high tops because of the star logos.

∎ What are you passionate about?
Taxis! Without them, my timing would be chaos. Also, I hate constraints. I love to be undressed. I’

m often naked at home.

——————–

BARRY 25
Videographer

∎

How do you spend your time?
I like rock music. I spend my spare time with friends playing the guitar and singing songs.

∎

What kind of music do you like?
The Story of the Year is my favorite band right now, also I like Kolor and Hardpack. The first time I watched an indie show was at the annual show of Band Society in the University of Science and Technology. King Ly Chee was unforgetable to me, because it was the first time I felt the power of hardcore music. It was special when the audience and fans bumped into each other.

∎

What is your style?
I prefer casual clothing. I wear T-shirts and jeans everyday. I demand a high quality cut for my pants.

YUKI 21
Fashion journalist

∎

What kind of music do you like?
Jazz and country music

∎

What is your style?
I prefer playful and colorful clothing. One of my favorite fashion icons wears bold clothes with a strong personality.

∎ Tell us about your shoes.
The ones I am wearing now are a rock band’

s special edition which were hard to find. I like the classic band logo as well as the music.

——————–

GUO XIAO YAN 30
Hong Kong
Teacher

∎ What is your style?
I like simple style, especially black, white and grey colors. 

∎

What are you passionate about?
I like painting and photographing most, and think the touch of life is the most important thing. I spend 2/3 of the day enjoying family life. I am currently ocumenting the growth of my daughter.

∎

What kind of music do you like?
I like My Little Airport, The Pancakes and The Marshmallow Kisses, whose music has a sense of life, relaxation and leisure. The first time I watched an indie show was 8 years ago, It was False Alarm and crowded with people. It felt really good, and that real
feeling was unforgettable. I regret that I did not learn music well during childhood.

∎ Tell us about your first par of Converse shoes.
I bought my first white pair of Converse Jack Purcells 10 years ago, followed by 5 friends who all bought the same pair afterwards. We looked like the “white shoes party”

on campus.