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30 HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2008

KillerSoapKillerSoap has made a huge following with numerous performances around Hong Kong. The five-piece band will bring you a fusion of rock and pop in their killer tunes, so expect an energy explosion to hit the HK Live! stage.

MAsquerAn astounding new act MAsquer formed in 2007. Heavily influenced by Japanese rock bands such as, Di ren grey and L’Arc en Ciel, to create heart pounding melodic rock songs, with searing guitar licks and heavy beats, for an unforgettable live set.

Tai Tai AlibiAlt-rockers Tai Tai Alibi formed with the shared goal of creating original music that’s moody, atmospheric, edgy, and at the same time catchy. Citing influences as varied as Jeff Buckley, Alice in Chains, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Stevie Wonder, they warrant a closer listen, come see for yourself - the four-piece band are ready to rock!

July 5,08

www.channelv.com/ampOFFICIAL TV CHANNEL

Media Partners:www.hk-live.comA HK Magazine Event

The Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd., Central. Tel: 2521-7251. Advanced tickets at $100 available from Fringe Club. $150 on the day.

Sat, MusicA Czech Hero and an Italian Journey Well-renowned BBC Symphony Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Jiri Belohlavek conducts the world’s masterpieces. $60-$300 from Urbtix. Fri-Sat, Jun 20-21, 8pm. Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 10 Salisbury Rd., Tsim Sha Tsui.

The First Five YearsFor half a decade, Kassia Women’s Choir concerts have stood out for their sense of fun as well as the skilled and beautiful singing. $180-$220 from Urbtix. Tue, Jun 24, 8pm. Sheung Wan Civic Centre Theatre, 345 Queen’s Rd., Sheung Wan.

HK PICKS

The Harvard Krokodiloes LiveEnjoy Harvard University’s oldest and most celebrated a cappella singing group along with some cocktails and nibbles at the Lobby Lounge. Mon, Jun 23, 6:30pm-8:15pm, Kolwoon Shangri-La, 64 Mody Rd., Kowloon, 2721-2111.

Love it or hate it, Hong Kong is an inspiring place to live. The city’s leading English-language writer Xu Xi tells Winnie Chau how her conflicted relationship with Hong Kong inspires her to write.

HK: As a Hong Kong writer, have you had any moments of disappointment?Xu Xi: Oh, sure. Right from the start! Nobody read here. I discovered that when I was a child. I published my works regularly in the South China Morning Post, but none of my school friends, except one, read it. When I returned from the States with a degree in creative writing, I realized there was only one journal at the University of Hong Kong where I could publish my work. And even that folded after four issues. Sometimes, there’s a poem published in the Letter to the Editor in the newspaper. I thought, “Is that it? That’s pathetic!” So I left Hong Kong.

HK: But you returned!XX: Hong Kong is my most difficult lover. I was never sure I ever wanted to come back, but once I left Hong Kong I couldn’t stop writing about the place. That’s why I came back. Hong Kong is very troublesome—the moment you go, you want to return.

HK: You write both fiction and non-fiction. What’s the difference?XX: It’s very different. I think fiction comes more naturally to me. I’ve always been a fiction writer, ever since I was a child. I think fiction is actually more honest than non-fiction. You can tell stories in non-fiction, and I do. But you can’t change what happened.

HK: When does inspiration come to you? XX: Inspiration? I don’t wait for inspiration. I just write because I write, you know, that’s my job. If you wait for inspiration, you’ll never be a writer. A writer just sits down and writes. Sit down and do it. It will come.

HK: Tell us your daily routine.XX: There is no routine. But if possible, I must go to the gym. It makes me think about myself and my body differently. It also affects the way I write. I must turn on my computer and try to write. Some day I write more than others, but I have to turn on my computer. Traveling on public transports is my favorite form of recreation. I learn so much on the MTR and buses. I watch lovers have fights and cry. I listen to people have passionate, and I mean truly passionate, conversations about business on their phone. It’s quite amazing to see people constantly getting lost in themselves on the MTR.

HK: What are you reading now? XX: Funnily enough, for the first time in my life I’m actually not in the middle of a book. I’m re-reading three short stories for my lectures I am going to teach.

HK: Any tips for aspiring writers?XX: Keep reading and writing. You should try to publish your works not just here, but elsewhere in the world. And most of all, figure out how to make a living that allows you to write. If you can live, you can write.

Xu Xi’s latest creative non-fiction “Evanescent Isles” is out now. See review on p.44

UPCLOSEXu Xi

StageTicket to Ride-A Tribute to The BeatlesThe music of the Fab Four is back again this year, featuring prominent members of Soho Collective. $160-$200 from HK Ticketing, Fri-Sat, Jun 20-21, 8:15pm. Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd., Central.

The Andersen ProjectA visual marvel of the virtual and the real conjured up onstage by Robert Lepage. $80-$360 from Urbtix. Fri-Sun, Jun 20-22, 7:30pm (Jun 20-21) & 2:30pm (Jun 22). Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium, 12 Hing Ning Road, Kwai Chung.

HK PICKS

The PillowmanThis critically acclaimed Broadway play revolves around the interrogation of the writer Katurian, whose gruesome stories bear an uncanny resemblance to a series of child murders. $200-$220 from HK Ticketing. Mon-Sat, Jun 24-28, 8pm. Arts Centre, 2 Harbour Rd., Wan Chai.