ROCK SCHOOL

There aren’t any really great live music venues that feature original rock, punk and alternative bands on a regular basis. The Fringe Club comes the closest, however they only have these special gigs once every few months. Grappas Cellar also tries to have rock and alternative shows but that venue looks too much like a dated sports pub to be used successfully as live music venue on a regular basis.

The answer to this was Rockschool- an ambitious new live venue in Wanchai that hopes to have regular nights featuring local talents on the alternative rock scene.

Rockschool is a fantastic venue which is vaguely reminiscent of a Hard Rock Café meets CBGB (the legendary live venue in New York). The layout is spacious and there are a lot of guitars used as decoration. The stage, with it's zebra print backdrop, is the centerpiece of the venue and can be seen from all angles. There's a large dancefloor (mosh pit) and there are windows all around which make the place bright and not claustrophobic. The wait staff and bartenders have cut-up  uniforms, some held together by saftey pins. The atmosphere truly conveys the irreverent spirit of Rock.

Recently, Rockschool hosted the Global Battle of the Bands  and they often have real rude boy punk bands like Oi Squad, Smegma Riot, Defiant Scum and 6 pack of Wolves. Most of the crowd is sporting piercings, tattoos and old school Doc Martens. It was seriously rock and roll and a whole lot of fun. If you are an alternative music aficionado or if you feel like channeling the spirit of Sid Vicious and saying “Anarchy in Hong Kong!” then come to Rock School and mosh your little heart out.