June 10th marked the anniversary of the late local musician, Wong Ka-ku’s death. Several music groups held the “615 Chill Remembering Ka-ku Concert 2024” on Saturday, June 15th, paying tribute to this legendary figure in the Hong Kong music industry. The organizer of the concert mentioned that this year they faced obstacles in the venue arrangement, which eventually led to the concert being moved to another location, possibly due to the sensitivities surrounding the month of June.
This year marked the 4th edition of the “Remembering Ka-ku Concert”, featuring performances by groups like “KATER”, “The Origin”, “Arttry ThaiJai, Tsai Pak-ming”, “Redholic”, “Wanshun 501”, and “615 House Band”. Throughout the more than 7-hour long concert, each group performed a variety of classic Beyond songs including “Early Train”, “Lover”, “Earth”, “I Am Angry”, “Glorious Years”, and ending with the iconic Hong Kong favorite, “Boundless Oceans Vast Skies”.
Attendee Ms. Li has been participating in the “Remembering Ka-ku Concert” for many years, and this year she brought along her 14-year-old son for the first time. She mentioned that both her husband and sister are fans of Wong Ka-ku, so her son grew up being familiar with Wong Ka-ku and Beyond through their influence. Ms. Li reflected that when she was young, she didn’t appreciate every song by Beyond, but with personal growth and experiences, she started to have a different perspective on some of their works. She specifically mentioned that after the events of 2019, Beyond’s song “City on Fire” seemed like a prophesy of Hong Kong’s future.
The organizer of the concert, Jim, expressed that in previous years, the concert was held in his own shop, but this year they moved to a Live House that could accommodate more audience members. He hopes to continue holding the annual June concert in memory of Ka-ku, bringing together friends who love Ka-ku’s music.
Jim likened Wong Ka-ku’s music to a seed that continues to spread its influence across generations. He noted that while young musicians today may not be familiar with all of Wong Ka-ku or Beyond’s songs, their mentors likely have been touched by this music. Jim remarked that whenever Hong Kong faces difficult times, the people often turn to Beyond’s songs for inspiration, indicating that Wong Ka-ku and Beyond’s music has always been ingrained in the hearts of Hong Kong people.
Regarding the venue issues faced this year, Jim revealed that the original venue could host 300 to 400 people, but due to licensing delays, they had to hastily find an alternative location. The concert had to be relocated from Sai Kung to a unit in an industrial building, resulting in a significant decrease in audience attendance.
Jim declined to provide further details on the venue predicament, only attributing it to “force majeure”. He emphasized that June is a “sensitive time”, likening it to a “spell”, and shared that this concert made the authorities nervous. However, he stressed that the concert was purely about sharing music and had no political motives. He hoped that people of all backgrounds could find solace in Wong Ka-ku’s music, whether they were happy or distressed. Jim mentioned that despite the concert not making any profit and actually operating at a loss, he didn’t mind as the most important thing was to make everyone happy. He added that the most satisfying part for him was seeing everyone leave with smiles on their faces.
Addressing the recent malicious destruction of Wong Ka-ku’s gravestone, Jim condemned it as an act that angers both man and gods. He believed that regardless of whether the gravestone belonged to a celebrity, no one should vandalize the tombstone of the deceased, and hoped those involved would face appropriate consequences.