“Wait…what is a Clockenflap?”

“Is that an underground techno band?”

“Is that a Dutch word that defines some sort of watch mechanism?”

The answer is none of the above.

Clockenflap is Hong Kong’s pride and joy. A celebration of music and the arts. A multi-day multi-sensory experience for people of all ages. And it’s the biggest outdoor music festival that the Pearl of the Orient has to offer.

Clockenflap takes place along the harborfront, giving festival goers a scenic view of Hong Kong city skyline. With postcard-perfect sunsets of pink skies, mountains, and skyscrapers, Clockenflap is one of the most beautiful settings for a music festival in the world.

After a COVID hiatus of four years, Clockenflap returned with a bang in 2023. What made that year’s festivals even more interesting, is that Hong Kong hosted not 1, but 2 Clockenflaps, a rather bold feat and impressive accomplishment.

As a music addict living in Taipei, I always scour the internet for live shows, scrolling through lineups to deem any “flight-worthy” festivals. So when the Clockenflap lineup was released this fall, I knew immediately that I was determined to have my first Clockenflap experience in 2024.

The lineup was an impressive blend of genres and artists, bringing in a cultural flavor from different parts of the world. From Synth Pop to Hip Hop, and Emo Punk to Jazz Fusion, the diversity in music was unquestionable. Global acts graced the stage including Canadian Alt-Rock band Mother Mother and Japanese Indie-Pop band Cody Lee. Another was American guitar queen, Anne Erin Clark, also known as St.Vincent, who has self-produced more than seven studio albums, and has been ranked by Rolling Stone in 2023 as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. St.Vincent set the bar high with an all-around powerful performance and memorable emotional presence on stage.

Hip Hop fans anxiously anticipated the late arrival of London Grime sensation Central Cee, who has been ripping through the charts in the last few years. Fans that were squished together at the front rapped along to every word as he performed his well-known hits like “Doja,” and ended with ‘Sprinter,’ an obvious, yet perfect way to finish the night.

Japanese Hip Hop duo Creepy Nuts was another memorable Day 1 performance. Immersed in the massive crowd, you could feel the energy and excitement coming from the truly dedicated fans. Breaking the barrier between stage and crowd, a few heartfelt moments were shared when lead rapper R-Shitei spoke directly to fans in Japanese, bringing smiles and cheers to the audience in a special kind of way.

Leaving festival goers undoubtedly satisfied was the final headliner of the weekend, Jack White. Talent and pure artistry radiated from the stage as the performance took fans on a journey with a mix of his classic hits and songs from his new album, while riffs flowed into one another on endless guitar jamming interludes. Longtime loyal fans certainly left happy after a grand finale of not one, but two, legendary songs from White Stripes and Raconteurs, Jack White’s other reputable rock projects.

With cheers coming from all around, the one thought on my mind was, “Now that was a Clockenflap.”

What a weekend.

Check out the Clockenflap gallery below.