WestK’s Freespace Noise Fest spotlights experimental music this summer

The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) presents the Freespace Noise Fest from July 24 to August 6. More than 30 international, regional, and local groups and musicians will perform at the experimental music festival. At the same time, the event is part of the fifth anniversary celebrations for Freespace. Keep reading for the line-up, tickets, and more.

The Freespace Noise Fest is a 10-day festival championing experimental music. Festivalgoers can explore diverse genres, such as improvised music, ambient music, harsh noise, and more. Additionally, participants are treated to a series of free workshops and artist-sharing sessions.

 

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Freespace Noise Fest line-up

WestK will welcome over 30 experimental acts from around the world to perform at Freespace Noise Fest. Performers from Japan, the US, China, Mexico, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and more will take over the stage with experimental music, improvisation, and homemade or modified instruments. Highlights include Japanese multi-instrumentalist Yuko Araki, American composer and sound artist Ken Ueno, and Chinese musician Mei Zhiyong.

On the final day, Japanese composer Otomo Yoshihide and Indonesian duo Senyawa will close Freespace Noise Fest with a double-bill finale. Otomo Yoshihide will improvise on his turntable guitar, drawing from his experience working on noise, jazz, pop, and film soundtracks. On the other hand, Senyawa will perform their latest single, Vajranala, with the member Wuir Suryadi’s unique handcrafted instruments.

Freespace Noise Fest participants can also join free workshops and sharing sessions throughout the experimental music festival. On July 24 and 25, Mexican musician Vica Pacheco will lead workshops on fusing spontaneous sound creation with physical movements in performances. On July 28 and August 4, Dr. François Mouillot will co-host sharing sessions with fellow artists and musicians to delve into the depths of noise music with the audience.

Ticket prices and details

WestK offers the choice of one-day or two-week passes for interested festivalgoers. You can get the one-day pass for HK$220 while the two-week pass will set you back HK$400. Tickets for the finale performance featuring Otomo Yoshihide and Senyawa go for HK$400. However, take note that children under the age of 15 will not be admitted to the festival. All tickets are available online for purchase.

(Images: WestK)