Yiu Fai Chow
Amsterdam School of Communication Research
University of Amsterdam

Building Memories - A Study of Pop Venues in Hong Kong

Cantopop, literally Cantonese pop but symbolically the pop of Hong Kong, is proclaimed to have died after the British handed the city to the Chinese. This claim can be challenged, however, by pointing to a series of “come- back” concerts which seem to attest to the continuing importance of Hong Kong pop stars. This article examines the history of music venues in Hong Kong, zooming in on pop venues, which serve as prime sites for this emotive, audio-visual form of popular culture, and analysing the ways in which these function as landmarks in a city that seems to be in constant flux: the Hong Kong Coliseum, for example, transcends the boundaries of time, helping to construct and commemorate the city and its citizens. Drawing on a study of the Coliseum, I argue that in order to understand 21st century Hong Kong, it is essential to locate temporality – the passing of time, the memories, the emotions, the sounds, the fluidity – in stability, or buildings that stay.