Underground concert venue Hidden Agenda to close next month

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the imminent closure of Hidden Agenda, the legendary concert venue in Kwun Tong that has been the epicentre of the local underground music scene since 2009.

A notice posted on the venue’s Facebook page yesterday evening read: “Everything that begins must end. Everything that lives must die. Until this moment, [we at] Hidden Agenda had never thought about giving up, but we’re really coming to an end in the second half of this year.”


Local indie rock band Hungry Ghosts performing at Hidden Agenda on July 21, 2011. Photo: Annette Chan/Coconuts Media

Their landlord has agreed to let Hidden Agenda continue operating until mid-October. “Until then,” the post read, “we are going to keep providing an exciting programme of events for all of you.”

“We will meet again. We will keep bringing everybody more good music in the future. Thank you everyone,” it signed off.

Founded in the industrial district of Kwun Tong, Hidden Agenda has been plagued with licensing issues throughout its seven-year-tenure, and has had to relocate twice after various run-ins with the Lands Department.


Local math rock band ANWIYCTI playing at Hidden Agenda on July 22, 2015. Photo: Annette Chan/Coconuts Media

In the first half of 2016 alone, Hidden Agenda founder Hui Chung-wo received three letters from the Lands Department warning him to stop using the club as anything other than industrial, storage and select offensive trades purposes.

Upon receiving the most recent letter in June, Hui spoke of his struggle to find an affordable space in Kwun Tong zoned for commercial use. “Please forgive me, I cannot get [an entertainment licence]”, he wrote on Facebook. “The real estate agents I know have searched all Kwun Tong industrial buildings and they all have the same contracts.”

To see what Hidden Agenda’s got in store for its remaining days – which, true to form, run the gamut from shoegaze to progressive metal, check out their Facebook page or official website.


Got a tip? Send it to us at hongkong@coconuts.co


 



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