Live reviews from 21st Anniversary Festival Day 2:
PROXIMITY
USED TO SAY
THROUGH THE PARK
WOOFIE
SUPERFICIAL
SCAM
SHOCKED
The Ferals hit the stage like they were about to tear a hole in the floor—and honestly, they kind of did. Chris B. on vocals, Craig on guitar, Avi on bass, and Jimmy on drums make up this raw, tightly coiled outfit, and from the very first beat of “Proximity,” you could tell we were in for something loud, fast, and unapologetically direct.
Avi’s bass set up the riff we were about to witness, and Jimmy’s drums followed with confidence. Chris launched into her verse, but the volume could’ve come up a touch at this point. What really stood out, though, was the way she slipped so naturally between English and Cantonese when talking to the crowd. It wasn’t flashy—it was just how she speaks. That back-and-forth, especially in her introductions and transitions between songs, made the whole set feel more grounded and honest. You could tell she wasn’t trying to impress anyone—she was just being her. And it worked. She’s got that rough-edged vocal tone that blends ‘90s riot grrrl with local punk garage grit. She has a way of saying things that grabs you. She’s the ultimate frontwoman—she knows how to amp up the crowd. First time seeing her live, and boom—cherry has been popped. Spinal Tap!
“Used to Say” followed, leaning into a pseudo-rap style over a solid beat from the bass and drums. The guitar came alive in this one, adding a solo right in the middle before things dropped off too quickly. Before launching into the next verse, Chris sang a few solo lines that showed her control. The vibe here was darker, snappy, and showed a different edge. It worked.
Then “Through the Park” This one hit me hard. Just guitar and drums to begin with. The vocals reminded me of Spiderbait’s female singer, Janet—open, raw, not trying to be polished. Chris admits she’s forgotten the words. Real or part of the act, it was still honest. I felt like this song was more than scripted—it was like a moment. The guitar represented the steps forward, the drums the weight inside. The lyrics were a kind of inner monologue. I’d queue this song up the next time I need to walk up a hill—it’d give me the energy to keep going – running up that hill to the Fringe Club.
“Woofie” was another standout. You know that feeling when a singer says something, and you instantly go, Yep, I’ve thought that? Chris nails it. “Don’t you hate the ‘he said, she said’ shit?” was delivered with pure punk attitude while the band held down an almost military beat beneath her. It pulled me in and challenged my perspective. The music was tense and urgent, and I felt like I was caught in a spiral I didn’t want to leave. Then came the screams. Raw. Unfiltered. What? Yes!!!
Then came “Superficial.” Ugly Kid Joe would’ve been proud. This one helped lock in the ferocity and tone of the set. The whole band was tight—you could tell they’d spent serious time together. The riff even reminded me of Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage.” There was something awesome about watching the whole thing click. And here, Cantonese lyrics were sung —this time in the song itself, not just between songs. That blend of languages added even more punch and personality. It was a release, a thrash, and a good kind of mess.
“Scam” opened with the bass, and was followed by Chris, setting the tone. The song doesn’t immediately blast off, but that’s part of its charm. It’s got a slower burn. I liked when she dropped into that talk-sing delivery—half calling people out, half reflecting. The rhythm section laid down a chill groove while Craig tore out a slick solo. Chris laughed at one point, totally in control. It was another one of those “rockstar without the ego” moments. Honest, relaxed, and powerful.
Finally, they ended on “Shocked” It started out like a Church or R.E.M. song—jangly, dreamy—but quickly veered into a Beastie Boys-inspired punk rock banger. I even caught an “Egg Man”-like vocal rhythm. Chris didn’t hold back. The whole band tightened like a fist and slammed it home. Fast, short, and sweet. Just the way a punk set should end.
The Ferals didn’t just play a set—they told us who they were. Bilingual, bold, and burning with purpose, they tore through seven songs like they were shaking something loose. Whether it was rage, joy, or both, they left it on stage. Keep your eyes on this band. They’re not done.
– Cain McInerney
UDG21｜The Ferals(HK)｜The Queen knows why 演唱的「演」會在「唱」前面
時：躁動週末夜晚
地：昏黃燈光剛好照不清人們臉孔的地下舞台
人：從黑夜而來的Hard rock樂隊The Ferals(HK)
第一幕：主音Chris B甫踏上台，觀眾還未知道他們將迎來甚麼，只感受到台上四人那身全黑造型詮釋著某種傳統的、歷久彌新的、美好的硬核搖滾精神。
第二幕：鼓手敲起節拍，Chris B頭上兩抹Signature靛藍隨節奏擺動，劃破這心癢難耐之夜。嘶吼不是The Ferals的主要武器，他們首先以搖滾慢敍事，配以情感演技、抑揚頓挫將歌詞如statement、旁白般逐句唱出，讓觀眾進入這段故事之中。
第三幕：Chris B的臉部表情與姿體動作逐漸豐富起來，她跪地、她凝視、她輪流舉起雙手、她垂低雙手，將手肘提至肩膀位置，頭部向下，呈現「斷頭台」姿勢、她帶頭進入了故事——她在「表演」歌詞，The Ferals的同伴不約而同露出「Here we go」神色，they know their vocal will take over the stage。
最終幕：Chris B走到台下，四處逃竄，她躲在不同觀眾背後，像要避開某種目光⋯⋯隨後又回到台上，在最後一首歌曲《Shocked》中肆意嘶吼了一番，雙手舉高交疊，維持「X」手勢，用力擲向深夜。Well，表演完結，大家弄清楚狀況了嗎？應該沒有；但同樣都被台上那抹靛藍震懾，為表演者的魅力鼓掌。這是不尋常的表演，不尋常的星期六晚，卻完美地抒發了今夜躁動——
是的，看The Ferals演出就像看Drama一樣，充滿觀賞性。我知樂隊主唱Chris B是今次UDG 21的主辨，識講廣東話，也是香港地下音樂界的熟悉臉孔，而我不知的是她有著如此豐富的表演力——表情、動作、道具，以致是觀眾，都融入了她這夜表演之中。Unpredictable的Chris B下一秒隨時會到台下kiss我、挑釁我、與我跳舞也說不定，因為她所到之處就是舞台，所視之人都是演伴，這樣的表演也令觀眾感受到主唱「seeing me，看到我」。香港少見這種將Drama元素加入表演的樂隊，而加上樂隊本身的硬核搖滾風格與外國臉孔，一下子像置身美國紐約大道的酒吧。（其實我也不知那裡是否有這種表演，feel而已，哈！）The Ferals另外三人相信對Chris B的即興表演司空見慣，他們既是主角也是觀眾，以穩定的伴奏讓主唱盡情表演，尤其鼓手Jimmy看到Chris B「進入狀態」時所露出的笑容是令我印象深刻的；這樂隊有著良好化學反應，不然演出中段Chris B忘詞甩拍時大家也不會笑得如此開心，就像某種把大家Connect起來的巧妙即與表演，畢竟這樣一個有魅力的表演者，who doesn’t love her？
* The Ferals(HK) UDG 21演出曲目：
《PROXIMITY》、《USED TO SAY》、《THROUGH THE PARK》、《WOOFIE》、《SUPERFICIAL》、《SCAM》、《SHOCKED》
* The Ferals(HK) UDG 21演出樂手：
Vocal：Chris B
Guitar: Craig
Bass: Avi
Drums: Jimmy
-劉海亮
Live review from Sonic Showcase:
PROXIMITY
USED TO SAY
SCAM
THROUGH THE PARK
SUPERFICIAL
GARDEN OF LOVE
WOOFIE
For a gig presented by the “Underground” of Hong Kong music this was about the most overground, prominent public showcase of Hong Kong rocknroll: Friday night at the AIA carnival on the harbourfront in Central.
Normally when you see dinosaurs down the front of a rocknroll gig it means a couple of old white guys in Joy Division and Deep Purple t-shirts. Here there are actual dinosaurs. There are fibreglass stegosauruses to sit on if you would like to straddle a three-horned reptile while loud rocknroll is played to you.
Everyone enjoys music their own way.
We choose to sit at the big wooden picnic tables behind the crowd that is gathering to see the Ferals play. The stage is big enough for Clockenflap; the crowd is big enough for the Aftermath. The handy beer/stand next to us is staffed by people who pour coffee cup sized cups full of wine for 30 bucks. Hip flasks are being handed around to help warm against the crisp breeze coming in from the harbour.
Chris B, Hong Kong’s eternal and irrepressible bilingual rocknroll MC, walks on stage resplendent in signature yellow Doc Martens and patent leather pants to lead the band into a set that brings the heat to an increasingly cool evening.
There are few bands where the lead singer switches from energetic MC introducing the bands with endless energy and passion to front person dominating the stage while the band thunders behind them… actually there’s only one: the Ferals.
The sound mix is perfect – loud enough to let you know it’s serious hard rock where you can feel the snarl of the guitar and the throb of the bass, but not too overblown to require old rock fans like me to wear their ear plugs.
If you’re a fan of powerful rock bands with strong female leads you can both see and hear the lineage from bands like the Motels and the Divinyls in this sound. Having walked out many times to introduce other people’s bands Chris clearly relishes the opportunity to prowl constantly across the front of stage, owning the entire space in between rocking the mic as the band soars and powers behind her vocals.
She’s got props! She’s got a pile of money and is now down the front of the stage kneeling down as people run to be handed fists full of bills. Is this a nod to Patti Smith’s 1975 classic Free Money… or is it, as the song is titled, a Scam?
She holds up a sign that says Don’t Panic. No-one does.
The band kicks into Superficial – delivered in a mix of English and Cantonese lyrics, building and building until the guitar, bass and drums crash through and thunder into a new level and maybe this third cup of wine has me thinking the band is waking up the seafaring goddess Tin Hau, because the wind seems to increase in time with the band’s ascending intensity.
The chugging riffs of the power ballad Garden of Love are perfectly contrasted by a woman walking past, carrying a stuffed toy teddy bear that is larger than herself. She stops, takes in the music, grabs her boyfriend by the hand and is transfixed.
The band finishes with the song Woofie and a reminder of its music video. I swear I recognise the actors from the video in the crowd. The song opens with a peppered fusillade riff of drums and bass that shows clear symptoms of Dr Love before kicking into a stomping onslaught of rock.
– Jarrod Watt
Live Review from Underground Rocks 2023!
Proximity (soundcheck song)
Woofie
Used To Say
Through The Park
Oh Mother
Superficial
Garden of Love
Shocked
ENCORE: Salty Pork Hands (aka Jazz Song)
On the surface, The Ferals (HK) are a straight rock outfit, though Chris B’s theatricality adds a dimension of showmanship that sets the group apart. Props were rife throughout the set—from a blue and yellow fabric top hat to a small cat toy. Her magnetism and stage presence kept eyes and ears on the stage, and the band formed such a sturdy backbone.
Searing opener Woofie saw Chris B adopt her best Alice Cooper sneer over William ’s thumping drums, before she channelled Blondie to rap over driving guitars on Used to Say: “I’m free/I’m sweet/I’m tattooed/I exist/I’m Chris B.” Instead of shallow aggrandisement, the track played as more of an exposition of the male gaze and female empowerment. Either way, Mark’s blistering solo made it a great track.
Sultriness oozed from following songs Through the Park and Oh Mother. Craig’s solo on the latter sounded straight from Josh Homme’s playbook, while Judy’s slinking bassline on the former ska rock number recalled early No Doubt. Chris’ theatrics raised a notch on Superficial and she entered the crowd, emboldened by a Slash-style solo, full of 80s metal licks from Craig. Jagged, staccato guitar defined the low and saucy Garden of Love, before the tempo picked up again for the cacophonous Shocked for a vicious punk breakdown of pure riot grrrl proportions.
Encore Salty Pork Hands started slow and brooding before breaking into balls-to-the-wall rock, which was appropriate for the sentiment of the song. As the rhythms locked in, Craig ripped into another amazing solo and Chris B started up a chant of “hap sap lou!” “咸濕佬!” (“perverted man”) for a hilarious closer to a set as fierce as the band’s moniker promises.
-El Jay
