It's 2am on a Saturday morning and something's happening in the otherwise sleepy district of Sheung Wan. On a quiet, mostly residential street, a rabble of young rousers has gathered outside a seemingly innocuous metal door. Motorbikes are parked and engines switched off, long-haired youths in skinny jeans chat over clouds of cigarette smoke, and through it all, you can hear the faint sounds of electronic music coming from somewhere below.
This is XXX, the area's latest underground 'art gallery' - but down the dark staircase that lies beyond that metal door is a space unlike many in Hong Kong have ever seen. At times called 'ex-ex-ex' by its regular patrons, and at others just 'triple x', it's the kind of place you'd expect to see in vibrant, arts-focused cities such as Berlin or Antwerp - not Hong Kong.
And that's exactly what its owner, DJ Enso, wants.
Originally hailing from San Francisco, Enso - born Cassady Winston - made his way to Hong Kong in 2007 and quickly established himself as a DJ and an event promoter. He teamed up with DJ Kid Fresh in 2008 to throw popular parties under the banners of Pimpin' Ain't Easy and Hype Nasty, but found himself limited by the venues our city has to offer.
'As a DJ and promoter for the past few years in Hong Kong, it's always been clear to me how much we could benefit from more variety in terms of venue options,' says Enso. 'A lot of spots do the members-only thing well, but that gets a bit boring. I wanted to offer a venue that had a rougher underground feel, without all that money worry.'
XXX's location is key: situated on Wing Lok Street in the burgeoning Sheung Wan district, the space is the first of its kind on the scene, a spacious area that caters to a variety of creatively minded individuals. Music is obviously first and foremost on Enso's agenda, with XXX's underground location and high-quality sound system standing in stark contrast to the numerous Hong Kong clubs that often face noise complaints.
'I've always loved Sheung Wan, especially at night with the old neon signs - it's an old neighbourhood with a lot of history and texture. This made it a perfect place for XXX,' says Enso. 'It's so close to Central, so it is no surprise to see so many people moving there or opening galleries and restaurants.'
