Roughly 7.3-7.6 million souls are in Hong Kong Right now. I doubt many (if any) are listening to Orbital. Hong Kong being a gambling centre, I’d go all in to say none have turned their ear to Tonight In Belfast. The poet featured on the track is Mike Garry. He has a distinct voice, one that I compare to that of the late and great Kevin Evans from Shenzhen Blues. Another great orator, although less published in music.
Kevin brought the party and always had a snooze towards the end. Watching games in Shenzhen and enjoying a League Cup final in Hua Hin with Blues like Kevin and his loving wife Maire remain fond memories. A home from home. Always welcoming. Always relaxed and kind. My deepest condolences. Peace and love to the friends, family, and those who met and were touched by Kevin’s presence. My thoughts go out to Maire.
“We can build new mountains for us to climb
And when we reach the top
We will count all we own and all we built and all that we survey
We’d happily give it all away
Because we have each other and we have love today” – Tonight In Belfast, Orbital feat. Mike Garry
I found myself whizzing by train at 1326 from Meizhou West Station (梅州西站) to Hong Kong via Shenzhen North. Arriving at 1631, I boarded the underground transit at Austin. Soon after, I checked into a cupboard doubling up as a guesthouse room within the grim Chungking Mansion “ghetto at the centre of the world” (Professor Gordon Mathews, anthropologist). Shirt off. Wash down. Clean shirt on. Teeth brushed. Back out to East Tsim Sha Tsui station. Up to Sung Wong Toi, and over to the Kai Tak Stadium. Bumping into Michael from the South Stand at City, I then met Miranda of the Shenzhen Blues to collect a ticket. Heavy rain pounded down. Into the air-conditioned and roofed stadium, I went.
Plush escalators, swanky coloured lobbies, expensive food options, and upto 3 rows away from the back of the Kai Tak Stadium. The attendance was said to be 42,826 in the 50,000 seater arena. I call bull pooh on that. Swathes of empty seats proved that the pricing (1299HKD; 2399HKD; 799HKD etc) was beyond value for money. Outside the ground, a trio of pop up City shops were cashing in well. That should keep financial fair play in a positive light. A pre-season spectacle was unlikely so close to the end of the FIFA World Cup and many players still on holiday. I managed to bag a rare 399HKD ticket (from Allen who couldn’t go). Thanks Allen!
The new season friendly featured many Elite Development Squad members. These mostly U21 players are marked for good things, whether at City or not. Looking around the Premier League (especially Chelsea) you can see many players. The oddly-quiet atmosphere seemed refrained. Occasional chants and half-hearted Mexican waves passed around the ground. I’ve seen many games before a season starts and this was no Thomas Cook trophy. The stadium itself was impressive but had no heart. Hong Kong FA have a great league and many good clubs but this new ground felt very impersonal. Almost like the AO arena or Coop Live in Manchester.
I’ll think of Kevin when I have a Tsingtao beer later and toast his passing. There’s a growing legacy of Manchester City fans in Asia, especially Shenzhen and that’s down to warm characters like Kevin. When Kevin was compere at the McCawley’s Futian in July 2016, he was sincere, witty, and looked a natural with a microphone. I’m sure Willy Cabellero, Mike Summerbee and co appreciated the occasion.
Fair winds and following seas.
Rest In Peace, Kevin Evans 27/12/1965 – 17/07/2026
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