The CLOT third anniversary party!

I’m almost back to normal after a long week of parties and events, the climax being the third anniversary of CLOT on Friday night. CLOT is the multi-dimensional company formed by the actor and singer Edison Chen with several of his close friends. In three short years, CLOT has made a name for itself collaborating with top international talent in the fields of music, film, clothing, sneakers, and toys. (For more background info on CLOT check out my related entries here.)

Previous CLOT anniversary parties have been my pick for best party of the year, so I attended Friday’s event with great anticipation. A combination of factors make their events consistently excellent: the venues they choose are always interesting; the crowd is a diverse mixture (though heavy on the entertainment side;) the music is provided by top international d.j.s.; and the champagne is plentiful. As far as parties go, their formula is a good one!

This year the CLOT anniversary was held in tandem with the tenth anniversary of the APAX GROUP, one of the premier event production companies in Hong Kong and China. I’ve worked with Apax on several major events in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong and they’re extremely professional.

The venue for the night was the same former warehouse space as the Stella McCartney party I attended a month ago. Located in Aberdeen, it’s a two-level venue occupying the sixteenth floor and rooftop of an industrial building. Each level is further divided into two sections.

Although having a party on a rooftop or high floor with a great view is a big plus, any venue where guests need to take an elevator represents a potential bottleneck. The problem arises when guests all arrive at the same time, creating a traffic jam. I’ve witnessed this at other venues, and it also occurred here on Friday night. Thankfully, the crowd was orderly and the elevators were industrial-sized, which helped to speed up the process.

Arriving on the sixteenth floor, the party was just starting to fill up at around eleven. People in the know were there early. A quick walk around the sixteenth floor revealed two installations by sponsors: one by the watchmaker Jacob & Co. in the main room, and another by Adidas in the smaller room. A d.j. booth was also set up in one corner of the smaller room.

After a few minutes of checking out the layout, saying hi to friends, and grabbing my first drink, I decided to venture up to the rooftop. The roof was initially intended to be the V.I.P. area, restricted to pass holders and stickered guests, but after a few hours it opened up.

Three quarters of the rooftop were covered by a huge tent that resembled an airplane hangar. The rest of the uncovered portion of the roof was filled with benches and chaise lounges overlooking the Jumbo floating restaurant, a somewhat kitschy Hong Kong landmark. At the opposite end inside the tent was the main stage where Hong Kong’s d.j. Tommy was on the decks.

It wasn’t crowded when I entered, but I knew it was only a matter of time before it would get filled. Sure enough after a quick thirty minutes the place was thickly packed.

One interesting novelty – there were several mechanical crane machines set up that offered players the chance to win prizes. The prizes were no joke! They included limited edition CLOT gear in addition to Black Berrys, Adidas sneakers, Jacob & Co. watches and other high-end goodies.

By the time guest d.j. of the night Just Blaze got on the turntables, the place was jumping. Just Blaze blasted through several of the party-rocking classics he’s produced and topped it off with a heavy dose of scratching. People were dancing from one end of the roof to the other.

Check out the videos of Just Blaze on the wheels and cutting it up!

Clot third anniversary Just Blaze scratching by hongkonghustle

Clot third anniversary Just Blaze dj ing by hongkonghustle

The crowd was packed with movie stars, singers, models, TV personalities, clothing industry people and scenesters. Nearly all the members of the CLOT crew were in attendance including Edison who just got back into town after traveling to promote his new album – ALLOW ME TO RE-INTRODUCE MYSELF. His first Mandarin-language album in years, it’s in the number one position on charts in both China and Taiwan. Last year I heard several of the tracks and they were all peak-time party cuts! Just Blaze played the track from the album that he produced while he was djing. The fact that Edison has enlisted prime international talent to produce his album aimed at the China market is extremely significant.

Just when it seemed like things in the tent couldn’t get any hotter, suddenly a huge downpour began, the rain driving everyone from the uncovered part of the rooftop into the tent. Small streams of rain were soon dripping down.

Do you know what happens to a tent in the rain? Pockets of water collect at certain points forming massive puddles, in effect ruining the structural integrity of the tent. This eventually will cause it to burst! In a quick move, some staffers began to poke holes at key points in the tent, allowing it to drain. However, the rain began to threaten the area of the d.j. booth! Just Blaze got on the mic and helped move the crowd downstairs to continue the party. Everyone was still having fun, including the Hong Kong police who stopped by. Check out the video of Just Blaze making the announcement as Poon from CLOT looks on!

Clot third anniversary Just Blaze and Poon by hongkonghustle

The party continued downstairs with most guests packing into the smaller room on the sixteenth floor.

Just Blaze and Poon from CLOT pose together at the height of the party, right before the rain storm!

Although there were no beer bongs this year, no one taken away in a straight-jacket, and no celebrity car crash outside the venue, the party did include things getting broken, crazy waterfalls in the tent, and of course the Hong Kong police! Another wild anniversary night, fully enjoyed, but only partially remembered by those who attended (and drank too much champagne!) 😉