PUBLISHED January 27th, 2022 05:00 am | UPDATED July 24th, 2024 12:39 pm
Once, their music made us shimmy, sing our hearts out, and smile even after a rough day. But two years – and counting – of pandemic curbs have left Singapore’s live music scene a shell of its former self. Clubs and listening lounges ring empty, many for good; DJ decks in countless restaurants and bars stand vacant. The DJs and musicians themselves have battled to make ends meet with everything from home-based businesses to delivery gigs. And even as Singapore moves toward reopening, the nightlife scene has remained in agonizing limbo.
“We need some answers and a roadmap of when we’ll be able to work again,” says Matty Wainwright of The DJ Dispensary. Before COVID-19 struck, he was a familiar face on the decks of renowned venues like Potato Head Singapore, Rumours Beach Club, and 1880. For the last two years, he’s fought for the safe, calibrated return of live music and nightlife – industries that seem to have been left by the wayside despite the relaxing of most other social curbs. “It’s been 22 months,” he points out, “and we’re still being swept under the carpet.”
His frustrations – and that of many other local DJs and musicians – led him to kickstart #savemusicsg a week ago. A riff on the #savefnbsg movement of circuit breaker days, his campaign has been steadily rallying support for the loosening of nightlife and live music regulations. We reached out to Matty, along with a few other local DJs, for insights on their ongoing struggle – and their visions of a safe roadmap for bringing nightlife to life again.
Live Music ≠ Rowdy Raves
Back in June last year, the no-music rule left F&B venues ringing with awkward silence (and often, even less conducive noises like the kitchen exhaust). Restaurants were allowed to hit play on music from November – but only the soft recorded kind. This, despite the fact that activities like travel abroad and mass sporting events have been given the green light on safety.
“I think there’s a perception that DJs liven up a place, and that this would cause the crowd to be a little ‘chaotic’,” suggests Joshua Pillai, co-founder of A Phat Cat Collective. But as anyone who’s ever kicked back in a jazz lounge or soaked up ambient beats over a swanky meal would know, that’s a far cry from the truth. “DJs aren’t all about the party music – you can have DJs dropping some nice jazz cuts, or music geared towards a more toned-down vibe.”
Matty echoes these sentiments, stressing the need to progress from a blanket ban on live music towards more nuanced guidelines. “The preconceived idea of DJs shouting into their mics and blasting music is really holding us back,” he says. “There simply can’t be a one-size-fits-all approach – a proper DJ creating atmosphere and a commercial EDM performance are lightyears apart, comparable to a Michelin-starred chef creating a meal and me throwing a couple of Eggos in the microwave.”
While pre-recorded playlists might plug the gap for now, there’s no denying that a good musician or DJ brings a special something to the table. No recorded mix can match the skill of a human there on the spot, picking up cues from the crowd and tweaking the vibes to suit.
“Most people have no clue that DJs are constantly watching the crowd to get feedback,” Matty shares. “Is this group of people leaning in to talk to each other? I may need to lower the volume or change direction of music. Is this person subconsciously tapping their foot? Music direction’s good, let’s build on this.” It’s this subtle magic that gets us feeling at ease in a space, or chatting two hours away in the blink of an eye.
Left In Limbo
For two years and counting, that brand of soul-stirring magic has been missing from our shores. Most worryingly, no plans to fill the void have been approved thus far. Singapore’s music scene saw hope in November 2020 when a pilot scheme for nightlife venues’ reopening was floated – and just as quickly sunk due to a wave of COVID-19 clusters. Most recently, live performances have resumed in select arts venues – but for the nightlife industry, no end is yet in sight.
Needless to say, the uncertainty has taken a huge toll on those for whom music is passion as well as profession. “Mentally, it’s been exhausting. Dealing with depression and anxiety has been a massive struggle,” admits Zig Zach, founder of music consultancy Blackout Agency. As a DJ and promoter, he’s helped take Singapore’s electronic music scene to new heights by organizing top-notch parties like Escape 56 and bringing in globally renowned acts. But his hard work of many years, he says, “feels like it may have just gone down the drain.”
Financially speaking, the industry has more than suffered its fair share. Matty states that many music professionals have “received no financial support, and spent their life savings just surviving the past two years.” The first six months of 2020 alone saw the collapse of 59 nightlife venues. While there’re no exact numbers for how many nightlife venues have folded since then, the answer is undoubtedly: far too many.
Restarting From Scratch
Beyond the personal toll on music professionals, what’s truly at stake is the long-term effects of a crippled music culture. Nightlife owners have been largely encouraged to ‘pivot’, and many have pulled this off with panache; Zig Zach, for one, has kickstarted a home-based falafel business dubbed What The Falafel?!. But one consequence might just be a hollow void where once there was a thriving nightlife culture for all to enjoy – a void that will take years to rebuild once more.
“The bars and clubs that we worked closely with have closed down, and many of my music industry contacts have called it a day,” Zach shares. “It almost feels like I would have to start from scratch again.”
Among the many businesses left in the rubble is A Phat Cat Collective, the entertainment group behind quirky themed concepts like Pinball Wizard. Last September, with staying afloat becoming “less and less viable”, the group announced their decision to shut down retro arcade bar NINETEEN80 and steampunk-inspired lounge Rails for good. Old-school arcade games and ’80s hits, railway-themed tipples in a vintage train station – these are just some of the experiences lost.
Co-founder Joshua, however, shares that A Phat Cat Collective is still keeping the faith with projects like consultancy work. “My aim is to bring my experience to other F&B and hospitality projects. Recently, I’ve been part of some livestreams as well, such as Loof FM and curating a charity live stream for Roxy Bar and The Food Bank Singapore. I also do DJ mixes at home and allow them to be streamed for free. It’s my way of trying to keep the nightlife community alive.”
On Roadmaps and Recovery
The mission of #savemusicsg, then, is an urgent one for Singapore’s nightlife. Matty believes that the return of nightlife can go hand in hand with pandemic best practices, balancing the needs of both the nightlife scene and public safety. After all, there’s no shortage of other countries that Singapore can look to for case studies.
“I was fortunate enough to DJ in Maldives last November and December,” Matty shares. He credits this experience as the tipping point for the #savemusicsg movement. “I DJ-ed for six weeks to a fully vaccinated island of mask-less tourists – and no one caught COVID-19 simply because I was playing some laidback music at sunset. The role of a DJ is nuanced and diverse, and it can be more relaxing than riotous. We desperately want to add to the rich tapestry of culture in this amazing country once more, not to take away from it or act dangerously.”
What the movement seeks, he explains, is to work with the authorities, so as to set out a structured roadmap to relaunch for nightlife and live entertainment. How, then, would this roadmap look like? “We can start by bringing live entertainment back in outdoor F&B venues, operating during the day as well as evening, and playing a broad spectrum of music. Once it’s clear there’s no danger from this, we should look at expanding to other venues.”
For Joshua of A Phat Cat Collective, another starting point towards a safe reopening might be pilot programmes. “We can look at clubs or spaces designed to maintain table distancing, restrictions on size of dancefloor, and most importantly, on vaccination status and ART testing of guests.”
To further ensure safety, he suggests measures to deter people from hopping from space to space as well. “Sydney is an example – they have a curfew on club entry, meaning by 10pm no one’s allowed new entry into another club. This would help revenue for clubs or spaces, yet maintain control of the spread of the virus.”
Meanwhile, Zach points to the current 10.30pm cut-off on serving alcohol as something worth tweaking. “Extending alcohol sales and opening times to midnight would help boost the F&B and nightlife economy slowly,” he says.
Saving Singapore’s Music
With nearly 2,800 followers and counting, #savemusicsg has been swiftly gaining steam over the last week. It’s clear that countless others in Singapore share Matty’s frustrations – from music professionals and music lovers to folks who simply miss kicking back with good grooves.
To spotlight the importance of live music, Matty has big plans for a 24-hour livestream, organised in collaboration with Singapore Community Radio, United We Stream Asia, and Mixmag Asia. You can expect live sets from Singapore-based musicians and international DJs, along with talks exploring the benefits of music for mental health and discussions on Singapore’s current music landscape.
“The livestream will showcase not only the great talent we have here, but also some of our amazing F&B venues where the streams will be shot,” he shares. “I hope this will help to cement our key role in bringing tourism back to Singapore, especially with the resumption of VTLs.” In this way – and in so many less quantifiable ways – music, too, is essential.
Support #savemusicsg on Instagram here.
Top Image: Joshua Pillai