PUBLISHED March 20th, 2014 11:00 pm | UPDATED January 20th, 2016 01:02 am
The live music scene is thriving in Singapore, and while it isn’t exactly the best place in the world for musicians, there’s a steady enough influx of international heavyweights being brought in. You’ve listened to them on Vimeo and Youtube, but now it’s time to graduate to the next level and watch them live. We’ve come up with a guide of music festivals in Singapore that will turn the beginner music enthusiast into a professional gig-goer in no time.
KNOW YOUR FESTIVALS
Festivals are great. The atmosphere is ecstatic, there’s good food and drinks, and there’s the camaraderie of like-minded people who share your awesome tastes. The ticket prices are totally worth it too as there are so many bands performing, each with at least hour-long sets. Here’s what we have in Singapore:
Mosaic Music Festival
This premier festival is an annual staple in our music calendar. Established in 2005 by Esplanade, Mosaic spans 10 days in March each year, bringing to audiences more than just indie music—there’s electronica, hip-hop, R&B, folk, funk, and jazz. This year’s line up sees acts like The Cat Empire, Hellogoodbye, and our very own Charlie Lim. Although word is going around that this is our last Mosaic festival, we’ll be expecting something even more awesome from Esplanade in the future.
Past artists presented: Grizzly Bear, Architecture in Helsinki, St Vincent, Broken Social Scene, Rachael Yamagata
St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival
Laneway is an indie import straight from Melbourne and debuted here in 2011, first held at Fort Canning Park before it moved to the more scenic The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay. This year saw a first when Singaporean acts—Gema, Vandetta, and The Observatory—were introduced. Its recent expansion to 3 stages means that you audiences don’t have to wait in between sets anymore!
Past artists presented: The Temper Trap, Warpaint, Of Monster and Men, M83
Baybeats
Baybeats is a free, non-ticketed Asian-centric alternative music festival, presenting prominent acts from the country as well as the region. Perhaps the most ‘Singaporean’ of all our festivals, it showcases a wide spectrum of genres, from pop, post-rock, metal, punk, emo to electronica. Baybeats 2014 is scheduled for 27 to 29 June at Esplanade.
Past artists presented: These Brittle Bones, The Great Spy Experiment, L’Alphalpha, Electrico
Camp Symmetry
Symmetry Entertainment, the company that recently brought us LA producer Baths and English indie band Foals, presented the inaugural Camp Symmetry late 2013 at The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay. All 10 of the acts they brought in, from post-rock to indie pop, had never performed in Singapore before, so well done organisers!
Past artists presented: Last Dinosaurs, Mew, Ra Ra Riot, Explosions in the Sky
Singapore International Jazz Festival
Yet another ‘inaugural’ festival, Sing Jazz brings together regional and international musicians to celebrate the spirit of jazz and its restless nature. Organised by Orbis Festival Productions and supported by partners Marina Bay Sands and neighbours Java Jazz, the crowd who attended a couple of weeks back grooved for the first time to the awesome power of James Morrison’s All Star Big Band and the also the lush soulful tunes of Jamie Cullen, among others. How’s that for an exciting night?
Past artists presented: Jamie Cullum, Natalie Cole, Gregory Porter, Incognito, Allen Stone
ZoukOut
This one doesn’t need any introduction, does it? In case you’ve been in a cave for the last 14 years, ZoukOut has been Singapore’s (and one of Asia’s) biggest dance music festivals since 2000. The beach party draws crowds from all over – Asian, western, and other ethnicities, earning the title of ‘Best Leisure Event Experience from the Singapore Tourism Board thrice since its inception. We’re not surprised, because what could be more exciting than revelling in a beautiful and vibrant beach setting to music from multi-Platinum winning producers?
Past artists presented: David Guetta, Avicii, Armin Van Buren, Kaskade
Hostess Club Weekender
The latest entrant to the local indie music festival scene is Hostess Club Weekender, brilliantly curated by Hostess Asia. The must-see fixture in Japan launched in Singapore only last month at Fort Canning Park, bringing back The National to our shores, along with post-rock talents Mogwai.
Past artists presented: Asgeir, Buke and Gase, King Krule
Singapore Rock Festival
For the first time in Singapore, we have a festival dedicated solely to the needs of hard rock fans, thanks to the folks at LAMC Productions. The two-night event launched at Fort Canning Park last week, leaving our black-clad friends headbanging to the passionate energy of Black Veil Brides, Five Finger Death Punch, as well as seven grammy-nomimates recording artist Rob Zombie. Looking at the overwhelming turnout and reception, we have no doubts that this festival is here to stay.
Past artists presented: Korn, Alice in Chains, Alter Bridge
To find out about forthcoming festival dates keep an eye on our events listings here.
BEFORE THE FESTIVAL
Get your tickets
If you’re expecting tickets to sell fast, you might want to log into the ticket vendor’s website 10 minutes before tickets go on sale. Though knowing Singapore, you won’t face any problems purchasing tickets (it’s not like you’re watching a k-pop concert). Some organisers will sell tickets at the door for shows not sold out, but these are usually more expensive. If all else fails, eBay and online forums might be your last resort, but beware of the scammers!
Pack your bags
For concerts at an outdoor venue (usually the case), you’ll need:
- A fully charged phone. Have you ever tried finding a friend in a (x)000-strong crowd?
- Tissue paper for the icky portable toilets (pegs for your nose are optional)
- Sunscreen if the festival starts in the day, unless you want to get flayed alive
- Poncho (some venues might provide them but it’s still safer to bring your own). If you’re not afraid to get dirty, we recommend just roughing out in the mud and rain to heighten your concert experience
- Ziplock bags to keep your phone and camera dry
- Lots of water. Trust me, singing through one set alone is enough to get you dehydrated
- Cash for food, drinks, and band merchandise
Learn song lyrics
Singing the wrong lyrics will just get you death stares from the people around you. You don’t want to be the only one with your mouth shut when everyone is singing along with their favourite bands either.
Strategise
Plan out which bands you want to see and memorise their time slots and location if there are multiple stages. This allows you to be at the front of the crowd without wasting any time being lost. Some festivals might have more than one bands playing concurrently too, so you’ll have to prioritise.
Pick your wardrobe
In sunny Singapore the heat can be scorching, so leave the extra layers at home. You’ll want to dress for comfort, not fashion. This advice may fall on deaf ears for indie kids, who are known to sport boots, maxi skirts, knit cardigans, and stuffy shirts at concerts. Braids, beards, and thick-rimmed black specs are optional.
At the Festival
If you’re with friends, pick out a rendezvous point in case you get separated from the pack. You might want to buy food in advance to skip the long queue during break times, though be warned, festival food has never been known to be cheap. Get to your favourite performers’ area early for a good standing position.
Oh, and mind your gig etiquette. Don’t sit down or you might get stepped on. Other people’s sweat will undoubtedly fall on you as well, which is frankly disgusting. Don’t sit on someone’s shoulders either. Just keep your elbows to yourself, slap on your sunscreen, soak into the crowd and dance to the music.