Original Music Society: Local Music Class A Love Affair

Photo Story: Weish and Zahidah @ Radio Pulze Live Lounge, NUS YIH (26 Jan 2012)

2012-02-14T10:17:00.000+08:00

Story and Photos by Liang Bao

The second Live Lounge of 2012 saw a deviation from the norm, with amplifiers, stomp boxes, and drumsets shelved away in favour of the charms of a good ol' acoustic guitar (and a ukulele). Dubbed 'Stripped: All Original, All Intimate', Thursday's candle-lit gig showcased the talents of 2 singer-songwriters; 98.7 FM's Next Big Thing winner, Zahidah, and NUS' very own Weish. Together, they treated the captive audience to a collection of originals, with a cover or two thrown in for good measure. Here are a few snapshots from the show.

Together with her trusty ukulele, Weish serenaded the crowd with mellow tunes sprinkled with sweetness and sincerity.

Recounting the stories behind her originals, Weish offered the crowd a unique introspective into the art of songwriting.

The crowd got to do a little bit of singing of their own when Weish launched into a cover of Linkin Park's 'In The End'. Just as she had suspected, everyone knew the lyrics.

To satisfy an audience that was hungry for more, Weish finished off her set with a cover of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros' 'Home', complete with whistles and scat-trumpets.

Standing firm on her feet with an acoustic guitar slung over her shoulder, the start of Zahidah's set signaled a subtle shift towards something a little more dynamic.

Zahidah's extensive performance experience was clearly felt through her effortless engagement with the crowd.

Not to be outdone, Zahidah also got the crowd working their vocal cords, this time along to Britney Spears' '...Baby One More Time'. Of course, everyone knew the lyrics.

For more information:

Weish's YouTube Channel - Click Here

Zahidah's Facebook Page - Click Here

NUS Radio Pulze Live Lounge - Click Here

Also, check out our Flickr page over here!

OMS Review: Music Journalism Workshop with Kevin Mathews (30 Jan 2012)

2012-02-10T03:21:00.021+08:00

Story & Photo by Thomas Tan

We were privileged to have local music veteran and music journalist Kevin Mathews (Power Of Pop) drop by and give a brief introduction on rock and local music history on 30th Jan 2012. The event was organised by OMS and supported by NUS Libraries.

While 2 hours may feel almost like a school lecture for some, the subject of the day was fun and quite literally about taking fun seriously.

Kevin engaged the appreciation of popular rock music, light entertainment for most people, and offered the idea that it is a subject that is worth treating with due respect. Considering the scope of music history, he did an amazing job in 'compressing' the subject matter, and yet providing a great overview on rock music history and a starting point for participants to think deeper about music.

It was a pleasure to have Kevin share his wealth of experience and insight as a music fan, musician and journalist. We would also like to appreciate NUS Libraries for their support in making this talk possible.

Look out for more of such activities by OMS in the future!

Visit Kevin Mathews' website for musing on music, film, comics & books: www.powerofpop.com

Open Stage @ YIH Starbucks, 3 Feb 2012

2012-02-02T23:27:00.000+08:00

Radio Pulze Live Lounge: Page and Thambi K Seaow @ YIH, 9 Feb 2012

2012-01-30T11:15:00.000+08:00

OMS Presents: Music Journalism Workshop

2012-01-16T15:07:00.002+08:00

Review: Cacolo

2012-01-13T13:21:00.001+08:00

Review by Taufiq

Cacolo is a solo effort put forthby fellow heartlander Nathan Khoo. It isundeniable that he has paid astounding attention to detail: with various layersof instruments, changing tempos and overall mixing that resonate in your earsas you give it a close listen to the tracks posted up on Cacolo's Facebook page.

Cables is the first track posted up by Cacolo. The polyrhythmic nature of the song gives it an upbeat quality and a constantly progressive feel. Each instrument comes out well in the mix with their own breathing space, which makes it a pleasure to listen to. This song has pop written all over it, albeit in a good manner.

Industry is a little less electro-pop (compared to the following track, Guardian) and more experimental , reminiscent of the likes of Skrillex. It takes an interesting twist as the vocals infiltrate with the entire feel and mood of the song compromised, thereby elevating the track. Industry is rife with twists and turns that make the song exhilarating. Overall, the song is a result of a VERY experimental effort and could be either an acquired taste or a masterpiece depending on the listener. I like the synth patches used as they evoke a sense of elation (especially as they can sound very 8-bit in nature, giving it a nostalgic feeling of playing old Nintendo games). However, I do find the distorted and filtered vocal phrases to be a tad too piercing, and could use with a little less treble on the whole.

The third track released is Guardian, with vocals that resemble that of Pinn Panelle, a dubstep band rapidly gaining popularity. One might further add that Guardian could easily fit into the realm of perhaps Owl City. Overall the track is paced quite brilliantly, and for a solo effort I must comment that it is rather remarkable. As the most recent track, you can see the Guardian is a very refined song that was meticulously planned from top to bottom.

Overall, Cacolo is an impressive solo effort featuring bold and inspiring music with thought-provoking lyrics (steering away from clichéd over-the-top lyrics) that was mixed brilliantly from start to finish. This is definitely worth a listen as it threads over several genres while retaining an overall easiness to it. The artwork made by Nathan Khoo as well is simply a delectable icing on the cake.

For more information, visit Cacolo's Facebook page here.

Review: The Midas Sessions by Lunarin

2012-01-11T12:28:00.001+08:00

Review by Melvin

The haunting melodies of “Ghost” filter into your mind. Quaint strumming and soothing lullaby vocals build into an intoxicating waltz, sashaying your emotions into Lunarin’s world. Thus starts alternative rock band Lunarin’s latest album, The Midas Sessions – a collection of B-sides and acoustic renditions of earlier pieces.

An awe-inspiring sensation wonderfully envelops the album in a loving embrace: Tastefully blending a mix of ballads, livelier, rock-inspired works, and soulful acoustic renditions of the band’s previous creations, yet evoking the strongest of emotions from both the depths of the earth and the soaring clouds of the sky. “22” is reminiscent of a folk dance, while “Right of Sleep” brings edgier, rock-inspired themes to the table. “Wednesday” and “Isobel” feature Linda’s vocals as both purveyor and arbiter of hope; lush layers of choral vocals interspersed with piano and synthesisers painting beatific landscapes in the same vein of disenchanting, otherworldly songs.

Masterpieces such as “Midas” and “Zero Point Red” have their progressive and heavier elements artfully rendered in Zen-like serendipity, trading the anger of the drums and distorted electric lines for the clarity of acoustic strumming, soaring strings and haunting piano keys. Indeed, the strings, piano/synthesiser and vocals are the strongest features of this album, complementing one another thoroughly and carrying the band forward in their crafting of emotive works of art.

This ten-track Homeric journey definitively showcases Lunarin’s versatility, weaving a myriad of disparate genres under the band’s distinctive sound and constructing an alternative reality of soundscapes and emotions like never before. The Midas Sessions is an album I would definitely recommend to alternative fans out there, and one I would listen to time and again – an escape to idyllic dreams beyond.

For more information on Lunarin:
http://www.lunarin.com/

And do support their album launch on 15 Jan 2012 at The Pigeonhole – details are on their Facebook event page below:
https://www.facebook.com/events/269889293048782/

Indiependentmusic Announces Online Distro Store

2012-01-09T18:56:00.001+08:00

Singapore-based music website Indiependentmusic has announced a new online distro store to stock releases from US and UK independent record labels, in line with their recent website revamp and move to Indiependentmusic.net.

Launched in December 2011, Indiependentmusic aims to promote quality, fresh new music, support independent artsits worldwide, encourage independent music-buying and share all music that they love. Indiependentmusic is pleased to announce their partnership with UK record label Disconnect Disconnect Records to carry titles from Canadian punk bands This Is A Standoff and Mute, as well as special limited edition releases from Philadelphia punk rockers Luther.

Started in 2006 rooted in a music blog and ezine, Indiependentmusic embraces the DIY spirit and has actively supported independent artists and labels, providing daily coverage of new music from indie, rock, metal, punk to hardcore, as well as interviews, live videos and free music streaming/downloads. Past exclusive coverage include local music festivals SingFest 2007-2008, acoustic video series with Tallahassee, FL rockers Mayday Parade, interviews with prominent rapper MC Lars at Slam Dunk Festival 2011, All Time Low band members Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat, up-and-rising US record label Run For Cover Records owner Jeff Casazzaa, as well as a candid documentation of recent UK music festival experiences.

Check them out at http://www.indiependentmusic.net

Follow them!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/imusicsg

Twitter: http://twitter.com/IMusicSg

Webstore: http://indiependentmusic.storenvy.com

Lunarin: The Midas Sessions Album Release

2012-01-03T17:01:00.000+08:00

Lunarin releases The Midas Sessions, a new album consisting of a collection of B-sides as well as acoustic renditions of their earlier songs. Their original plan of releasing a short EP of B-sides following their second full-length album, Duae, snowballed into a full-length album. This change in the band's plans came about after the band embarked on a series of acoustic shows to promote Duae. In the midst of their preparations, the band invited Natalie Soh (violins) from Serenaide and Linda's younger brother, Victor (cello), to play with them. The group not only worked on the B-sides, they also took the opportunity to re-work the earlier songs released on Duae as well as on the band's first album, The Chrysalis, in order to play these songs acoustically as part of their set.

The group spent long hours in Linda's apartment, located at The Midas, rehearsing and fine-tuning these songs. The band started recording in April 2011. In deciding that they would record all the songs that make up the acoustic sets, and not just the B-sides, they abandoned their original plan of releasing a short EP and decided to release a full-length album instead.

The album will be released digitally with only limited edition hard copies for sale. The official launch of the album happens on 15 January at The Pigeonhole.

For more information on Lunarin, visit their Facebook page here.
For more information on the album launch, visit the Facebook event page here.

KAMCO Music @ Hood Bar & Cafe, 30 Dec 2011

2011-12-26T01:34:00.001+08:00

KAMCO Music, the home of Cheating Sons, Debra, Lydia Low and Kevin Mathews, will be closing the year with a quiet, intimate evening at Hood Bar & Cafe on Friday, 30th December 2011.

Date: Friday, 30th December 2011
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Hood Bar & Cafe
Admission: Free
Schedule:
7.30pm - 8.00pm Marcielle Wong
8.00-8.30pm Debra
8.30-9.00pm Kevin Mathews

For more details, refer to the Facebook event page here.

Review: One More For The Road Day 2 @ Home Club, 11 Dec 2011

2011-12-18T00:55:00.000+08:00

Story by Michael, Taufiq and Mohd Hanis, Photos by Alvin.

If we thought 5 awesome bands on Saturday were good enough, the guys at Wake Me Up bamboozled us by getting 8 bands to play on Sunday, 7 of which reformed specially to say "So long!" to Wake Me Up. Clearly, it was a steal to see 13 bands play for $10, and my god, were these bands good; the best $10 I ever paid for in my entire life.

If you need to get the crowd warmed up, you can always rely on pop-punk veterans Plainsunset. Despite Home Club's awfully small stage, it did not take long before they were rocking it out with a fast-paced, high-energy and somewhat, eccentric performance. There is always something about a Plainsunset performance that warns you to expect the unexpected; Jon continued playing despite his snapped guitar string and (seemingly) forgot his lyrics, rapping some improv instead. Even if scripted, the band pulled it off convincingly, showing their prowess to improvise. Of course, we could always count on Nizam to interject with some quirky lines between songs that made the crowd chuckle.

The second band to brave the stage was Pension State, who reformed just for this occasion. The vocalist had a knack for taking huge jumps on stage (almost hitting the guitarist once) without losing momentum, in turn spurring the crowd on. He did lose a bit of confidence on the second song as the monitors failed to work for him, but he continued and resumed his act on stage. Overall, the vocals reminded me of the band No Use For A Name but this band was not all about punk. They mixed in screamo influences in their last 2 songs with the energetic bassist providing the growls and Sky In Euphoria’s own frontman leading the screams in their finale.

Following hot on the heels of Pension State was Sky In Euphoria, one of the pioneers of the Singapore hardcore scene. Their choice of hard-hitting chords on downtuned strings was reminiscent of the nu-metal phenomenon that is KoЯn, also infusing modern metalcore (think Killswitch Engage) elements into their music. When the band went clean, the haunting melodies and echoes were similar to Slipknot; intense yet calm at the same time. Announcing that it was their final performance ever (they too reformed for this event), I must admit that the vocalist was not satisfied with the audience reception. As they played a final encore song, you could feel the energy draining slowly away as if the thought of this being their final show was slowly seeping into their emotions. It was an amazing performance by a pioneer of the scene, and an emotional one as well.

My Squared Circle followed after Sky In Euphoria, playing a set that fans of the band had been wanting to hear for a long time. Their fast-paced, heavy-riffed songs and movements oozed energy, but like many of the reunion acts, their performance was marred by inconsistency. Perhaps even more apparent with them than the others. Their lighter, more pop-punkish songs were better than their post-hardcore influenced songs which had better musicality and technique, but it was through their harder songs that you could feel the band's melancholia and regret; they had never expected to play together as a band again, and they would again cease after this final performance. You could really feel the bag of mixed emotions that words failed to express in playing with your old band, knowing that you would only be doing it one more time. It was not just a "Farewell, Adieu" to Wake Me Up, nor just to the bands they've forged relationships with, but to each other.

Next up was Fishtank; Taufiq admits that it was an emotional moment for him to see the band playing for the last time. Highlights of the show included Nizam (of Plainsunset and Fishtank fame) facing some technical problems, Cesspit’s stand-in guitarist having to restring on stage and Mr. Andy himself performing one song with the band he helped form. Overall, it was a fantastic performance with their hit song being played for their finale. The crowd went absolutely wild with ‘What About You?’ being played for a final time. Anjas’ catchphrase “Are we enjoy? Are we have fun?” in a mock broken English was periodically repeated throughout their set. As ‘What About You?’ went into its final shift, Anjas went back to his catchy riff unlike most performances of this. He had a satisfied smile on his face as he repeated his catchphrase one last time with the riff playing on, although you could see how moved and upset he was at the same time. Arrivederci Fishtank, and thanks for the memories you had given us fans.

Vertical Rush took the stage after, rushing through the set because, as Esmond Wee explained, "it's getting really late". Despite not having played live for some time, they still had that element of energy and fun, which rubbed onto the crowd who sang along through numbers like "Your Last Song", "Angels" and "Spaceman". Yet, it was obvious that the Vertical Rush we saw at Home Club was different from the Vertical Rush that disbanded in 2009; two years had a way of mellowing down the band: work, family, kids and the likes. If there was any animosity they had among each other, it was not reflected in last night's set, casually christened "Nick Chim and Friends" in celebration of Nick's sophomore album release; Esmond, Marcus and Nick attempted to poke fun at each other, be it about Esmond getting fat, or the fact that Marcus' massive pedalboard had shrunk significantly. While most acts played crowd favourites, VR surprised the crowd by playing two new songs, sending the crowd into a frenzy. But even as they played "Running With You" ("My daughter's favourite song," said Esmond. "Dang, she's asleep!"), one could not help but feel the sadness in seeing them go.

Marchtwelve up the emotional ante with their brand of emotive indie rock. With painful melancholy piercing through each and every line delivered by vocalist, Dewi Marie sucked the audience into their songs of heartbreak and loss. In particular, "Telephone" was a huge hit drawing a large round of applause. It must be said, however, Marchtwelve were not as chatty as the other bands on the bill. Perhaps, this owed greatly to three-fifths of the band being ill. Nevertheless, the band mustered the strength to belt out the tunes.

If we go by the expression, 'it ain't over till the fat lady sings', Wake Me Up Music's fat lady came in the form of the highly influential, larger-than-life superband, Surreal. We were well into Monday by the time Surreal took to the stage but it was of little concern to the sizeable crowd that packed the Home Club dance floor. This was the band everyone wanted to see. After a four year absence, the guys of Surreal were back again to rock out for one last time. And how does an illustrious band kick start their set? With a rocked-out version of Justin Bieber's "Baby", of course! The guys paid no mind to playing everything right, note for note, and were more than happy to just entertain and have fun one last time. Jon Chan and Gordon Khoo provided most of the humour in between songs from their one and only 5-song EP, Fingerpointing, as they poked fun at how much weight they had gained in the years that had passed and mocking how they were all old men already. But the highlight of the night was anthemic "The Proposal Song" which had everyone singing along to its hook in unison. It was so good, they played the song again during the encore! It had my hair standing!

Monday blues took an all-new dimension after two beautiful nights filled with nostalgic tunes. We left Home Club that night feeling happy with those familiar anthems ringing in our ears once again. Yet we found ourselves unable to shake off the dreadful realization that the wonderful journey with Wake Me Up Music would now only exist as a memory.

We are eternally grateful to the people behind Wake Me Up Music, especially John Chiong and Esmond Wee for sharing their passion with us and inspiring our generation to pursue our passions. Indeed, this is the passing of the baton and we look forward to where the next chapter of our independent music story goes. Thank you Wake Me Up Music for being part of our lives.

Review: One More For The Road Day 1 @ Home Club, 10 Dec 2011

2011-12-16T11:30:00.000+08:00

Story by Melvin, Photos by Liang Bao

"One More For The Road" was Wake Me Up Music's farewell gig, pairing the premium indie record label with local underground music's nerve centre, Home Club. After more than a decade of midwifing the works of underrated local artistes, Wake Me Up Music (WMUM) held one last party celebrating both current and previous acts who have worked with the prolific label, with Day 1 featuring current heavyweights such as A Vacant Affair and Caracal.

First to take the stage were The Marilyns, catching the crowd's attention with their unique axes (a Les Paul with maple fretboard and an Epiphone Nighthawk!) and the rare inclusion of a keyboardist. The band served up a palatable mix of rock- and dance-inspired pieces, bringing pumping rock anthems interwoven with atmospheric melodies from the keys and guitars. Songs ranged from being wraught with hope and tension hope to vibrant, jive-inducing numbers, interrupted only by opportune breakdowns and poignant silences which brought breathing space into the sea of emotions engendered by this band's soulful works. Though the drummer did seem to lose steam after the first few songs, The Marilyns' vocalist did a fantastic job of delivering the band's high, powerful vocal lines despite nursing a flu, and the keyboardist's lines constructing a rich layer of melodic support for the fantastic riffs. All in all, The Marilyns brought great vibes and grooves to the gig with their blend of Singaporean indie rock, in the same vein as bands such as West Grand Boulevard - a pity that the crowd numbers were dismal for their set!

Winterhalter seemed promising, gently warming the stage with extended strumming on Shaun's Jaguar and his suitably nasal vocals. A confusing set list of songs mixing haunting ballads - with the band swaying in time to the beat, as if reminiscent of times gone by - and edgy, screaming breakdown-infused pieces gave the impression that Winterhalter was experiencing an identity crisis. Though their backup vocalists/auxilliary percussionist's laugh-inducing antics, such as copius applique of party string on the band members, did grab attention, they eventually took a toll on the crowd's patience (and possibly sanity). Screaming vocals and the flagrant use of a car horn during somber ballads hardly seemed appropriate, and there was no sense of purposeful subversion at play here. Completing the band’s clownish identity was the backup vocalist’s (or riot-maker, rather!) green wig and Nick's pink hot pants. Though their Shaun’s engagement with the audience was awkward at best and seemed to affirm that the band was suffering nothing less of a severe personality disorder, Winterhalter’s music was nonetheless interesting, with originals featuring a thunderous wall of sound and thickly layered, filtered lead lines lost in the mix and eventually fading out to white noise, bringing old-school covers to the audience as well.

Kate of Kale took the floor next with an explosive punk number. Punk is definitely not dead with this superbly tight band, their seasoned players bringing even four-chord progressions to life with vocalists shouting in unison, a steady, driving drum beat, and dangerously high levels of rebellious energy. There was not a moment when this band kept still, their bassist probably catching more airtime than the Singapore Slingers. Sticks were broken, and eardrums nearly too! Much banter exchanged, and Kate of Kale really engaged the crowd with their wide palette of intellectual jokes about their drummer’s weight and other bands’ perceived … positive attributes. The band staged many laugh-inducing antics too, such as a ten-second long piece with the frontman questioning the audience if they wished to hear more of Kate of Kale (KoK) … leading to repeated lines of “cock, cock cock, cock cock cock”. This really cracked up the crowd, but the band’s selection of straight-up punk pieces and heavy, technically-complex metal numbers were indeed an aural inspiration. The lead guitarists’ ending epilogue and mock salute to the crowd brought an appropriate ending to Kate of Kale’s set – a band that was definitely more felt and experienced than heard!

Caracal instantly blew listeners away with their opening number, rhythm guitarist Field virtually moshing on stage to the band’s wall of sound and KC really working the crowd; frontmanship shining as usual. Despite lead guitarist Gabriel being plagued by feedback issues throughout the set, producer/soundman Leonard Soosay really brought out Martin’s solid chops on the drums, and the band’s overwhelming presence dominated the club. A surprise collaboration with Surreal’s Gordon Khoo, Mark John Hariman and several other friends brought their intricate acoustic guitar and trumpet work to Caracal’s “Charlatan”, delivering a rare soulful, emotive rendition. The band fielded new pieces as well; an interesting departure from their usual pieces featuring mosh-heavy, industrial-laden music and almost-progressive drum lines. Caracal’s songs went straight to the crowd with their signature wall of sound and energy, ending with an extended cut of the crowd classic “Cheers to Love”; an additional quiet, clean guitar breakdown being rebuilt by thunderous drums bringing the ship back to shore and really letting the band’s soul and emotions pour out to the audience.

Last but not least, A Vacant Affair’s (AVA) frontman Matthew was, as usual, more a thespian than a vocalist (all the world’s a stage indeed), his dramatics bringing the band’s combined agony to life. The instrumentalists’ playing was much more solid compared to the last time I caught them live, and the guitarist and bassist were very much alive and animated in this venue. Matthew simply could not be outdone however, thumping his chest to the lyrics and even leaping into the crowd, as if fighting the pure torment from within his soul, complementing the explosive drums and pensive guitar lines from songs such as their famed “We Are Not The Same” and “Mirrors”. The band was sporting, and in the spirit of Christmas cheer, were giving out free tees to the audience too.

All in all, the gig was an awesome experience and a great chance to catch current great acts rocking the crowd. All the bands took the opportunity to show their gratitude to WMUM as a label who has really dedicated themselves to nurturing the fledgling local indie scene, reminiscing about past gigs attended and performed at, such as KC’s warm recounting of moshing at Surreal’s gigs as a kid. Between sets, the label’s managers thanked the bands and the crowd for their undying support through the years, commenting that, though the label would cease to exist as a corporate entity, the managers would definitely work with the bands on a personal level, bringing a glimmer of hope and continuity in the constant cycle of life and rebirth that is the local original music scene. Closing the gig, AVA thanked WMUM, commenting how “we were like shit before you helped us & we’re still shit now”; their heartfelt thanks bringing an appropriate ending to Day 1 of this fantastic gig.

Also, do check out Wake Me Up Music's free compilation album (released in conjunction with this gig!) at:
http://wakemeupmusic.bandcamp.com/

For more information on the bands:

The Marilyns: http://www.facebook.com/themarilyns
Winterhalter: http://www.myspace.com/bedroomeardirt
Kate of Kale: http://www.kateofkale.com/
Caracal: https://www.facebook.com/caracalnoise
A Vacant Affair: http://www.facebook.com/avacantaffair

Want to see more? Check out the rest of the photos from the show on the OMS' Flickr page!

Review: UpToTheSky Festival Mackie Acoustic Stage @ Old School, 3 Dec 2011

2011-12-13T23:56:00.000+08:00

Story by Prasanthi and Emi, Photos by Figure 8

Presented by Figure8 Agency, UpToTheSky Festival saw the coming together of indie bands with diverse musical flavours from all over the globe. For most of the day, a heavy downpour at 11 Mount Sophia threatened to dampen the spirits of the crowd. However, they remained energetic and lively whilst supporting their favourite acts. Some even embraced the weather donning the yellow raincoats provided and danced under the rain, while others sought shelter at the Mackie Acoustic Stage, where a range of acts, mainly within the genres of folk and electronica, showcased their talents.

The day started off at the acoustic stage with Little Fox, a brand new band formed by Gene Mahasmut Bunyaraksh, from Thailand. The trio filled the room with their brand of folk pop, combining the rigidity of a drum machine with subdued, delicate vocals that made for an ethereal performance. The acoustics of the venue, with the sounds bouncing off the high ceilings, made for an echo-y effect emphasizing a kind of lo-fi quality that I felt suited the general feel the band was trying to achieve.

The next band to take the stage was Hong Kong’s 9 Maps. With their simple folk arrangements and enchanting harmonies, the band performed a selection of originals from their recently released album, and several covers as well. I liked the contrast between the voices of the two vocalists. Ciosa having a relatively lower and rawer quality to her voice whilst Sherin complemented with a more polished vocal delivery. These two different voices came together to create mesmerizing harmonies and an overall distinctive sound to the band. Although most of the pieces were well executed, their cover of Beirut's Elephant Gun was slightly pitchy and was perhaps performed in an inappropriate octave. Nonetheless, this was easily overlooked and the audience was definitely won over by their form of accessible folk pop, with warm applauses and cheers at the end of each and every song.

Unfortunately, due to the torrential downpour, we were unable to make it in time to the stage to catch the set by the Cambodian Space Project. But throughout the day, we noticed members of the band being approached by fans, new and old, commending their set. We knew we had missed a really good set.

Singapore’s very own Bani Haykal was up next, and he had the audience thoroughly engrossed even before his set even started! His sound check gave us a fascinating sneak peek into what was up ahead. Making full use of a looping device, Haykal performed a newly composed series of work titled “How I Got a Job and Died Trying”. Each piece introduced interesting use of non-traditional musical elements, distortions and layering which captivated the audience, and were met with thunderous applause. Haykal's material may not always be the most accessible, but one cannot doubt the fact that he is overflowing with creativity and talent that made the set one people will find hard to forget.

Muon, a homegrown Singaporean band, performed several instrumental cryptic yet inspired and introspective electronic pieces. The experimental electric beats, accompanied by the blinking visual effects, was enjoyable despite the unusual perspective that the band has adopted in its music. Stepping away from the conventional notion of a vocals-led performance, Muon let their splendid instrumental skills dictate. Perhaps, it is that very uniqueness that characterizes Muon’s appeal. With eclectic beats and sounds that dominated the pieces, Muon gave a pleasant performance and gained much support from the crowd, especially for the familiar “Against The Grain”.

Following this musical trend of electronic beats, Tenderfist performed next. Hailing from Kuala Lumpur, the humble band performed upbeat, psychedelic pieces that had addictive tunes infused with their gentle vocal arrangements. Starting with “A Wasted Heart”, the 80s inspired electro-pop song got the crowd bobbing along. The wryly-humourous lead singer, Edzwan, engaged the crowd between pieces by describing the inspirations behind the songs. Undoubtedly, Tenderfist was a hit, with a sense of familiarity that resonated through its songs; the crowd were simply left yearning for more.

The Acoustic stage ended on an ecstatic note with the ever-vibrant Finnish band, Zebra and Snake. They were definitely, the most explosive act yet. Strong vocals and pulsating rhythms, Zebra and Snake performed with much charisma. The band brought the crowd to their feet with their new song “An Empty Love Song”. In fact, several supporters couldn’t resist a chance to groove along (myself included). With songs that were definitely not empty in any way, Zebra and Snake gave a resounding and heart-thumping performance, bringing the Acoustic stage to a triumphant close.

All in all, although the Main Stage had a greater turnout (possibly because of its accessibility), the Mackie Acoustic Stage saw a relatively good crowd. The audience were largely appreciative of the surreal quality that characterized the bands that performed at the Acoustic Stage. And as we all know, the audience’s response is the most important in a performance like this, thus rendering the festival a success!

Review: UpToTheSky Festival Main Stage @ Old School, 3 Dec 2011

2011-12-13T16:51:00.003+08:00

Story by Zhanhui and Dixin, Photos by Figure 8 Agency

UpToTheSky was a full-day indie music festival held on 3rd December with the bands divided into two performing areas. The bands performing at the outdoor Main Stage included a mix of local, regional and international bands. Despite the rain and erratic weather, the sprawling open ground in Old School made for a suitable location for an outdoor music concert. The crowd’s enthusiasm for the music made up for their relatively small numbers. All in all, it was heartening to see the great support for all the indie bands.

The first band to kick start the day at the outdoor main stage was Malaysian experimental/ progressive rock band, They Will Kill Us All.

They delivered a well-polished performance filled with lush, dense guitar lines complemented by Edwin Raj’s clear and emotive vocals emerging through in songs like ‘Man with a Thousand Faces’, indicative of their post-rock influence. A glance around showed the band had managed to engage the audience as well, as people tapped their feet along and clearly enjoyed the music, despite the hot afternoon sun.

The next band was indie rock/ psychedelic Sore from Indonesia. Their songs demonstrated their diverse and eclectic musical style, ranging from the upbeat to the laid-back, reminiscent of the oldies. I could easily imagine their music being the perfect accompaniment to a chilled-out, breezy day at the beach with an ice-cold drink in hand.

However, occasionally, the instruments overwhelmed and drowned out the vocals. Nevertheless, the bond and camaraderie between the band members clearly made up for any technical faults. In between songs, they laughed and made jokes which I felt gave a warm, intimate feel to their set.

By now, the gloomy storm clouds had taken over the sun, turning the sky dark and grey. This was when the next band, also from Indonesia, came on: The Trees and The Wild. Fusing post-rock elements and folk chordal arrangements, the band thrived with their unique musical style .

The band’s Sigur Rós-esque soaring dreamy sounds interspersed with moments of folksy acoustic guitar lines, ethereal vocals and classic post-rock instrumentation was especially apt for the stormy weather. They even managed to make the feedback from the amps, thunder and pouring rain sound like a part of their music!

White Shoes and the Couples Company, an Indonesian funk/ jazz band was the next act. When they emerged, it was like travelling back in time – the band members were all in colourful and bright retro kitschy outfits, along with their iconic white shoes. Their get-up complemented well with their 60s and 70s-style pop tunes. Aprilia Apsari, the main vocalist, exudes stage presence, especially with her cutesy dance moves which included whipping out her hand fan to cool herself midway through the songs.

Each of the band members had their own unique character but they blended well together, giving the audience an entertaining, high-energy and happy concert experience. The audience responded positively by clapping and singing along to their music. At one point, the audience were even, meowing along to crowd-pleaser ‘Aksi Kucing’!

Taking a midday slot at the UpToTheSky festival, local favourites, Great Spy Experiment played to a small, utterly drenched crowd that mostly knew what to expect from these proven rockers.

It's been a good four years since their first album, so new songs to start a set were definitely in order. To the ears of this listener though, "Wasted" and "Unnamed" sounded more of the same rock anthems as their older material but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Admittedly, one hopes they would have more varied fare in their soon-to-be released album.

Other than the above nitpick, the band did not disappoint with their trademark on-stage charm and confidence. Sound mixing issues did not seem to trip them up too much, despite lead vocalist Saiful's constant hand signals to the soundboard guys at the back.

Solo project Chad Valley was up next as the sun began to set on Mt Sophia while the rain continued to patter on unabated. With a simple synthesizer setup, frontman Hugo Manuel hit the sparse crowd with waves of dreamy lo-fi ambient tunes and washed out vocals.

It was a welcome change from the mostly full band, analogue sounds featured in this festival. Lush electronic arrangements, augmented with Hugo's ghostly high vocals, lent a really full and organic sound that encouraged one to just close their eyes and take it all in.

While it can be argued that an open-stage venue might not be the most conducive for an act like Chad Valley, who barely moved from behind his console on the centre-stage, this reviewer is fully appreciative of the fact that the festival organizers decided to bring in such a left-field act that created such a spaced out trippy atmosphere in the middle of Old School so well.

Taking to the stage to a warm, lively reception by what was probably the biggest gathered crowd of the night, headliner Deerhoof managed an utterly-chaotically-cuddly set.

Their distinctive sound was marked by frenzied playing, especially from drummer Greg Saunier and 'cutesy' high pitched vocals from frontwoman/bassist Satomi Matsuzaki, whom amazingly gelled all the dissonant, messy sounds into a coherent listenable whole. It did take awhile for me to settle into their music. But once you stopped trying to figure out how the band was creating a song out of pure guitar feedback overlaid with pleasant almost child like vocals from Satomi, you get a very arresting musical direction that just took me by pleasant surprise.

Imagine the legendary over the top antics of the Flaming Lips crossed with Of Montreal's dithering psychedelic touch and you have an idea of the very unconventional live performance offered by Deerhoof. You have the mystical hand gestures from the frontwoman, which was strange but fair and fine enough. Then, compounding the weird, Greg took the microphone and went on a rambling and random speech to the audience about chewing gum and things in his pocket. Although, he also proceeded into totally awesomely entertaining when he started taking the piss out of the "local top 40" cover band just playing blandly a few meters away behind a thin partition at Timbre!

Band members crawled and popped out of the fog created by the over enthusiastic smoke machine, rolling around the floor and throwing towels at each other. All in all, a very entertaining live performance that when combined with their energetic and exuberant sound that bordered on the avant garde, one is left with an unforgettable night and a lesson well learnt: why settle for safe and traditional boring covers of radio hits when just next door, you can bear witness to an unforgettable celebration of freewheeling sounds and just plain whimsical irreverence?

While the day long deluge may have played a factor, it would have been heartening to see more attendees at this festival, if only to encourage new promoters on the block Figure8 Agency to bring in truly refreshing independent artists like they did. Probably though, the more 'mainstream indie' and blog approved (or 'mindie') acts to be brought in for the upcoming Laneway Festival, will draw bigger crowds and profits. Which is not necessarily a bad thing by itself, but sometimes, the best gems you find are those that tend to be overlooked.

On one final note, SAVE OLD SCHOOL! It's a nice quiet spot nestled on top a hill in the middle of the city! But URA has it gazetted for some fancy new profit generating condominium or something of the like. Read up on how you can pitch in to help save a piece of Singapore's heritage here.

Esplanade Presents: Seyra @ Concourse

2011-12-11T23:18:00.001+08:00

Seyra is a singer-songwriter whose music speaks of the peculiarities and insecurities of youth, hope, existence—and love in between. Armed with a unique songwriting style and soulful voice, her indie folk-pop tunes capture the bittersweet aspects of life’s uncertainties. She writes about suburban ennui, and the mini-tragedies and triumphs of everyday life that often go unnoticed against the drudgery of living in the city. Together with her band, an experimental folk-fusion inspired outfit comprising of Khidir Osman on Guitar and Melodica, Zack He on Percussion and Guitar, and Rupak George on Bass and Glockenspiel, they aim to create a unique indie sound.

Besides her original songs, Seyra will perform some of the songs from artists she has been inspired by. Expect songs by artists such as Feist, Kings of Convenience and Indonesian band The Trees and The Wild.

Date: 14 - 15 DEC 2011
Time: 7.15pm, 8.15pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Price: Free

More information on the event is available here.

Rahul Advani @ Esplanade, 5, 6, 10 Dec 2011

2011-11-27T23:05:00.001+08:00

Catch Rahul Advani live at his first solo recital at the Esplanade as he performs some of his favourite songs showcasing his love for both pop music and musical theatre, as well as several of his own original songs.

This year marks an important point in Rahul's musical journey. Currently dividing his time between his studies at Oxford and performing in Singapore, Rahul had his original songs featured on the Noise Singapore and Go Arts Facebook Pages, and also placed as a finalist in the recent Singapore Street Festival Singing Competition.

Singing the hits of artists including Michael Jackson, Adele and Vanessa Carlton, Rahul hopes to bring new meaning to these songs by stripping them down to an acoustic intimate style featuring nothing more than the piano and his voice.

Catch his performances on:

5th December, 7pm onwards (Esplanade Concourse Stage)

6th December, 7pm onwards (Esplanade Concourse Stage)

10th December, 2pm - 3pm (Esplanade Library)

Strange Things by Sharliza Jelita

2011-11-27T22:37:00.001+08:00

Sharliza Jelita releases her new single 'Is That Your Underwear On The Floor?' on 14th November. Taking standard vocal pop melodies and injecting them with a dose of psychedelic technicolor, the single, taken from her forthcoming album 'Strange Things', showcases a refreshingly tongue-in-cheek take on the otherwise sensitive subject of the dread at the thought of being caught after a clandestine union with someone you shouldn't have.

In a burst of sonic and kinetic energy, independent artist Sharliza, brings her own brand of kooky pop all the way from Singapore to London. Now based in the UK, this independent artist is set to unleash her young, glamorous and eccentric brand of confetti-electro, packaged in rainbows and lightning to the rest of the World. 'Is That Your Underwear On The Floor?' perfectly demonstrates the utter brilliance of Sharliza’s pogo-poptastic sound, a sound Sharliza describes as “a Hot Chip meets Sesame Street vibe”.

Listen to tracks from Sharliza's forthcoming album at her Soundcloud here.

Review: Slut Avenue EP by Kate of Kale

2011-11-27T16:30:00.000+08:00

Review by Melvin

A sonic crossover between The Misfits and Black Flag, punk rockers Kate of Kale (est. 1999) are set to release their second full-length album, Slut Avenue, and have uploaded 5 tracks from it as a digital EP online. With their rich and cultured history encompassing aspects such as ‘1 bus crash, 2 dislocated collarbones’, influences such as ‘the dogs in our car porches’ and ‘the alcohol in our rooms’ (‘jaegermeister and mainly, vodka’), these rebels’ tastes do not seep through their music insomuch as reach out and slap the listener in the face. Featuring edgy riffs and shouted vocals, Kate of Kale take you through their gritty mishmash underworld of comedy, horror and gore with Slut Avenue.
“29 Problems (but the cop ain’t one)” is the first track off Slut Avenue. The calm, disembodied voice of a police officer plays, belying the sonic arsenal about to be unleashed. The constant crack of the snare drum lends a punk beat to this piece, the edgy yet uniform rhythm bringing to mind a platoon in quick march. Superbly tight drums and cleanly-executed dirt from the guitars are brought to life here and, as one quickly finds out, are mainstays of Kate of Kale’s signature sound.

The band’s hardcore influence is immediately evident: The raw edge of opening screamos suitably conveys the commanding lyrics – ‘You better make it move/Step up the gas you better stop/Step out hands up we’re gonna shoot’, its aggression lending an aura of fear and authority to the words. Contrasting melodic vocals only serve to bring the punk feel to life. Cop sirens lead into what seem like a complex, 7/4 time breakdown, accompanied by a haunting strings synth overlay before cutting off.
Another breakdown begins on the same motif but faster, building tension but abruptly cutting off once again – with the accentuated, continuously-broken tension, one can’t help but feel excessively aggravated. Finally, however, release arrives in the form of an instrumental interlude, the lead guitar belting out waltz-like arpeggiated riffs in 3/4 time, bringing a refreshing contrast to the song. The slurred lines employed are indeed appropriate for the lead here, though the proceeding palm-muted single note alternate-picking could have been better executed. Rhythm guitars soon join in with complementing riffs, with this hectic, violent journey ending with sirens and a resounding, final – perhaps, fatalistic – blast of a shotgun.

“Hey! Mooger Fooger!”: The true phrases alluded to in this song’s title are soon made clear after this piece’s driving rhythm guitar entry, once again grounded by solid chops on the drums despite the variegated patterns employed. As per the aggression so strongly ‘nuanced’ in the title “Hey! Mooger Fooger!” features shouted vocals in unison, only taking breaks during episodes of dual, duelling lead guitar lines on their arpeggio-laden ascent which once again tap on the song’s thematic refrain … slowly but surely building up to the climax at the end. The quick pulse of the instrumental ending leaves a suitably bittersweet taste of aggression in the listener’s mind as the record fades out, the guitar’s eerie feedback left to haunt the listener’s mind – an appropriate end to the musical maelstrom of an EP.

Slut Avenue’s tracks may have mellowed out towards the end, yet these more ‘conventional’ tracks are still suitably driven rock anthems. In contrast to the deliciously explosive opening pieces, the later tracks are more straightforward approaches that showcases the band’s versatility. Featuring a rich palette of sounds, themes, imagery, emotions portraying dirt, grunge, longing, respite, violence; this EP is a definitive statement on the band’s perception of living life on the edge. As the band proclaims, it’s been “10 years of shitty music so far. How much more can you take?”

For more information, check out Kate of Kale's band pages below: http://www.kateofkale.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kateofkale

Up To The Sky Festival @ Old School, 3 Dec 2011

2011-11-23T23:45:00.004+08:00

Presented by Figure8 Agency (the same folks who brought you White Shoes & The Couples Company, SayCet and B-Quartet in November), Up In The Sky Festival is the newest kid on the indie festival block in Singapore. Held on 3 December at Old School, the festival is a feast of local, regional and international acts. The full line-up features Deerhoof, White Shoes & The Couples Company, Chad Valley, The Trees and The Wild, Zebra & Snake, Tenderfist, SORE, The Great Spy Experiment, Orange Grass, Bani Haykal, They Will Kill Us All, Little Fox, The Dorques, 9 Maps, MUON and The Cambodian Space Project. There will be video screenings from artists such as Ho Tzu Nyen, Dimas Wisnuwardono and Vincent Moon (of La Blogotheque fame). Plus, there will also be an art exhibition by KittyWu Records and a DJ set by Mogwai! In addition to the smorgasm of the festival, there will also be an after-party held at Kinki Bar by Mixtape+Confessions.

Be sure to get your tickets here ($89 each, $50 for students)!
More information can be found on the official website, and the Facebook event page here.

If you are passionate about indie music and would like to do more, sign up to be a volunteer at the festival! Read on for more details!

They are looking for the following:
1. Merchandising staff – In charge of selling band merchandise; retail experience preferred. Must be responsible with money.

2. Technical assistants – To help with sound and lighting.

3. Artist coordinator – You will be assigned to a band for the days that they are in Singapore. Which means you will look after the entire band from the minute they arrive at the airport, to the flight out of Singapore. Speaking a second language would be a plus!

4. Stage crew – Help with setting up the stage for a band, liaise with backstage crew to keep the show going! (Experience with music production and set up preferred.)

5. Backstage crew – will be in charge of making sure the bands come on at the right time, leave and enter the correct rooms, coordinating the whole flow!

6. Office internships – to help with planning and executing the event, involve in publicity, communications, sponsorships and more. PR or Communications student would be perfect.

7. Site crew – would require you to be around the festival area, either taking care of the ticketing, helping people with directions, making sure the crowd is in order, while you still get to hang around the grounds.

8. Bar –Take care of the drinkers flow and be sure that the alcohol consumers are over 21.

Please send an email with your resume to staff@uptotheskyfestival.com if interested!

Strait Groove Album Launch @ The Hall, The Arts House

2011-11-23T16:45:00.003+08:00

Strait Groove will be launching their first album, In Stock Now, on 2 December, Friday at the The Hall (part of the Arts House), in conjunction with Seed Fest Singapore. The music collective has promised delectably feel-good night with tunes from their debut LP as well as a few tasty treats thrown in for good measure.

Plus, they will be releasing their album as a free download on 2 December! A physical copy can be pre-ordered by emailing straitgroove@gmail.com. To date, the band's already sold 100 pre-order copies so act fast as it's while stocks last!

In the meantime, you can sample their tunes from Bandcamp and learn more about Strait Groove on Facebook.

For more information about the event, click here.

Fred Perry Subculture @ Zouk, 18 Nov 2011

2011-11-12T19:42:00.002+08:00

The fifth installment of Fred Perry Subculture returns this Friday, 18 November 2011 at Zouk, featuring Plainsunset, We The Thousands, The Lost Hat and indie trio, Poptart as they end the night off with non-stop dance hits. For the first time, Subculture will be coupled with Singapore's one and only visual-audio collective, Syndicate as they project unprecedented visuals throughout the night.

Priority entry will be given to those dressed in Fred Perry so wear your tips proud.

(*tip - refers to the coloured lining on collars and sleeves, an iconic feature on Fred Perry polo shirts.)

Date: Friday, 18 November 2011

Time: 8pm (Doors open at 7.30pm)

Venue: Zouk, 17 Jiak Kim Street

Line Up: We The Thousands, The Lost Hat, Plainsunset, featuring Poptart and Syndicate.

Club rules apply.

Fred Perry Subculture is made possible by Singtel, 42Below, Seventh Heaven and Zouk.

Wanna know what a Fred Perry Subculture Night looks like? Check it out...

Video: We The Thousands - Ground Zero Affair

2011-11-12T17:29:00.006+08:00

Following their rocking set at this year's Baybeats, We The Thousands have gone from strength to strength. They recently released their first MV for their anthemic track, Ground Zero Affair. Directed by their own drummer, Bryan De Silva, the video is no fluff, no fancy visual effects and no bad acting.It carefully manipulates lighting and interesting camera angles to produce a simple, straight up rock video.

Check it out!

Review: White Shoes & The Couples Company/SayCet/B-Quartet @ LASALLE SIA Theatre, 8 Nov 2011

2011-11-11T00:31:00.032+08:00

Story by Mohd Hanis, Photos from Figure8 Agency

The LASALLE SIA Theatre is pitch black. On stage, the silhouettes of Pierre Lefeuvre flanked by two other girls, Phoene Somsavath and Zita Cochet, stand infront of their barely luminescent consoles. A piano solo ensues. A bright white light on what looks like a balloon shines above the head of Pierre. SayCet launches into the gorgeously arranged, "We Walk Fast".

Here we begin our night. The first gig by new concert promoters on the block, Figure8 Agency. In partnership with French Embassy as part of the Voilah! French Festival, these guys promised to deliver innovative and original music by emerging artists of the indie scene. With a line-up that boasts cinematic Franco-Lao outfit SayCet, homegrown alternative rock band, B-Quartet and cutesy Indonesian indie pop group, White Shoes & The Couples Company, Figure8 Agency were fully intend on delivering their promise.

SayCet were absolutely breathtaking. From the get-go, Phoene's delicate vocals draws you in, separating the listener from all forms of reality, we find ourselves entering a cinematic world. The electronic beats engulf every corner of the theatre, yet never abrasive or jarring, instead it drips of melancholy much akin to the musical score for the Murakami-adapted movie, Norwegian Wood, by Jonny Greenwood this year.

They seamlessly transit from one song to the next, their silhouettes dancing in almost trance-like cadence. Pierre, the sonic architect of most of SayCet's composition, is bobbing and swaying as he pushes the buttons to his consoles. Phoene is shuffling at his right, occasionally tip-toeing as the music soars to a peak. VJ Zita, on his left, producing strange yet poetic scenes that playfully dances with the ebb and flow of the composition.

The pace of SayCet's hour-long set, at times, felt draggy and repetitive. But, I was too zoned out by the lush soundscapes to be bothered by the repetition. They were just that captivating.

After a brief intermission, we were invited back to our seats to a small projector screen on stage. All it showed was the side profile of a feline. Surrounding the projector, our favourite sextet, B-Quartet stood ready with their instruments in tow. Lead singer, Bani Haykal in his signature oversized t-shirt and folded pants, looked anxious. The band looked sombre and reflective. This was to be their last show for a long time.

They kicked off with familiar set-opener, "An Ontoduction" before smoothly transiting to "Question Problem" from their second LP, Conformity Has Replaced Consciousness. We were smacked by a wall of that same aural bliss that firmly justifies our belief, "B-Quartet is one of Singapore's best bands, hands-down!"

Haykal delivered each and every line in his own unique way, convulsing at every point like a raw energy had surged up his spine. Faizal and Raizan nodding their heads, giving their best power rock stance that would make Mr Dewey from School of Rock proud, as their guitar leads meet in unison. Hidir, his usual monstrous self behind the drums, accompanied by Luqman (bass) and Siraaj (effects), showed no signs of letting up the edge.

It was clear B-Quartet were fully intent on rocking out their finale. Leaving out their melancholic numbers and crowd favourites like "Shoebox" and "Beautiful Crash", they burst into a frenetic rendition of "Stupid Luxury" and of course, an old favourite, "Alphanumeric". But the best 'awwww' moment of the show was the dedication of the beautifully, poetic "Personal Space" to Haykal's girlfriend, Ila. One that Haykal admits he does not do very often but it was their last show, after all.

They even included, a new song which has yet to be titled. Yes, even at their last show, they're still showcasing new material which is very much a tormenting tease because it makes me echo those famous Oliver Twist words, "please, sir, can I have some more?" The standing ovation at the end was bittersweet. I really did not want them to end...ever. And as I write this article two days after the show, I still don't want them to end.

But the gig moved on. The spotlight shone down on John Navid and he proceeds into a drum solo. Soon Ricky, Yusmario, Salleh, Aprimella joins him one by one building on his drum line. Finally, Aprilia Apsari, swing side steps her way to the centre of the stage, completes the White Shoes & The Couples Company line-up.

The band cooly jives to "Senja Menggila" as lead singer, Aprilia, boogies to dance moves from our grandparents' time. Yet, she never appears tacky or cliche. It looks oddly natural to her. The rest of the band shakes and jives along in similar fashion. Perhaps, the sunglasses in a dark theatre were a bit much but it's all part of the aesthetics they were going for.

Salleh's guitar lines were drenched in reverbs and flanger, supported by the rhythm section of Yusmario on acoustic guitar, Ricky on bass and John on drums, and a splash of colour added by Aprimella's keyboards as the band went from one cutesy track to the next. Included in their repertoire were their own delightful interpretations of popular Indonesian compositions, Ismail Marzuki's "Sabda Alam" and Fariz Rustam Munaf's "Selangkah Ke Seberang".

The highlight of their set was definitely "Aksi Kuching", a favourite of the small but vocal Indonesian fans in the audience who meowed loudly along with the band before John Navid stole the limelight again with a ridiculous drum solo that involved playing standing up while juggling drum sticks and still maintaining the groove all at the same time. The light-hearted, breezy fun left everyone singing along and definitely ended the show on a good high.

All in all, the dark cinematic soundscapes of SayCet to the full-on rock show by B-Quartet and ending with the cool bebop of White Shoes & The Couples Company captured the full spectrum of potential of the Southeast Asian Indie music scene that inspired Figure8 Agency to pursue their organization in the first place. I think they're on to something very exciting here. If this gig is any indication, we're in for a hoot during the Up To The Sky Festival on 3rd December 2011. We recommend you to check it out!

On one final parting note, we wish the members of B-Quartet all the best in their life pursuits. Thank you for the great music from the first EP, Smitten Bard till today. Your shows have been nothing short of spectacular every time. Thank you for the memories. But, seriously, "Please, sir, can I have some more?"

More photos are available here.
For more info on the upcoming Up To The Sky Festival, click here.

Press Conference: White Shoes & The Couples Company with SayCet & B-Quartet @ LASALLE, 8 Nov 2011

2011-11-10T03:21:00.005+08:00

Story by Melissa

OMSPress had the pleasure of being invited to the press conference to the White Shoes & Couples Company with B-Quartet and SayCet by new concert promoters, Figure8 Agency. We sat in the press conference area, with other bloggers, writers and editors, eager to hear from the promoters and the bands about the show, their plans for the future and indie music in Southeast Asia in general.

With Figure8 Agency...

What motivated you to pursue concert promotion and artiste management?

We wanted to do something for the indie music scene by linking promoters and bands up, especially since a lot of the promoters here weren’t keen in bringing them in. In Europe and Australia, there is always a venue in each country that is known for their programming. We hope Singapore will have such a venue that brings in unsigned bands and can sign bands as well. At the moment, it seems quite hard to have a venue that has its own programming.

So why did you choose to be based in Singapore?

Singapore is a hub for indie music. The region constantly gets overlooked in the international music scene. Singapore’s music scene is blossoming and there are many talented bands in the local music scene with great potential to expand.

What do you think is the biggest hurdle to your cause?

The challenge is funds, because everything is more expensive in Asia now and some promoters expect bands to bring in a lot of income. All the promoters are also small players and we don’t really communicate with each other. A band has its own following, but when a local music scene is big, it can also export music. The whole objective is to showcase the entire SEA indie culture, which is why UpToTheSky Festival features 4imaginaryboys, MixtapeConfessions and KittyWu Records. Many festivals here also do not include many SEA bands. We aim to show everyone that SEA music cannot be overlooked. The bands are not big names, but the goal is to make a big thing out of small things. We want all the bands to be about the same level, with no clear headliner.

Seeing as how UpToTheSky Festival is a brand new festival in the region, how has the response been like so far?

We’ve had an enthusiastic response so far, but we face challenges due to time constraints. It is also difficult to obtain funds as sponsors are more willing to support only after seeing how the first edition goes.

With SayCet...

Since the organiser wants to promote cultural exchange, what do you think of the music of the other bands?

Phoene: We did not have time to listen to the other bands because we’ve travelled a lot, but we’re really happy to be here. It's our first Asian tour and its with two famous regional bands. We saw their rehearsal and it looked extremely interesting.

What do you think about this effort to bring SEA indie bands and different cultural sounds together seeing as it’s your first time here in Singapore?

Phoene and Pierre: Well, we play different music from B-Quartet and White Shoes and The Couples Company. But, at the same time, we’re thinking of making a mixtape with Asian bands. Its very interesting to be around music from a different continent, especially in this time where we’re talking about globalisation. We can hear different sounds from each band based on their origin. From what we’ve heard, there is a common sound that brings together all the indie music in the world. In some sense, we can find groups that have similar sounds in indie music across the world.

What Asian countries have you visited? What’s the most interesting musical experience you had so far?

Phoene: We’ve visited Japan, Korea, Singapore and tomorrow, Malaysia. Its difficult to choose one experience but if we had to pick one, it would be this one time at a Korean bar. They were playing 70s and 80s Korean songs and we had a great time there.

Has your music been directly influenced by the visuals or vice versa?

Phoene and Zita: They have really emerged together and it is through constant communication with each other.

What are some examples of cultural dialogues you have had on tour?

Phoene: Its funny to be in Asia, because we’re back to our roots, as my parents are Laotian and Zita is half-Chinese. We went to a karaoke place in Korea, and it was one of those stereotypical Korean karaoke places and we had lots of fun there.

With White Shoes & The Couples Company...

What inspires your music?

Ricky: It is inspired by Indonesian movie soundtracks. We like to introduce the ambience of soundtracks. Most people in Indonesia have already forgotten the past, as there are no documentation, and everything is new. Our local television is very bad so that is why we want to bring back the atmosphere of Indonesia in the 60s and 70s. Now, contemporary music is all the same, and the same bullshit.

How has the response been to your idea that the 60s and 70s were better?

Aprilia and Rio: We have our own audience, because we can’t break through the mainstream barricade, especially since money is power in Indonesia. Without money, you won’t be featured in the media and television. Almost all our audience are already fans of the Indonesian music scene. But the media also became more keen on us since we are the first Indonesian band to release an album in US. There are also a lot of high school students who approach us and want to find out more about 60s and 70s musicians. There are also more youths appreciating the musical history of our country and they collect vinyl records.

With the rise of electronic music, are you tempted to use that in your music?

Rio: Definitely! We use synthesizers like the Beach Boys did.

How were your trips to US? Did playing at SXSW increase your popularity?

Aprilia: Yeah, because not many Indonesians can appreciate the local indie music. It is very helpful when European and American record labels take an interest, more Indonesians want to find out more.

What is your preference for gigs? Intimate gigs or huge festivals?

Ricky: Intimate gigs.

What do you think of the community that supports you and the direction you want to take in the future?

Aprilia and Ricky: It is not just about how cool the 60s were,or how nice it is to be a professional musician. Usually people only see the tourist sites and the traditional culture, but not the contemporary pop culture. It is a pity because it has developed so much but some of the music scenes in our country remain underground. They don’t want to be, but conditions have forced them to be.

When was your first performance?

Aprilia: At that time, we made tee shirts and stickers but we didn’t even have a band name. We only had one song! The organisers didn’t even have us on the bill but we cut in and negotiated with them and performed one song. The band before us were playing hardcore music, and the one after us was playing punk and death metal. The first song we played was called the Runaway Song, and it was a quiet song. Everyone had just finished moshing and their reaction was quite funny.

With B-Quartet (Bani Haykal)...

What made you guys want to go on a hiatus?

Personal reasons, mostly. Some band members are starting families at the moment. We also have day jobs and side projects we’re working on.

Out of all your projects, why did you choose to stop B-Quartet?

Bani Hidir has other side projects, and it would be unfair for some of us to insist on going on.

How has the local music scene changed since the 90s?

I’ve been more conscious of the way things have been changing, but 10 years may be too short a time to gauge its progress. It definitely still moving on, and there are shifting of cultures that’s going on.

What has been your best experience playing with B-Quartet?

The last performance at Spread The Love was one of the few gigs I enjoyed playing, and our connection on stage and that familiar armpit smell was there. Perhaps, it was because we hadn’t played for awhile.

Will there be any new songs and will they see the light of day?

We will be performing some of them tonight,but they’re still unfinished so we probably won’t record them at the moment. We considered being a studio band but it still takes commitment.

How has the last few weeks and months been for the band with the awareness of the hiatus?

The last few jamming sessions have been quite quiet and sombre for me, but I’m not sure about the other guys.

My brother and I listened to a lot of jazz due to our father’s influences, while my cousins had been listening to Jimi Hendrix. When we came together, our cousins already knew how to play guitar while my brother and I didn’t know how to play any instruments. So he gravitated towards drums and I learnt the bass. We definitely had our differences and we still do.

How do you sort out your differences then?

In the past we really threw slippers and stuff. But now we try to rethink things and put our egos aside, since it's something the band creates and not about the individual. We listen out for one another and not about thinking this song belongs to us but how others feel they belong to the song.

What are some of the things you are currently working on?

At the moment, Hidir is working on his solo album with Page. For myself, I’m doing more research on cultural development and narrative. Hopefully this will shape some of my projects. A few days ago I created something on Soundcloud, and its one of the narratives I create.

Bani Haykal proceeded to pose a question to the journalists present, about whether we knew any National Day songs in the past 10 years.

His point was in questioning what we understood as "Singaporean" music.

Lepa(r)k! @ Tiong Bahru Park, 19 Nov 2011

2011-11-06T16:02:00.000+08:00

Presented by Snakeweed Studios, and Incursive Productions, organised by Tanglin-Cairnhill Citizens' Consultative Committee, “Lepa(r)k!” welcomes all to Tiong Bahru Park on 19 November 2011 from 5-10pm to join in the lively atmosphere and pulsating beats of Singapore indie rock music drummed up by new and familiar bands. A tongue-in-cheek play on the word “lepak”, a local colloquialism meaning to relax and hang out, this event hopes to do just that – attract youths, young adults and the young at heart to the park to enjoy a Saturday evening filled with a variety of original sounds and cutting edge tunes from some of our finest homegrown bands in the independent music scene. The handpicked line-up for the event includes buzzed-about Singapore bands Cheating Sons, In Each Hand A Cutlass, Obedient Wives Club, Ingride and Run Neon Tiger, and is topped off by headlining act and local sensations, Plainsunset. If good music and an exciting rock show is a prizefight, then this lineup of 6 stellar bands will surely pull no punches.

More information can be found on the Facebook event page here.

White Shoes and The Couples Company, SayCet and B-Quartet @ SIA Theatre (LASALLE), 8 Nov 2011

2011-10-26T14:42:00.001+08:00

On the 8th of November 2011, the SIA Theatre at LASALLE College of the Arts will host a unique event in Singapore, featuring three of the most innovative and original emerging artists of the international contemporary indie music scene. The White Shoes & The Couples Company, celebrated as one of the "best indie pop band to call Jakarta home" by Allmusic.com will play alongside local band B-Quartet and French band SayCet to transport the audience into a different dimension of poetic and mesmerizing soundscapes and melodies.

Formed in 2002, The White Shoes & The Couples Company blends 1960’s Burt Bacharach-inspired melodies with winsome indie pop to create a truly unique sound that bring us back to the 1970’s or even to the 1930’s, with charming, distinct melodies and orchestration. Singing in both English and Indonesian, they have been named "one of the Top 25 bands on MySpace" by Rolling Stone, featured in Times Magazine and praised by Pitchfork.
http://www.myspace.com/whiteshoesandthecouplescompany

The concert will also showcase two supporting acts including Franco-Lao outfit SayCet, performing for the first time in Singapore. Warmly praised by LesInrocks and Trax, the trio plays an unforgettable blend of experimental pop and electronica, matched with bewitching video projections.
http://www.myspace.com/saycet

The second supporting act, B-Quartet is a band that defies genres in search of a unique musical language, challenging conventions from concept to composition. Rising stars of the local scene, their eclectic palette marries jazz with folk and rock accents, topped with exquisite vocal harmonies. With a spontaneous, almost telepathic energy on stage, they enchant and mesmerize audiences, winning fans wherever they go.
http://www.myspace.com/bquartet

Admission:
25$ on reservation
30$ at the door
Reservation: figure8@figure8-agency.com Tel. 9866 9259
Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=242443815786325

Review: In The Shadow Of The Sun by Dulcinea

2011-10-22T21:13:00.001+08:00

Review by Melvin

Picture taken from Dulcinea's BandCamp page.

‘There's nothing more daunting yet immersive than the shadow of the sun.' - Dulcinea

In The Shadow Of The Sun is Dulcinea’s second album following the release of their debut, The Politics of Fear, in 2008. The band’s name is inspired by the famous novel Don Quixote, detailing the adventures of a retired country gentleman who, inspired by chivalric romance Romantic literature, seeks the life of a knight-errant, including the search for his envisioned lady of utmost beauty, Dulcinea. Though Don Quixote never manages to find her, he realises that the journey towards that end was beautiful unto itself – the very ethos which this band lives by, viewing their music as a quest for beauty ‘filled with reflection, expression and imagination’. Tying in with the band’s belief in the Jungian philosophy of Art Therapy, In The Shadow Of The Sun is centred around the theme of healing and how music can be used to heal one from past trauma through its juxtaposition of ‘the epic conflict between worlds of beauty and the darkest of demons’.

From the haunting synth opening in “Silent Reign” to the wailing, Jimmy Page-sque guitar solo in “Vertigo”, In The Shadow Of The Sun is about ambience, with just the right amount of reverb lending an atmospheric, dream-like quality to the album. The vocalists’ somewhat subdued tone, though not a prominent feature, add to the ephemeral soundscape. Judiciously-employed riffs dominate the sonic landscape, from heavy chug-alongs in pieces such as “Vertigo” to funky lines in “Sacred Star”. The careful construction of each song is harmoniously planned out, with repeated riffs, especially in works such as “Illuminating Light”, building a melodic narrative and creating thematic refrains stringing each piece together. The band’s demonstrates its versatility with a wide variety of styles, such as “Koyaanisqatsi”, an expressionistic, soulful solo guitar track conveying a sense of longing, and “Ghosts” featuring strong, almost-tribal percussion backing amidst the album’s heavier works. The only notable flaws would be the drummer’s sometimes-uneven fills and the bassdrum being lost in the mix, easily negated by creative use of varying grooves within and across songs helping to carry the band forward in its musical quest.

Produced by Dulcinea’s guitarist, Matthew Thomas (also the Art Director), the album features intricate artwork throughout. Landscapes of wiling trees and what appears to be a face embossed in leather create a sense of serendipity, but it is, without a doubt, the cover art which is most striking. Depicting martyr St Sebastian set against a desolate landscape, shot full of arrows, straining against crows binding him with red cloth, the choice of artwork is undoubtedly appropriate, conveying the band’s sentiment of being tried for one’s beliefs but eventually being rescued for that faith . The disc itself, imprinted with what looks like an industrial take on Japan’s imperial Rising Sun logo, and a blurb from Carl Jung in the album sleeve, are the small touches completing the physical package.

All in all, Dulcinea’s sophomore album is definitely a delight to be indulged in. The band’s progressive dreamscape and interweaved brush strokes of memorable, heavy riffs with contrasting expressionistic instrumentals certainly paint a picturesque masterpiece akin to Homer’s Illiad and Odyssey. The album’s heartfelt lines and lyrics indeed bring the listener through an epic melodious journey teetering between the themes of light and darkness, and at the end of the closing track – appropriately entitled “Closure” – one can’t help but bask in the cathartic release that comes thereafter.

‘We are all one and we all live our lives under the shadow of the sun.’ - Matthew Thomas, Dulcinea

For more information on Dulcinea, do check out their pages here:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Dulcineaband

Bandcamp:
http://dulcinearocks.bandcamp.com

Review: Animal Day Day 2 @ 313 Somerset (9 Oct 2011)

2011-10-21T23:40:00.000+08:00

Story by Taufiq and Michael, Photos from Thunder Rock School

On the second day of Animal Day held at 313 Somerset, the local musicians came together once again to support the various animal welfare groups. Nicholas Chim, a local indie folk musician, performed a few songs of alongside other musicians, such as Aarika Lee (of Sixx fame). Armed with a beautiful Tanglewood acoustic that had a prominent mid-range as well as TC Electronic Helicon effects to create ethereal textures in his vocals, Nick proceeded to entice the audience (or lack thereof) with a few of his indie-folk melodies.

Aarika added sweet harmonies to his heartfelt songs and the two guitarists added spacey vibes to Nick's set, while the cajón gave the songs a good mix. Overall, Nick Chim didn't exude a very 'folk' approach to the genre. For one, most folk bands make use of different instruments to fill up the spaces each instrument leaves behind, like a banjo in the mid-high region and some even xylophones to boost the treble to make the sound seem more complete. Nick chose a refreshing approach by using textures created by rich and lush reverbs, deep chorusing effects and vocal ambience to make the sound full and robust, despite the less-than-perfect outdoor venue.

However, perhaps Nick could have used more variety in accompaniment, such as swapping one guitarist for a banjo player at time. Also, the songs could have more vocal harmonies as opposed to merely Nick and Aarika, to truly evoke the meaning of folk. More percussive instruments too would help in making his sound even more vibrant.

As he will be having a soft launch for his album this weekend and heads to Japan next month, we wish him all the best!

Pop-rock group Flybar took the stage with a few songs of their own, kicking off their set with much energy and maintaining it throughout; something hardly seen in an acoustic set. Passerbys found it hard to ignore Flybar. This has much to do with frontman Ian Toh's charisma boosting their stage presence and, admirably, he used the attention to their advantage by directing people toward the various animal welfare society booths in between songs. Playing a mixture of old and new material, their songs had a catchy feel that got everyone tapping their feet to the beat.

However, one can believes their performance could have been better. It felt like Ian was giving a solo performance rather than a group performance. His guitar was too loud, sounding a tad harsh and drowning out fellow band-mates, Deon and Ben. This made the songs repetitive at times, especially when coupled with the repeating lyrics. Although one certainly wished that the set had better aural layering, Ian managed to cover it up with his energy and charisma.

Overall, Flybar's set was decent. It was not their best, but certainly not their worst. One can only hope that this band would continue to surprise audiences, as they have much potential.

Review: Animal Day Day 1 @ 313 Somerset (8 Oct 2011)

2011-10-20T00:21:00.003+08:00

Story by Cathlin, Melvin, Emi, Photos by Syahmi and from Thunder Rock School

For an evening the quaint outdoor bars of 313 @ Somerset were transformed into a bustling night street market, much like your typical neighbourhood pasar malam, or Chinatown during Chinese New Year – but this was no ordinary bazaar. This was Animal Day @ 313, a celebration of World Animal Day organised by Thunder Rock School, aimed at raising awareness for local animal welfare organisations through the sale of local artwork and performances by local bands.

Inspired by The Killers, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and The Strokes, Run Neon Tiger first came into prominence at the 2010 edition of Baybeats. The indie rock quartet performed an acoustic set at this event, playing a tight set made up of covers of their inspirations, such as “When You Were Young” by The Killers. Unfortunately, the majority of the crowd merely glanced and walked past the stage when they performed, perhaps due to a lack of interest.What was interesting about their set was the inclusion of a cajon, which turned what could have been a pretty ordinary acoustic cover into something memorable and unique. This was especially evident in their closing song, which was a mellow, stripped-down rendition of THE "indie" song of the moment, “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People.

The next band, 53A, fared better in terms of attracting an audience. Perhaps it was the familiar voice of Sara Wee ( also a radio DJ), or perhaps it was the more mainstream, radio–friendly covers performed that caught their attention. As with all the other bands, 53A performed an acoustic set, consisting of a mix of their original songs (“ Falling Into You” , “My World” ) and top 40 hits (“Need You Now” , “Animal” , “ Rolling In The Deep” ). While the band generally delivered on all counts, there were minor technical glitches, such as the volume of Bani’s mic being too soft, that marred the performance slightly. Nevertheless, the crowd still loved them; sticking with the band through the end despite the heat and humidity. 53A ended their laid-back, easygoing set with "The Lazy Song", extremely apt for Saturdays meant for chilling out, hanging 'round town with some good music.

At around 5:30, alternative folk band Monster Cat took the stage. In their little cat masks, the band played a poignant and hauntingly enchanting set, consisting mostly of songs from their debut EP, Mannequins. Their raw lyrics, coupled with mesmerizing harmonies and melodies, easily captured the attention of those who were willing to stop and take a listen. Showing their support for the Cat Welfare society during the event, the band spoke of their affinity and love for the felines, adding a touch of charm and endearment to the otherwise elusive group(which is much like a cat, really). However, it was unfortunate that the majority of the flow of people at the walkway failed to take notice of their performance. Perhaps the style of Monster Cat did not resonate well in such an outdoors and open setting, but would definitely be stellar in a cosier and more intimate venue.

10 past 7: The crowd was well settled in, soaking in the atmosphere of the city evening and visiting the various organisations’ booths, appreciating the intricate artwork on sale or learning more about the plight of animal welfare – or lack thereof! – in Singapore. Caracal was due to perform, but the rockers were milling around instead, looking lost, directionless…

Instead two enigmatic personas took the stage: a vocalist-guitarist armed with an acoustic guitar, and a percussionist at the helm of a single floor tom. Introducing themselves as Prestige Worldwide, the duo opened with a blues groove; slowly building into a rock beat despite the sparse instrumentation before proceeding to captivate the crowd with soulful renditions of songs such as “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “The Raven”. Oddities plagued their performance, however. The percussionist seemed quite out of his element, channelling what can only be described as manic aggression; employing singular ‘war drum’ beats on placid pieces such as “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and interjecting with randomly-timed – and badly-executed – stick tricks to boot.

To those in the know however, the reason behind the awkward showmanship was clear – the duo comprising ‘Prestige Worldwide’ were none other than K. C. Meals and Gabriel de Souza, vocalist and guitarist of Caracal respectively. Guitarist Field Teo was stuck in a traffic jam, and the two enthusiastic gentlemen saw it fit to stage their impromptu … jam, to entertain the crowd. As it was, their renditions and antics gained the audience’s approval, their natural musicality and being completely at ease with themselves, despite the circumstances, rubbing off on the spectators.

With Field’s much-awaited arrival, the full band took the stage, with Steve Kwek on bass and Martin Kong taking his rightful place on the drum throne (and K.C. continuing the gag nonetheless, announcing that “Caracal is up next; don’t listen to them they’re stupid”). The first song the band ripped into was the chug-heavy “Snakeblood” off of their 2011 album, Bear. Shark. Wolf, featuring K.C.’s soaring vocals and strong backup from Steve. Despite the acoustic setup, Caracal’s stage presence was immediately made known to all: this song had lost none of its heavy, rhythmic feel; with Martin delivering a solid sonic assault of beats and tones from that singular floor tom.

Next up was “Cheers to Love”, a song about the frustrations of losing love and trying to find it again. Despite the lyrics’ despair and anguish, Caracal’s acoustic rendition was decidedly more upbeat than their album’s, laden with preppy beats carried by the synchronised guitar strumming and striking rimshots – Martin’s upbeat grooves really brought the song to life with the eclectic mix that was rhythm section. With an authoritative “Let’s Go!” the band followed K.C.’s cue and “Cheers To Love” now suddenly took on a heavy chugging feel, goading the crowd to join in on what was now a sing-a-long song that built into an extended guitar solo; perfectly complemented by heartfelt vocal lines. Underscoring the fresh take on the song was Gabriel hugging his Gibson SG during opportune moments – reminding listeners that despite the many shapes and forms love may be twisted into, in the end one must listen to his heart.

Another feature was “Charlatan” – once again Caracal didn’t fail to surprise, opening with a circus-like waltz feel to this piece, jarringly subverted by Gabriel’s screaming/laughing maniacally into the mike. The sense of unease and disconnect delivered harkens to Avenged Sevenfold’s “A Little Piece of Heaven” – and then some. Quickly reverting the its original sombre tone however, K.C. belted his lungs out on this one, lashing out with what seemed like years of pent-up anguish and frustration and the band supporting him with choral-like backup vocals, reminding listeners that “we all have our crosses to bear” indeed.

Taking breaks from their originals, Caracal featured some cover songs as well – paying tribute to their favourite band and inspiration, Thrice. “Anthology” from the album Major/Minor was amongst the sonic arsenal presented as well. Featuring soulful vocals and chimey acoustic guitar lead lines, the occasional cracking of K.C.’s voice was forgettable and at best only served to open the audience to the band’s heart as they played this piece; their swaying and enthrallment moving the crowd along with them.

All in all, Caracal did a splendid job during this gig, being completely at ease with themselves and delivering fresh, full-bodied takes on familiar pieces despite the acoustic setup. Cheery disposition, jokes about Field’s supposed harem and a couple of Tigers (the drink, this time) aside, the band nonetheless delivered their messages on Animal Day as well, with K.C.’s personal take being utmost heartfelt to me: “… guilty that there were a lot of things I didn’t do to my cat and dog (ok that sounds wrong)”, and reminding Singaporeans that it is a disgusting act, even, to bring a pet home and welcome it to the family only to abandon it later...

Find out more on Animal Day as well as the beneficiaries involved at the Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=142836842480049

Randolf Arriola CCCD Album Launch @ Esplanade Recital Studio, 28 Oct 2011

2011-10-19T15:57:00.000+08:00

Spend an evening with acclaimed guitarist and live looping extraodinaire Randolf Arriola as he launches his album CCCD as part of the Esplanade's Late Nite series. Born and raised in Singapore, Randolf is a self-taught veteran musician with over 20 years of live performance experience. He specialises in live looping, a unique music-making and performance method where he creates processed loops of sound with his voice and guitar and layers them to create intricately arranged soundscapes and compositions.

Widely regarded all around by peers in music, entertainment, education and art circles both in Singapore and abroad, Randolf recently headlined the Y2K10 International Live Looping Festival with three others in a USA tour that featured 75 artists. Currently plying his trade as the resident artist at the popular Singapore watering hole Harry’s, he has earned respect and recognition all over for his fearless creativity and innovation in creating music that reaches out and touches any listener.

This special Late Nite performance will see him utilising a range of instruments including the acoustic, electric, synthesizer, smartphone and mini guitars, a Chapman Alto Stick, hardware by Dell and his vocals.

More information can be found at the Facebook event page here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=271989012823954

Randolf Arriola's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/randolfarriola

Local Motion @ Home Club, 28 Oct 2011

2011-10-19T12:43:00.002+08:00

LOCALMOTION is a gig happening at Home Club every now and then organised by music lovers, for music lovers.

The intention: To showcase original musicians in Singapore for the crazy talent they boast.
In this edition we have playing for us:

8.30pm: Cranium Carnage
http://www.facebook.com/craniumcarnage
9.15pm: Thy Fallen Kingdom
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thy-Fallen-Kingdom/108260834542
10.00pm: The Bloody Rejects
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloody-Rejects/164905296880281

Cranium Carnage

Hailing from the downunder of underground Singapore’s metal scene, these five young musicians really know their business and they know what they are up to. Armed and dangerous with furious chugging riffs with ultimate groundbreaking breakdowns, screaming and growling vocals and groovy basslines, they are always in for challenges and exploring new stuffs

Thy Fallen Kingdom
Playing a combination of speed and thrash metal, Thy Fallen Kingdom has been ripping people’s ears off since 2007. Debuting at DXO to a paltry fan base of zero, we managed to spread our wings through the quality of our songs and our live performances. Will continue spreading the plague of Thy Fallen Kingdom for all mankind!

Bloody Rejects
Formed in 1997 as an all-girl band in Singapore, they released a full-length album in 1998 "Frightfully Yrs". They appeared in numerous compilations throughout Southeast Asia. Subsequently, the band has been involved in playing gigs throughout the years in the underground music scene. They released an EP "La Varita Prevale" in March 2007, and their second full-length album "Ready Set Go" was finally self-released in June 2008.

Tickets at $12 per entry (with 1 free drink and entry to BEAT! after)

For more information on Local Motion, their Facebook page can be found here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Local-Motion/134149526613273

Interview: Plainsunset @ Live Lounge: Smells Like Nirvana, YIH Plaza (29 Sept 2011)

2011-10-10T11:10:00.001+08:00

Interview by Sherilyn, Photo by Alvin

We caught up with one of Singapore's most prominent local bands, Plainsunset, at the recent session of Live Lounge, organised by NUS Radiopulze. A media roundtable interview allowed everyone present the rare opportunity to seek the opinions of Jon and Nizam on their band and the local music scene.

Can you introduce the band and how did the band start out?

Jon: We've been playing for 15 years, and had several tours. The first tour we ever did was in New Zealand in 2000. We have 5 albums, and we're currently under distribution with Universal. We're planning to work on another one, and we're starting to write new songs. Some of our songs were used for the Heroes 2 trailer, and we're involved in a few projects here and there.

When was your first performance and how was it like?

Jon: Our first performance was at Singapore Polytechnic, 15 years ago. Our performance was average. We were playing punk rock, while the other bands were playing hardcore. The perspective back then was a lot more macho, but for us to come up with songs that were more melodic made us seem like sissies back then! We didn't even take ourselves seriously!

Now the scene is a lot more open. There are a lot more girls at gigs now - back then girls were afraid of being attacked at gigs!

What about the difference in the reception towards local music?

Jon: I think it has become a lot more open, in relation to styles and trends. Younger bands now can do what we were doing back then, and they can get away with it, but people back then were calling us 'sissy'. Having said that, at the moment there is no specific dominant style. Music now has become more post-modernist than it ever was back then.

Nizam: It's also because of the exposure. During our time 15 years ago we had to go to Roxy Music, but now we can go to internet and download anything we want. That's the music scene: people used to meet at record stores, but now people meet on Facebook.

Any interesting stories?

Jon: We have a lot of embarrassing ones. In Wellington, New Zealand, there was a drunk girl who flashed our drummer!

Nizam: We also received condoms -

Jon: - Oh we did?

Nizam: Oh you didn't ah!

Jon: When our drummer was flashed, he ran in the opposite direction, while we were across the street trying to pack the amps!

I remember it was quite funny because it was the first time a Singaporean band had left Singapore to play in a white-dominated country. So when we went out there, we had a sense of the unknown. I think that was the challenge, as we had no label support. A lot of people were quite unsure what to expect, and everyone was pleasantly surprised that it went down very very well. We started with 13 people on the first night, and by the time the week had past, people filled up the venue. As far as the aforesaid inebriated female person; in the middle of the set she completely forgot the name of the band, so she ran up to me onstage and said "What your name?" so I told her we're Metallica, and she said "You guys rock!"

You guys had the longest performance in a single set at Baybeats; How was it like?

Jon: I heard that we broke the 10 000 audience mark, which was a record for a Singaporean band at Baybeats! We can barely remember the details because we were all very nervous and it was our first time playing together in a long time.

We're less active now because our priorities have changed. Norsham has a daughter now, both Norsham and Nizam are married, I'm planning to get married - but at the same time we still play when the invitation comes and when the mood takes us. We are still planning to write stuff - tonight we're actually going to play a new song - the working title is Weapons Free. Stylistically we're going back to our roots, which is a little bit more punk-rock. We're not going to be too self-conscious about writing.

Can you tell us more about your new album?

Jon: We're still writing songs, but the main direction is going back to our roots, which is a more punk-oriented sound. We have been playing with clean or almost clean guitars for two albums, and we want to see what happens when we go back to our roots. We're 15 years older, our stomachs have grown bigger, double chins have started to pop up - I think that's probably the message!

You guys have played at the Ignite Music Festival 2011 by Republic Polytechnic, and now Live Lounge; Are you trying to reach out to the younger crowd?

Jon: To be honest we're not that organized. We don't think so far as that. We were hoping to be able to test ourselves. We play gigs because we want to prove something to ourselves, it's not so much to prove something to someone. We play just because we can and when the mood takes us. When we feel like we want a bit more attention then we perform! Apart from that, I don't think it was a conscious decision, we just decided that we're not going to plan to be marketable or anything.

Interview: The Pinholes @ Live Lounge: Smells Like Nirvana, YIH Plaza (29 Sept 2011)

2011-10-10T11:08:00.001+08:00

Interview by Sherilyn, Photo by Liang Bao

The Pinholes have been together since 2002, with Famie Suliman as the lead vocalist and guitarist. Wan the bassist studied Graphic Design at LASALLE while Qush is the 'team shaker' - part of the band since 2010, and Didi has been playing guitar in the band for two years. At the most recent session of Live Lounge, organised by NUS Radiopulze at Yusof Ishak House, Famie and the band sat down at a media roundtable interview to answer some questions.

How did you start out as a band?

We started out because of the love for music. As we played more shows, we entertained more people, which makes us happy as well. We're a rock and roll band, but it doesn't matter where you're from, hip-hop, rock or jazz, punk-rock; Singapore was a vibrant city in the 60s, and we're bringing back the vibrance to where it belongs.

I knew there were the Beatles and the Beach Boys; influences from outside the country, and I wanted to know if there were great bands in the 60s from Singapore, and I found out there were a lot of them, but I was quite sad that we don't know our history and heritage. There were bands like The Stray Dogs, Rita Chao - old legends that are not known to us; the masses don't know that there have been some great musicians all along in Singapore. There are cool vinyls from Singaporean bands out there.

How would you describe your song writing?

There are indian influences and Wan is into K-Pop! In terms of song-writing, we're in the process of songwriting, but we have been performing our own songs all these while.

Any interesting stories that you'd like to tell us?

20 hours from Singapore to US, going for SXSW was a bit crazy; we didn't know anyone over there, we didn't know the roads over there, and we did it by ourselves. We managed to interact with a few audience members over there and sent them a message about the Youth Olympic Games last year. Along the way we hung out at the roadside, disturbing some people who thought we were Mexican!

We also just did a music video for Hari Raya which will be aired on Suria. It was directed by Adi Yadoni, a very cool guy to work with. We also did a short film called the Legends of the Impact.

You mentioned SXSW; how was touring last year?

We did a little bit of touring last year, but not intensively. We covered a little bit of Malaysia and Indonesia. We hope to do it more intensively early next year. SXSW was such an experience - looking at bands playing was really great. Everyone were full-time musicians, and whether old or young, they all had their equipment and were walking around; it was a gathering of musicians.

Would you say SXSW was your highlight of the year?

Well, for now yes, but we're looking for Glastonbury though! That would be nice, carrying the flag for Singapore.

You mentioned that Tom Meighan from Kasabian 'blamed the internet for killing rockstars,' what is your view on this?

Rock 'n' roll, pop - music is not a normal thing to do - we have to be magnificent. And if that magnificence is taken away, then what is left for us? It's best to keep everything secret, rather than showing everything and the sense of going to a gig disappears - when you can get it anywhere on the internet.

But another part of me feels that it's okay: because we come from singapore, we have to expose ourselves a lot. The weighing for me is 50/50, but for them in UK, they don't have to do that because they have an established industry. Now we're trying to make an industry in Singapore, and I hope the media can support it, so that the public will not find that Singapore does not have anything particular to show.

I can see that you guys have a cool sense of fashion: Is that reflective in your music?

Fashion and music cannot be separated. Even if you're playing grunge or hip-hop, it's linked to fashion. We love fashion - I mean, who doesn't?

What is Nirvana for you guys?

Nirvana influenced me to take up guitar and music. I was mainly influenced by pop, so Nirvana changed my whole perception of rock music.

Last words...

Singapore is a very new country, 60s was the heyday for our country. But it did not last and our perception to local music is still far away. Although we work and study hard, we also need to let lose and watch some gigs. Performers and everyone in the arts industry should be supportive to each other, be it fashion designers, DJs, or musicians. We should all come together, since we're the future of the country.

Review: Live Lounge: Smells Like Nirvana (Nirvana 20th Anniversary Tribute) @ YIH Plaza (29 September 2011)

2011-10-07T13:39:00.000+08:00

Story by Taufiq, Photos by Alvin

Marshall half-stacks? Check. Ashdown bass amp? Check. Universal Music Singapore merchandise? Check. Big painted Nirvana poster at the back of the stage? BIG Check.

The stage was set for the three performing artistes for Nirvana’s 20th Anniversary Tribute at the Live Lounge in Yusof Ishak House. The first band, Amnesia Haze, is an alternative rock quintet with a smooth grind to their sound. Kickstarting the event with a groovy original, ‘Distance’, you can see how both guitarists Bob and Ruiyi complement one another. James was intense on the drums, relishing in his role as time keeper in this stop-start feel of a song. Once they hit the breakdown of the song, the crowd spurred them on and initiated by clapping in time with the tempo. Not often you get to see bands move the crowd on their first song of the set, yet Amnesia Haze delivered with ease.

The following song had a Pearl Jam and even Chevelle feel, with the smooth vocals of Kenneth making this song the perfect cruising track. However, Bob could have cranked up his amplifier for his solo as it wasn’t loud enough to make an impact (although that can be attributed to the fact that his lead lines was more atmospheric and somewhat swirly as opposed to an in-your-face solo). At this point of time, Kenneth encouraged the crowd to head closer to the stage for their next song, a faithful reproduction of Nirvana’s Come As You Are. Kenneth slurred his words in a stylish manner to give the barebones feel of Kurt Cobain’s iconic voice. Ruiyi, who is from NUS himself, missed a little bend in his solo although it was instantly rectified, demonstrating how adaptable the band is during a live performance.

As the song neared its end, the ‘magical red couch’ came out for an interview with Amnesia Haze. The band was rather shy, even conveniently forgetting the origins of their name (Amnesia, get it?) with only Kenneth being at ease. They were clearly more comfortable with their instruments within their grasp, as they performed their next piece, 'Inquisitions'. Inquisitions is a hard rock ballad, complete with vocal falsettos and a Johnny Greenwood-esque trill-picking solo played by Bob. It was a refreshing change to the initial hard-hitting songs they started with. They chose to end the night on a more melodic and emotional mode with their original, ‘Android Affection’. The song is reminiscent of Radiohead’s Pablo Honey era, and contains catchy licks during the breakdown and the leads intertwined nicely with one another for their ending solo. It was an enjoyable set, as proven by the crowd cheering hard for them at the end.

The next band came on after the intermission boasted great credentials, having played at SXSW in Texas before. Formed in 2002, The Pinholes is perhaps one of the most entertaining, light-hearted and cheerful bands you will come across. Even their clothes suited their music – an early 1970s disposition that oozed with style. They kicked off their set with a song that would make Austin Powers grin with approval. Suliman, the vocalist/guitarist, even jumped into the crowd to everyone’s amazement. The crowd was initially taken aback before reacting with a huge round of applause. Their second song also boasted the same light-hearted formula that has made them so successful, while adopting a ska feel as well. The groovy bass lines got the crowd on the edge of their feet, but the song ended abruptly, leaving the audience longing for more. Suliman cheekily chanted Nirvana before announcing that they would leave their Nirvana songs for the end of the set.

The interview couch soon came on again, and their interview was highly amusing, with the band asking the interviewer questions instead. Judging from the interview, they are definitely a fun bunch of lads to hang out with. Once the interview was over, their played their most funky song of the night yet, ‘Preferably’. It had a clapping portion which the crowd enthusiastically joined in, and even those who were starting to get high on the booze were beginning to dance to the beat. This (dancing) carried on over the next 2 songs, showing the infectiousness of their music, since conservative Singaporeans are usually conservative (perhaps it was the booze!).

Their 7th and 8th song for the night (yes, they played MANY songs) were the crowd favorites, aptly named I Can’t Wait and the latter, Youth of Goal. 'I Can’t Wait' was perhaps their top song in terms of musicality;, while Youth of Goal was their only song that has been heavily influenced by surf music and culture. DD’s Ibanez Jet King had an amazing Strokes tone to it and when drenched with reverb, was perfect for the theme set out by Youth of Goal. By this time they had well-extended their time on stage but the organisers seemed to be enjoying themselves at the same time. The Pinholes rounded off the night with their own rendition of Nirvana’s Lithium, lending the piece their own blend of sunny disposition, with Suliman topping it off with a grand finale, standing on the bass drum for a memorable moment.

The next band to perform was Plainsunset, THE Plainsunset. The band took it to an entire next level the moment they started with their hit, ‘Greatest Days’. They worked their way through each of their successful songs, ‘Photos of Us’ and ‘Interference’ which the audience sang along really loud to. Jon did have some difficulties with his instrument cable, but it was an otherwise flawless set.

Their fourth number was a song they rarely play live, ‘Find A Way’. It was, undoubtedly, the ONLY song of the night which the crowd sang along to from start to finish. They then moved on to a faithful Nirvana cover of ‘In Bloom’ from the album Nevermind which was released, as nostalgically recounted by the Plainsunset members during the interview, during their secondary school days. Jon is no Kurt Cobain but his deep and rich punk-pop vocals suited the Nirvana song well.

The NUS audience was graced with the debut of Plainsunset’s new original, ‘Weapon’s Free’ (working title). The song was filled with tasteful palm mutes and had the powerful tonal imprint Plainsunset is known for – breakdowns that run-on into the pre-chorus to give it the feeling that you’re constantly moving forward. The band then had a tasteful buildup back into the chorus. We predict this song will be a hit!
The band then decided to finish with their usual ending song, the self-titled ‘Plainsunset’. But wait! There’s more! Moving in tandem to the crowd’s mantra, “ENCORE! ENCORE!”, the band came back on stage for a grand finale – ‘Johari Window’. By this time Jon’s cable has gotten so wonky that he simply gave up on it, choosing instead to indulge in his vocals combined with stage antics. Overall, it was a breathtaking performance that was the cream of the crop.

Now that the event is over, I’ll go back to shuffling Nirvana on my iPod!

For more photos: Click here!
Check out the pages of the bands!
Amnesia Haze
The Pinholes
Plainsunset

Review: A Vacant Affair & SIXX @ NUS School Invasion, Central Forum (13 Sept 2011)

2011-10-03T09:46:00.002+08:00

Story by Melvin, Photos by Syahmi

This marked the second day of the NUS School Invasion Tour, featuring post-hardcore rockers A Vacant Affair and the funky nonet that is SIXX, with their heavier sounds bringing distinctively different flavours of what our local bands have to offer.

A Vacant Affair (AVA) was off to an unintentionally hilarious start. Despite a serious, almost business-like demeanour upon reaching the venue, the set started off with vocalist Matthew Lim declaring ‘let’s go!’ and leaping into an instrumental opening, which quickly broke down when it wasn’t clear which song was actually going to be played. Salvaged by a wittily-timed self-introduction – “We’re A Vacant Affair … Awkwarddd” – and a few cheery laughs, AVA launched into their opening number, “Mirrors”, throwing a wall of sound towards the audience, which unfortunately – despite its presence – lacked a second guitarist, Josh, who was overseas studying. The drummer missed a few fills unfortunately, and the bassist could have done with better stage presence and engaged the audience better.

Despite this somewhat nervous start, AVA ramped up their energy levels for the rest of their pieces; with Matt’s dramatic antics feeding the anguish emanating from his searing vocal lines, and intriguing riff-trading between instrumentalists weaving complex tales . Peppered with an assault of headbang-inducing breakdowns from songs such as “Crestfallen”, AVA certainly entertained the crowd with their edgy blend of post-hardcore tunes, driving the tension of their music ever higher. Matt closed the set with a succinct speech to the crowd, asking them to enjoy the ‘good food’ and ‘good life’ here at NUS, ending with a pseudo-authoritarian directive to “Check out the next band – I repeat, please check out the next band – I repeat …”

Taking a break from rocking to AVA’s riffs, SIXX then took the stage, immediately laying down into a solid groove that got the crowd dancing in no time. Rapper Kevin’s smooth lines complemented Aarika’s lead vocals like an intuitive dialogue and the instrumentalists filled in the rest of this heated discussion; with the guitar and keys trading funky riffs, turntablist and drums swopping grooves, and the bassist well grounding the entire set. This lively, animated band put on a Broadway-worthy show – the two vocalists’ act really complemented each other with their dancing and jiving and everybody else were enjoying their music so much that the audience couldn’t stop grooving either; AVA included!

Featuring solid chops on the drums, groovy slap bass and soulful sax solos amongst others, this fusion hiphop/funk/soul/jazz band really threw out a well-blended repertoire of styles into their songs, interweaving breakdowns and choral-like lead sections into their work. Riff-heavy “Supersonic” got the crowd down on the floor, with closing piece “Hubert” getting them back up on their feet and jumping in time to the music, excited concert-goers raising their hands in the air with a ‘six’ logo brandished – SIXX are, without doubt, a crowd-pleaser, with the musicians clearly enjoying the energetic show themselves as well.

All in all, the second day of the School Invasion Tour was one of good spirits, with the bands making the best of the small venue and tactfully dealing with the school’s management to lower the volume, albeit to jeers from the crowd – the bands took it in their stride with tongue-in-cheek humour though! Cheers go out to these two bands that brought such life and energy to NUS that afternoon – I’m sure they’ve brought joy to many a student’s day!

For more information on the bands, do check out their respective pages below:

A Vacant Affair:
http://www.facebook.com/avacantaffair
http://wakemeupmusic.com/?page_id=37

SIXX:
http://www.wearesixx.com/
http://bedsty.com/sixx/

Want to see the rest of the photos? Click here to check out the entire set over at our Flickr page.

Interview: 53A @ NUS School Invasion, Central Forum (12 Sept 2011)

2011-09-20T13:23:00.000+08:00

Interview by Sherilyn and Ting Yan, Photo by Syahmi

The School Invasions Tour chased away our Monday blues on the 12th of September,bringing down local artists 53A and Inch Chua to perform at NUS central forum.After their refreshing acoustic set, Sara Wee and Bani Hidir of 53A were full ofbanter when we sat down to talk to them about their music. Here’s how it went!

OMS: Hi! Could you introduce the band and describe the band’s music?
Sara: Pop-rock with a little of Bani’s Dave Grohl-ness, Alvin’s John Mayer-nessand…
Bani: Sara’s Beatle-ness.
Sara: We write pertaining to what we listen to but of course we do have our ownstyles.

OMS: How has the School Invasion Tour been so far?

Sara: It’s been awesome. The last show we had was at National Junior College.

We’ve invaded a University, a JC, Secondary schools, and all that’s left are Primary schools.

Bani: … and nurseries!

OMS: How was the response like? Who gets the most fangirls or fanboys in

the band?

Sara: We are quite evenly distributed, because we have both guys and girls in the

band.

Bani: Most of the guys and girls go to Sara.

Sara: Because I’m friendly! I’m the noisy one. (Points to Bani) He’s just shy

and Alvin (A.K.A Lee Hom) gets his fair share of girls.

OMS: How has being full-time musicians been like?

Bani: It has been very very helpful;

Sara: I think we have been very lucky. It’s easier because we are commercial - we

do covers on top of our original music we actually do.

OMS: What advice would you give to aspiring musicians?

Bani: Write more.

Sara: Keep writing, keep perfecting your craft.

OMS: Is there a secret ingredient to connecting with the local music

audience here?

Sara: Don’t try too hard?

Bani: That’s very true!

Sara: Don’t try to write too complicated a melody, or too complicated a chord

progression or words that people don’t even understand. Just write with what

you are familiar with, and people relate best to what you can present yourself. If

we sing a song that we write but don’t even feel it, it doesn’t make sense.

Bani: Exactly.

OMS: So it’s like writing from the heart?

Sara: Ya lah. Not cheesy lah. I guess I was trying not to put it in a cheesy way but

yes, I guess so!

OMS: Tell us who ‘We Should Be Together’ is directed to?

Sara: I wrote it for my ex-boyfriend.

Everyone: Hmmmm…

Sara: No, but people still relate to it? It can be taken in a lot of different ways. I

wrote it because it was inter-racial, you know - conversion problems. We’re still

friends. We still hang out.

Bani: It’s cool.

OMS: It says on the band's Facebook page that you guys are writing a record. Could you tell us more about it?

Sara: It’s still very early! We’re still in the early stage.

Bani: Just the writing stage.

Sara: Do you have a couple?

Bani: Just a few songs.

OMS: More Dave Grohl in it?

Bani: No lah, no lah!

Sara: We’ll keep that secret for now. I don’t like to jinx the process of writing.

OMS: But maybe you could tell us what the writing process is like?

Bani: For me it’s so far been individual.

Sara: We all write individually, then we bring it together. When it’s complete,

then we say what we can do with it, changes-wise. That’s where everybody gets

in with inputs. But right now we're trying to get in a process where we let each

other listen to it so we can brainstorm together. So it’s not just one person who

writes the songs.

OMS: Is there a dominant voice in the band? Sara, do you get to play the

princess?

Sara: My name is Princess. Yeah, Sara is the princess! Ah no, it seems like I am

the dominant voice because I’m the more media-savvy one? But everyone has an

equal say in terms of songs, and stuff like that.

OMS: So being the only girl in the band, do you get any special privileges?

Sara: I do at Timbre. Because when the toilet queue is damn long I just say I

really need to go and the guys would be like – "yeah just go!" But if the guys in the

band do that, the guys in the queue would say "just wait for your turn!" Being the

girl of course creates more attention!

But when we are at our gigs, This one (pointing to Bani) gets

all the numbers, all the girls! And the girls going - ‘Bani you’re so sexy!’ But I get

nothing. I get like - "Sara you’ve got a psycho laugh", that’s pretty much it!

OMS: It’s nice to have a such a great fan-base in Singapore!

Sara: Yeah it is. We make a very big point to create relationships with people

when they come to see us. I can remember faces very well. I’ll remember the

time and place we meet, so the next time the person comes back, I remember

you and they’ll feel like – "hey this band actually remembers me". So it makes a

difference. We try to create friendly relationships so that people actually feel that

– "oh when we go down we actually know the band - we’re not just watching

and going off after that."

OMS: What do you feel about Inch Chua leaving?

Bani: First thing I would say is "All the best". I’m guessing it’s really really tough

out there, but I’m sure there are more listeners who are willing to listen to new

music. It will be a challenge but it will also be a plus for her. She’s great, I mean

we all know her.

Sara: We all love Inch and have been following her since Allura. Always been

close to her. It’s great to see someone take that leap of faith.

Bani: It’s really good.

Sara: She’s got good contacts there. She’s got a good manager to take care of her.

I think she’s all set.

OMS: Last question, Bani could you tell us about B-Quartet. You guys will be

playing a last show very soon right?

Sara: You guys really know your indie stuff!

OMS: We are kind of geeks about it really!

Bani: ROCK ON! (fistpump!)

OMS: Maybe you could tell us what has been going on with B-Quartet, and

what to look out for from now on.

Bani: Honestly, I’m not a liberty to say what are the exact reasons why we’re

stopping but the thing is, everybody in the band is just damn sad that it has come

to this.

Sara: I’m damn sad. I’ve been a B-Quartet fan from when we first met, like 8

years ago?

Bani: Yeah we met 8 years ago.

OMS: Through B-Quartet?

Bani: No, we played a gig together with another band.

OMS: So that’s where the seeds were;

Sara: …planted. Yeah, that’s how I got to know him. But I’ve been a B-Quartet

groupie for a long time. I’m in love with his band, except for him. (Looking at

Bani) Sorry it’s weird!

OMS: So how about the other B-Quartet members? Is there going to be solo

projects?

Bani: As of yet, nobody is going on solo projects. My brother has been doing his

stuff. But I meet him everyday at home, we hang out and eat, there’s music at

home but we don’t talk about music.

We just hang out as friends. We’re like "mat bawah block" ! Both my cousins are

married and they have children, and for myself I have 53A and I play in a couple of other

bands.

OMS: So you’ll be doing this for a long time huh?

Bani: (Ponders)

Sara: You’d better.

Bani: She said it.

OMS: All the best to you guys!

Sara and Bani: Thank you!

Check out 53A’s album – Settle the Kettle on their website: http://www.53aband.com/music

Don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

http://www.facebook.com/53aband

http://twitter.com/53Aband

Review: 53A and Inch Chua @ NUS School Invasion, Central Forum (12 Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T18:22:00.000+08:00

Story by Cathlin, Photos by Liang Bao

Originating in 2008, the School Invasion Tour has been a platform for budding local talents to promote themselves to the younger generation and expose them to the local music scene. Past musicians who have participated in the project include well-known acts such as The Fire Fight and West Grand Boulevard. This year, NUS was graced with the presence of indie songbird Inch Chua and a well-known pop-rock act, 53A. Performing for the lunchtime crowd amidst a bazaar in the Central Forum, both acts delivered a short but sweet set that managed to draw in a crowd.

Performing songs from their first studio album, Settle The Kettle, 53A opened the set with their first radio single, "Falling For You", before the members took turns to be the lead singer for the other songs. Sara (striking in red-hot lipstick), Alvin (who composed and sang for "My World") and Bani ("The Promise") showed that they were multi-talented musicians who are able to sing, play as well as compose, a rarity in the band scene. It definitely showcased another aspect to the band, distinguishing them from other pop-rock acts in the market right now. 53A closed with fan-favourite "We Should Be Together", a heartbreaking tale of forbidden love which featured gorgeous harmonization between Sara and Bani and set the mood for the next performer, Inch Chua.

Inch's bubbly and affable nature endeared her to the audience, making for an intimate set. Despite performing only with her acoustic guitar, her vocals more than made up for the bare instrumentals, lending an easy, breezy feel to her songs, such as "Have It Your Way". Interacting with the audience in between sets, she displayed a down-to-earth charm that left her fanboys (and fangirls!) enamoured. Alas, there was only time for only 3 songs, which felt way too short for a performance.

Perhaps it was the open stage concept, or the warm humid weather, or the fact that they were performing an acoustic set, but there was a relaxed atmosphere in the air when 53A and Inch Chua took to the stage. In any case, it was a nice escape from the dreary reality of school life. Kudos to the organisers for injecting a dose of fun and cheer into an otherwise mundane Monday afternoon!

For more info on the bands:
53A:http://www.53aband.com/
Inch Chua: http://www.inchchua.com/

Want to see the rest of the photos? Click here to check out the entire set over at our Flickr page.

Photo Story: The Rejeks @ Radio Pulze Live Lounge, NUS YIH (1 Sept 2011)

2011-09-11T16:03:00.001+08:00

Story and Photos by Liang Bao

The dawn of September saw NUS' very own campus radio station, Radio Pulze, host the first in its series of Live Lounge concerts for 2011.

Armed with sticks, axes, and their voices, The Kent Ridge Rockers (KR Rockers) and The Rejeks got the crowd singing and moving to their beats with tactical precision.

The KR Rockers' lead vocalist, Lee Yin Wei

The KR Rockers featured a brand new lineup of musicians for this edition of Live Lounge, comprising mainly of freshmen.

Johnathan Lim, one part of the KR Rockers' duo of guitarists

The KR Rockers treated the crowd to a set of covers including tracks such as The Strokes' "You Only Live Once", Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody", and even a cover of Singapore's very own Electrico's "I Want You".

The KR Rockers' bass extraordinaire, Hsu Thar

The band played a tight set, with the exception of a few hiccups during songs that didn't seem to gel with the band's overall style. Nonetheless, they played an impressive set, even more impressive considering they only started rehearsing four days prior to the gig!

Benjamin Gabriel Cheng, the KR Rockers' second axe wielder

Despite playing a solid set, the guys lacked the stage presence that was requisite to get the crowd on their feet and moving. Hopefully this will change when this new lineup has had enough time and experience to feel more comfortable together as a band.

Radio Pulze's Hosting Director, Hairianto Yan, who also emceed the event, interviewed the bands during the two interview segments.

Fareez Khan, lead vocalist and bassist for The Rejeks

Having recently played for Baybeats 2011, The Rejeks took the stage and owned it with the confidence and charm of seasoned performers.

Haqim Isa, lead guitarist for The Rejeks

While the KR Rockers lacked stage presence, The Rejeks had it in spades. The band's '70s aesthetic and Fareez's easygoing humour won the crowd over in no time.

Amalu Jonn, The Rejeks' beat-meister

Combined with the danceability of the band's post-punk melodies, it was only a matter of time before the crowd was up and grooving, and a good time was had by all.

For more information:

The Rejeks' Facebook Page - Click Here
NUS Radio Pulze's Official Website - Click Here

Want to see the rest of the photos? Click here to check out the entire set over at our Flickr page.

Review: Supernova Rock Concert @ UTown (2nd September 2011)

2011-09-09T11:00:00.001+08:00

Photos by Syahmi, Story by Emi

The Supernova Rock Concert was held to commemorate the opening of UTown, and also as an event to welcome the students to the new semester. As the biggest ever outdoor rock concert to be held on campus and with a line-up of several established bands from student associations, much was expected of the night.

With the open field at UTown quickly filling up, the show was kicked off with the opening act of the night, an a cappella performance by CAC Resonance. Replicating instrumentation through voice, the group started off with Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life', followed by 'Don't Speak', originally by No Doubt. Although it was a fresh and interesting change from traditional covers, one can't help to notice how 'human' some of the accompaniment tended to be, with some on the verge of being comical. Weaknesses were also shown with little gaps of silence peppering the songs between verses. Ending off with Evanescence's "Bring Me To Life", the lead vocalist being able to match up to Amy Lee's range was to be commended, and was met with cheers of approval from the crowd.

The first of the main band performances was one of OMS’ very own, The Rojaks. Their set consisted of ‘Naïve’ by the Kooks’, an original titled ‘Please Stop’ and The Killers’ ‘Mr Brightside’. Being a fairly new band, there were quite a few noticeable hiccups throughout the set, but they did not falter and kept the energy up with the upbeat tunes. However, their choice of not-too-well-known songs did not seem to resonate well with the audience, as most did not seem to catch the energy of the band and chose to remain seated on the grass. One definite plus point of theirs was that they genuinely seemed to be having fun with their show, and were not afraid to show it through their grins and laughter.

The Smoking Marshalls from King Edward VII hall took the stage next, and boy did they hype up the crowd! Covering well-known and popular songs such as Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ as well as several medleys of Rock and Pop hits, the band easily had the crowd singing and cheering along.

Their lead singer was certainly a crowd-pleaser, entertaining the audience with antics such as push ups, pouring of water over his face and taking off articles of his clothing. Stage antics aside, there were no doubts that he has incredible stage presence coupled with a Freddie Mercury vibe that was hard to ignore. He was able to maintain a solid set of ambitious song choices with his impressive vocals despite missing a few high notes. The rest of the band, however, seemed to be overshadowed by the sheer intensity of his act. Perhaps they could have contributed more energy during the accompaniment-only bits.

Smoking Marshalls were a tough act to follow but the members of Imprompt-3 mustered up their courage, performing an acoustic stripped-down set. The audience politely welcomed the band and sang along, but also displayed slight bewilderment after the full-scale rock performance that preceded them.

As KR Rockers followed Imprompt-3, there was a spike in energy in the crowd as the band launched into another loud set, playing unusually older songs, such as Mr Big’s To Be With You and Aretha Franklin’s Chain of Fools. Despite the bold selection of songs, the crowd remained enthusiastic and pumped up, perhaps due to the presence of the KR Rockers’ supporters. Their musicality and showmanship resonated with the crowd, making the night even more vibrant.

The TigerLillies, formerly of Kent Ridge Hall, closed the main performance on a high with a set of widely popular songs. The standing crowd in front of the stage sang along to all the songs, jumping and cheering at the same time, and a collective cheer roar went up in the crowd when the vocalist started singing Rolling In The Deep. The atmosphere became even more pumped as the band launched into the final song of the night; Firework. The pyrotechnics at the end of the song was a great climax to the performances of the night, complimenting the overall atmosphere of the event.

The event continued on strong as the after-party started with DJs from synQ spinning. Their mixes immediately whipped everyone into grooving with the beat, no doubt fueled by the beer sold and booze brought. It was obvious that everyone present was high (on music), as concert-goers and party-goers alike leapt onto the stage and started break-dancing and shuffling. Despite security difficulties, the DJs of synQ played till the end of their set, thoroughly impressing the crowd with their mixing skills and sensitivity to the crowd’s preference and energy. It was unfortunate that the night was young but the part had to end and the crowd was longing for more. Perhaps similar events held in the future should also feature such talent from NUS, but also with a more dynamic approach that was willing to satisfy the whims and fancies of the crowd.

NUS School Invasions @ Central Forum, 12-13 Sept 2011

2011-09-07T12:56:00.001+08:00

Invasion and OMS presents NUS School Invasions, a concert and flea market held at Central Forum on 12^th and 13^th September, as part of the School Invasion Tour. Supported by Macbeth and Coca-Cola, this event will see four artists performing short sets at lunchtime over the two-day event, to entertain and expose the student body to local music.

Venue: NUS Central Forum (below the Central Library)

Time: 1000-1700

Monday 12^th September 2011

1230: Inch Chua

1300: 53A

Tuesday 13^th September 2011

1230: A Vacant Affair

1300: SIXX

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216848335038339

School Invasion Tour Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Schoolinvasiontour

Supernova Rock Concert @ NUS UTown, 2 Sept 2011

2011-08-31T23:10:00.003+08:00

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) in the National University of Singapore (NUS) presents the Supernova Rock Concert, an event to be held this Friday, 2nd September, to celebrate the opening of University Town within NUS.

Line Up:

Resonance (from Cultural Activities Club)

The Rojaks (from OMS!)

The Smoking Marshalls (from King Edward VII Hall)

Imprompt-3 (from Temasek Hall)

KR Rockers (from Kent Ridge Hall)

Tigerlilies (KR Rockers Alumni)

synQ (After-Party)

Date: 2nd September 2011

Venue: UTown Green

Time: Gates open at 6.30pm, Performance starts at 7.30pm

F&B: Free booze and food for NUS students

Click here for the event page.

The Rejeks @ Radio Pulze Live Lounge, YIH (1 Sept 2011)

2011-08-30T15:32:00.004+08:00

NUS Radio Pulze presents Live Lounge, a concert series held at the open-air plaza at Yusof Ishak House (YIH) on campus. On 1st September, the series will kick off at 7.30-10.30pm with The Rejeks, fresh out of Baybeats 2011. The series aims to expose the University demographic to homegrown musicians by providing a platform from which to showcase their talent, and is a free-of-charge concert in an open-air environment, located in the central part of NUS.

Review: Nicholas Chim @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (21 Aug 2011)

2011-08-29T02:49:00.002+08:00

Story by Cathlin, Photos by Thomas Tan

Armed with only his guitar, indie folk singer-songwriter Nicholas Chim, aka Nick Chim, cut a solitary figure on stage as he bared his soul onstage at the concourse on the final day of Baybeats.

Nick Chim’s set was a low-key affair; one of contemplation and quiet reflection. There was a sombre atmosphere in the air when he performed songs from his new album, Forgiefan.
Reminiscent of musicians such as Bon Iver and Ben Gibbard, Nick Chim spun tales of unrequited love, missed opportunities and heartbreak in songs such as “In The End”, “As Long As You Come First”, “This House Still Stands” and “I Want You Again”, one can hear the tinge of melancholy and heartfelt yearning in his haunting falsetto.

In between songs however, Nick Chim displays a candid, self-deprecating sense of humour that was endearing. Telling the audience about the hardships local musicians have to go through, one cannot help but root for him as a veteran independent artist.

Unfortunately, his music was perhaps at odds with the taste of the typical Baybeats audience, as some left midway through the set. If they had stayed, then maybe they would have experienced what this writer felt at the end of his set – a cathartic release after such a most emotional, intimate and confessional performance.

For more information:

Nick Chim's Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/nicholaschim

Review: Julianne @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (21 Aug 2011)

2011-08-29T02:36:00.002+08:00

Story by Cathlin, Photos by Thomas Tan

Candles and flowers set around the stage make for an intimate setting as Filipino songstress Julianne strummed and sang to an enamoured crowd at the Concourse on Sunday night. Supported by her percussionist and bassist, Julianne’s voice soared through the vast hall, drawing the audience in like bees to a honeypot.

Honey is an apt metaphor for Julianne’s smooth, soothing vocals. Her warm, soulful voice was undeniably the main attraction of her set as she performed acoustic-driven songs such as “I Choose To Live”, “Thank You” and “You Don’t Know Me”.

If there is one minor complaint, it is that sound-wise her set seemed to lack a bit of variation, and the 4-5 songs she performed blurred into one another in style and feel. Not that the audience minded though, judging by the appreciative cheers and applause she received after each song.

Perhaps the fact that the audience was made up of a more mature crowd, along with the sizeable and supportive Filipino expatriate population that turned out in throngs (different from the 'usual' Baybeats crowd), has something to do with it. Nonetheless, this shows that Baybeats indeed has something for everyone.

Singing about the universal topics of love and life, Julianne’s warm and affable nature created a cosy atmosphere in the Concourse. Instead of sitting down on the cold floor, this writer felt like she was in a small, intimate pub listening to the stories being sung by a dear old friend instead. The audience definitely agrees, seeing how many asked for her to return to Singapore for another concert soon.

For more information:

Julianne's Official Website: www.thisisjulianne.com

Review: Protocol Afro @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (21 August 2011)

2011-08-28T23:32:00.000+08:00

Story by Melissa, Photos by Benny Loy

Protocol Afro entertained the 300-strong crowd at the Arena Stage at Baybeats with their set of indie dance tunes, along with frontman Aryadita’s seriously impressive moves. The five-piece band hailing from Jakarta played their set on the last day of this year’s edition of Baybeats, there was absolutely no doubt why they were invited to play after their infectious and incredibly fun set.

The band played a tight set, which included songs such as "Radio" and "The Youth", which had the crowd bopping and moving along to the beat (though seated). It seems that Singaporean crowds are generally still shy when it comes to enjoying dance music outside a club, but that certainly did not deter the band when it came to their playing and personal love of performing, which was evident, especially in the vocalist and frontman Aryadita.

Showing love for the festival by rocking a Baybeats 2011 tee, he moved around the stage constantly and elicited cheers from the audience with his fancy moves and footwork, probably being one of the few in the festival to do so. An audience member even tweeted that “Protocol Afro’s singer should do a dance-off with The Drums’ singer”, prompting a response from the band saying they are in fact, fans of The Drums as well!

Ending their set on a high with "Music (Dance With Me)", the audience was reluctant to see the band leave, and the merchandise booth was crowded with people trying to get a copy of their album, only to be disappointed that the band only had an EP with few songs. The band definitely gained many fans after their performance at Baybeats and left a firm impression on the minds of festival-goers that Indonesian bands are really good, and certainly left everyone wanting more (hint: a full-length album)!

For more information on Protocol Afro, click here.

The writer is an Esplanade Youths Baybeats Budding Music Writer and this article was first published as part of Baybeats Buzz 2011.

Review: Moscow Olympics @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (20 August 2011)

2011-08-28T22:45:00.000+08:00

Story by Zhanhui, Photos by Benny Loy

Most indulge in the brash post-rock noisy kind of sound that so dominates Baybeats acts these days, but few know its precursor of shoegaze, a relic of the 80s that died in the following decade to the onslaught of grunge.

Bringing back the chronic shyness of heyday shoegaze bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Slovakia and Lush, Moscow Olympics nonchalantly strode onto the stage without any fuss, and immediately plunged the small audience of a few hundred to a sonic wall of pure sound with nary a comment nor even introduction.

It was not that they were holding haughty egos, nor channeling arrogant superiority, but shoegaze as its name implies, was never about the visual. It was all about pure sound, overwhelming loudness, long droning riffs and washed out guitar reverb that took hold of you, dragged you all the way down and refused to let go until you came thrashing to the surface, gasping for air as the last echoes faded away half an hour later and you became aware of the people around you again.

What this quartet from Philippines lacked in any form of stage presence or any remotely distinguishable vocals though, they more than made up for with a complete sincerity and belief in the music they were playing. In an age of popularity contests of instant ‘likes’ and flash-in-the-pan buzzbands, it is easy to dismiss Moscow Olympics as utterly boring or simply uninteresting, for music like what, and how, they played that night was always meant to be consumed and enjoyed alone, with eyes closed and a quiet smile as you drown in the sound of a fading world.

For more information on Moscow Olympics, click here.

Review: Electric Flower EP by Lydia Low

2011-08-28T16:23:00.006+08:00

Review by Melvin

Lydia Low's debut 5-track EP, Electric Flower, delivers a blend of acoustic/folk tunes which will surely touch your soul; packing deep emotion within her lyrics and lines. Though based in Texas, this singer-songwriter had her EP recorded in sunny Singapore with Kevin Matthews (Watchmen, Popland) and Patrick Chng (Oddfellows, Typewriter) and is managed by KAMCO Music.

1. Electric

The first catchy pop song of 'Electric Flower' features ecstatic guitar strumming and cheery vocals, especially during the chorus, asking that someone 'short-circuit (her) love' and - if it's all 'just a game' - that she 'can't be played'. The honky-tonk style synthesiser helps to further captivate the listener, morphing into slow strings during the breakdown. All in all, an excellent opener, at best marred only by slight pitching issues on the vocals which does nothing to impact the impression of the piece.

2. Hole

'Hole' is a soulful ballad about rejection and longing. Opening with strolling acoustic guitar lines, Lydia croons, 'though your breath covers my skin / I can't let you in no'; about the 'hole in the street, where my lover should be'. Her heartfelt melody is perfectly paired by the entry of an angelic synthesiser and a symphony of backup vocals, fleshing out the song and its wistful message in its entirety.

3. Paper Promises

The third song off the EP, 'Paper Promises' features prominently driving acoustic guitar lines, conveying a sense of vengeance and determination. Timely backup vocals aid in building up the soundscape of emotions, with the lyrical hook of 'And all our paper promises / Are just black ink on gray sands' painting, indeed, a fresh and powerful image in the listener's mind. Alas, the forceful song must still end, culminating in an outward cry to 'find our way back' in the last chorus.

4. Sleeper's Night Railway

The slow pace and unique chord progression of this waltz build a landscape filled with a strong sense of melancholy and mystique, accentuated by the guitar's highs. The journey motif is presented by the lyrics, with Lydia fantasising how, 'so at midnight I climbed down through the floorboards ... to the sleeper's night railway'. As with the other pieces in Electric Flower, the instruments are not without their spotlight; a haunting flute solo virtually completing this symphony of serenity.

5. Can't Find the Time

'Can't Find the Time's crisp swing of rhythm guitars imbibe a dance feel to this piece. Liydia shows off the dynamics and range of her vocals here, adding an edgier note to her tone in this song expressing her frustration and asking that 'somebody help [her]... find the time'. This song is nicely rounded up with a breakdown, dragging out what one can only imagine is bittersweet anger, thus finishing the EP as lively as it started.

To sum up, Electric Flower captures a myriad of styles and emotions, with Lydia being the ever-imaginative artist who brings the canvas of her acoustic guitar and unique vocals to life - Definitely an EP worth buying!

More information about Lydia Low:

Bandcamp (purchase her EP here!): http://noisytomato.bandcamp.com/album/electric-flower
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/noisytomato
KAMCO Music: kamcomusic.blogspot.com

Review: The Rejeks @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (21 August 2011)

2011-08-28T14:31:00.000+08:00

Story by Melissa, Photos by Benny Loy

The Rejeks kicked off the last day of Baybeats at the Arena Stage with their afros and suspenders, charming the crowd with their indie-pop tunes. The band has been around since 2008 and have remained underground till now, and their longtime supporters have also been waiting along with the band for their big break, and that moment finally came at this year’s edition of Baybeats.

Despite playing their loveable and highly enjoyable songs from the three EPs they have released, Cheap, Modern Love, Undress to Impress and tripthelightfantastic, the music failed to lift the crowd. With the exception of a handful of fans, the crowd at the packed Outdoor Theatre came across as judgmental and unfriendly, perhaps because it was fairly early (6pm) and a large part of the crowd was made up of tourists and families. Nevertheless, Rez, Haqim and Amalu were in top form as they shook and swayed their hips to the music, playing infectious potential hits such as "Sincerity Love" and "Fake Off". Songs like "Guilty Pleasure" and "Hopefully With Time" also had a portion of the crowd bobbing along.

The Rejeks came across as a band that does not lack good tunes or skills, but stage presence. They had confidence in playing their music, but their little or awkward banter such as “Who here is from Bedok?” did not help the live circumstances, especially when hardly anyone responded. It seemed that some of the other audition bands also lacked the skills of crowd interaction, but at the very least, Baybeats provided a great platform for them to get accustomed to crowds.

For more information on The Rejeks, click here.

The writer is an Esplanade Youths Baybeats Budding Music Writer and this article was first published as part of Baybeats Buzz 2011.

Review: Pet Conspiracy @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (20 August 2011)

2011-08-28T14:11:00.007+08:00

Story by Raaj

The atmosphere was electrifying, and the crowd, already dazzled by the bands before, was ready for more. Against the urban backdrop of the Singaporean skyline, Beijing-based Pet Conspiracy came onto the stage with a staggering sound that seemed to marry the classic sounds of old school punk and electro.

Launching into their first song with much gusto, Huzi with his distinctive bright red guitar, turned up the siren effects on his laptop and guitar pedals while Mary stood atop one of her band mates.

During their set, Pet Conspiracy played songs from not only from their EPs, but also from their forthcoming album. Their second song sounded akin to the new wave styles of classic Siouxsie and the Banshees and Cut Copy, with high synth leads riding atop distorted guitars. The band continued on to play out the rest of the set, with the occasional dual vocals of Mary and Yunyun lending much spirit and energy.

The final song ended off with a euphoric trance synth, with Mary screaming “Are you ready? We’ll break it down!”, much to the roar of the mosh pit. “We’ll break it down!” continued on with a throbbing rise in tension, marked with a synth line that kept rising in frequency until it all exploded in a final climax of lights, sound and energy.

Overall, the band did a fantastic job in introducing their lush sound to the crowd, although I felt they should have had more clearly introduced some of their song titles. Also, some of the audience tried to purchase albums from them but Pet Conspiracy had not brought any, probably due to the fact that the band had yet to release their upcoming album.

Their costumes, sound and energy gave the term post-punk a refreshing change from the generic "revivalists" we hear on radio these days, and would have made the punk/new wave legends of yesteryear proud. Rock on Pet Conspiracy!

The Acoustic Sessions @ Jurong East Regional Library, 10-11 Sept 2011

2011-08-27T21:15:00.032+08:00

Invasion Online presents "The Acoustic Sessions", organised in conjunction with the Speak Good English Movement.

Acts and bands will strip down from their usual electric sets to acoustic ones. Expect an intimate session where they will focus on the lyrical aspects of the musicians' work and the more subtle elements of their music.

Venue: Jurong East Regional Library, Lvl 4

Date: 10 Sep (Sat) , 11 Sep (Sun)
Time: 2 - 8pm

Line Up:

10 Sept 2011 (Sat)

Middle Child Syndrome , Vanessa Faith , Silhouette , Cockpit , We The Thousands , Caracal

11 Sept 2011 (Sun)
Natalie Hiong , For This Cycle , Cove Red , Monster Cat , Tacit Aria , Nicholas Chim

For more information:

"The Acoustic Sessions" Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/TheAcousticSessionsSg

"The Acoustic Sessions" Facebook Event Page: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=101172479986026

Invasion Online website: www.invasion.sg

Review: My Writes @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (21 August 2011)

2011-08-26T20:47:00.001+08:00

Story by Melissa, Photos by Shiro Ang Photography

Local band My Writes closed the Arena Stage on the last day of Baybeats 2011 with a set of pop tunes that firmly convinced everyone present to have faith in our local music scene. Despite not playing a proper gig in a year, the five-piece band showed their experience by playing a fun and tight set with plenty of audience interaction.

Dhaniah, Shaun, Hanifi, Zul and Mamat played songs from their 2009 release It’s Okay, I’m With The Band, and their familiarity with playing live was easily discernible for those present, as the band played together with barely any awkwardness, moving around the stage and reacting to each other comfortably when it came to stage antics, especially Shaun and Hanifi.

Playing songs such as "Goldilocks" and "Stars", the band brought a chillout vibe to the festival, while the heavier bands rocked out at the Powerhouse Stage. All the bands at the festival played excellently, but more often than not, the bands from Singapore (many of the audition bands) were unable to establish a close connection with the audience.

However, during My Writes’ set, majority of the audience seemed to find the band approachable, friendly and charming, especially vocalist Dhaniah. Before performing tracks such as "Scene Kid", she even introduced the context and inspiration behind the song, increasing the audience’s interest in the song. And of course, freebies were another ploy used to capture the audience’s attention, as copies of their album were thrown into the crowd.

Perhaps it was Dhaniah’s skills as a frontwoman, or simply the standard of their songs, but My Writes certainly shined at the festival, leaving the audience wanting more.

For more information on My Writes, click here.

The writer is an Esplanade Youths Baybeats Budding Music Writer and this article was first published as part of Baybeats Buzz 2011.

Review: Noughts and Exes @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (19 August 2011)

2011-08-26T17:58:00.002+08:00

Story by Emi, Photos by Shane Chong(flickr.com/cshane)

Hailing from Hong Kong, Noughts and Exes took the stage as the second act at the Arena for the night. Earlier on, members of the band were seen giving out flyers for their set in the vicinity, which felt humbling and endearing, especially for a band which was named one of Time Out magazine's "5 Bands to Watch For in 2011".

With the Arena filling up way beyond its capacity, the band started off their set promptly at 8pm, and they certainly lived up to their hype. The two vocalists enchanted the crowd with simple, relatable lyrics brought out by mesmerizing harmonies.

Beyond just the basic guitars and drums, Nought and Exes also made use of unique and unexpected instrumentation to create a captivating layered sound. The use of a typewriter was especially memorable, though the sound of the violin might have been slightly overwhelmed in certain parts of the songs.

By the end of the set, they had not only filled the hearts of their pockets of fans in the crowd, but also won over many in the audience who were first-time listeners. Having been recently signed on to an international record label, Noughts and Exes is certainly a band full of promise and on their way to something much, much bigger!

For more information on Noughts and Exes, click here.

Review: Bangkutaman @ Baybeats 2011 (20 August 2011)

2011-08-25T20:11:00.000+08:00

Story by Emi

Bangkutaman, which translates as Park Bench, kicked off the second day of Baybeats 2011 with an upbeat set at the Arena. The ten year old band hailing from Jakarta, Indonesia, are considered as the "forefront of Jakarta's Indie wave"(The Jakarta Globe), and are veterans in their local scene. With this second show of theirs at Singapore's waterfront, they brought along their unforgettable brand of 70s twee.

With the four members decked out in matching parka jackets(in the heat and humidity of Singapore, no less!), their groovy melodies filled the Arena. Due to my inability to understand Bahasa Indonesia, I was not sure of what the lines of their songs meant, but I thoroughly enjoyed their very catchy melodies reminiscent of 70s pop bands. The friendly casual banter of the members in between songs also added to the feel-good vibe of their set.

Right from the start, the band maintained a high level of energy and were certainly putting in all they've got into attempting to hype up the seemingly unresponsive audience with getting them to sing, clap along and with calls of "come on, Baybeats!". Perhaps it was still too early in the evening for the crowd to get over their shyness. But upon closer look, one would not miss the subtle tapping of feet and slight bobs of the head from people all around!

Their final song of the set, 'Ode Buat Kota', was definitely a crowd favourite. The primary melody of the song was simple but oh-so-catchy and was definitely a tune that will be stuck in the heads of many for days to come!

Personally, I would definitely want to see and hear more of Bangkutaman, and I'm sure many others would agree. Hopefully, with the ten years of experience under their belts, the band will soon be able to conquer a much larger stage and be able to spread their music beyond this region!

For more information on Bangkutaman, click here.

Review: Furniture @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (20 August 2011)

2011-08-25T09:09:00.001+08:00

Story by Mohd Hanis, Photos by Sherilyn and Thomas

Furniture are no strangers to the Arena stage at Baybeats. I distinctly recall their set in 2006 as one of the stand-out acts of that year. They carved a delightful performance based around lead singer, Ronnie Khoo's unique, nasal delivery and solid musicianship.

Building on their existing repertoire of songs, Furniture compounded more emotive depth to their sound with their rhythmically-driven sophomore album, They Made Me Out Of Dreams You've Forgotten released in January this year.

Thus, seeing their name on the line-up in this year's edition of Baybeats, made me jump at the opportunity to watch these awesome indie rock band from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia again!

The first noticeable change in Furniture's set-up was the band's almost linear approach across the stage akin to bands like Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene as no one musician stands ahead of the band. Perhaps the presentation of the band was an aesthetic one, but possibly, it is a conscious push to showcase the equal importance of each and every musician's contribution to the sonic palate of their music as well.

Opening their set to an oldie but a goodie, "Now I'm Gonna Take A Vacation", their instantly recognizable heart-on-sleeve approach to their music comes to the fore. The song starts off quietly with Ronnie singing 'Maybeline, it might seem that I am just a figment of your dream' over a clean strumming pattern before building up to a amalgamation of overdriven tones and vocal harmonization of all the members at the end of the song. Simply, pure sonic bliss.

In spite of Ronnie's slightly pitchy vocal delivery and the instruments overpowering the vocals during the louder parts, Furniture demonstrated and justified why they are a firm favourite with the organisers and have garnered a strong following across the region. The magic lies in their exceptional ear for composition and song structure.

Their drummer, Alang, particularly stood out for me. He was always on point, keeping a tight rhythmic structure for the rest of the band to let loose to create that mellifluous Furniture sound!

Their last song for the night, a medley of their two new songs, Lights Out and False Start could not have been a better choice to close out their excellent set. They dived head-on into an explosive jam mid-song before fading into another delightful display of vocal harmonization by all the members of the band.

It was yet another breathtaking performance by the band at Baybeats. One that I am certain everyone in the audience thoroughly enjoyed. And personally, I would be excited to see them again. Let's hope we don't have to wait another five years for their next show here.

You can and should listen and purchase their sophomore album here.
For more info on Furniture, click here.

Review: Caracal @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (19 Aug 2011)

2011-08-24T23:54:00.000+08:00

Review by Peng Sing, Photos by Natalie and Thomas

The Esplanade outdoor theatre usually seats around 200 people, but saw a 350-strong standing crowd this year. As vocalist KC Meals from Caracal and the rest of the band urged the audience to get on their feet and step forward, the Baybeats Arena Stage soon swelled into a mass of people. But this was no ordinary band. Singapore’s local wildcats Caracal played at the Arena Stage, Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. Since their stellar performances at the Midi Festival, Canadian Music Festival, and the release of Bear. Shark. Wolf., Caracal has become one of the biggest names in the local post-hardcore/alternative scene.

The band opened the set with "Snake Blood" and "Bruce Banner Made a Big Mess", rousing the crowd into a frenzied swirl. Next, the band showed an intensely personal side with their poignant songwriting in Charlatan, a new song There Was A Man, and ended the set with Wolves.

Caracal’s grungy guitar tones and melodic lead riffs give their songs a real and discernible melodic edge over most bands from their genre. Together with the punchy bass lines and the occasional scream/growl, Caracal easily turned the Arena Stage into a second Powerhouse Stage, except with a canopy!

Watching Caracal is an immersive experience; there simply is no other way to describe it. The massive stage presence, charisma and antics of band members KC, Stev.e, Field, Gabriel and Martin simply sucks you in and before you know it, you’re part of their growing family of fans. The last time Caracal played at Baybeats was 4 years ago. It’s good to have y’all back for Baybeats, boys!

Review: Apartmentkhunpa @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (19 Aug 2011)

2011-08-24T20:52:00.000+08:00

Story by Cathlin, Photos by Liang Bao

As the final band playing at the Outdoor Theatre, there were expectations for Apartmentkhunpa to end Day 1 of Baybeats on a high note.Fortunately, they managed to deliver with an electrifying, high-energy set that had fans dancing along in their seats.

Incorporating a fusion of blues,hip-hop and funk into their rock-based sound, the Thai band kicked off their set with a few songs sung in their native tongue. Despite the language barrier,their enigmatic frontman, Tul Waitoonkiat quickly limbered up the audience for a rock and roll dance party.

Tul danced on stage while cajoling the audience to "make some noise!". He was a joy to watch, indeed! And by their third song, "Backstage Love", the crowd were grooving along with the band.

The band cleverly interweaved slower rock ballads ("Child Again" , "Lipstick On Lipstick" ) in between faster-paced, upbeat numbers ("Love Is Blind") so that the energy never wavered. They built an electric buzz in the air by leaving their more buoyant,danceable, rock-and-roll tunes for the second half of their set. This culminated in the climax of their performance, which came in the form of their last song, that had the crowd chanting the band's name as part of the chorus.

By the time the last note was sung and the last chord was played, a feel-good vibe had permeated through the Arena as the audience danced in the aisles and gave a standing ovation to the band.

I felt that part of the reason why Apartmentkhunpa's performance was so enjoyable for all was the band's sincere efforts in engaging the audience. From acknowledging the fans who were cheering, to making small banter in between songs, Apartmentkhunpa established a rapport with the audience as one could feel that they genuinely wanted the audience to respond and connect with their music.

Perhaps apologetic about the audience's inability to understand their Thai songs, frontman Tul announced midway through their set that "Music is a universal language that touches your heart when you hear it, no matter what language it is sung in". The raucous cheers that accompanied his words is testament to the fact that good music will always transcend language barriers.

Witnessing fans singing along to the band's music playing through the speakers after the show ended, I can safely say that everyone had a rollickin' good time at Apartmentkhunpa's set. Here's hoping they will return to our shores sometime in the near future!

For more info on Apartmentkhunpa, click here.

Review: Riot !n Magenta @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (19 August 2011)

2011-08-24T10:49:00.003+08:00

Story by Michael, Photos by Benny Loy

Perhaps it was Eugenia Yip's new hairdo that caught the gaze of the many, or the electronic sounds that penetrated the quietness of the Chillout Stage, but the synth-pop duo Riot !n Magenta didn't disappoint with an electric performance that had the crowd asking for more.

Eugenia was clearly the star of the show, with her wild-green afro demanding the attention of everyone. Her eccentric hand movements and commendable vocal ability contributed to her incredible stage presence. At the same time, Ken was happy enough to remain behind his equipment, carefully gelling layers of synthetic percussion and keyboard loops, constructing songs that were catchy and paired well with Eugenia's vocals. Their set was oozed with energy and there was hardly a dull moment, as the strong, upbeat tempo of the songs excited the crowd, who tapped their feet and swayed to the beat.

Although, one does wonder whether this was the best the duo could offer. While some songs ("Hit Or Miss", "We Are Who We Are") were able to grab the listener's full attention, "Itsy Bitsy" distanced some of the audience. It was queer addition to the set; while Ken's instrumentation was superb, Eugenia's vocals sounded a tad whiny, especially when trying to recreate the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" nursery rhyme.

Review: Cheating Sons @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (20 Aug 2011)

2011-08-22T23:25:00.008+08:00

Story by Michael, Photos by Thomas and Jeremy

After three years in the making, Cheating Sons finally managed to make their Baybeats debut at the Arena Stage on Saturday night. The crowd packed the Outdoor Theatre in order to catch a glimpse of the band; many sitting on the seats or standing due to the lack of space. There was much anticipation for this band, and for many who filled the Outdoor Theatre on Saturday, they were not disappointed as the Sons put up a fantastic show for all to enjoy.

Infusing a mixture of country, blues and rock 'n roll, the band played an energised set that had people tapping their feet to the rhythm. It was loud and fast, yet still retaining its country flavour. They also surprised the crowd by playing some new material along with songs found on their debut album, Master, Wives, Daughter.

Unlike many other bands which would minimise the number of instruments used and work around their limitations, the Sons threw out their entire arsenal for the crowd. One must admit that lap-steel guitars, banjos and African drums is not what one would see at a live concert, but it added an interesting layer of authenticity to the music, allowing the listener to enjoy the music at its finest.

It was a pity that they only played a short set that night. Despite the energy emitting from the band, it was not until the last song when the crowd found their feet and started to groove in their seats.

Cheating Sons is one band that you should look out for if you want something beyond your comfort zone. Despite releasing their debut album only this year, the band constantly brings something new to the table each time they perform.

Review: Bear Culture @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (20 August 2011)

2011-08-21T01:13:00.018+08:00

Story by Michael, Photos by Sherilyn

Progressive rock band Bear Culture had the honour of kicking off the festivities at the Powerhouse Stage on the second day of Baybeats. Having gone through many rounds of auditions, expectations of the band were high as many flocked to see what the band had to offer. The weight of the expectations also seemed to be reflected on the nervous faces of the band (understandable, since the Powerhouse Stage typically attracts large crowds).

Bear Culture's music sounds like a blend of The Mars Volta, Alter Bridge and Metallica with a dash of Dream Theatre; hardly surprising considering each member brings to the band his or her different tastes to the band. The result is a potpourri of genres, producing songs which is flavoured with their own, unique taste.

The band churned out song after song that got the crowd warmed up and headbanging. Notable songs included "Cheesecake", a rap-metal song, while "Distant" marked a change in tempo, displaying a melancholic, sensitive side of the band and its ability to meld different genres together into one collective form. "Little Bastard" was the song where their instrumentalists shone; able to change rhythm and tempo fluidly as a group.

However, one does wonder whether we've seen this band at its best. One felt Thahriah's vocals were the weakest link in this gig as her voice sounded muffled, especially during faster numbers like "Partyman" and "Cheesecake". Perhaps it could be attributed to nervousness. However, thankfully, her stage presence and high energy more than made up for her vocal jitters.

If there is any band that you should look out for, Bear Culture is certainly one of those bands. Watch out for them for the rest of 2011, and even 2012. This is one local band that you would want to watch at least once, before the end of the world comes and makes you regret not doing so!

Review: Arajua @ Baybeats 2011, Esplanade (19 August 2011)

2011-08-20T00:39:00.011+08:00

Story and Video by Mohd Hanis, Photos by Liang Bao

Every year, in August, hundreds, if not thousands of music lovers, scenesters and the odd uncle or two descend upon Esplanade for the local music festival of the year, Baybeats. If you're a local musician, chances are Baybeats is that one gig that you would want to play in your lifetime(unless of course, you decided to be strictly underground).

One such band, Arajua, took the long, hard road of auditioning for a coveted spot in the festival's line-up this year. They were chosen as one of nine bands that made the cut after displaying stellar musicianship and quality body of work in two gruelling rounds of auditions. As a result, they were given the honour of kicking off Baybeats 2011.

It is never easy to play as the opening band for a festival. The heavy expectations of the organizers and audience alike are enough to rattle a few nerves in a band. But Arajua displayed none of it, as they played a stellar mix of ambient, post-rock tunes as the sky faded to black in the background to a highly appreciative crowd at the Arena stage.

The band promised an "atmospheric soundscape journey and reverberating guitars tunes, filling up your ears like honey" (on their Facebook page) and they duly delivered. With a confident and assured stride to their guitars, Fazly Kamis and Abdul Hakim, the chief melody-makers of Arajua, along with sessionists Ashek (bass) and Fadlee (drums) churned out tune after great tune to usher in the night.

Perhaps, a lack of engagement with the crowd may count as a flaw during their set, as a curt "thank you" in between songs was all they offered but never a full engagement with the crowd.

Yet, there is a something rather endearing about this band. Like many post-rock bands that this writer has seen, Arajua are a soft-spoken bunch and perhaps, even shy. They prefer to let their songs do the engaging and how can you fault a band that produces captivating tunes such as personal favourite, Quotation.

Quotation is an instantly recognizable song because of Fazly's vocal chops layered over a drum track and resonating guitar chords to beautiful effect. One member of the audience even remarked, "with a voice like that, why doesn't he sing more?" Yeah, Fazly, why aren't you singing more? Honestly, that was bloody brilliant. I was left wishing thirty minutes did not end so soon. But, in a display of unbridled bromance, the immediate embrace between Fazly and Hakim at the end of the set signalled what even they knew was a job very well done.

It is unfortunate Baybeats would be the last we will see of Arajua for a while. The boys candidly admitted they had to serve National Service in the coming months and will be taking a break from the band. But I know, I'll be keeping my ears peeled for another Arajua show in the future and I believe many others will do the same too.

For more info on Arajua, click here.

Lydia Low Releases Electric Flower EP

2011-08-16T12:52:00.000+08:00

With pocket-sized songs that are easy on the ear but heavy on the heart, Texas-based singer-songwriter Lydia Low will touch a nerve and thrill senses alike. This 5-track EP was recorded in Singapore with local veterans Kevin Mathews (Watchmen, Popland) and Patrick Chng (Typewriter, Oddfellows) and the measured, mature tone and atmosphere is the pleasing result. From the power pop stylings of the infectious opener "Electric" to the Brit-folk stomper "Can't Find The Time", Electric Flower will appeal to indie music lovers anywhere and everywhere!

Electric Flower is available now as a digital release here.

For more information on Lydia Low, please contact kamcomusic@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/noisytomato
Twitter: @noisytomato

New URL!

2011-07-29T02:27:00.000+08:00

If you haven't noticed, we have changed our URL to omspress.com! The old address omslovesyou.blogspot.com will still direct you to omspress.com. Please help us spread the word!

In the meantime, please also like our Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NUS-Original-Music-Society/224817207531183

Thanks for the love and support!

Press Team Recruitment!

2011-07-20T01:39:00.001+08:00

As the new academic year approaches, we hope to recruit more photographers and writers for our press team, all of whom currently write for this site.

The duties of the writers and photographers are pretty evident from all our posts on this site, so if you're interested to be part of our press team and be guided in these areas, please contact us at omslovesyou@gmail.com

For writers and photographers, a love for music, especially local music (or at least, openness to it), is essential! Writers should have basic writing skills, and photographers should have a camera they can use. We hope to recruit from within NUS, considering we are a society under NUS, but if you have a strong interest in writing or shooting for us, we still welcome you to join us, even if you are not from NUS.

We look forward to hearing from all of you, and thanks for your support!

Interview: Aloysius Lim @ Gig Photography 101, Esplanade Rehearsal Studio (26 Jun 2011)

2011-06-28T00:42:00.007+08:00

Interview by Melissa, Photos by Fahimah

Our reporter Melissa with Aloysius at The Esplanade

Aloysius Lim is best known for taking great photographs of international artistes such as Green Day, Coldplay and Jason Mraz, but who knew the first ever gig he shot was an Electrico show back in 2003? He sat down with us after his Gig Photography 101 workshop at the Esplanade Rehearsal Studio last Sunday afternoon (part of the Bitesize series), to share with us some of his experiences and opinions on music and photography.

OMS: How did you find the workshop experience and what made it different from the workshops in the previous years?

Aloysius: The audience this year is younger compared to the past two years, when retirees also came. This year's workshop had a good mix and most of them were more interested, compared to last year when there were people sleeping!

When did you pick up photography?

I started back in 2003, when I was on long medical leave due to a knee surgery. I had three months of MC with nothing to do, and I came across lomography while surfing the internet. It made me become interested in analogue photography, so I bought a lomo camera and started playing with it. At the same time, Electrico started to play again. I went for their first show at the World Cyber Games, and I followed them to every gig they played with the family point-and-shoot camera. In the same year, Canon released one of their first digital SLRs targeted at the consumer market. I bought it and started shooting with it.

So you started quite small and was just trying out a new hobby?

Yeah, I was using my family's point-and-shoot camera, and that camera had many limitations. Most of the shows I went to was also at Bar None, which is quite a small and dark venue.

What makes gig photography different from normal photography?
Well, there's more pressure and it's a bigger challenge, and you get to enjoy music at the same time. There are a lot of music lovers out there and its always a good thing to shoot someone on stage that you are a big fan of, and also having pictures to prove that you were at the show.

What is your proudest moment so far?
It would be a photo of Green Day that I took when they came in 2010. Firstly, because they're a really big band and they finally came to Singapore. I wanted to take the one photo that captured Green Day conquering Singapore, and being a big fan of Green Day myself, it was quite an experience. It was more pressurizing because it was a shot I really wanted to take and it was a shot that I just had to capture. I put a lot of pressure on myself and when I did get that photo, I had a great feeling! Plus it made it into many newspapers and magazines.

Was that the photo that was in the NME Music Photography Awards?
Yeah, they called for submissions, and they must have received thousands, and filtered it down to hundreds for people to vote for. The fact that my photo was even selected for people to vote was quite an achievement for me. I've not won any photography and music awards but I'm still striving to get that award-winning moment.

Being from OMS, we support local music, so how do you think gig photography can help local music to grow?
When I started out, it was something that I always wanted because there are so many talented bands, artistes and photographers in Singapore. Music is a big thing here and there are many good bands, and I think photography can help to tell people about the talent we have. Some people go to gigs because the bands put on a great live show and when people read reviews, the photos really capture exactly how the band is on stage and how they interact with their fans. It tells the entire story of the band's live show.

So was supporting local music one of your aims when you started shooting?
Yes, it was one of my aims, but it was also to give something back to the local musicians. They have day jobs, and they spend their hard-earned money to produce albums for their audience, so I try to take pictures that will give them something to remember their gigs by. The photos also show people in Singapore and around the world that we have great bands. It's my way of giving back to the music community, especially since I can't play any instrument.

Do you think there's any difference between shooting international and local bands?
Every band that plays has their own moment on stage, and it's the photographer's job to know when that moment is and capture it. If you don't like music by a certain musician, it doesn't mean that musician doesn't have that great moment on stage. I've shot everything from classical music to heavy metal, and every shoot is a challenge and its up to the photographer to achieve the few photos that will tell people that the musician is great and worth listening to.

Is there anything you try to take note of while shooting?

At every show, I try to grab some pictures of fans. Personally, I try to get some drummer photos as well. I usually cover everyone at the gig, but more importantly, I also try to get pictures of the frontman and give equal exposure to everyone there.

Review article of 'Gig Photography 101 by Aloysius Lim': http://omslovesyou.blogspot.com/2011/06/draft-gig-photography-101-by-aloysius.html

More information about Aloysius Lim:

- Site: www.photopitaccess.com

- Bio: Aloysius picked up photography in 2003 and first dabbled in gig photography at an Electrico show. He then decided to marry his two passions for music and image making by focusing on taking pictures at live performances.He finally got his big break in 2006 when he was given an opportunity to shoot at the concert of Scottish band Franz Ferdinand. Since then, Aloysius has photographed musicians such as Coldplay, Linkin Park, The Police, Black Sabbath, Elton John and Jason Mraz in concert. He has also been appointed official photographer for music festivals such as WOMAD, Mosaic, Baybeats and SINGfest. Aloysius is now a full time wedding photographer and still tries to capture shots of artists in concert whenever he can.

- Event Poster:

(click HERE for larger size)

Gig Photography 101 by Aloysius Lim @ Esplanade Rehearsal Studio (26 Jun 2011)

2011-06-27T23:24:00.020+08:00

Story by Melissa, Photos by Fahimah

Aloysius shared with the audience some useful tips & tricks when photographing a live gig

At the Esplanade Rehearsal Studio last Sunday, Aloysius Lim gave an introductory workshop to gig and concert photography. It was an informal and informative two-hour session with him, as he shared his personal journey into photography with the sold-out crowd that was eager to learn.Instead of listing his experience and skills, Aloysius let them speak for itself in his photos. He started the workshop with a slideshow of some of the photos he shot of bands such as Iron Maiden, Paramore, Green Day, Muse, Coldplay and Switchfoot.

The audience was thoroughly impressed by then, and was enraptured throughout the workshop by the stories behind every picture he captured. He also gave tips and things to look out for while shooting, and shared his personal preferences when it came to technical settings on cameras and the gear he uses.

Aloysius and the 'ultimate pose' by Franz Ferdinand

But what gave this workshop a personal touch was his backstage stories and interactions with the band and fans, which also enabled him to capture some of his best shots. He even touched on the prevalent issues in the live music industry at present, which was definitely important for many of the budding photographers in the audience.

The sharing of his personal opinions, advice and encouragement to the budding photographers in the audience made it a memorable workshop and talk, which definitely inspired more to take up gig photography. Plus the gifts he had for the audience (postcards of his best shots) were also great souvenirs for the audience!

Interview article featuring Aloysius: http://omslovesyou.blogspot.com/2011/06/draft-interview-aloysius-lim-gig.html

More information about Aloysius Lim:

- Site: www.photopitaccess.com

- Event Poster:

(click HERE for larger size)

Upcoming Event: Big Trouble in Little India

2011-06-21T19:24:00.003+08:00

Ever the club who never sleeps, synQ is back with another mind-blowing event - Big Trouble In Little India, bringing you "a never before seen array of SMC performers, jamming in parallel and in no particular order, coming together to explore the limits of sound, directed only by the boundless spectrum of electronic dance music."

"We're drawing on everything you could ever imagine: at any one time, multiple DJs, turntablists, multi-instrumentalists; a liberal combination of modern digital technology and timeless analogue hardware - backed with visuals."

No dress code, no cover charge; come on down for 9 hours of insanity and music! You don't want to miss this one.
For more details, check out BTLI on Facebook!

Review: NUS Rockfest @ UCC Courtyard (16 Mar 2011)

2011-04-01T18:16:00.001+08:00

Story by Melissa, Photos by Natalie

Rockfest is an annual festival collectively organised by the six NUS Halls of Residence: Temasek, Eusoff, Sheares, Raffles, Kent Ridge and King Edward VII Hall to come together and showcase their talents.

This year's festival, unfortunately, was not particularly noteworthy, due to overall lacklustre performances from most (though not all) of the bands. In all, it was rather disappointing, considering that these bands were supposedly the best of which their halls had to offer.

The night started out with Threshold from Temasek Hall attempting to do their version of Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl. The band covered popular Top Forty songs during their set to appeal to their audience, which included The Only Exception by Paramore and Lala by Ashlee Simpson. The seemingly simple songs showed quite clearly their singer's vocal weaknesses when it came to pitching and high notes. They also had a second vocalist, who struggled with the same problems, though staying in tune is a general basic expectation of singers.

Eusoff Hall's Digression on the other hand, provided a relaxed atmosphere with their easygoing country tunes. Though the songs they played during their set were not as well known as the previous band's - with the exception of Love Story by Taylor Swift - they received much support from the audience. The band was more balanced with more focus on the guitar and instruments, and the excellent vocal harmonies of their singers must be commended.

The Sheares band was the most experienced band of the lot, being previously involved with external events. They performed to much applause and cheers at the beginning of their set, and adhered to the "rock" theme of the festival the most thus far, by opening with Coldplay's Fix You. They quickly jumped into the wildly popular Love The Way You Lie, complete with rapping and a female back-up singer, though she was pitchy. But their most impressive cover was of I Believe In A Thing Called Love by The Darkness, with a second male vocalist taking the reins this time. He never missed a note (yes, including the incredibly high notes) or a beat, and most of the audience seemed to prefer him over the first male vocalist who performed.

By then, the audience members were worked up and excited for the next band, which was one from Raffles Hall. They performed Mixtape by Jack's Mannequin, One by U2 and That's What You Get from Paramore. An audience member commented that it was an unusual selection of songs, as the songs were not popular with most people. Perhaps it was due, rather, to flat vocals and the overall messiness of the entire performance, that made it particularly unremarkable.

There was much anticipation for the band from Kent Ridge Hall, which has always had a reputation for being particularly active in music and the arts. The KR Rockers was an almost all-girl band (with a male drummer), opening with The Killers' Somebody Told Me, which not many people knew (despite the lead vocalist commenting that if anyone didn't know the song, they should just leave). However, they gained back brownie points with the audience by playing Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and ended with a bang.

When it came to the final performance of that segment, the atmosphere had grown slightly weary. This fatigue was quickly blown away by easily the best band of the night. Smoking Marshall from King Edward VII Hall played the "hardest" set of the night, which was fully in line with the theme. Their frontman had incredible stage presence with the vocal chops to match, opening with I'll Be There For You, She's Gone, and ended up kneeling on the floor by the end of nearly every song they performed, belting out the very last note, Adam Lambert-style. The band and its frontman thoroughly impressed the classic rock fans in the audience by also performing a medley of Highway to Hell, Born to be Wild and Smoke on the Water. This band was the most impressive band of the night simply because they were able to do justice to the classics. However, the rest of the band was overshadowed by their frontman, who had the looks, stage presence and talent down pat.

The next segment of the night involved collaborations between bands from two halls, with each super-band covering one song each, which of course, were chart-toppers such as Lady Antebellum's Need You Now and Animal by Neon Trees. The same problems that bands and vocalists had in the first segment remained, despite the new combination of musicians and vocalists.

It seemed that by the end of the night, the only band that made an impression was Smoking Marshall from King Edward VII Hall, and their very charismatic frontman, who pretty much singlehandedly saved the night from being remembered as an out-of-tune disaster.

Review: LETTERS by Deon Toh (Self-released)

2011-03-22T11:42:00.002+08:00

Story by Wei Shan

Photo from deontoh.bandcamp.com

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of Deon's primarily self-produced demo, LETTERS. Kudos to Deon's fellow instrumentalists Lim Jie, Ben Tay and producer Tera Ting, who did an energetically creative and seamless job in putting the tracks together as well.

Deon proves himself very versatile, starting out as a drummer for Flybar way back in 2008. His new (alright, not-so-new) stint as singer-songwriter, along with this debut - brimming with potential, clearly showcases his diverse abilities and passions as a dedicated musician.

LETTERS contains nice, decent feel-good music, but which sometimes comes off as a little too dramatic, perhaps even Disneyesque. This can very possibly be attributed simply to my personal differing taste and preference, but I felt in particular that the second track, "Little Lives", was a trifle too puffed up and epic sounding, having a trivialising effect on the entire song, because the beautifully crafted synth-sounds, crescendos and climaxes were incongruently juxtaposed with lyrics awkwardly borrowed from a stock of overused lyrical tropes such as "Too many broken hearts", "We'll mend our broken hearts / And learn how to fly / We'll fix our broken wings / And take to the sky". This is accompanied by stock images similarly borrowed from stereotypically tragic movie tableaux, such as "Mothers crying / Children dying". These "stock" lyrics and images become empty to us, I feel, as they are hard for the listener to empathise with, being much too far removed from the daily tragedies of our own lives.

That said, it is definitely very hard to come up with entirely original music; it is virtually impossible to find words, images, even riffs that have not already been used before. I'm also not "anti-cliché" - certain expressions become cliché precisely because they are important and recur meaningfully in everybody's lives. Yet sometimes a song seems to lack that raw honesty when it is too much a patchwork of words borrowed from elsewhere and not from the lyricist's own personal struggle or emotion. This is why I'm particularly fond of the third track, "Ties", not just because of its delightful rhythm and guitar riff, but also because it was more down to earth and sincere. Deon wrote this song for his brother - correct me if I'm wrong - and the song expresses their relationship; this writing from the heart is probably what made it good music. Similarly, I also really enjoyed "I'll Find a Way", even though it contains some arguably overused lyrics, precisely because it seems to convey an emotional sincerity as well.

Overall, LETTERS is a very commendable first effort. Deon's sound seems to be aspiring towards that Nick Chim aesthetic, and he certainly would do well, too, to strive for that kind of honesty and emotion in his voice, sound and lyrics to truly reach out and pull at the heartstrings of his listeners. Congratulations on your debut Deon, and we'll be watching out for more!

Catch Deon live at the Noise-Timbre Singer-Songwriter Programme at Timbre@Substation this coming Wednesday, 23rd March, alongside Saiful from the Great Spy Experiment as well as Kevin Mathews, veteran singer-songwriter and Deon's mentor under the Noise-Timbre Programme. See you there!

Find out more about Deon Toh and get your free download of his demo here.

Review: Monday Night at Mosaic Music Festival @ The Esplanade (14 Mar 2011)

2011-03-18T02:50:00.001+08:00

Story and Videos by Md Hanis

It was a Monday evening. The rain continued to pour across Singapore, lulling many of us into a sleepy daze. We were singing the blues and we were feeling it bad.

But the organizers at this year's Mosaic Music Festival didn't get the memo, apparently. They invited the breathtaking The Trees and The Wild from Bekasi, Indonesia to play alongside our very own Cove Red at the HTC Living Room (otherwise known as the Esplanade Concourse).

Outside, the good vibrations continued with the beautiful Ling and The Kings playing two fantastic sets to reenergize the dour Monday. It was all about great energy that Monday night.

The Trees & The Wild kicked off the night with a splendid 30-minute set at the HTC Living Room. The evening crowd, mostly working professionals and Indonesian students, lazed on the comfy bean bag chairs arranged in front of the stage. It created that warm, homely living room feel. And the warmth indeed permeated us from the stage as The Trees & The Wild played their beautiful tracks "Malino" and "Honeymoon on Ice" to absolute perfection. Their vocal harmonies on "Malino" especially, gave me the goosebumps; in a good way, of course. But they saved the best for last with "Irish Girl". The song started off simply combining a great lead melody with a few jazz chords, only to later switch it up to a furious mash-up of rhythms and hand-claps, and then ebbing away again to softer, quieter parts in a beautiful wave of emotion. The Trees and The Wild played with a cool confidence and were duly rewarded with roaring approval.

It's not surprising, speaking to the band after their set, that they sold 80 copies of their debut album, Rasuk, during their show in Kuala Lumpur over the weekend, and that their CDs were rapidly selling out here as well. The warmth and intimacy of their music make the perfect soundtrack for a cool night with a hot cocoa in hand.

Following a short break, Cove Red took to the stage. Joined by their friends, Zhong Ren on cello and Daniel on drums, Cove Red played beautiful, upliftings songs like "Taste Of Life" and "Don't Lose Heart", but also haunting ones like "Oxygen". These girls are no strangers to the local scene. They've opened for international acts such as Copeland and The Villagers, and much of their strength lies in their solid arrangement of the songs and, simply, great song-writing. As singer Yin Koh professed, the band finds inspiration in photography; she spoke of artists who bring out the beauty in pretty things, and in ugly things too. As co-singer Rachael sings in "Taste of Life" - in between cute tongue clucking - 'Come away and feel alive again/With things that matter/ Free the child inside to love again", one can sense the beauty and hope that inspires these girls.

The last of the acts I managed to catch was Ling and The Kings at Outdoor Theatre. The very pretty Ling Kai and her band played a great mix of originals and squeezed in a great cover of Foo Fighters' "Best Of You". Her songs like "Scars" and "Bicycle" tell great stories. Particularly, I love the third-person narrator in the latter song. "There was a girl with no conviction, oh such joy!...Tomorrow is just another/Tomorrow she said I never meant to take it too far"; she seems to speak from a distant perspective, yet the growl and feeling in her voice speak otherwise. The emotional proximity of the words to the narrator ring clearly like a painful memory. Ling's sultry vocals shine brightest around the great rhythm section of the Kings, almost like a local Rachael Yamagata. She makes us feel what she's feeling, her songs take us through what she's going through, absorbing us into the experience entirely.

So, on a Monday night like this - when most of us would be happy to crawl into bed at any given opportunity - I was pleasantly surprised at the great music being showcased in Mosaic Music Festival 2011. Each and every performance thoroughly vindicated my postponement of bedtime for just that bit longer.

And it's still not over yet. Mosaic Music Festival 2011 runs till 20th March. If these superb performances on a Monday night like this were anything to go by, we can be assured that we're in for a treat right till the very end!

For more information of the bands/event:
Mosaic Music Festival 2011: Click here
The Trees & The Wild: Click here
Cove Red: Click here
Ling & The Kings: Click here

For more videos,
Check out our brand new Youtube channel: OMSLOVESYOU HITS YOUTUBE

Review: Inch Chua & The Metric System @ UCC Theatre Foyer (12 Mar 2011)

2011-03-13T01:22:00.002+08:00

Story by Melissa

Photo from inchchua.bandcamp.com

Inch Chua & The Metric System played an intimate and relaxing gig at the UCC Theatre Foyer on Friday night. It was only 40 minutes long, and they played to a small sit-down audience of less than 50 people, to kickstart the NUS Arts Festival.

The crowd was made up of both young and old, and was clearly not as familiar with her songs as those at her usual gigs. Strangely enough, most of the audience were not NUS students. Nevertheless, Inch and the band gave their best and was upbeat throughout despite the audience being so subdued. She played more familiar songs such as "Aqueous Oblivion" and "Rule the World", showing her excellent smooth and soulful vocals. Other songs in her set included "Mt. Epiphany" and "Wallflower".

The Metric System also played extremely well and proved to be more than a backing band, and their instrumentation showed post-rock and jazz influences. Their constant collaboration with Inch Chua also leads to speculation on some of the audience members' parts about whether Inch would be part of a band again.

The unusual venue otherwise marred her performance, as the people milling around and waiting for the other performances to begin were rather disruptive. In addition, the acoustics were also not conducive for the band. They tried to play "Return of the Fat Cat" for a requested encore with extra electronic effects to no avail, and had to do without them as the band had trouble hearing themselves.

Overall it seemed to be a supposedly easy gig for Inch and the band, but became increasingly difficult as it progressed due to technical issues. The audience otherwise seemed to enjoy themselves, and perhaps Inch and The Metric System has gained a more varied fanbase after that performance of theirs.

Review: Toronto and Beyond: A Caracal Fundraiser @ HOME Club (20 Feb 2011)

2011-03-12T18:16:00.002+08:00

Story by Melissa and Emi, Photos by Fahimah

Local music lovers gathered at Home Club on a lazy Sunday afternoon to support Caracal in their fundraiser for their trip to the Canadian Music Festival. Being the first Singaporean band to have been invited to this festival, many other bands came forward to show their love and support for Caracal by playing at the fundraiser.

These bands were West Grand Boulevard, Plainsunset, A Vacant Affair, Inch Chua & The Metric System, The Fire Fight, Great Spy Experiment, Silhouette, I Am David Sparkle, B-Quartet and of course, Caracal. Each played a set of three or four songs, and the amazing line-up guaranteed the event's success, packing Home Club to the brim by the end of the night when Caracal performed.

The crowd outside Home Club was relatively small when the first band (West Grand Boulevard) was already playing, with the vendors of the contributing flea market lounging around. Nevertheless, the first two bands, West Grand Boulevard and Plainsunset, put much heart into their performance and provided the perfect entertainment for a relaxing Sunday afternoon. A Vacant Affair, following Plainsunset, was not afraid to bring on the noise, getting some of the crowd headbanging and they sure woke them up! They also played two new songs, one of them entitled "Remembering Antonio".

Inch Chua & The Metric System performed next, with Inch Chua's vocals never failing to deliver, though being somewhat drowned out by the bass at times. She performed songs from her latest album, such as "Aqueous Oblivion" and "Rule the World", with The Metric System adding a large dose of beat and depth to them, making her set even more fun and enjoyable.

Inch Chua performs

The Fire Fight also performed at the event to support Caracal, even though they are currently on hiatus. Despite their original bassist not being present, they put on a solid performance which got quite a few in the audience singing along, particularly to songs such as Candela and Train Song. The Great Spy Experiment also used the opportunity to showcase some new material, such as "Wasted" and "Nameless", which revealed that their new material will continue in the same direction as their last album did.

The Fire Fight

Silhouette came up next, and kept the great music going. Shahrizal's smooth vocals, one which you might expect an RnB singer to have, blended perfectly with the heavier sounds of the rest of the band. Although the bass was a tad overwhelming at times, their unique sound, with songs such as 'Cancersticks' and 'No less than a Puppet', won over the crowd effortlessly. Following Silhoutte were local instrumental shoe-gaze veterans, I am David Sparkle. With the lack of words, the different elements of each song were given more emphasis. For some reason or another, no matter how diverse the parts were, the whole was fitted like a puzzle, and overflowing with emotion. My favourite thing about this band is their smoothness of transition between each segment in their songs, giving them a great flow and dynamic.

B-quartet were to take the stage next, but due to unforeseen circumstances, Bani Haykal was the only member of the band present. Obviously, this was not an obstacle for him, as his set was, simply put, brilliant. It was a nice break from the full band set ups we had for most of the day, and it was refreshing to be listening to such unconventional pieces; poetry, running notes on the clarinet, simple beats and raw emotion. The crowd evidently felt the same, and broke into thunderous cheers and applause with the end of every song.

To end off the night, Caracal finally took the stage. The band had a strong stage presence as well as a tremendous amount of energy in their performance that resonated throughout the venue. Playing a few covers and tunes from their older releases as well as their latest album, 'Bear. Shark. Wolf', the hard-rock melody-driven songs had the audience headbanging and singing (read:yelling) along. The band also announced that unfortunately, it was Henry, the bassist's, last show with them, with new member Steve taking over from then on as their new bassist. Time passed during the set with the blink of an eye, and the night ended off with an encore.

As the crowd dispersed reluctantly, there seemed to be a common consensus amongst the people that it had been an exhilarating day that celebrated and showcased so much local talent. To all the bands that were part of the day: Fantastic job! And to Caracal: We hope you guys will have the best time in Toronto. Godspeed!

Upcoming Event: "The Document #2" - Be There Or Be Square.

2011-02-23T03:01:00.003+08:00

Want something a little different in sound and style from the usual rock events we've featured so far? Catch The Document #2, a local showcase of technology, people and music.

These DJs can and will take you on the night of your lives. Best part is, it won't cost you a cent! Think of being nowhere else this Saturday night.

More Info:

Where: La Maison / 55 Fairways Drive
When: 26 Feb 22:00 - 27 Feb 03:00
How: RSVP to info@mnshift.com for a complimentary beverage.
Admission: Free

Lineup:
10pm - 11pm KAVAN
11pm - 12mn DECRYPT
12mn - 1am THETA23
1am - end XHIN

Do check out the official Facebook event page here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197965446882978

See you there!