Kiss My Culture

Coverage: Laneway Singapore, 8,000 Punters (and Hipsters) Can’t Be Wrong

Image: Aloysius Lim

I was doused in beer; slipped on a plastic picnic mat; tripped countlessly over those who sat; got into a scuffle with a queue-cutter; helped a Scottish guy carrying a Scotland flag to look for an English guy carrying an England flag –for kicks; and had what looked like a stoned-out hipster reciting verses of Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” to me –I gave him a beer and a cigarette because he was pretty darn good.

It was Laneway Singapore’s biggest turnout yet (up 18% from last year) and I was expecting to see all sorts of people and just about anything to happen –and I sure did.

New York duo the Cults opened proceedings at about 2pm while a wave of punters were already seen blanketing the greens of Fort Canning. It was a smart move by the organizers to bait the crowds early by putting the highly popular act on first. And they didn’t disappoint with their nine song set, getting the crowd on their feet with tracks like “Abducted” and their magnum opus, “Go Outside.”

Image: Cults by Ryan Chang

With cutting-edge music comes a sub-culture, and in this case, the demographics were predominantly hipsters.

Never mind that the festival Gods were emitting burning rays from, I don’t know, hell’s ass? The hipsters couldn’t care less. They could walk into the sun wearing something from H&M and a scarf from a dollar store while listening to Jethro Tull on their Walkman. It’s all good in hipster-hood.

It wasn’t surprising to see battalions of hipsters. As most of the acts on the line-up started out around 2 years ago, anything after 2010 and before 1970 is considered acceptable musical years for staunch hipsters.

“I have almost all of the albums and singles of the acts playing today,” says Carrie Sudono, a fashion enthusiast hailing from Surabaya.

I wanted to ask what kind of occupation a “fashion enthusiast” was. Do you get paid for being enthusiastic? I refrained from doing so as I didn’t want to be slapped across the face with a vinyl that I’m sure she had stashed somewhere.

Under his bowler hat and vintage flip-up sunnies, Nico Prabowo nonchalantly said, “These are the clothes I am most comfortable in.”

Draped in what looks like a curtain over his schoolboy shorts, he asserted that he prefers to keep things simple.

“Are you being ironic now?” I asked. The photographer from Jakarta smiled, turned to Cults as they played their last song and took photos with his iPad.

Image: Aloysius Lim

The Indonesian contingent came in busloads. Most of them looked like they had just completed a photo shoot with Terry Richardson or Mark Hunter.

“I think I’ve definitely seen a fair share of people who got into the ethic, tribal, gypsy punk look of clashing prints and neon with feathers,” noticed Ginette Chittick, a fashion lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts, and DJ of popular indie night, BEAT! at Home Club.

“I wish I wore my native Indian headgear made of paper which has fun feathers,” adding, “but I didn’t want to block the view,” she laughed.

She wouldn’t have a problem with that because most of our Indonesian neighbours were populating the front of the stage for hours on end, and were by far the most up-for-it crowd as seen when the second act, Yuck took the stage.

Image: Yuck by Nina Sandejas

As the Londoners blared their last few songs like “Get Away”, “Operation” and “Rubber”, roadies from Chairlift were about to finalize their setup -all happening on the same stage.

I wasn’t too excited when I heard that there were to be two stages as I assumed that the other stage was to be located behind the Fort Canning Centre at the Fort Gate -a thought only a vertical runner would squeal in delight.

It was tedious previously (at SingFest) to shuttle up and down the hill every now and then to catch all the bands at the different stages; made worst with the food and beverage booths being multiple leg cramps away.

Laneway was quick to learn from the mistakes made by other organizers and focused on making sure that the punters’ energies were kept perky during the next 10 hours.

Min Chen, former editor of Juice magazine supports the arrangement: “The setup of the stages and program rundowns are on point,” she says. “No one would get bored from waiting!”

At any given time, the bands transited seamlessly, and during the very short breaks that the punters had the luxury of (longer on some minor setup hiccups), food and beverages booths were just a few steps away.

Image: Chairlift by Dawn Chua

“It is definitely great that they have two-in-one stages this year,” says QH, Marketing Manager of Home Club. “I am impressed with the efficiency; all the bands pretty much started on time.”

Chairlift, whom replaced Wu Lyf after their sudden cancellation, continued to dish their synth-pop ditties from their recently released album Something. Canadian trio Austra, fronted by the rhapsodically energetic Katie Stelmanis, came on immediately after and made sure that the sweltering crowd kept dancing with 13 upbeat tracks –the longest set list of the day.

Image: Austra by Dawn Chua

By now it was close to the early evening and neither the sun nor the swelling crowd was letting up. It was an amazing and rare sight to see a relentlessly brimming and bustling Fort Canning -a shining example of Singapore’s current state of indie music affairs.

Girl’s frontman Christopher Owens further ascended the partisan crowd’s support when he opened with a tribute to the legendary Whitney Houston after her unfortunate demise; reportedly drowning in a bathtub after falling asleep on a concoction of alcohol and anti-depressants.

His solo rendition of her 1992 classic “I Will Always Love You” was received with a rapturous reception, prompting one particular punter to sum up the sentiments echoed around the Fort.

“Festivals are usually replete with the obligatory ‘You’re the best crowd ever!’ plaudits and pre-planned theatrics,” says Hidzir Junaini, a writer with Juice magazine, and added, “but wow, Chris Owen’s Whitney Houston tribute was honestly one of the most genuine, unrehearsed and magical festival moments I’ve ever witnessed. Pass the tissues.”

Image: Girls by Ryan Chang

The spirited moments stuck throughout the Girls’ set with the head-bopping inducing surf-rock favourite “Honey Bunny” to sing-along anthem “Hellhole Ratrace” and all the way to their closing track, the indie belter “Carolina.”

Having played in Singapore last year, the familiarity of The Drums’ staple energetic set peaked up where the Girls left off. Anna Calvi sustained the crowd’s zest with a powerfully commanding performance both on the microphone and especially on the way she worked the guitar.

As the sun started to set, Twin Shadow’s blend of new wave rallied behind his enigmatic poetic sentiments and pop sensibilities kept punters perched on the Laneway bandwagon while evidently slightly exhausted.

Image: Twin Shadow by Aloysius Lim

I was already on the mid-scale of my festival energy level by the time Shadow concluded his set. Topping up the fuel at the drink booth is a lesser pain than before as the snaking queue I saw earlier in the day was substantially reduced.

No more getting stuck with a stranger in front of me for 30 minutes listening to how her grandfather survived the Vietnam war and is now a pastry chef. I am now familiar with the intricateness of baking éclairs thanks to her.

“The éclair shells are done when they make a hollow sound when tapped,” she says.

Great! You know what, you’re sweet, but I really just want to get my beer purchase sorted. And then Laura Marling came on.

Firstly, I love the English folk singer’s dreamy and sometimes haunting vocal prowess. She reminds me of my favourite and equally underrated singer-songwriter, Regina Spektor.

But at 8pm, being dreamy and haunted was the last thing I needed. I am OK with being dreamy and haunted at 3pm; you know, when you are still wide awake and not smelling like stale beer (which someone accidentally spilled on me earlier.)

Image: Laura Marling by Dawn Chua

I refused to sit, and instead searched within myself to love her again -to embrace her poignant lyrical nature. So, I stared drearily at the Swissôtel far ahead and counted the number of rooms they might have in the building as the Marina Bay Sands lightshow danced around the dark skies. All this while Marling sang, “My husband left me last night… Left me a poor and lonely wife,” and there I was thinking which room it might be.

“The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart had a rough set due to technical issues; it was quite a shame as they had to stop just after 2 songs,” says a disappointed Faizal Rizal, former Marketing Manager of Zirca.

The New York indie pop quartet had to haplessly come off stage to suss out the static noise problem; which was challenging as the vocal crowd rallied for them to come on again. They did, to rousing cheers. The static noise overstayed its welcome, but continued to torment the band throughout their set.

Image: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart by Glenn Yong

Toro y Moi however, had no such issue. He brandished his stylistic funk and chillwave, taking the crowd away from their guitar-centric experienced thus far into the world of electronic music. I felt rejuvenated to say the least with “Talamak” peaking up towards some serious synth boogie on “Freaking Out.”

For law graduate Clarissa Chow, her most amazing moment was when, “people lit up sparklers for Feist. ”

The Grammy nominated singer-songwriter’s allure was unmistakable seeing the entire Fort Canning up on their feet the moment she belted out “My Moon My Man.” She had a natural and instinctive way to gravitate you towards her. No screaming, no begging, no teasing, but when she asked herself why she hadn’t come to Singapore, almost half of the 8,000 people went wild.

Image: Feist by Aloysius Lim

Her introverted nature can be felt prior to a song, but when she sang and unravelled the lyrical key that unlocked her soul, her tenaciousness and unquestionable passion reverberated throughout the entire complex. Even the minor technical failings couldn’t outdo her.

Brandon Tay’s highlight for the night was, “hearing the extended rambling, haunted sea within a sea from the severely underrated The Horrors,” says the visual artist from local collective Syndicate who recently did the visuals for Skrillex’s 2012 tour.

Brandon was right; it was haunting, too haunting for me at around 11pm. Similar to Laura Marling’s slot, it was evident that there were still a great number of people energetic enough to take on the ride. Technically, The Horrors are one of the best shoegaze bands “live”. It’s hard not to warrant them such a credit, and at Laneway, they demonstrated their signature gloomy style completely.

Image: The Horrors by Aloysius Lim

Where The Horrors painted calmness amongst the sea of punters, Laneway Singapore’s final act, M83 came out and created a tsunami.

Led by Anthony Gonzalez, the Parisian wasn’t slotted at the end with the responsibility to make everyone dance. After almost 10 hours, a large majority couldn’t even stand straight. His production does not rely on jitterbug feet. His is a majestic soundwave that elevates his listeners to greater heights in one sweeping climax after the other. He builds you up towards such lofty proportions only to have you dropped into brief space of serenity; again and again.

The cinematic grandeur of M83’s set was played out best with “Kim & Jessie”, “We Own The Sky” and “Midnight City.” His masterstrokes drove the awe-inspired crowd into the zenith of their very presence -transcending fatigue, reason and meaning.

Image: M83 by Glenn Yong

Closing with the monumental 9-minutes long “Couleurs,” M83 koshered that the memory of the festival will be entrenched in the minds of all who were there.

In terms of the quality of music showcased albeit sporadic technical difficulties, the crowd’s unyielding and invigorating spirit, and an organizer that prioritizes needs over wants, Laneway Singapore 2012 is undoubtedly the greatest indie music festival Singapore(and even South East Asia) has ever seen.

Kiss My Culture would like to thank Laneway Singapore, Chugg Entertainment and Sammy-Shirra Moore.

More comments on Laneway Singapore 2012:

Timothy Chia
Head of Marketing & Events, Zouk

“I was rather impressed with the quick turnaround times between sets. Also, everything flowed really smoothly from entry to purchasing drink coupons to getting my drinks. This might have been because I arrived fairly late though! I also enjoyed Toro y Moi and particularly his vocals! M83’s energy and showmanship was infectious and a good way to end the festival!

However, the sound system wasn’t great. Feist didn’t sound as good ‘live’ as she did recorded. I’m not sure if this had anything to do with the sound system as Toro y Moi sounded fine to me.”

Hidayah Salamat
Web Editor, I-S magazine

“The enthusiasm was palpable, the weather perfect and the acts effervescent—definitely one of Asia’s best festival offerings.”

Paul Seow
DJ, photographer and lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts

“2012’s Laneway was built upon last year’s foundation and taken to another level. The quality of acts this year made sure everyone left happy. Unfortunately, the technical glitches prevented the event from being truly stellar. That aside, The Drums got us bouncing, Toro y Moi got us swaying, Feist held us spellbound and M83 had us on our feet well into the night screaming for more!”

Razi Razak
Founder and curator, Statement

“Fine weather and more crowds made the festival even better than last year’s. The programming could’ve been better, but nonetheless, we could all see a good future in Singapore’s music industry, and nobody could deny that. Congrats to the Laneway committee, and being a promoter myself, it is in fact a bar raised.”

Eam Sumati
Production Director, Iris Singapore

Bar system was bad. Double stage didn’t actually do it for me as some of the changeover was a tad too long. VIP area was too messy for a VIP area. Door management could be managed better. Overall vibe was good though but could be better if the bar had a better system –bigger bars with more staff to facilitate higher turnover and prevent long queues. One of my friends queued for about half an hour!