elef Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 Beats in Bangkok Published on Jul 22, 2004 Singapore?s hugely successful indie rock festival is now a regional powerhouse, dispatching new bands throughout the Asia-Pacific region Last weekend, Singapore?s third annual indie rock music festival, Bay Beats, showcased more than 30 bands from seven countries for 13,000 bystanders gathered for a musical weekend. The Chillout Stage provided an intimate setting as it overlooks the Marina Bay and was the preferred venue for its up-close-and-personal feel compared to the Arena Stage which was cordoned off by armed security guards looking to foil anyone?s intent towards unconventional behaviour. Little did the authorities know that something more than unconventional was gestating right under their noses. With so many like-minded people gathered for one reason, it was inevitable that a chain reaction would be triggered: bands were meeting and complimenting each other, unborn bands were looking for ways to conceive and every enthusiast was making plans for regional domination. ?All the rock ?n? roll that needed to be written has already been written before the early ?90s,? says Eddino Hadi of Force Vomit. ?Now it?s just a matter of using what?s already out there to your advantage.? The first of Bay Beats? seed hits Bangkok tomorrow night right at the heart of our unsuspecting youth on Royal City Avenue. Japanese band Buddhistson, Hong-Kong based Whence He Came and Kuala Lumpur?s Man Under Zero Effort (Muze) team up with Bangkok?s own Brandnew Sunset and Lucy Suicide. And if their Bay Beats performances indicated anything, you can expect nothing less than one intense, emo-faced rock ?n? roll performance. Bay Beats organiser, John Chiong says he ?hopes it will be Asia?s version of Big Day Out?, and from all the bands appearing at Bay Beats his wishes look like they might just come true as plans are already being made for next year. This year, Bangkok?s Venus Butterfly were invited to play in Singapore and Chiong is determined to ?check out the music scene in Thailand and invite more Bangkok bands next year?. And if Thai bands can go to Singapore, why can?t it work vice versa? Force Vomit and Astreal are tentatively looking at a trip out to the Kingdom later this year. Astreal is a Singaporean band fronted by a petite female bassist/singer equipped with a pink flying-V guitar, but there?s no gimmick attached to this trio?s feel for crunchy bass lines and echoing guitar riffs riding all the way through their set. Force Vomit showed off their prowess with surf rock guitar showdowns and sing-along choruses, like their Bay Beats set closer ?Simply Don?t Give Up!? A great Singaporean combo for Bangkok, and there?s lots more where they came from. Also representing Singapore at Bay Beats were some of the freshest sounds like My Squared Circle with their blend of experimental, angry-ambient-rock, great melodic noises defying all sorts of unwritten musical rules. Typewriter?s simple, prosaic songwriting mesmerised the crowd with their hooks. But it wasn?t all rock. Observatory came on stage with two laptops in addition to their regular electric set-up and an acoustic guitar they used to whip up bossa nova grooves, set perfectly against the sunset by the bay. Music festivals are usually too crammed with fillers for killing time in between the power acts, but Bay Beats got it just right with their bands alternating mainly between the adjacent Chillout and Arena stages so you didn?t have to miss a single home or out-of-town band. The Australian acts were overall uninspiring. but Sweden?s Last Days of April best fit the Bay Beats formula with their introspective melodic indie rock. A great way to end the festival and leave people anticipating more. - iHear will be held tomorrow night at 8pm at Code Bar on 21/135-136 Block D, Royal City Avenue (across from Lucille Disco). Admission is Bt150 (including one drink). The lineup for the night is: Buddhistson (Japan), Whence He Came (Hong Kong), Man Under Zero Effort (Malaysia) and Brand New Sunset and Lucy Suicide (Bangkok). For details, call (02) 203 0504. Manond Apanich The Nation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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