By Lai Han Wei

laihw.sph@gmail.com

 

Another year, another batch of top music acts coming to Singapore.

When once we would have been lucky to catch the occasional major pop act, a variety of events have now begun cropping up to cater to varied, niche tastes.

Yet, with the decent spread of music acts as well as lower ticket prices for some acts, I’m sure there’s going to be some first-time concert-goers out there.

If you’re one of them (it’s okay, I won’t tell), this guide is for you.

I’m not going to lie, I’m biased. I’ve been a closet rocker since I was a kid, back when my dad would play The Scorpions and Black Sabbath on his home stereo so loudly you couldn’t hear the neighbours complain (He just plays Coldplay now. He’s mellowed).

At any rate, my advice is probably going to be geared towards the people who like it fast and preferably loud enough that they can sing along without anyone overhearing their getting the lyrics wrong.

With Iron Maiden and Big Night Out featuring Slash - of Guns N Roses fame - and the Stone Temple Pilots, all in the first few months of the year, 2011 looks to be a fantastic year for the metalhead.

MISSING THE FESTIVAL ATMOSPHERE

The next major event, though, would have to be the upcoming Laneway Festival on Jan 29, which is making its first appearance in Singapore.

Traditionally a mainstay of the Australian music scene, the festival features raved-about indie darlings like alternative dance group Foals, shoegaze duo Beach House and self-styled ‘ambient punk’ group Deerhunter.

Laneway is a whole-day affair, but for the price of one ticket, you get to watch nine bands over 10 hours of performances. While it may not feature the most well-known bands in this neck of the woods, any one of these acts would be worth the price of admission by themselves.

I’m hoping that the Laneway festival is exactly what the Singapore music scene needs to evolve and expand.

You see, ever since my wife and I went for Glastonbury in 2010 for our honeymoon, I’ve been missing the 'done-in-one' festival atmosphere.

Festivals: Where wild meets whimsy. -- PHOTO: LAI HAN-WEI

Don’t get me wrong, I love Mosaic and Baybeats, but there’s nothing quite like trekking from one end of the festival ground to the other to catch an act before they finish, or wandering lazily around, poking around the stalls fellow festival-goers had set up.

Sometimes, you’d completely lose track of time, only to realise you’ve almost missed the act you’d been waiting months to see - but that was still okay. The sheer freedom was intoxicating.

However, at Glastonbury, we camped out for several nights, so we had to prepare for the outdoors.

Our tent was somewhere in that big mess of tents. -- PHOTO: LAI HAN-WEI

The fact that you can't exactly go home for the night and come back the next day, means you have to go prepared.

Even though it’s over in one day, you can still make some preparations to make sure your festival experience goes as well as it can possibly can.

PREPARING FOR LANEWAY FESTIVAL

First off, be prepared - rain or shine. Judging by how the weather’s going in Singapore lately this January, I wouldn’t be counting on getting a suntan.

Make sure you have a pair of waterproof boots, or failing that, some sort of waterproof footwear for if (or when, depending on how cynical you are) it starts to rain.

Since the Laneway Festival is at Fort Canning, the slightest bit of rain turns the whole place into a mudfest - and it's not the best thing to go squelching around in for half the day. Especially if you’re wearing a nice pair of shoes.

If by some stroke of luck, it’s sunny, a hat would help make sure you don’t wince in pain from sunburns the next day. Don’t underestimate how long you’ll be under the sun. On that note, sunblock may help too.

A mat is definitely recommended for when you want to sit on the grass, because you’re not going to be standing all day, are you? It doesn’t matter if you have knees of steel, you’re going to feel it at the end of the day.

Having somewhere to sit and get comfy is definitely a plus. -- ST PHOTO: LAI HAN-WEI

Bottled water and some food is also a must - it’s not very glam, but it’s easy to forget the importance of hydration.

Also, not having to buy food and drink at overpriced booths is a plus. And hey, isn’t being thrifty the Singaporean way?

Most importantly, the best thing to bring to Laneway is your sense of adventure. If you’ve taken the step to actually buy the tickets and head down to Fort Canning on Jan 29, why not make the most of it while you’re there?

Everyone’s entitled to some griping now and then, but try to keep an open mind - being out of your comfort zone is all part of the experience.