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.

The Winged Tiger in Singapore was launched at the Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention on Friday, and is a collaboration between US-based Phil Yeh, known as the 'Godfather of the graphic novel', and Singaporean cartoonist and art teacher He Shuxin.

The idea for The Winged Tiger in Singapore came about when Mr Yeh was invited to paint a mural at Scape in February. After he showed an advance copy of Steve the Dog & The Winged Tiger, then-director of Scape Andrew Wong asked Mr Yeh to create a sequel set in Singapore.

Phil Yeh (left) and He Shuxin holding a copy of The Winged Tiger In Singapore. -- PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL YEH AND HE SHUXIN 

The book features Mr He's character Rocket the dog, who is a television and videogame-loving  'couch potato'. He is introduced to the Winged Tiger, one of Mr Yeh's characters, who brings him to landmarks such as the Singapore Zoo and the Singapore Art Museum to show him that the world outside has more to offer.

A recent survey by the Ministry of Education and the Media Development Authority found that up to 9 per cent of young people in Singapore were addicted to gaming, with some playing up to 37.5 hours in a week.

Mr Yeh, whose career in graphic novels began in 1977, said the series was aimed at encouraging children to get reintroduced to the joy of reading books and exploring things that enrich their lives, and addressing 'universal problems' such as obesity and social isolation brought on by a growing attachment to technology.

"I have always believed the graphic novel is the best way to communicate storytelling to a visual generation that watches television and movies," he said. "It's a universal problem with a universal solution, which is as simple as going outside. I'm not saying you can't use technology, but I am saying it shouldn't be abused."

The Winged Tiger in Singapore has a limited run of 1,000 copies and costs $25. The Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention runs from Friday Dec 10 to Sunday, Dec 12.

Some want to call it activism, others would rather call it an epidemic of annoyance.

Well-known friends (and acquaintances you don't know that well, be honest) are all changing their Facebook profile pictures to cartoons or comics they loved as kids, all in the name of raising awareness 'for violence against children'.

-- PHOTO: INTERNET

I'm assuming they mean 'against violence towards children', but you never know.

Supposedly, this is meant to trigger an 'invasion of memories' from childhood that I'm guessing reminds people of what it's like to be a child again, and empathise with the children they may or may not be abusing.

It's a noble goal, but the more cynical among us would wonder just how changing a profile picture is meant to accomplish all that. What about all the child abusers who don't have a Facebook profile?

I jest, of course. But that doesn't change the fact that this 'viral activism' does little to help those who don't want to change for the sake of participating in a Facebook trend. Arguably, it's those who are already against child abuse who bother to change their pictures - you’re preaching to the choir.

-- PHOTO: INTERNET

It's not an entirely new trend either. Last year, women posted the colour of their bras to raise awareness for breast cancer. This year, they posted where they 'liked it' (on the table, on the floor, hanging upside-down, etc). The tongue-in-cheek, innuendo-laden posts were meant to be about where they like their handbags when they come home - to which the connection to breast cancer is tenuous at best, I find.

Still, that didn't stop most of my Facebook friends from posting that they liked it 'on the couch', 'in the bathroom', and even 'wherever they could find room for it' for the messier ones. Even guys got into it without knowing exactly what it was about. As far as I can tell, this exercise was meant to raise awareness by infuriating people who weren't in on it to Google just what was going on, and then find out it was for breast cancer awareness.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for unconventional means to get messages for charity out there. 'No shave' November, or 'Movember' for some of you, where guys go without shaving for a month to spread awareness of prostate cancer, is just one example. Not only does it encourage active participation, but it's also a more tangible form of supporting a cause. The same goes for people who shave their heads to raise money for these causes - at least there’s something to show for it, rather than a slight nostalgia rush on Facebook.

-- ST FILE PHOTO

Before you think I’m biased against what some call ‘a fun thing’, I’m guilty of doing this too. Last year, as the Iran elections were being held, a Twitter campaign to tint one's profile picture green to support Iranians was all the rage. One by one, I saw pictures on my Twitter feed going green. I followed persiankiwi, who kept followers updated on what was happening on the ground. I retweeted messages trying to get spread more awareness. But what did it amount to?

One by one, pictures that turned green were changed back to full colour as people lost interest. Persiankiwi stopped tweeting. I held out for the longest time, refusing to change my profile picture back. But what was I really accomplishing? Was I really helping anyone from the comfort of my chair? As I came to this realisation, I sheepishly changed my profile picture back.

After a while, donor fatigue sets in. It’s not an easy thing to admit to, but eventually we all get tired of the next big cause to support. Flag day stickers blend together and become indistinct. When news breaks of another great disaster in a far-off country, people post how they dislike the news and then immediately... carry on with their lives.

Singapore has a great track record for charity. Despite what many say about grumpy uncles and aunties on the MRT, we're seeing more time and money invested for charitable causes. As my colleague Radha pointed out in her blog, volunteerism is at an all-time high amongst the young, too. It’s a heartening that more and more Singaporeans are actively concerned about issues that extend beyond their immediate four walls. But there’s always more that could be done.

All I'm saying is, don't let it stop there. Let changing your picture be a first step, instead of just continuing a trend that you’ll lose interest in. Whether that’s from volunteering to spend time with abuse victims, or donating money to keep charities going is entirely up to you. Leave a real mark  on the world instead of a digital one.