Music & Nightlife
Your guide to the best nightclubs, live music and concerts in Singapore
Interview: The Kooks
It's been over a decade since the Brighton indie royalty burst onto the scene in the mid-noughties. And nothing gets the crowd shaking more than a hit of nostalgia. Cue The Kooks as they bring a dose of sunshine to the Garden Beats stage on March 9. Besides singing along to their infuriatingly catchy indie-pop bangers like Naïve, Always Where I Need To Be and She Moves In Her Own Way, and nailing frontman Luke Pritchard's classic "uh-oh"s, expect to get acquainted with tracks off the band's latest studio album Let's Go Sunshine. Released last year, the shiny new record sees a playful blend of genres like retro-funk, dream-pop and chamber balladry on top of their signature guitar-fueled indie sound, and includes singles No Pressure and All The Time. But before getting down to kooky on Saturday, we chat with lead guitarist Hugh Harris about the kookiest things, from food to fan experiences. RECOMMENDED: Upcoming concerts in Singapore Hi Hugh! What are you looking forward to the most in Singapore?Hey! My Grandma had a nickname her whole life: Flower. This was in part due to her effervescent disposition but mainly due to the fact that she was obsessed with all plants. Growing up between Australia and the UK we – my sister and I – would visit her often in Sydney and lie around on hot afternoons listening to her describe the Singapore Botanic Gardens to us with profound enthusiasm. It would inspire me greatly. I’m mostly looking forward to spending some time in the Singapore B
The best nightclubs in Singapore
Buzzed and ready to rumble? As one of the cities that never sleeps, Singapore has some of the best late night spots and nightclubs for nocturnal party animals to revel in until the early morn. Bring your dance-till-dawn attitude and bust a move at the steamy dancefloors of DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs like Zouk and Cé La Vi. Otherwise, sweat alongside the giddy crowd while you ogle the cityscape from rooftop shindings at Lavo, Bar Rouge, Empire and Altimate. From energetic hip-hop and R&B to chart-toppers and nostalgic throwbacks to house and techno, these nightclubs are perfect for shaking that groove thing. RECOMMENDED: 15 reasons why you should stay out late in Singapore
Upcoming concerts in Singapore
If your evenings consist of enjoying live sets at these music venues, you're in for a treat. This year's concert lineup is looking mega with plenty of mainstream, underground, and downright nostalgic acts to catch. Here are the hottest upcoming concerts we're booking tickets for. RECOMMENDED: Upcoming performing arts events in Singapore and best live jazz venues in Singapore
The best street buskers to check out in Singapore
Find yourself stopping in your tracks to listen to an acoustic rendition of Oasis’ Wonderwall along Orchard Road? You’re not alone. Singapore's home to plenty of street musicians who turn public spaces into their stage – with special permits, of course. But they aren’t just performing for your loose change – get to know the young buskers behind the covers and mash-ups. Who knows? One of them might be a viral video away from becoming the next Ed Sheeran or Justin Bieber.
The best local albums of 2018
When it comes to variety in music, Singapore does not disappoint. We've got quite a diverse and eclectic mix of music in our own city, covering all sorts of genres from the stoner doom metal to feel-good pop tunes with some bops. Take your pick! While it may not have been a strong year for full length albums in the local music sphere, there are some worthy gems that we put on spin for quite a bit this year. Best part? You don't have to be searching far and wide for some of the best releases this year – here's what we have from our own backyard. RECOMMENDED: Minimalist or minimal: is the arts scene in Singapore plain boring? and the hottest rappers and hip-hop artists in Singapore right now
Interviews
Interview: Franz Ferdinand
If you’ve been keeping up with our gig calendar, you’ll know that the Scottish indie stalwarts are bringing their disco-punk setlist filled with groovy basslines and guitar riffs from their self-titled debut through to their latest album Always Ascending to Zepp@BigBox on November 21. But before you catch the five-piece punch their way through an electrifying live set, bassist Bob Hardy tells us why he’s excited about returning to Singapore, the process behind recording the new album (and the new lineup), and what fans can expect at the show. RECOMMENDED: Upcoming concerts in Singapore Are you excited to be back in Singapore?Yes, it’s been a while! The last time we were there was in 2006 and my memories of it is a little bit hazy, so I’m looking forward to coming back. What are you looking forward to the most?Playing the show and meeting fans – that’s really my highlight of touring. It’s nice to come to somewhere like Singapore where you get the buzz of traveling to somewhere exotic. But it all leads back to the show and performing somewhere you don’t go often. Let’s talk fans. What sets Singapore fans apart from those around the world?It’s been a while since we last played in Singapore, so I guess we’ll find out when we get there. But we do hear from Singaporean fans online and they seem like really nice people. Looking forward to experiencing the live audience again. With a new show, you’ll be playing tracks off the new album Always Ascending. What is the album abo
Interview: Clean Bandit
The British electronic outfit Clean Bandit is set to bring their classical stringed pop tunes to our shores – this time as part of their I Miss You Tour. Internationally recognised for their 2014 hit Rather Be featuring Jess Glynne as well as their massive number one single Rockabye with Sean Paul and Anne-Marie, the three-piece whips up a wicked blend of classical and dance music. But before heading down to The Star Theatre on August 15 for an electrifying night, we chat with Luke Patterson on what he’s looking forward to and what we can look forward to – concert, upcoming album and the whole shebang. Hi Luke! Are you excited for your Singapore return? Yes, we can’t wait to come back! Our trip was cut short last year thanks to me catching the dreaded chicken pox. It was such a shame we couldn’t perform, so it will be great to finally get back there and play to all our fans. Sorry to keep you waiting! Besides fresh tunes, what else can we expect from this show? How different will it be from your 2015 Singapore debut besides the departure of Neil Amin-Smith?Our show is constantly evolving in the same way our music is. It has to be like this for us, otherwise, we get bored fairly quickly. But you can expect all our classic, banging hits, electronic sax, live drums, strings, bass and incredible vocal performances from our two amazing singers Yasmin Green and Kirsten Joy. Also, a few remixes of our tracks to keep the party moving! Now, let’s get down to business: the highly-an
Interview: Local rappers and hip-hop artists
Hip-hop has been ruling the airwaves for decades and the rap game evolves every year, interweaving a barrage of genres from jazz to afrobeat, and minting fresh new faces and sounds. It takes a special catalyst to transcend beyond oblivion. Here are Singapore’s boundary-pushing rising stars that are taking the urban sound to another level. RECOMMENDED: The hottest EDM artists and DJs in Singapore
Interview: Fariz Jabba
"It isn't a gimmick or a stunt. I rap in Malay because I am Malay – it’s part of who I am," Muhammad Fariz Abdul Rashid explains. "I want to create music that my community and I can relate to." Working under the moniker Fariz Jabba, the 21-year-old rapper and younger brother of local comedian Fakkah Fuzz is unlike most peers his age. This hip hop wunderkind isn’t afraid to embrace his culture and he’s showing it in the music he makes by adding local humour and a dash of 'Malay-ness' in his bars. Breaking onto the scene last year after posting a series of freestyle rap videos on his social media, the young rapper has since gotten the attention of hip hop icons from around the region including rapper SonaOne and ex Too Phat member Joe Flizzow. Fariz’s most watched video, Kunci Gang – a playful Malay remix of Lil Pump's infamous rap anthem Gucci Gang – has close to 200,000 views and over 13,000 shares on Twitter. Now managed under independent record label M03 Records and training under homegrown producer Flightsch – who’s worked with local acts like Sam Rui and Gentle Bones – Fariz Jabba's proving to be an underdog in the scene and he's gunning for the throne. On how his rap career took off "I’ve been listening to hip hop and writing songs for as long as I could remember but only started taking it seriously after my national service. I did a couple of freestyle rap videos, uploaded it online and eventually got recognition from Malaysian rappers like SonaOne and DJ Fuzz.
