Feb - Mar 2010, Issue 20.

MICA (P) 175/12/2009FREE COPY

art jamNanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club

8 Modern Citizen 10 Giselle 11 Beauty & The Beast 12 JP 13 katncandix2 17 Mosaic Music Festival

26 West Grand Boulevard Interview

This is a Publication of Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities ClubTo advertise with us or list your events in ART JAM, email us at cac_publication@ntu.edu.sg

editor’s noteDear Readers,

We’re back! In this issue of ArtJam, we are going all music on you. 2010 is shaping up to be a great year for music lovers as there will be a bunch of international acts making Singapore one of their stops in their Asian tour.

The Mosaic Music Festival promises to bring an exciting line up of both well-received performers from differentparts of the world, making the Esplanade the place to go to for an experience for your ears.

NTU Cultural Activities Club presents the Nanyang Arts Festival. Already in its 8th year, the organisers are going to deliver two months featuring the best of what NTU can offer.

Keep those post secrets coming in! Visit www.ArtJampostsecret.com to share and see even more post secrets (that are deemed too ‘wild’ to be published).

Warmest Regards,Danny

Editor-in-ChiefDanny Wan

EditorAudrey Lim

WritersDevika ShindeMaryam Mohamed MokhtarVictoria ChangNur AsyiqinSamantha SoonJennifer DhanarajAudrey LimCherie Thio

PhotographersMervyn Chua Jonathan Kwa

Graphic DesignerNatalie TuangXpress Print Pte LtdTel: 6880 2881

publication team

Jan - Mar 2010, Issue 20.

MICA (P) 275/01/2008FREE COPY

art jamNanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club

Cover Credit: The Esplanade Co Ltd

contents

where to find Art Jam• All Junior Colleges • All Polytechnics • Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts • NTU • NIE • SMU • SIM

• Alliance Francaise AGF Theatre • DBS Arts Centre • Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay • *scape Youth Centre

• The ARTrium • The Substation • Victoria Concert Hall • Victoria Theatre • Aspire Cafe • library@esplanade

• National Museum • The Garden Slug

Download the softcopy of ArtJam at http://www.ntucac.com/ArtJam

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2Nanyang Arts Festival

6Nanyang Arts Festival Calendar

8Modern Citizens

10Giselle

11Beauty & The Beast

12JP Gumbo

13Katncandix2

14Yeah Yeah Yeahs

15Patrick Watson

16+65 Indie Underground

17Mosiac Music Festival

24Concert Preview

25RGNTN

26WGB Interview

28Doinky Doodles

29Post Secret

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CAC press

And the best place to see all these colours emoting and

expressing is right now, right here on NTU campus! Nanyang

Arts Festival (NAF) is back and in its 8th year, NAF 2010

brings to NTU ‘COLOURWORKS’ - a two month extravaganza

filled with vibrancy and vigour, beauty and brilliance symbolic of

fireworks!

Kicking off the two-month celebrations was the Festival Opening

Ceremony on 20th January at Canopy K outside LT1A in NTU.

Starting from 10:30am, the pre-opening featured the guest band

Seville. The official Opening Ceremony was abuzz with numerous

activities. It showcased the first ever sand sculpture in NTU and all

institutions, specially commissioned by JOOheng from Sandworkz.

Named Sandra, the pretty damsel highlights NAF’s theme for

the Festival - the use of sand to illustrate the multitude of ways

of presenting visual and performing arts. The day also kickstarted

the quest to set a Singapore Record for the ‘Largest Sand Art

Montage – Colourworks’. Award-winning groups like the NTU CAC

Salsa En Sync, Breakdance, NIE DanceFuzion, Chinese Drums and

Choir treated the audience to a blend of groovy dance steps, slow

soothing music and vigorous strong beats. Following that, a mini-

concert by the guest band – Aries Kaizer rounded up the official

ceremony. Throughout the day, NAF balloons dotted the campus

and each of the performances left everyone asking for more!

“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”

-Picasso

Text: Devika ShindePhotos: Mervyn ChuaNanyang Arts Festival

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CAC press

If you enjoyed the Opening Ceremony of NAF 2010, then you are going

to love the next two months on campus. NAF 2010 will be rocking,

for sure!

As part of the bid for Singapore Records, NAF aims to collect a

whopping 1000 sand art pieces. Open to one and all, just look around

campus for the sand art booths and contribute your creativity to

assemble a giant montage of sand art pieces that NAF will display at

the Closing Ceremony. Be sure to be a part of the ground-breaking,

history making event and revisit your childhood as you enjoy making

limitless sand art designs!

NAF 2010 aims to explore art from different perspectives associating

each form with a colour and an emotion. So there is ‘Hot Stuff’, with

loud music, groovy dance moves and stunning visuals, ‘Green Week’,

where you explore how saving the earth can go hand in hand with

art and ‘The Deep Blue Scene’, the time when you can slow down

and explore the many facets of art that will set you thinking. In the

Green Week around Valentine’s Day, put all your creative juices to work

and challenge yourself to create gifts for that special one using only

recyclable materials! This art challenge with a twist promises to be

exciting and to give your gift a whole new different meaning of love,

not just for that someone special but for the world as well! So give your

love an exclusive ‘Green He(Arts)’! 3 a

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CAC press

In the next two months, get ready to be mesmerised by the amazing

performances and concerts of the NTU CAC Piano Ensemble, Choir

and Chinese Orchestra. NTU CAC Symphonic Band will be having their

very own concert “Live in Singapore”, which will premier new works by

Mr Satoshi Yogisawa. In addition, CAC Special Projects, Impresario – a

nationwide talent search competition, Arts From The Heart (AFTH), Guitar

Ensemble and Joint Dance Concert will sure burn the stage with their

activities and performances!

Rocking the NTU campus will be various workshops teaching self-defence

techniques of Wushu, simple Photoshop techniques and Tap Dance

and Lindy Hop dances. Get a chance to be more creative with Balloon

Sculpting, Batik Painting and Handicraft making. Try your hand at Western

calligraphy and make your own Manga drawings! Rock out with the guitar

like a Hollywood superstar with Guitar Hero Jam and have a blast with

your friends. Vent your feelings and thoughts using colours and graffiti

during Graffiti Week. Relax and rewind with movies like Step Up, Fame:

The Movie, Wall-E, V for Vendetta and Inglorious Bastards. Join in the hall

performances and lunchtime performances of Taekwon-do and Wushu.

Never will there be a dull moment on campus!

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CAC press

Ending the festival on a high note will be the Closing Ceremony, held at the IMM Garden

Plaza. It will showcase all the festival highlights and achievements to NTU and the public!

The Closing Ceremony will be a concert-exhibition, featuring performances by external

bands and NTU arts and cultural clubs, such as CAC’s DanceSport Academy. It is also

the grand day when NAF will display the Singapore Record - Largest Display of Sand Art

Montage ‘Colourworks’!

Join NAF 2010 for a smashing good time right till 27th March 2010! Look out for the NAF

calendar near Canteen A, pick up our informative event guide or just simply log on to www.

naf.sg. Feast your ‘sand-ses’ at Colourworks today and experience the magic of colours

in life!!

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Calendar of Events

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Text: Maryam MokhtarPhotos: The Necessary Stage

Model Citizens

In its latest offering, The Necessary Stage provokes audiences into analyzing relevant contemporary Singaporean issues, as it invites them to explore the journeys of three women bound by circumstance, in Model Citizens.

Model Citizens, which runs from March 3rd to 14th at TNS’s Black Box, features a stellar cast of Goh Guat Kien, Siti Khalijah and Karen Tan as three women facing their own personal emotional and psychological struggles: an MP’s wife, a maid and her employer respectively.

The play chronicles the lives of the maid, whose lover has just stabbed an MP, the wife of the MP, who struggles to keep up her brave front, and the maid’s employer, whose attempts at re-connecting with her children have so far been futile. Model Citizens looks at how these three women, whose fates seem intertwined, are forced to look to each other as they search for comfort, solace and salvation.

Playwright Haresh Sharma and director Alvin Tan, in signature style, break language and social barriers, in this presentation of a multi-lingual piece that tugs at the very heartstrings we share regardless of race, gender and occupation: through an examination of the very nature of human relationships.

ArtJam got Siti Khalijah and Karen to dish out some quick bites on the rehearsal process and find out what it’s like to be part of an all-female ensemble, and what all humans, not just women, have in common.

Model Citizens

March 3rd -March 14th 3 – 6 & 11 – 13 March 2010, 8pm 6 – 7 & 13 – 14 March 2010, 3pm

The Necessary Stage Black Box 278 Marine Parade Road #B1-02 Marine Parade Community Building Singapore 449282

$27, $22*

*Concession for students, senior citizens and NSF. Prices exclude $3 SISTIC handling fee.

ArtJam: Siti, you play a unique role in Model Citizens. When you first saw the script for the play, what was it about your character that stood out for you?

Siti Khalijah: The fact that she’s very manipulative and a pretty good actress! Even as I was reading the script, I felt like I’ve been fooled by her a couple of times.

ArtJam: What is it like taking on the role of a maid? Did anything funny or interesting happen during the rehearsal process?

SK: I really enjoyed playing Melly because she’s very ‘happening’. She’s hardworking, loyal, confident and knows how to have fun! And also because this show is very multi-lingual (I’ll be speaking in Bahasa Indonesia, Guat Kian will be speaking in Mandarin and Karen will be speaking in Baba Patois and English), we have to be extra attentive and really listen for our cue to enter with the next line or blocking. So of course when we first started out it got pretty crazy because we weren’t sure and ended up panicking ourselves!

ArtJam: Is there a unique chemistry and energy that exists with a female-only cast during rehearsals?

SK: Of course! We can go from talking about the script and our characters and suddenly go into women-ly things like flabby arms and bulging tummies! But seriously, I think the chemistry between the 3 of us is really wonderful. We can connect emotionally and ‘feel’ each other when we’re performing.

ArtJam: Were there any quirks about your fellow cast members that helped liven up the rehearsal atmosphere?

Karen Tan: I think the funniest would be the conversations between Alvin, who speaks no Mandarin, and Guat Kian, who speaks very little English. It’s panto at its best.

ArtJam: Karen, your role as the employer of the maid, is one that a majority of Singaporeans can identify and connect with. What was it like getting under the skin of your character?

Karen: Actually, I should qualify that I play a woman who happens to employ a maid, as opposed to making a Maid Employer a character type. Just like Siti plays a woman who happens to work as a maid, and Guat Kian plays a woman who happens to be married to an MP. It actually makes a huge difference to how we see the women.

My character is also a wife and mother; she reads a lot; she’s effectively tri-lingual, speaking English, Mandarin and Malay; she is bound to her family by love and duty; she resents foreigners who make a lot of noise and mess…and suddenly, she’s a person that many people can identify with, and not just by women who employ maids.

ArtJam: All three characters have their own struggles, yet they seem to be tied by a common thread. Do you think this emotional thread is characteristic of the relationships between women, regardless of the circumstances?

Karen: It’s easy to say that the women are united by emotional grief and the ability to exact change in the way men can’t. However, I like to believe that men and women are born with the need to communicate, no matter the circumstance. And we all find a way to connect with each other. We really mustn’t let modern theories and ideas rubbish that.

But this being theatre, then the situation has 3 women, and their journeys to help each other, and in the process, hopefully find salvation for themselves.

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This March, the Singapore Dance Theatre proudly presents French ballet ‘Giselle’, which promises a dark take on love with its tragic but romantic plot.

Since its Parisian debut in 1841, ‘Giselle’ has been the oldest consistently performed ballet in the world, not only due to its dazzling array of dance techniques but also its artistic direction and its engaging plot. ‘Giselle’ is not only a classical dance act but also a blockbuster ballet that deals with love, mystery, otherworldly beauty, excitement, danger and death. Many critics have even dubbed ‘Giselle’ as the ‘Hamlet of ballets’. In ‘Giselle’, love is expressed with the abstract and subtle beauty of body language.

Handsome nobleman Albrecht, is mesmerised by the beautiful village maiden Giselle and disguises himself as a peasant and promises eternal love to her. Yet, unbeknownst to Giselle, Albrecht is already betrothed to Bathilde, the Duke’s daughter.

Upon realising the heart wrenching truth of Albrecht’s betrothal, and perceiving unrequited love, Giselle throws herself upon Albrecht’s sword and dies. Upon her tragic death, Albrecht comes to realise his true love for Giselle and mourns at her tomb.

However, the plot does not merely end with Giselle’s tragic death. Upon death, Giselle becomes a wandering embittered spirit known as wilis, which exists to seek revenge on unfaithful and deceitful men.

Will Giselle ever forgive Albrecht and embrace love once again? Will Albrecht ever be able to convince Giselle of

Title: GiselleDate: 11 March 2010 – Fundraising Gala Performance and Dinner 12 to 14 March 2010 – Regular Performance NightsVenue: Victoria TheatreTime: 8.00 pmTicket prices: 11 March - $500, $250, $150 (Tickets are available from SDT office ONLY) 12 to 14 March - $88, $68, $48 (Through SISTIC and SDT)We apologise that we are unable to admit infants in arms and children below 3 years old. Children 3 years old and above will require a ticket for entry. Tickets will be available from 4 January 2010

Giselle

true love? Will this seemingly romantic and yet tragic ballet ever end happily?

In charge of staging for ‘Giselle’ this time is Swedish artistic director Janek Schergen who is currently working in the Singapore Dance Theatre company. Before working with the Singapore Dance Theatre, Mr Schergen has been ballet master of the Pittsburgh Ballet as well as Artistic Director of the Nashville Ballet. With such an illustrious background in ballet, one can be assured that ‘Giselle’ is in capable hands under Mr Schergen’s direction.

Step out of reality and into this hauntingly beautiful performance of a classic and unforgettable ballet set to an evocative and lingering score with Singapore Dance Theatre’s ‘Giselle’.

Text: Victoria ChangPhoto: Singapore Dance Theatre

Love. Beauty. Betrayal. Redemption.

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W!LD RICE’s Beauty & The Beast gives the classic fairytale a local rubdown and unveils it with all the flair that we’ve come to expect of their pantomimes.

Listening to the chatter of children and their party clappers and waiting for the curtain to rise, I wondered if the production could sustain the interest of both young and mature audiences. It rises to the challenge masterfully.

Beauty & The Beast coaxes its young audience into the tale by engaging their participation. Karen Tan’s Ah Ma Chao Chao opened the show by warmly initiating the audience into their roles in driving the story and connecting with the characters. At times, the effect came across as a little too Blue’s Clues (“Where’s ____?”, followed by children excitedly shrieking “There! Behind!”), but there were stellar moments where the cast seized on to audience reactions and played off them, cleverly ad-libbing to the laughter of the audience.

Alfian Sa’at’s script juggles the two audiences and sizzles as a cocktail of laugh-out-loud moments and references that pay homage to the big events of 2009. In one scene, there is a cringeworthy Ris Low tribute that plays out in the banter between Beauty’s two campy sisters (think “boomz” and “half zebra half leopard beegini”). In another, a conservative magician insists

Text: Nur AsyiqinPhoto: Sirius ArtBeauty & The Beast

she’s on page 73 (in the phone directory), a sly wink at the Dr Thio Su Mien’s “I’m on page 73” declaration during the AWARE saga.

Emma Yong shines as the level-headed, strong-willed Beauty. Her voice, as always, is amazing, soaring through Elanie Chen’s musical compositions. RJ Rosales’ Beast, though awkwardly endearing, ends up being overshadowed by the rest of the cast. The other characters elicited laughter through their expressions,but him spending most of the show with a mask concealing his expressions, placing him at a disadvantage. For those who can stomach the camp (and I ate it up), Chua En Lai and Darius Tan as Beauty’s two over-the-top sisters are comedy gold. Flouncing around stage on heels, and flashing their petticoats at the audience, they brought catty fun to the show.

Hossan Leong’s direction makes Beauty & The Beast a flurry of visual pleasure and well-timed comedy. The costumes are eye-catching, particularly during the opening and ending numbers where gowns and ruffles fill the stage, the props are meticulous and the set is well put together, and very effectively used. The forest swings open to reveal the interior of Beauty’s house, the Beast’s castle looms in the background and the LED rose wilts and blooms, suspended over the rest of the cast.

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Japanese Theatre Group , Gumbo, definitely lived up to its reputation of performing energetic, comedic and colourful plays with a serious twist. Their play ‘JP’

was part of the line-up for this year’s Singapore M1 Fringe Festival. Despite frequent injections of slapstick comedy, the play turned out to be highly entertaining and thought provoking.

The actors opened the first scene with elaborate costumes and equally dramatic make-up complete with huge grins on their faces which brought about an almost frighteningly cheerful contrast to the darkness of the theatre.

Throughout the play, the actors kept up with their enthusiasm with exaggerated motion and extreme expressions on their faces, causing the audience to laugh uproariously. Actor Mitsuru Yanase portrayed egotism at its extreme while actress Kayo Tamura portrayed female promiscuity with such extremity that it resonated deeply with the audience despite the play’s positive ending of repentance and change.

Unlike most other conventional plays, ‘JP’ proved to be extremely interactive. Members of the audience were invited onstage twice to interact with the cast during the play. Cast member Ryo Nishihara energetically exclaimed, “Hi Singapore!” to the audience and shook hands with members of the audience in midst of the play. Often, the actors would directly question and address the audience as well, allowing them to experience the emotions that the cast was trying to portray.

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010

Text: Victoria ChangPhoto: Iain Bond

Live Fringe Theatre: ‘JP’ Outrageous. Hilarious. Fascinating.

review

Figurative language was often humorously translated into literal acting as well. The cast was not inhibited by the sexual themes of the play and gamely threw themselves into their respective provocative roles.

While ‘JP’ was comedic due to frequent sexual innuendos and exaggerated acting, underlying the humorous front were themes that dealt with the absurdities and inconsistencies in human behaviour. Said cast member Yuko Nishimura during the play: “Why do we hide and protect our true selves? We are happy when we live in truth, though it is difficult.”

Though the members of the cast had little knowledge of the English language, ‘JP’ was painstakingly performed in English. This use of English was previously coined as ‘Japlish’ by critics due to the heavy Japanese accent of the actors which added to the humour of the play. Says Karo Tamura, who both directed and acted in the play, “We wanted to perform in English in order to connect with the audience in a better way, rather than have them be distracted by English subtitles.”

Indeed, “JP” proves that Japanese Theatre Group Gumbo is one theatre group to watch out for in the arts scene. One can definitely look forward to experience even more of their quirky and meaningful works in time to come.

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Text: Samantha SoonPhotos: AsiaMuse

Katncandix2This year, the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 brings us Taiwanese folk pop duo, Katncandix2, for a two-

day show as a highlight of the festival.

The night began with a thought-provoking question, ‘What do you think dreams are?’ making the audience reflect on their own ideals and lives. Their album title which is also the title of a song, “Little Flight”, was an apt beginning to the concert as their music brought us into their very own ‘B612’, the theme of the concert.

Katncandix2’s music bears no resemblance to the sweet and airy cotton candy (a direct translation of the group’s Chinese name). Together with SSJ, the band’s guitarist and lead vocalist, Ball, the duo brought us a night of acoustic and original music with their eleven-song set. Ball’s natural vocals gave a fresh touch to SSJ’s melodies. The charm of Katncandix2 thus lies in its ability to draw near to their audience, not only through the music they make, but also through their stands on the masses’ ideals and principles.

As opposed to mainstream Taiwanese pop, Katncandix2’s music maintains a positive spirit, even when it sings of heavy issues such as world peace and environmental protection, or even the usual theme of love. The double love song in the set, ‘Girl’ and ‘Please love him for me’, sings of facing heartbreaks with an optimistic outlook, and not to give up on love even when it fails.

What was unique about the duo, was that while SSJ, the main composer of Katncandix2’s melodies was quiet and shy, lead singer Ball loved to engage with their audience in between songs, and she would talk about anything; from stories behind songs, to the journey of their music career: how they started out as street performers to where they are today, signed under a major record company under the support of Taipei’s Cultural Affairs. Katncandix2 is a testimony to the songs of encouragement they sing, ‘We are the same’, ‘Blossoms everywhere’ and ‘Lacking of courage’, where they urge their audience to take an active step towards fulfilling dreams they believe in.

The night ended with their original ‘Future?’ with visuals of environmental damage, where they repeatedly sang ‘Do you see? This is not the future we want’, advocating people to play a part in protecting our Earth. The concert was brought to a perfect end by their debut single ‘2375’, imploring the audience to never forget their earliest dreams and ideals.

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010

A fresh take on Taiwanese pop

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Text: Jennifer DhanarajPhoto: Jonathan Kwa

Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

All eyes were clearly on Karen O, including the giant inflated eyeball backdrop as she took her place with guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase on stage as part of the

Yeah Yeah Yeahs. One of the most electrifying front-women in rock, she did nothing but enthral audiences throughout the two hour sold out set.

Her eccentric dance moves and stage antics kept audiences guessing as to what she would pull off next. And this included her choices of threads as well. Coming out for the concert opener ‘Runaway’ in bright, neon stockings and an equally colourful romper, Karen O truly made her glow among the dim lighting. She got her ‘leather on’ in ‘Zero’ when she emerged with a heavily studded leather jacket that spelt her initials at the back. She also worked the crowd into a frenzy when she emerged in a long robe and an elaborate headdress that provided a theatrical aesthetic that fit well with O’s dramatic and somewhat unique stage performance.

The show truly started with a bang when guitarist Zinner played the familiar wicked, crunchy riffs to the obvious crowd pleaser ‘Phenomena’ from Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ sophomore album Show Your Bones. Although quiet and timid, which was a stark contrast to the more flamboyant O, both Zinner and drummer Chase showed off their individual talents especially with songs like ‘Date With the Night’ and ‘Y Control’. While singing ‘Boy you’re just a stupid b***h and girl you’re just a no good d**k’, O violently stomped on a black box, releasing an intense shower of shiny red Y-shaped confetti that dazzled the audiences with glee and awe.

Devoted Yeah Yeah Yeahs fans must have been delighted that the set list equally covered all of their albums including Fever to Tell (2003), Show Your Bones (2006) and It’s Blitz (2009) and even played ‘Miles Away’ from their self-titled debut EP. The Esplanade theatre morphed into a massive dance party with club-ready hits such as ‘Heads Will Roll’ but the true highlight was during the encore when Karen O melted the 2000-odd hearts with an acoustic rendition of ‘Maps’. As she repeated the lines ‘Wait, they don’t love you like I do,’ it is pretty clear the audience thought otherwise. One can only anticipate the next time the New York indie superstars step into our sunny island.

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With light coming out of a strange contraption made up of five megaphones strapped onto his back, Patrick Watson and his band walked into the crowd singing the first encore piece ‘Hearts in the Park’. This is just a taste of Patrick Watson’s sold out live performance at the Esplanade Recital Studio; experimental and

avant-garde but yet at the same time, fun and playful.

Patrick Watson, whose band is named after him, opened the concert with ‘Fireweed’ that perfectly showed off his lush vocals, which included his heavenly falsettos as well. Every bit of the musical mad scientist that is so often used to describe him, Watson ran around the stage from the piano to the megaphones to the perfectly utilized digital loop machine. The digital loop pedals enabled Watson to beautifully recreate in a live setting the complex layering of vocals so exquisitely achieved in the band’s studio albums especially ‘Wooden Arms’ (2009).

Despite the band being named after him, Watson certainly did not steal any attention away from the other three members. The chemistry between the band members was palpable during the performances as they engaged in playful on-stage banter in between songs.

Especially impressive was percussionist Robert Kuster who was able to create a myriad of sounds with the use of various objects. Kuster showed off his skills in ‘Beijing’ where he expertly clanked on different metals that included pots and pans. We can definitely imagine the sounds of Beijing with the help of Kuster as Watson sings, “It was the sound of the city/Speaks to me”.

During ‘To Build a Home’, the studio was transformed into a pitch-black room. Not being able to see a thing, the audience grew completely quiet as they were fixated on Watson’s rich, quivering and ghostly vocals that were accompanied by the beautiful piano chords.

Taking advantage of the wonderful acoustics at the recital studio, Watson performs an acoustic version of ‘Man under the Sea’ as he engages the audience to sing the line ‘Just me, the fish and the sea’ repeatedly but in different dynamics.

The best part of the concert had to be when Patrick Watson came out for another encore announcing that they wanted to try out an improvisation that was reserved for the occasional fun audience. He asked the audience to shout out random phrases that the band would then piece together to produce a song right there and then. Phrases like ‘The mating habits of ants’, ‘Boy in Blue’, ‘Pitch Black’ were thrown at the band. Clearly impressed by the imagination of the audience, he declared that Singapore had the craziest ideas ever. Bassist Mishka Stein along with Angell and Kuster immediately started playing their respective instruments and surprisingly, it all came together seamlessly. Watson then joined in and strung the phrases that were thrown at him in such a coherent manner.

It was a privilege to witness the songwriting process of the band and it was at that point where one could see exactly how tight the band was, with regards to their musicianship. The concert soon ended and it really, did feel like the most intimate, whimsical and surreal dream.

Text: Jennifer DhanarajPhoto: Jonathan Kwa

Patrick Watson

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Released last December, the 3-CD compilation offers a selection of some of be the best tunes in the local music scene since the ‘80s, more specifically, the rock and indie scene. +65 Indie Underground frees itself from the restrictions of any subgenre of rock music and manages to balance well-known bands such as Electrico and Force Vomit alongside lesser known but still, talented bands. Taking the place of song lyrics in the CD booklet is instead a write-up of every band that is featured in the CD, a thoughtful move for listeners.

The variety of sounds in disc one ranging from pop-rock to indie to instrumental rock provided an accurate indication of what was to come in the following CDs. Listeners unfamiliar with instrumental rock will find themselves intrigued by the sounds of Amateur Takes Control, Muon and I Am David Sparkle; all of whom deliver this relatively unexplored genre excellently in the first disc. “April” by Analog Girl and B-Quartet’s “Personal Space” both had an eerie but mesmerizing quality about them. However, “Personal Space” was especially outstanding musically as it started out with a simple accompanying melody which slowly grew heavy and jarring, but slowed back down just in time to a quieter and simpler tune. Aspidistrafly closed the first round with the soft but haunting tune “Red Toe Nails” that whetted my appetite for more. The first CD is an excellent listen and will most likely resonate deeply with the younger generation of rock music listeners as it features local favourites such as The Great Spy Experiment and Electrico.

With songs like “The Girl From Katong” and “Siti” the second CD was characterized by distinctly Singaporean sounds. While merit should be given to the second CD for having maintained consistency in the sounds, it eventually grew tired on the ears halfway. Standout tracks have got to be Plainsunset’s “Find A Way” that carries an addictive tune with catchy lyrics that go “I have to find a way to keep myself from thinking of you” and Sugarflies “What About” helmed by a female vocalist. Stompin’ Ground injected a much needed heavy vibe with their song “Tunnel Vision” into an otherwise tame offering in the second disc.

The third disc offers a rare listen into the early days of the local rock scene starting from the ‘80s. “Circling Sqaure” by Humback Oak opened the last disc with a melancholic tune and equally wistful lyrics. Instead of suffering from ear fatigue, it only served to heighten my anticipation of what was to come in the following tracks. The range of genres hinted at the diverseness of local bands, and provided hints of the roots of local rock music. From laidback country rock (The Noame), to trash punk (Nunsex) to electronic and experimental (Convent Garden), it was an honor to be able to listen these pioneer bands. Convent Garden’s electronic tune is still musically relevant today, perhaps best exemplifying how music transcends everything, almost. Zircon Lounge’s “Guide These Hands”, as well as Daze’s “Sexy Little Boy” showcased the deep, hypnotizing and rich vocals that lure listeners into a trance.

Granted, +65 Indie Underground may appeal to only a small segment of the market but this does not discredit the compilation as having a solid collection of quality songs. What this compilation does on a bigger scale is to offer Singaporeans a glimpse into the local music scene and what it has to offer; that is, a myriad of brilliant bands. Listening to the CDs is like taking a walk down Singapore’s rock music history and witnessing its evolution from the early ‘80s till today. In fact, at the very end of the whole journey, I cannot help but smile with pride at how far the local music scene has progressed. The recognition and acknowledgment given to the local music scene is epitomized by this compilation.

If this does not make you run down to the music store to buy this compilation, this should:“3 CDs for the price of 1! Cheap leh!”

+65 Indie Underground is available at all major music stores and available for online purchase at www.getupmerch.com. Special thanks to Universal Music Singapore.

Music: +65 Indie Underground

Text: Audrey LimPhoto: Universal Music Singapore

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A bumper crop of talented artistes from all over the world are set to touch down at our sunny island for the upcoming 10-day Mosaic Music Festival at the Esplanade. They will be joining local talents to

give performances representing a diverse range of music genres such as Alternative Rock, Reggae, Jazz and even Tango. Music lovers are in for a treat! ArtJam features five artistes performing at the festival.

Prices with an * have a special concessionary discount for students, NSF and senior citizens.

Text: Cherie Thio & Audrey LimPhotos: The Esplanade Co LtdMosaic Music Festival

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Kenny “Babyface” EdmondsWhen: 12th March 2010 @ 7.30pmWhere: Esplanade Concert HallHow Much: $40*, $60*, $80, $100, $120American musician Kenny Edmonds will open the Mosaic Music Festival with a bang on the 12th of March. His name might not ring a bell but you probably would have heard his R&B or Pop tunes on the airwaves before. This 10-times Grammy winner has written songs like “Take A Bow” for Madonna and “End of the Road” for Boyz II Men. Other famous acts he has written and produced songs for include Whitney Houston, Fall Out Boy, Kristiana DeBarge and Mary J. Blige. Not only has he won Grammy Awards, but he has also earned the public’s stamp of

approval. His songs have been a huge commercial success and have sold a whopping 500 million and counting units in singles and albums sales.Having 125 of his songs making it to the top-10 R&B and Pop hits all over the world is indeed no mean feat. Kenny Edmonds has definitely left his mark on the music scene as an iconic songwriter and music producer.

Kenny Edmonds has also proven his mettle as a musician, with 11 solo albums to his belt. Coming to the Esplanade to perform with his trusty guitar, audiences can expect to hear a repertoire of contemporary R&B tunes and acoustic rock songs in his smooth dulcet vocals. He even has a stretch of Indianapolis highway dedicated to him, christened the “Babyface” Highway. What else can you ask for? This Friday concert on the 12th of March will be the best way you will ever start your weekend.

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Pink MartiniWhen: 17th March 2010 @ 7.30pm

Where: Esplanade Concert Hall

How Much: $40*, $60*, $80, $100

If you were me and unknowingly visualised the singer Pink

when you read Pink Martini, then the both of us could not

be more wrong. Pink Martini is a band or ‘mini-orchestra’

of 12 international players on instruments such as violins,

the harp, guitar and drums. They are also joined by lead

vocalist China Forbes.

Undoubtedly as talented as Pink, China Forbes is also

their chief songwriter. Pink Martini is an all-rounded band

that plays many genres and they are supported by China

Forbes’ chameleon-like voice. From heavy French love

ballads to quiet and angsty Japanese songs, she changes

the tone of her voice to suit each different song perfectly.

Pianist and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale formed the band in 1994. Although the band was formed

in Portland, Oregon of North-Western America, they are not the average American band. Made up of

international singers from all corners of the world, they play songs in almost every language. This includes

Arabic, Japanese, French and Portuguese.

It’s like a United Nations meeting, with music instead of talk.

Their music perspective is to show an alternate side to America. Rather than familiar iconic American

symbols such as McDonalds, Starbucks, and Hollywood representing American commercialism culture,

Pink Martini’s American symbol is the Statue of Liberty. They want to show the melting pot culture in

America, with the patchwork of different races living together in the same country.

So don’t forget to book Pink Martini on the 17th of March!

Dinosaur Jr.When: 16th March 2010 @ 8pmWhere: Esplanade Theatre StudioHow Much: $40*, $60**, $80, $100

Dinosaur Jr is an alternative-rock band that hails from Massachusetts, USA. Bursting out on the music scene in 1984, the band has Murph on the drums, Lou Barlow on the bass and J Mascis on the guitar.

With legendary Kurt Cobain as one of their self-professed fans, Dinosaur Jr’s music has elements of rock and punk. They were known as the pioneers of their genre in the mid-eighties. Their almost deafeningly loud music with trademark guitar noise gives their songs an unmistakable distinctive flair.

This band shocked fans when they reunited in 2007 after an unhappy breakup 20 years ago. Nevertheless, their music seems to be better than ever. Their latest album “Farm” received glowing reviews from critics. One magazine went so far as to say “How Dinosaur Jr. came to be this good - arguably better than their late 80s/early 90s heyday - shall remain a glorious mystery”.

Rolling Stone wrote “Dinosaur Jr. set the standard for convulsive indie-rock guitar fireworks in the Eighties. Incredibly, the band’s original lineup - guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph - hasn’t lost a thunderous step.”

This is one band you should be looking out for.

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Shugo TokumaruWhen: 19th March 2010 @ 9.30pmWhere: Esplanade Recital StudioHow Much: $30*

Shugo Tokumaru cannot be more different from most well-known Japanese artistes in Singapore. Unlike Ayumi Hamasaki, Arashi and such, Shugo Tokumaru’s style is probably more similar to Jason Mraz’s breezy and quirky songs.

Shugo Tokumaru debuted in the year 2004 with his album “Night Piece”. His songs are influenced with elements of Folk and Electronica music. What makes his music so uniquely his is that he makes use of all sorts of instruments like guitar, melodica, banjo, flute, toy piano, drums and everyday items like ashtrays.

Self-proclaimed to play over 100 instruments, Shugo is as different as you can get. Through the different items used to combine with Shugo’s gentle vocals, the overall effect is deceptively yet charmingly lighthearted and warm.Despite being little known in Singapore, Shugo Tokumaru is an indie sensation in his home country Japan as well as the United States and Europe. Before flying to our island for the Mosaic Music Festival performance, he will be going on a music tour to UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Spain in January. His music has also earned warm reviews in Rolling Stone and other music publications.

Shugo records almost all of his music by himself with his Mac computer, and painstakingly records himself playing each instrument separately. In his live performance at the Mosaic Music Festival, the audience can expect Shugo singing all his songs while strumming his guitar in a 5-man band. Mark your calendar for the 19th of March and get your tickets quickly because they are selling out fast!

The Go! TeamWhen: 17th March 2010 @ 7.30pm, 18th March 2010 @ 10pmWhere: Esplanade Concert HallHow Much: $40*, $48* (on show date)Two of their videos are featured on YouTube – “Doing it Right” and “Milk Crisis”. The Go! Team might sound like a cheerleader group and the opening bars of “Doing it Right” is scarily reminiscent of a High School Musical tune. But don’t be fooled, because their music is in a different genre altogether. Borrowing elements of rock, their music is made up of mostly guitar, drums, Hip Hop rap and interestingly enough, Double Dutch chants. Double Dutch chants are the chants that little kids repeat as they swing two long ropes in opposite directions while other kids skip rope. The most prominent movie that featured Double Dutch chants was Disney’s “Jump In!” starring, ironically enough, High School Musical alumnus Cordin Bleu.Band leader and creator Ian Parton formed the band to create music with elements of guitar and Double Dutch

chants simply because those were his favourite things. The Go! Team is now a sextet, a mixture of British and Japanese musicians from both genders. Based in the UK, they debuted in 2004 with “Thunder, Lightning, Strike” and followed up with 2007’s “Proof of Youth”. The Go! Team is your way to go if you like happy and catchy songs. Their loud, joyful and fun-filled tunes that are perfect for parties will soon be echoing at the Mosaic Music Festival so catch them for an amazing evening!

ArtJam: Why is your music described as Indonesian dancehall-reggae?

Ras Muhamad: Reggae music has many styles and sub-genres; you have the “Roots” that was popularized by legendary artists such as Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, the Abyssinians and Burning Spear. You have “Lover’s Rock” that is mostly romantic tunes, then there is “Dub Reggae” that focuses more on ambient instrumental sounds such as reverbs, delays and echoes with little or no vocals at all. The most recent style of Reggae is Dancehall, born in the late 1980’s. Some call this style “Ragga” or “RaggaMuffin” due to the vocals being closer to “rapping” with a series of melodies and a distinct “riddim” (rhythm), two kick drums on the 1st and 2nd measure and a snare hit on the 4th measure.

I ‘m a “Roots” artist but I wanted to experiment with “Dancehall Music” and explore the sound because I found that no one in Southeast Asia was properly creating Dancehall music the right way. At worst

Dancehall music was relatively unknown and unfamiliar in Southeast Asia and sometimes mistakenly categorized as “HipHop and R&B”, many misunderstood that artists like Sean Paul and Shaggy are Reggae artists

themselves. So, I wanted to step up and introduce Dancehall to Southeast Asia without forgetting to respect the Jamaican people but I know that I cannot “copy and paste” the whole style because the Asian flavor has to be there, I need to make it more Indonesian.

ArtJam: Is there something distinctly Indonesian in terms of your musical style?

Ras Muhamad: Most of my Dancehall compositions are in minor and vocalized by chanting and eastern melodies, which are influenced by traditional Indonesian music.

I personally feel that Indonesian Dancehall lyrics have to be mostly in “Bahasa Indonesia”,

our official National language. In my song, “J-Town Rock”; I wanted to paint an audible picture of the hard and street life of Jakarta. The melodies of this tune are clearly eastern and the vocals are in a “Betawi”-like traditional chant that goes “HEY JAKARTA METROPOLITAN! /HEY JAKARTA KOTA IDAMAN!”.

Text: Audrey LimPhotos: The Esplanade Co Ltd

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Mosaic Music Festival

For the upcoming Mosaic Music Festival, Club M.I.A will feature rising talents from Asia who will be bringing a variety of music genres such as reggae, hip hop and rock to the our shores. The three artists are Indonesian dancehall-reggae artist Ras Muhamad,

Taiwanese hip-hop band Kou Chou Ching, and Thai funk-rock band Apartmentkhunpa. ArtJam speaks to them to find out more.

Interview

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It means “Jakarta Metropolis and the city of dreams”, a far reach where many had their hopes and dreams broken by the harsh reality of this colossal metropolis, the chorus of this tune is reminiscent of the street chants of the Betawi people, the original people of Jakarta. Other examples would be “Runaway” and “Hot like Fiya” both of the tunes are in eastern melodies. So there are 3 distinct characters for Indonesian Dancehall, language, vocalized chanting and the melodies.

ArtJam: Where do you draw inspiration from?

Ras Muhamad: I draw inspiration from life and my environment. My parents inspire me, my friends inspire me and the struggles of the Indonesian people inspire me. I admire those who live for others and stand up against injustice, their fighting-spirit and bravery motivates me to be more than an entertainer, that music is not just mere entertainment but a platform of social change and uplifting humanity. World leaders that still inspire me to this day include the 1st President of Indonesia Sukarno for social justice, independence and the building of character of the Indonesian nation. Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia for tolerance, unity, the brotherhood and goodwill of the human race. And Comandante ‘Che’ Guevara for equality, self-sacrifice, courage and determination. I try to channel their ideas, philosophy and vision through my music and live performances without overstating it. Their fighting-spirit is my spirit.

ArtJam: You were raised in the US, how does that influence your take on music in terms of sound and the lyrics that you write?

Ras Muhamad: Being raised in the U.S. broadened my mind for music, I had many influences from Hip-Hop and rock but I found “my calling” with Reggae music. Something about the Jamaican ‘riddim’ that hits the heart and soul, we call it the “vibez”, intricate and yet so simple. Music reaches all nations, color, race and creed. So my vision of music is to bridge and communicate my homeland and the world. The Indonesian people’s cry is “MERDEKA!” meaning

“Freedom!” therefore I must be free to create my music the way that I feel like making with no limitations by outside powers such as the Indonesian music industry. I pride myself on being an independent artist, not relying on record sales or major labels. I am free to collaborate with whom I choose; I am free to create and direct the music that I want therefore no one can steer, commercialize and change the sound productions that I wish. I rebel against that old way of thinking that every kind of music has to be produced in a “Pop” standard and formula.

ArtJam: Your songs mostly deal with subjects like “corruption, social injustice, political leadership and humanity”. Why is it that you choose to sing about such serious topics?

Ras Muhamad: Music especially Reggae music is reality music, I think that music has to reflect reality and the state that we are living in. It is my duty as a Reggae musician to be a voice of the younger generation, a voice of the people and a musician of the people; also a defender of the oppressed, the poor and the downtrodden. I do not choose to sing about corruption and injustice, it’s just that I feel that is necessary as a musician to convey the people’s feelings. The economic gap in Indonesia is widening day by day, the saying “the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer” is still relevant. We need to raise awareness and provoke thinking socially as a whole.

ArtJam: Is there any message that you hope to bring across through your music?

Ras Muhamad: My message in the music is simple, love and peace. But how can you have peace without justice? All you’d have is anger and frustration, when the poor has no right for education, social welfare, better healthcare and wages; music needs to play a part to raise society’s awareness of living conditions, to lift us all out to a better and just world. One way to build that world is to work collectively and have oneness of humanity’s struggle.

Ras Muhamad

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ArtJam: What does Kou Chou Ching mean?

Kou Chou Ching: Kou Chou Ching, literally translated, actually symbolizes a farmer working hard at harvesting his crops. However, it has a darker meaning which can be interpreted if you understand the Hokkien dialect. We deliberately played around with the language as we are a group that creates and composes songs using different languages. Linguistics is a deep and profound subject. Through the textured meaning in our group name, we hope that everyone will be able to seriously look at the existential purpose of every language and break the existing social hierarchy in languages.

ArtJam: One very distinctive quality about your music is the mixing of old and new sounds; like using traditional instruments while rapping. Why is this style of particular interest to the band?

Kou Chou Ching: Sampling is an important technique in hip hop music. Producers and musicians in America are very influenced and inspired by the tunes that they have grown up with, mainly blues, funk and soul music. Through hip hop, new life has been given to that genre of music, allowing them to gain acceptance today. Similarly, we are using traditional music from Taiwan to create a style of hip hop music that is distinct to Taiwan because we like traditional music and we hope that everyone will look at them seriously and love them. Through sampling, we hope to eject youth into the music and to provide an avenue for youths to regard the so called ‘traditional music’ differently.

ArtJam: The band blends traditional sounds like “Nan-Guan” with popular music styles. What is a “Nan-Guan”?

Kou Chou Ching: Nan-Guan is a type of traditional music. Compared to the more boisterous Bei Guan, Nan Guan is relatively softer. It originates from Quanzhou in Fujian Province and is often used when making offerings to the Gods. We often joke that Nan Guan is equivalent to the jazz music of Taiwan, but of course, not in terms of music theory. The music that we extract from Nan Guan usually has a graver tone and style, which is more similar to the Trip-Hop of western music.

ArtJam: Do you find it challenging having to blend traditional “Nan-Guan, Taiwanese Recital Chants, Taiwanese opera, Hakka Eight Notes, Taiwanese and aboriginal songs with Hip-Hop, Reggae and other popular music styles”

Kou Chou Ching: We faced a lot of problems when we first started composing, as our education in Taiwan did not include any contents on traditional Taiwanese music. When we were young, we learnt the western musical scores and style of music, thus we spent a lot of time accumulating information and fumbling through. In addition, due to the influence of western music, majority of Taiwanese’s traditional music has also been altered to different degrees. The most well preserved music is actually

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Kou Chou Ching

music from before World War II, but most of them are not obtainable from the market. Most of what we have been able to collate are versions that have been re-recorded or revised and a large portion do have varying degrees of disparities from the originals. Moreover, as this is a new form of music not done by others before, we do not have anyone to learn from either. Traditional Taiwanese music is also unlike western music which usually has a scale. In contrast, most of traditional Taiwanese music has a high pitch. One can arguably say that it doesn’t have a low pitch at all. Therefore, we need to add in a suitable Bass Line, and at the same time, make sure that we do not destroy the original style of the traditional music. It is also hard to sample these music as the traditional music does not have a 4/4 beat (i.e: it does not hav ea regular tempo). As a result, we need to listen to the music a lot of times before we can find a suitable portion to sample.

ArtJam: Any musical influences?

Kou Chou Ching: We are heavily influenced by Japanese DJ Krush. He infuses a lot of Japanese traditional instruments in his compositions and this is also what inspired us to try out this style of music.

ArtJam: What can one expect at a Kou Chou Ching show?

Kou Chou Ching: This will be our first trip to Singapore. Taiwanese Hip Hop music might be a stranger to Singaporeans who may be more accustom to a number of pop musicians. What we will be bringing is a different kind of Hip Hop music. Through our music, you will be able to experience a lot of the messages that we bring from Taiwan and we hope that everyone will be able to enjoy what we have prepared.

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Club M.I.A. featuring Ras Muhamad, Kou Chou Ching & Apartmentkhunpa with DVJ Azz When: 20th March 2010 @ 9.30pm

Where: Heineken Music ClubHow Much: $30*, $38* (on show date)

(* with one complimentary drink. All patrons must be above 18 years old)

ArtJam: What does your name mean and why did you choose that name?

Tul Waitoonkiat (vocalist of Apartmentkhunpa): Apartmentkhunpa is actually a name of an apartment building in Bangkok. We accidentally saw the building while we were eating noodles. I do not know the reason why we liked this name but it was just something that sounded catchy.

ArtJam: How would describe your music as?

Tul Waitoonkiat: Our music is very old fashioned. We love rock ‘n’ roll but each member comes from different musical background. To make it easy, we call our music “old school rock ‘n’ roll”.

ArtJam: What can one expect at an Apartmentkhunpa show?

Tul Waitoonkiat: Truthful storytelling and music improvisation with long solos done in a very old fashioned way) but if you don’t understand a word of our songs you can still be driven by our raw guitar sounds and danceable beats.

ArtJam: Why did you guys decide to play for Mosaic Music Festival?

Tul Waitoonkiat: We think it’s a good idea to go to Singapore to share our music with new audience, and hopefully we can make new friends

ArtJam: The band sings about a wide range of topics ranging from “politics, ancient myths, philosophy, fashion, Bangkok nightlife, and music business to pop culture”. Where do you draw inspiration from?

Tul Waitoonkiat: I write the songs to cure my depressions and sorrow. I think my inspirations come from the need to feel comfortable with myself, every time when something bothers me, I’ll write it down on paper and try to transform those negative thought into something that I can enjoy. For me songwriting is a form of psychotherapy.

Tul Waitoonkiat

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Paramore Live in Singapore: 7th March 2010

Before Twilight catapulted the young band into mainstream success, Paramore, hailing from Tennesse, USA, was already making waves in the rock music scene. Needless to say, all the girls wanted to be like front-woman Hayley Williams, while the boys dreamt of getting it on with her. Paramore consists of Hayley Williams (main vocals), Josh Farro (lead guitar/backing vocals), Jeremy Davis (bass guitar), Zac Farro (drums), and Taylor York (rhythm guitar. The Grammy nominated band is set to rock the stage at the Singapore Indoor Stadium come 7th March 2010 (finally!).

Ticket prices are S$68, S$88 and S$108, exclusive of booking fee.

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2010 is starting to seem like a really good year for music lovers in Singapore. Having international acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Green Day, Muse, just to name a few, grace our tiny shore with their performances at the start of the year, the upcoming months can only get better! In this issue,

we sass out must see acts at the annual Mosaic Music Festival and preview upcoming concerts in the month of March, oh yeah!

Imogen Heap Live in Singapore: 29th March 2010

Having earned the reputation of being somewhat of an indie goddess, Imogen Heap is bringing her own unique brand of indie, electronic tunes to Singapore as part of her Ellipse tour. The twice Grammy nominated artist will be performing on the 29th of March 2010 at The Esplanade Concert Hall. Since learning how to play music from a young age, Imogen Heap has dabbled in many musical projects; one of her most recognized projects was being part of the British electronic band, Frou Frou. Interesting fact: She plays instruments like the keytar, the hang and the array mbira. So be smart and grab your tickets before they are gone.

Ticket prices are S$68, S$88, S$108, S$128 and S$148, exclusive of booking fee.

Text: Audrey LimPhoto: Midas Promotions

Jeremy CowartConcert Preview

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head’s up

RCGNTN, which stands for the word recognition, is a website that is dedicated to promoting local talents who are, more often than not, constantly being sidelined by mainstream media channels in favour of established foreign acts. The notion of Singapore talents being inferior to their Western counterparts is not only passé but also ignorant. While some may choose to despair at the lack of support given, Samantha Lo and Lu Yawen have channeled their energy into creating RCGNTN. The website is seeing a growing number of contributors who write about topics ranging from music to architecture and culture. So if you feel fervently about our local talents, send in your articles to them and you could be part of the team. Indeed, RCGNTN walks the talk and its promise to promote local talents applies to all areas, not just music and art. When we asked them what constitutes to ‘talent’, they replied: “An individual passionate in the craft who will strive to perfect it in their own vision, no matter the consequences and obstacles they face. That deserves recognition.” Well put, we concur.

Text: Audrey LimPhoto: RCGNTN

MAKE LOCAL YOUR FOCAL

Website: http://rcgntn.com

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personality

West Grand

Text: Abha AptePhotos: West Grand Boulevard

Boulevard

West Grand Boulevard is a local band that’s been around for the last five years. Comprised of members Jude Lee (Bass), Bryan Gamboa (Vocals), Syed Hyder (Drums) Erik Evangelista (Guitars) and Dharma Sadasivan – (Guitars/Vocals) this 5-person band has been around the circuit long enough to have acquired a healthy fan-base. Known for their lively, energetic gigs, adrenaline-pumping alt-rock beats, and subsequent mosh pits, WGB’s earned the heavyweight street-cred that makes them a band to reckon with.

ArtJam: Which genre of music would you say your work belonged to, and what are your major influences?

Dharma: We were all always absolutely sure that we didn’t want to label our music as a particular kind. If I’d to answer that I’d say we don’t belong to any particular genre, because we don’t want to limit ourselves by being slotted into only one category. I guess our fans, though, would say we’re alternative pop-rock. But then we’re still growing as a band and we hope our musical style evolves continuously. And one of the main reasons being in WGB is fun is because of the freedom we allow ourselves, by playing exactly the kind of music we feel like playing, without giving in to genre classifications.

Jude: As for musical preferences - I like metal, Dharma was a classical violinist, Erik’s into ska-punk – we have different inclinations, but a lot of similar tastes which our music’s influenced by. The Foo Fighters – they’re a huge inspiration; they’re an amazing band.

ArtJam: How long have you all known each other and how did you meet and decide to form a band?

Bryan: We’d all been playing in different bands, actually, before WGB was formed. Our previous lead – Daphne Cook – and Jude knew each other since they were what, fifteen? And then they sort of started playing together. Syed joined us recently on drums and Bryan on vocals. As far as deciding to form WGB, we had sort of started playing together for fun.

Jude: We didn’t even have a proper name in the beginning. But after a while, the five of us had gotten pretty settled it, and WGB just fell to place.

ArtJam: How was your experience right when you had just begun your music career? Was it very hard breaking into the music scene?

Jude: This is a funny story, because we never really thought we’d get to where we are now. And things were crazy when we started, because first we used to jam together, and then we hooked up with organizers and things started happening.

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Dharma: Our sound engineer, Leonard Soosay, he’s a brilliant guy. He helped us out a lot. And then suddenly we were playing shows back to back. It was crazy, and really hectic, because we’d finish one show and we’d have to leave and pack up to reach the next one, and this used to go on continuously. But getting a break was something we hadn’t planned or expected, and since then it’s been good, though maybe a little slow.

Jude: It’s taken five years to release this new album, but the sound of it’s really huge, it’s a lot of growth since we first started out.

ArtJam: You’re releasing a full length album this year, right? And it’s your second album?

Bryan: Yes, that’s right. We’re five years old now, our first album was called ‘Waiting for You’, we released that four years ago in 2006. We’re going to be releasing our second album very soon now. We’re almost done with it, actually, and it’ll be out in the next, what, three weeks?

ArtJam: Can you tell me a little about your new album?

Dharma: Content-wise, it’s quite different, from our old album. It sounds really, really fresh. It deals with a lot of very diverse themes - there are some political themes.

Jude: Yes, Dharma’s the one who can get political subjects right without going too far into things.

Dharma: And then there are themes of social perspectives, of positivity in life, of death – this album is about a lot of different things, and they mainly centered around human condition.

ArtJam: How would you describe your growth from your first album – “Waiting For You” to the one you’ve just come out with?

Jude: We’ve changed a lot since we started out and made that album, we’ve become so much more mature. I think that this new album reflects that, lyrically and otherwise.

Bryan: When we started out things were different, but after such a long time of being together we’ve all grown as persons, and we’ve definitely let this influence the album. So yes, maturity is the one thing that’ll be most evident if you check out our new album.

Dharma: But it definitely has that energetic, loud, dance-friendly feel to it. We’ve always wanted to make music that we really believed in, regardless of anything else, and we think we’ve achieved that pretty well here.

ArtJam: What are the main themes or topics of most of your songs?

Dharma: Well, it depends. Our first album had a track I wrote for my ex, another Daphne wrote for her ex. It had this breakup feel going on. But we still retain the loud, catchy sounds and

work them into our songs. And with our new album, things have gotten amazingly fresh, it sounds huge. There’s no other word for it.

Jude: I think we sound much better, and so much bigger. The long break definitely helped us get a very new feel for this album.

ArtJam: Which tracks to you perform most at shows, and which ones do the crowds respond to the best?

Jude: DKNY, without a doubt. It always gets the energy going, and somehow the crowd always responds the best to that. Now We Will is pretty popular too. Come to think of it, the way people react with the name DKNY is funny, because we never really had a meaning for it. Dharma decided to call it that, and he has no clue what it means, either!

ArtJam: Which were your best and worst stage performances so far?

Jude: Philippines, it’s got to be Philippines. Philippines and Baybeats, actually. Everything was fantastic, and the crowds!

Dharma: The crowds there actually appreciate what the music’s all about and there’s so much energy; they were fabulous places to play at. And the worst, well, we’ve had some bad experiences, with technical failures and stuff, but nothing really stands out as awful.

Jude: We’d played in NUS a long time ago, for example, and that was pretty bad. It was an acoustic set, and Bryan’s microphone stopped working, Dharma had problems with the equipment. And then there was this one time when Bryan – he gets really into it when he sings – he was doing this spin and he just toppled over, it was hilarious. So yeah, we occasionally have moments like these.

ArtJam: Other than being part of this band, what other work do you do?

Dharma: I’m studying law in SMU right now, actually, I’m a grad student there. I used to do research before, for this health care company. Jude teaches guitar at Timbre Music Academy, Bryan works at an events firm. Syed’s actually a businessman, you could call him that. And Eric, he’s into freelance broadcasting.

ArtJam: The best thing about being a locally well-known band?

Jude: I don’t know about that, ‘well-known’? (laughs) But we always thought that the best thing we could achieve as a band was people liking us for WGB’s music, not its band members. Compared to some other bands, perhaps, we’re all pretty low-key, and being known for our work instead of our personal lives or anything like that – it’s the best appreciation we could receive. And I dare say that we might have even achieved this in a way.

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heads up

One of Singapore’s best kept secrets is Doinky Doodles, a cosy shop found at 33 Bali Lane. Selling a diverse range of handmade items from T-shirts to postcards

under one roof, it is a shopping haven for the shopper with a taste for quirky designs with a unique twist.

A few streets away from Bugis Junction, Doinky Doodles is located on the second floor of a shop house. Local designer Weng Pixin, 26, is the brains behind this humble shop. Having studied painting at LASELLE College of Arts, Pixin has been sewing her own toys since she was ten. She created the Doinky Doodles label in May 2008 and explains to ArtJam the meaning behind the quaint name.

“It was invented after a series of frantic and fun text messaging with a friend. Doinky is a made-up word to describe the fun and colourful nature of my works, and Doodles represent the drawings, sketches and random ideas that come to me before every fresh creation.”

Vastly different from your usual department store selling only mass produced items, every product in Doinky Doodles is one-of-a-kind. Her passion for creating her designs and pieces can be seen in her dedication to complete every item by herself.

Yet, all her fantastic works share one thing in common. They exude creativity, positivity and fun. If you are feeling blue, this is the place to go for an immediate lift to the spirits. The moment you open the door to the staircase, you are immediately greeted by cheerfully painted animals on the walls. The warm atmosphere in the shop with happy colourful items surrounding you will certainly bring a smile to your face.

Playing in the sandbox with Doinky Doodles

When asked how she comes up with design ideas, Pixin says that imperfection makes up a big part of her inspiration.

“Imperfection embraces the fun and freedom in art making. There’s room for mistakes, there are no rigid rules to abide by. Everything is made up. Art making should be fun, like playing with mud in the sandbox.”

She adds that the individualized faces on all her plush toys are inspired by various kinds of personalities, “from cartoon characters… to any intriguing individuals you see while walking around the neighborhood.”

She is not only a talented designer, but one with an environment cause to boot. Seeing it as a “duty to be as environmentally-conscious as possible”, every product is made using recycled materials. Even product labels and shop promotional leaflets are printed on excess paper left from printers.

Pixin also believes in giving back to the community. Whenever she has wholesale orders, she liaises with the Mother-&-Child Project that gives women from disadvantaged families sewing jobs.

Doinky Doodles is the perfect place to shop for a unique present for a special someone or the decoration to liven up your working space while you are studying. If you cannot find anything to suit yourself in the shop, you can also make a custom order. What more are you waiting for? Head down to Doinky Doodles for a different shopping experience now!

Text: Cherie ThioPhotos: Doinky Doodles

Location: 32 Bali Lane (2nd Floor)Contact: 6292 2248Website: www.doinkydoodles.com

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