St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, predominantly an indie music festival that began in 2006 in Australia, made it’s way to Singapore since 2011 and it’s about to get bigger and better in 2013!
With the rapidly growing indie subculture in Singapore, the holding of Laneway Festival is only apt to feed these hungry music lovers. Due to the overwhelming crowd from the previous two years, the new venue for the Singapore show has been moved to The Meadow, at Gardens by the Bay. With the panoramic view of cooled conservatories and the cityscape as backdrop, I’m sure Laneway Festival would be transfixing.
Picture yourself with a couple of beers in plastic cups, the blazing Singaporean heat, and your favorite bands playing consecutively one after another, all only for SGD $145! That’s approximately only $14 per band!!! Can you spell W O R T H?
Not convinced enough? Here’s the stunning line up for the 2013 Laneway Festival in Singapore (with additional special acts exclusive to Singapore)!
ALT-J
Four talented British musicians that met in Leeds University form ∆, pronounced as ALT-J. ∆’s sounds are very tricky, having been inspired by a very different mix including Radiohead, Metronomy, hip-hop and classical music. “Tessellate” became such a hit single that it got on the Brit Top 20 charts and Mumford & Sons even covered the single at the BBC Live Lounge. ∆ started as supporting acts and has grown so huge that they are scheduled to play at the 2013 Reading and Leeds Festival. This band is a definite must-watch if you intend to experience tra la la in your snatch fits pleasure.
BAT FOR LASHES
Also known as Bat For Lashes, Natasha Khan is an English singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist that released three studio albums, two of which she received Mercury Prize nominations. The “Fur and Gold” album became such a hit that Khan appeared at the Glastonbury Music Festival and also opened for Radiohead a couple of times. Her charming songs, executed by her powerhouse vocals are definitely to be noticed at the festival.
CLOUD NOTHINGS
Cloud Nothings is an indie rock, neo-grunge four piece that recently released their latest album “Attack On Memory” with Carpark Records and was the first album in 2012 to receive “Best New Music” status on Pitchfork.com. Be sure to catch this “fun, frenetic and crisp debut that is more resplendent than his lo-fi scuzz” as quoted by Thomas Ward from NME.
DIVINE FITS
Divine Fits is unlike any ordinary, consisting of three musicians who are veterans in the indie rock scene (Spoon front man Britt Daniel, Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs’ Dan Boeckner and Sam Brown of New Bomb Turks). Usually, collaboration outcomes could go either way. Thank God Divine Fits slam positivity on reception and also recently appeared on The Late show with David Letterman. Who can resist watching the collaboration of three of indie rocks finest dudes? Nobody.
GOTYE
Indie pop/experimental singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gotye saw his career going spiral this year. His single “Somebody That I Used To Know” has become a number one hit in 18 countries (mind-blowing) and his success does not stop there! His single has been covered by many famous singers and his album “Making Mirrors’’ have also gained excellent reviews from the New York Times and Pitchfork. Laneway Festival would not be complete without one of Australia’s most talented.
JAPANDROIDS
Brian King and Dave Prowse form the amazing rock duo also known as Japandroids. This flying duo has music to offer with a desperate and lustful vigour that cranks up an impressive sound. Their debut album “Post-Nothing” brought the band to fame, scoring them over 200 shows in more than 20 countries. Japandroids are reputable for their energetic live performances so I suggest you should not miss!
KIMBRA
Kimbra Lee Johnson (stage name “Kimbra”) is well known for her collaboration with Gotye in hit single “Somebody that I used to know”. It’s a shame that some people think that her success stops there. This New Zealand hottie released her debut album “Vows” that hit #5 in Australia with songs that will prove her ripen talent and her voice, a graceful instrument right on it’s own. Pretty sure so many guys (& girls) are going to be ogling at her physical appeal and talent on Laneway day.
KINGS OF CONVENIENCE
Indie folk-pop duo Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe make up the very quaint Kings of Convenience, with four albums (Quiet is the New Loud, Versus, Riot on an Empty Street, and Declaration of Independence) to their name. Their mellow pop sound is heavily reliant on acoustic guitars and soft wispy vocals created by both members. If you missed their show at Esplanade in 2010, you better not miss these Norwegians tingling set at Laneway in 2013!
NICOLAS JAAR
Nicolas Jaar, of all we know is that he provided proof with his touch in everything. The rising music producer appear to have overlooked every single evolutionary step electronic music has taken over the last four years since he opened his own record label ‘Clown and Sunset’, preferring to conjure beats with emotions and at a slow, but dampening pace. At 22, his debut album “Space Is Only Noise” sees Nicolas up the production values somewhat although there is more work to be done by him. It’s easy to run out of adjectives where music is concerned, but how many ways can you say ‘genius’? His mix tapes were too good to be real and imagine what he’s capable to do for the next 20 years. This guy right here proves that his ideas are more than worthy of a nostalgic glittering Wurlitzer jukebox. Which, let’s face it, is just what trance/house music should sound like.
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
Of Monsters And Men portray themselves as a bunch of musicians who don’t drift away from their genre. With the number of indie bands growing in the present-day, the five-piece Icelandic band get enough face time to justify their existence with melodica, glockenspiel, accordion/keys and a trumpet to aid their creativity. Through acoustic live sets, which balance their vocals well, it’s no wonder why indie-folk bands like them are admired and remain honest to their music. A new kind of Bjork supposedly, their ‘My Head Is An Animal’ album is worth the listen. Trust me when I say you’ll be looping the album in your ears for the entire week.
REAL ESTATE
On the surface, Real Estate has all the makings of a good indie rock band. The boys are naïve and always on the run for inspirations to produce a well done album. Martin (vocal/guitar), Matt (guitar), Alex (bass), Jackson (drums) and Jonah (keys/guitar) seem to get better and better with each track they’ve worked on since their debut self-titled album. Based in New Jersey, the boys did not struggle to deliver with their recent album “Days”. One of their most distinctive traits is their guitar arrangement originality evident in tracks like ‘It’s Real’, ‘Three Blocks’ and ‘Municipality’. Alex’s bass line however is nothing short of a jaw-dropping sound but his style is enough to give the fans a hard-on. Coachella saw them this year and so should you in 2013 at Laneway!
POLICA
If you haven’t heard of Polica, please consider a life reflection. You, my friend, need to drown yourself in Polica’s richness of indie reverberations that is a blend of beautiful electronic tunes and stimulating artistry. The five-piece American indie rock band became noticeable after songs like ‘Dark Star’ and ‘Wandering Star’ played in local radio stations. Channy Leaneagh possesses a voice that will tug your emotional heartstrings. Try listening to “Lay Your Cards Off” feat. Mike Noyce of Bon Iver and you will agree. Polica seized the chance to transform auto tune into a whole new dimension of voice-altering brilliance that promises to be truly exciting. Brilliant indeed.
TAME IMPALA
As soon as a band is labeled “psychedelic” they are thereafter recognized a certain set of characteristics. Tame Impala brings a whole set of dreamlike sound arrangements to the table highly favorable to stoners. This 5-piece Australian psychedelic rock band is highly anticipated especially after the success of their second album “Lonerism”. The word amazing does not even do justice to the fine mixture of synth sounds Tame Impala produces. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT miss their set. It has Goosebumps written all over it.
YEASAYER
It is such a pleasure to be having Yeasayer perform for Laneway Festival in Singapore for the second time! Brooklyn’s triumvirate of indie psych mavericks – Chris Keating, Anand Wilder and Ira Wolf Tuton – have so much more to offer this time round having recently released their third album “Fragrant World”. With the raving reviews this third album has been getting, you know missing their set is unacceptable.
LANEWAY FESTIVAL 2013
Date: 26th January 2013 (Saturday)
Venue: The Meadow @ Gardens By The Bay, Singapore
Prices: $145 (standard), $493 (4 Ticket Bundle @ $123.25 per ticket), $350 (VIP), $160 (at the venue) – excluding SISTIC fee
Tickets: On sale via SISTIC and EventClique
Text By: Nadiah H.