Venue: Fort Canning Park, Singapore
Date: 12th February 2012
Promoter: Chugg Entertainment
Review by: Dorothy T. & MTGH
Special Thanks: Sammy & the Laneway Festival team
Photos by SJ
Laneway Singapore 2012: The Indie Summer Camp
After its debut last year, Laneway Festival returns to Singapore in 2012 thanks to Chugg Entertainment. Held at Fort Canning Park for the second year in a row, the setup had undergone a slight change and featured two stages side-by-side this time around. A staple though, was yet another diverse line up – this time consisting of 14 bands and musicians performing in one day to almost 8,000 fans from around Asia.
Following their stint around Australia and New Zealand, the Singapore line up which featured Cults, Yuck, Chairlift, Austra, Girls, The Drums, Anna Calvi, Laura Marling, Twin Shadow, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Toro Y Moi, The Horrors, Feist, and M83 made its way over to Southeast Asia in February. The event drew fans from all over the region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines, following the intense promotions that lead up to Laneway. The artists were more than ready to bring their live shows here, as we found out from the brief interview sessions backstage prior to their performances.
Cults
The New York indie duo comprising Madeline Folin and Brian Oblivion was the first Laneway act to perform, playing a short but solid set. Their set comprised of songs off their self-titled debut, namely “Most Wanted”, “You Know What I Mean”, and “Oh My God”; fan favourites such as “Go Outside” garnered a sing along and drew appreciative cheers. Cults definitely exuded had the vibe that the festival is known for.
Yuck
British indie rock band Yuck were up next. A relatively new act, the quartet only has one record under their belt which they performed most songs off, including “The Wall”, “Georgia”, and “Shook Down”. Guitarist Max Bloom also showcased some remarkable guitar work on the distortion-laden “Get Away”, making it an early favourite. We certainly did not expect drummer, Jonny Rogoff to go “What’s up Singapooooooore! How’s it going?” at the end of “Suicide Policeman”, but that’s exactly what made the festival exciting; it wasn’t all always the lead singers or lead guitarists who were communicating with the crowd.
Chairlift
Synthpop duo Chairlift had freshly released their second full-length record titled Something in January, so it was only natural that their show was namely to promote the new album. Indeed, six out of eight of the songs on the setlist were from Something, and the remaining two (“Bruises” and “Evident Utensil”) were from their 2008 record, Does It Inspire You. Polachek gestured to the fans to sing along to “Bruises”, and sing they did. The New York pair were fascinating live, to say the least.
Austra
The first of two Canadian acts to take the stage was Austra. While they were probably one of the lesser-known performers on the roster, the electronic group certainly won over new fans by the end of their 40-minute set. With dancers decked in rather elaborate and bright coloured outfits whose overall appearance jived well with their songs, they certainly stood out amidst their peers. Fronted by Katie Stelmanis, the trio’s setlist comprised of songs from their 2011 debut (including bonus tracks!), Feel It Break. While it took awhile to warm up to their music, many were later seen participating in the fun.
Girls
Following Austra were Californian indie rockers, Girls. Taking fans by surprise by opening their set with “I Will Always Love You”, their tribute to the late Whitney Houston was nothing but captivating and full of emotion. With the audience singing the song word for word, one can’t help but feel the outpouring grief at the loss of a great talent. Departing from the somber start, the band picked up the pace with classics such as “Laura” (off their debut record titled Album), “Heartbreaker” (Broken Dreams Club EP), and “My Ma” (Father, Son, Holy Ghost). Girls ended their set with the gorgeous sounds of “Carolina”.
The Drums
New York indie rock favourites The Drums had performed a headlining concert in Singapore last May, and Laneway marked the group’s second show on the island in just nine months. The sextet entertained fans with an equal mix of songs off both their self-titled debut and their sophomore effort, Portamento. It was undoubtedly very easy to get lost in their catchy music and insanely difficult to resist singing along. Frontman Jonathan Pierce pulled his signature dance moves throughout their performance as the band cruised through their nine song setlist which included top fan picks “Let’s Go Surfing” and “Forever And Ever, Amen”.
Anna Calvi
Dressed in a striking red long sleeved blouse and black slacks, Anna Calvi’s getup was simple yet elegant. The English musician’s set reeked of perfection; there was so much intensity in the way the songs were being delivered – everything from the stunning vocals, to its heartbeat in the drums. Despite being backed only by a drummer and a percussionist, there was tremendous energy and passion from each of them that contributed to the unified performance. Her cover of “Jezebel” penned by Wayne Shanklin was an undeniable highlight for us. “Rider To The Sea”, “Suzanne & I”, and “Blackout” off her debut record also appeared in her short set and made for a powerful introduction to her music.
Twin Shadow
As the evening approached, George Lewis Jr. – better known as his stage name Twin Shadow – showcased his music to the audience. Decked in a blazer, hat, and armed with his guitar, Lewis took fans on an incredible musical journey with the likes of “Tryant Destroyed” and “When We’re Dancing”. And who can forget “Forget”; such a poignant tune and with a melody like that, it was easy to want to hit the imaginary replay button of this beautiful rendition.
Laura Marling
English folk darling Laura Marling’s set was a refreshing change and proved to be anomaly from the earlier acts of the day in which crunching guitars and big choruses were heavily featured. Marling’s gig equipment predominantly focused on acoustic guitars and other instruments such as the cello and banjo, which provided a different sound altogether. Her sweet, calming voice and unique story telling ability was unbelievably mesmerizing. The rather upbeat “Devil’s Spoke” lead the set, an excellent choice to start with. 22-year-old Marling could be seen pulling the smallest of smiles at the start of “Rambling Man” when fans were singing along with her.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
NYC indie pop band TPOBPAH encountered a slight hiccup early on in their set when they were experiencing issues with their sound. The minor interruption however, did not deter the group from putting their best foot forward and they certainly gave fans their all in their 45-minute performance. Not that the fans cared about the disruption, as they were already seen having a good time when the band finally kicked it in full gear. The quartet’s show contained songs from all their releases, set to please fans from all different eras. The Drums’ Connor Hanwick appeared on stage the second time that evening, playing guitar with the band.
Toro Y Moi
Chazwick Bundick or Toro Y Moi as he is known to the masses, took it in his reins to infuse the evening with his chillwave tunes that really struck the party fever within the crowd. His music provided the kind of balance that was missing in earlier sets; something a little more fun and light hearted. Bundick started with “New Beat”, and the set swiftly continued with “Talamak” and “All Alone”. Drawing the setlist from his two-album repertoire, the majority of the songs performed came from his 2011 sophomore effort, Underneath The Pine. Despite the lack of communication with the crowd, it was his music that did all the talking.
Feist
Canadian singer-songwriter Feist certainly turned up the heat with her spectacular performance that lasted almost an hour. Playing an impressive 10 songs for her fans, Feist had a stage presence that was discernable even from the back of the venue. Feist’s music in this live setting was already a high point on its own, and she wasn’t one to shy away from interacting with the audience either – from encouraging them to sing with her on Let It Die’s “Mushaboom” to thanking them for their support, she was appreciative of it all. “I Feel It All” in particular successfully captured the energy of the festival and it was a moment when everything just felt in sync. A carefully picked combination of songs from The Reminder (“My Moon My Man”, “So Sorry”) and Metals (“A Commotion”, “Comfort Me”) left the crowd hungry for a full-fledged concert.
The Horrors
The English shoegaze group started their show with “Endless Blue”, a track off their recent and third full-length record, Skying. Complimenting the mood of this performance were blue lights all around, encasing the band members who were all clad in black. Primary Colours’ “Mirrors Image” and “Scarlet Fields” also made an appearance in their set, as did more tracks off Skying. Despite “Still Life” being a slow number, the band’s delivery did not fail to please.
M83
As Laneway Singapore approached its end, the French electronic group had the honour of being the last and final band to perform after nearly 12 hours of live music. “How are you guys doing?” asks frontman Anthony Gonzales to the captive audience as they launched into their first song, “Teen Angst”. M83’s set was nothing short of outstanding, and even so that is such a modest way of describing the band’s performance. Songs off Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming were at the forefront of their setlist (“Reunion”, “Steve McQueen”), and the festival reached its peak during “Midnight City”. The ethereal feel in their music and the perfect blend of vocals by Gonzales and Morgan Kibby on this track in particular gave us goosebumps.
It was sad to see Laneway Singapore come to a close, but all good things must come to an end. Many of the artists described Laneway felt like “summer camp” to them, and it truly had that spirit of camaraderie that they speak of.
We were left wondering, can 2013’s top this? Guess we’ll all find out soon enough!