Baybeats 2013: The Report

ESTIMATED 

We spent three whole days at the scene, running between stages, planning out 'Who To Watch' lists everyday, being nice to people and making friends, making new music discoveries - a tiring weekend nonetheless but despite hitching the Night Rider everyday over the weekend, Baybeats 2013 was one hell of a festival. New bands, good old ones, side projects and the sorts, we've come up with a report on who we saw over the weekend. In alphabetical order! With a selection of visual assortment. 


BANDWAGON TV

7nightsatsea

Intro please: One of the 7 bands that made it from the auditions for Baybeats, post-rock represent. 

Great start: Opening song ('Intro/Lighthouses') began with acoustic guitar and floor toms and it gradually built up to proper grandiosity. Whoa. 

Heartfelt: With the backdrop and breeze coming in, everything was very cinematic and emotive. 

I've Just Seen a Face: Keith the guitarist was all hair the entire time.

A Vacant Affair 

Job done: You know you've reached rockstar levels when you've got the crowd shouting your name before you start. 

Award: Joshua deserves an award for how hard he swings around with his guitar.

For old times: Enjoyable set, everyone sang their hearts out. 

Enjoy yourself(ie): Best and most populated selfie ever. See for yourself.

Busco (MY)

Fun Fact: Electronic music magician Darren Ashley on drums. 

Sound sample: Crisp and full guitar tone, layered with memorable melodic loops.

Eyeing: That sweet Duesenberg guitar. 

Award: Bandwagon Boss Clarence's favourite

Dyeth

Genre: Death grind. 

Uniforms: White shirts with blood stains. Gritty. 

Gripe: Set was too early and people were still too shy to mosh. Still, never too early for death grind. 

Electrico

Welcome back!: 'Love In A New Wave' undoubted crowd favourite. Recognisable within the first 2 seconds.

Still got it: Plus points for groovy basslines.

Special guest: Guitarist from Nothing To Declare (JP) joined in. They used to session together, cool fact. 

Personnel recommendation: Add a keyboardist! Clarence thinks he can help. 

Force Vomit

Sounds like: Loud Hari Raya songs with English lyrics, we like. 

Not giving up: We're not letting them leave the stage until they perform 'Siti'! 

Who was there: ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE.

Hightime Rebellion (ID)

Vocals: Powerful and haunting.

Vibes: A bit of funk, a lot of soul, some disco, throw in new wave. Man, so vibey aka dancey.

Cool sound sampling: Sampled 'One Way Or Another' by Blondie in one of their songs. Also, only band where the bad feedback glitch was working to their advantage.

L'Alphalpha (ID)

Sound sample: Dreampop, shoe gaze and fuzzy feelings.

Vibes: Whimsical, dreamy, music to ponder life to on a Sunday evening.

#deep: "Imagination will set you free from the prison of your agony." - 'Reverie'

Solidarity: Matchy-matchy outfits. 

Best of both worlds: Only band to play indoors and outdoors, and they played two really good sets. 

Modulogeek (PH)

Sound sample: Tasty, glitchy beats with an ear for sweet melodies. 

Lookalike: Guy looks like Craft Spells mastermind Justin Vallesteros. 

Art show: Trippy visuals that sat well with the music. 

Notables: Nice remix of 'Brothers on a Hotel Bed' by Death Cab for Cutie, nice remix of PH band Outerhope's 'Lost In Numbers' (Link)

Award: Editor Delfina's favourite of Baybeats

Nothing To Declare (JP)

Energy: +10

Proof: Guitarist Yoshi's strap snapped and had to be replaced during the set

Welcome back!: Frontman Mas Kimura used to play in pop-punk bands Saw Loser and Pug Jelly

Ice-breaking games: To kill time, Mas recited from memory the names of local bands. "Anyone knows ______?" 

Pastelpower

Sound sample: Serene, bubbly electro-pop tunes waxing tales of whimsical characters. 

Roll call: Performed by a demure Cherie Ko, adorned in pink overalls and Amateur Takes Control guitarist Adel Rashid. 

Side project extraordinaire: Also in Bored Spies and Obedient Wives Club.

 

The Pinholes

Favourite line of all time: "My life has been so wonderful and miracle."

Surprises: Covered 'Lithium' by Nirvana and even as fans, we only realised halfway through the song. 

Classy dudes: Turtlenecks, purple jackets, shiny lace-ups.

Also a: Bossa nova jazz band.

Also a: Comedy troupe. 

The Psalms

Loud noises: Explosive alternative rock with elements of hardcore and noise-rock.

This guy is impressed: The band were really on form. Highlight of the entire Baybeats, in my opinion.

Between Two Lungs: Frontwoman Suhaili was exceptional with her wide vocal range and divine stage presence.

Validation: After a song mid-set, we could hear Gurmit Singh from the NDP rehearsal not far away say "excellent job" over the Marina Bay Platform sound system. Couple that with fireworks that appeared throughout the set, safe to say Singapore approves of the Psalms.

Award: Writer Daniel Peters' favourite

The Sets Band

Easy Like Saturday Evening: Even on a post-Wormrot high, we were lulled into the bluesy and mellow rock vibes of The Sets Band.

Admirable: The vocals. Nice high register man, we're jealous.

Plug: Have you got your Sets Band merch yet? It's lovely

Award: Writer Deborah Ong's favourite

sub:shaman

Sound sample: Mathy/proggy alt-rock with tight musicianship and an off-kilter sense of melody. 

Keeping tabs: At parts abrasive, atmospheric and even catchy, we can't wait to see what sub:shaman has next.

Props: Jets and speedboats were back (see Baybeats 2012 report). Gunfire sat in surprisingly well with the music. (okay not really but it was still cool)

These Brittle Bones 

Who: A 14-year-old musician that made us re-evaluate what we did at his age (I spent most of my time designing video game covers on Photoshop. That's something...right?). 

Full band: The presence of other musicians, especially the addition of string players, helped form a fuller sound live.

Godspeed: Chris Jones is definitely maturing into a potent singer-songwriter with a potentially successful future.

withyouathome (TH)

Soundscapes: Post-rock, with some vocals, some Explosions In The Sky vibes

Post-Baybeats: Did a show with ANECHOIS. withyouathome x ANECHOIS, didyougowatchthem?

The United Nations: One is Japanese, one is Irish, the other two are Thai.

+10: Bassist was wearing a Jake (Adventure Time) hat.

Wormrot 

Legit: Arguably the most successful Singaporean export to hit international markets. 

Sound sample: Furious, hard-as-nails grindcore. We like.

Solidarity: Insane moshpit. Everyone jumped in.

Encore: "F*ck it, we're gonna play 2 songs since our songs are short anyway" frontman Arif says after the crowd chanted for one more song.

We found love at a grindcore gig: A PROPOSAL. "Tak grindcore langsung." (This is so not grindcore at all)

Award: Common favourite of the Bandwagon editors

YouthWreck

Sound sample: Aggressive alt-rock band heavily influenced by grunge music. 

Youth of Gold: You could almost smell the teen spirit (hurhur). Drummer was especially tight. 


Words: Clarence Chan, Daniel Peters, Delfina Utomo


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