In what was a banner weekend for the local music, featuring everything from 100 Festival to The Steve McQueens’ album launch, it was Baybeats 2017 at The Esplanade which dominated the conversation in the Singaporean scene.

As always, the festival featured a bevy of outstanding alternative acts across a gamut of genres (from punk and post-rock to shoegaze experimental ethnic music) throughout all three days - and amazingly enough, it was all free!

Bandwagon was there to take it in all in (and to take some pictures). So here’s the awesomeness of Baybeats 2017 as viewed through our lens.

DAY ONE

Their Friday programming certainly kicked things off on the right foot, featuring big regional acts such as Indonesia’s Barasuara, Malaysia’s Toko Kilat and the Philippines’ Greyhoundz, alongside local standouts such as Forests, This Is Atlantis and FXTRT (among many others).

Barasuara (taken by Ambry Nurhayati)

Barasuara (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Decipher (taken by Ambry Nurhayati)

 Forests (taken by Ambry Nurhayati)

 Forests (taken by Ambry Nurhayati)

 Baybeats Conversations (taken by Jensen Ching)

 FXTRT (taken by Ambry Nurhayati)

 FXTRT (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Greyhoundz (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Hauste (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Toko Kilat (taken by Eng Ngee)

DAY TWO

Saturday’s line-up definitely ramped things up with a number of must-see acts, highlighted by an incredible performance by of Australian rock band Rag N’ Bone. There were too many standout sets to name - ranging from Mi Ultimo’s metal intensity to the welcome return of Two Seas - but the moment that everyone remembers is Adel Rashid violently thrashing his guitar at the climax of Amatuer Takes Control’s breathtaking set.

 
Amateur Takes Control (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Bakers in Space (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Mi Ultimo (taken by Kristina Cortez)

Obedient Wives Club (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Rag n' Bone (taken by Kristina Cortez)

 Subsonic Eye (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Supersect (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Tides (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Tim De Cotta (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Two Seas (taken by Jensen Ching)

DAY THREE

The final day showcased a stellar performance from India’s The F16s alongside the electic virtuosity of avant-garde Japanese outfit Qu - but the overseas acts were far from the only attractions. From Generation 69 to Astreal to sub:shaman, Singaporean music showed off incredible quality and diversity all evening. But we must say, it was the intriguing collaboration between SA and NADA (melding improvisations on traditional Chinese instrumentation with infectious retro-futuristic Malay pop) that stole the show, and perhaps the entire festival.

Astreal (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
Every Rage I Seek (taken by Lee Jia Wen)

 
The F16s (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Forests (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Generation 69 (taken by Lee Jia Wen)

 Generation 69 (taken by Lee Jia Wen)

 Qu (taken by Jensen Ching)

 
SA x NADA (taken by Jensen Ching)

 sub:shaman (taken by Jensen Ching)

 Villes (taken by Jensen Ching)