Best live music acts in Singapore

Where there was once a death of local music, the last few years have seen a number of live music acts pop up on the scene. No doubt encouraged by the existence of dedicated live music venues such as Timbre and the newly opened TAB, here's a gig guide to the best five live acts performing around the island. 

Jack & Rai

Genre: Folk. Cover versions of Dave Matthews, Tim Reynolds, and John Mayer.

Fans say: “Why don’t you guys do a Jack & Rai Christmas song?”

Best song: "'The Fa-la-la-la Song' by us!"

Stage trick: "We’re quite chill and laid back. We just relate our stories to people."

Where:
Wednesdays, 9:30 p.m.: Beer Market (#01-17/02-02 Block 3B Clarke Quay, River Valley Road)
Thursdays, 9:30 p.m.: Contemporary Melting Pot and Bar, CM-PB (#01-05, Block 7 Dempsey Road)
Fridays, 9:45 p.m.: Beer Market (#01-17/02-02 Block 3B Clarke Quay, River Valley Road)
Sundays, 9:30 p.m.: Wala Wala (31 Lorong Mambong)

Ngak

Genre: Alternative rock and folk.

Fans say: “When is your solo album coming out?”

Best song: "No particular song. Every song means and feels different and special to me."

Stage trick: "Sticking out my tongue? Smiling a lot when I sing? Jumping around like a lunatic when the music is rocking? I’m not sure ... I need to watch myself perform to know what I always do on stage."


Where:
Tuesdays, 8-10 p.m.: OverEasy (#01-06 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Road)
Wednesdays, 7 p.m.: Wala Wala (31 Lorong Mambong)
Thursdays, 8 p.m.: Loof (331 North Bridge Road)
Fridays, 9 p.m.: Hood @ Keong Saik (55 Keong Saik Road)

53A

Genre: Top 40s, pop rock, jazz, and rock

No one knows that: "We can all swap instruments around and still sound good."

Best song: A medley of Paramore's "All I Wanted" and Coldplay's "Fix You."

Stage trick: "We do a dance when we sing 'Ji Ba Ban.'"

Where:
Tuesdays: Timbre Arts House (1 Old Parliament Lane)
Wednesdays (Fortnightly): TAB Singapore (#02-29, 442 Orchard Road)
Thursdays: Timbre Old School (11A Mount Sophia)
Fridays: Timbre Substation (45 Armenian Street)
Saturdays: Contemporary Melting Pot and Bar, CM-PB (#01-05, Block 7 Dempsey Road)

Chicken Shack Revival

Genre: Old blues, jazz, swing and roots music from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

Fans say: “I didn’t think blues would sound like this!”

Best song: "Our version of 'Spoonful' that sounds a little like lounge jazz, but is really a blues song."

Stage trick: "Sometimes we go out into the audience with a long guitar chord. We try little leg kicks with a guitar note or interact with the vocalist while he is soloing."

Where: They move around quite a bit. It’s best to check their Facebook Fanpage for the latest updates.

Shirlyn Tan

Genre: Rock, classic rock, some pop and whatever catches her fancy.

No one knows that: "In my spare time I really dig watching 'Family Guy' episodes."

Best song: "'Don’t Stop Me Now' by Queen. It really gets the crowd going!"

Stage trick: "I like to pick on unsuspecting newcomers sitting up front. Just for fun though, everybody has a good laugh and we’re all happy."

Where:
Thursdays and Saturdays: Wala Wala (31 Lorong Mambong)
Fridays: Barstop (6 Devonshire Road)