Mainstream music, nah -- Singapore loves its indie

The mass hysteria that broke out in January after alternative rock band The Killers canceled their sold-out gig in Singapore summed it up: Singapore is officially a hotbed for indie music. 2010 definitely started off with a bang. In January alone, York hipster fave Yeah Yeah Yeahs descended upon our shores, followed closely by singer/songwriter Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall). Punk legends Green Day and acclaimed musicians Patrick Watson and Andrew Bird came next. 

The next two months are going to be just as satisfying with acts like Florence and The Machine, Kings of Convenience and Imogen Heap arriving.

But this growing interest in indie music certainly didn't happen overnight. Concert promoter Greenhorn Productions, set up in 2003, organized their first gig with folk singer Amy Wadge, and was pleasantly surprised when it sold out. The start of Mosaic Music Festival in 2005 expanded the scene further by bringing in bands such as Tortoise and Yo La Tengo over the last few years.

"Mosaic Music Festival may have begun with primarily jazz and world music performances but it’s always had the intent to introduce a range of quality sounds to our audiences," says Amy Ho, producer of Esplanade Theatres. "The indie acts have done somewhat better in terms of attracting our younger audiences. We get more and more people wiling to come and listen to new sounds and indie acts that we present each year.”

Sylvia Choy-Dhillion, director of Greenhorn Productions, which has also brought in Death Cab for Cutie and Aimee Mann agrees. "A large part of our success is due to the increasingly eclectic, sophisticated and discerning tastes of Singapore music fans. Patrick Watson’s recent show at the Esplanade Recital Studio was sold out and the band was pleasantly surprised that they were playing to a largely Singaporean audience that was as lively and uninhibited as they come.” 

All these point to one thing: We’re a building a music-loving reputation that’ll attract more bands and musicians to stop over. Ho reveals the quality of the acts performing at The Esplanade has helped convince others to come here and that Singaporeans are definitely eager for more. Greenhorn Productions also enthuses that they receive plenty of requests from over 4,000 of their Facebook group fans and they’re working to stay ahead of the curve in meeting audiences’ demand.

Indie music lovers will rejoice with that news. Next up, a music festival like Glastonbury, perhaps?

indie music concerts

Florence & The Machine
February 7, 7pm
Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore
florenceandthemachine.net

Kings of Convenience
March 18 & 19, 7.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore
www.kingsofconvenience.com

Imogen Heap
March 29, 7.30pm
Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore
www.imogenheap.com