A New Tempo: We’re Launching A Series That Checks In On Institutions Of The Local Scene

Is the scene okay? A New Tempo hopes to raise awareness for affected businesses

Lingering and loitering, the COVID-19 intrusion continues to devastate businesses in the city. As the government-inducted Phase Two plods on, sectors of the economy see themselves reawakening with caution, restoring a mild sense of normalcy to how things used to be. Except that isn’t the case for the music and events industry, which remains a crippled victim in these restricted circumstances.

With no end in sight, Phase Two has put many of these businesses on the chopping block. Events are still impossible, venues face limitations, and services are affected as social distancing continues to be mandatory. Even when the elusive Phase Three does decide to show up, the full and immediate revival of events is unlikely. Don’t expect a warehouse rave or stadium gig anytime soon.

Who knows how long these circumstances will last?

Another pressing concern is the lightening of government support for many of these establishments. The financial resources provided by the government’s several budget packages – these include a Job Support Scheme for employees’ wages and a rental relief framework for tenants – are at risk of running dry. This unpredictability leaves many of these businesses in a precarious position in the months to come.

I’ve highlighted previously that the resilience of Singaporean scene spirit is a robust one. The sheer amount of adaptability and tenacity from businesses has been outstanding, with the materialisation of numerous initiatives to stay relevant. My fear lies in the fading of novelty. People’s attention spans are short in the digital space, in need of refreshing developments to stay entertained and intrigued. The last thing I want is for fans of the industry to neglect it due to a lack of visibility and awareness of new programmes. This industry will not be forgotten.

This is why Life In Arpeggio is launching A New Tempo, a series that checks in on various renowned institutions of the local music and events industry. It will catch up with all manner of related entities including venues, stores, studios, services, agencies and others. The purpose of this series is to see how they’ve been coping with the COVID-19 crisis so far and steps they’ve taken to adapt to the enfeebling circumstances. Each piece hopes to raise awareness and increase exposure for every featured business, while inspiring the industry with mutual positivity.

It’s a new tempo we’re in, so let us all adapt to the new beat with optimism and empathy. Click on any image below to check in on each establishment.

If you are a related business in the music and events industry affected by COVID-19, feel free to drop us an email at kevin@lifeinarpeggio.com and we’ll do our best to assist.