Garden Beats 2020 Festival Review: A Glimmer Of Hope In These Trying Times

Despite fears of the virus, people still came down to party with abandon at Garden Beats

It’s a pickle all promoters don’t want to be in. The COVID-19 conundrum has plagued music events islandwide with logistical nightmares, and Garden Beats 2020 was not spared. A series of unfortunate events piled on like a teetering Jenga tower in the weeks leading up to the flagship festival of Sunshine Nation. One after another, international names pulled out of the anticipated lineup; first was Sabrina Claudio, then Blond:ish, followed by Gioli & Assia just two days before showtime. Not forgetting the amplified fears of a potential outbreak at crowded events such as these. The level of pessimism was understandably palpable, to say the least.

Yet, it takes harrowing ordeals like these to truly test the resourcefulness and professionalism of event promoters, and with Lady Luck on its side, Sunshine Nation managed to keep a cool head.

All sorts of characters showed up at Garden Beats

Without dismissing the concerns of virus-fearing spectators, Sunshine Nation opened routes for ticket refunds and transfers prior to the event date. Further assuaging any health anxieties were the setup of Hygiene Hub stations placed across the Fort Canning venue. And what I deem as a true sign of booking acuity, the Garden Beats team even managed to secure last-minute substitution acts to fill the gaps, and even extended the headlining set of Foals – a call that scored points in everyone’s books.

There was definitely no lack of trying here. Overturning sinking morale with a show-must-go-on mentality, Garden Beats proclaimed that it was gonna keep the fire burning, and that’s something that, I feel, the scene picked up on.

The crowd getting settled in the early afternoon

Toppings and Bongomann of Ice Cream Sundays keeping it cool

I’m not going to lie, crowds were thin in the early hours. Local selectors like DJ Aurora and James Selva soldiered on positively in the debilitating post-noon heat. By four in the afternoon, the Ice Cream Sundays crew of Bongomann and Toppings had a decent crowd seated by the smaller Sunshine Stage, depicting carefree picnic vibes soundtracked by simmering house and disco cuts.

Pyra from Thailand was one of the new additions to the lineup

Meanwhile at the bigger Garden Stage, where the sprawling, concert-friendly Fort Canning Green is, Thai alt-r&b sensation, Pyra, put on a gutsy solo performance. Unfazed by the scorching sunshine, the Burning Man alumna (she’s the first Thai musician to play there) exuded an infectious presence matched with kaleidoscopic style. She did her best to hype up the pockets of fans who stood in the sun for her performance, and even thanked them by handing out flowers like a hippie at Woodstock.

Things turned up when The Illustrious Blacks worked their magic

The energy level of the festival seemed to make a 180 when The Illustrious Blacks popped up at the Sunshine Stage, injecting a fabulous dose of rejuvenation into the afternoon lull. Donning skin-tight, purple bodysuits, glitzy goggles and afro wigs, the flamboyant duo gyrated and sashayed while playing bubbly house numbers, including an edit of Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”. They took turns to jump on the mic with snappy, sassy, Rupaul-like vocal jabs that lifted the music higher, as well as the mood of the crowd that finally began to show signs of life.  

The multi-instrumentalism of Running Touch

With an accompanying drummer in tow, Running Touch – an Australian producer and singer-songwriter who was another new addition to the lineup – kept the buzz going with a spry set in the big field below. Hopping between the guitar and synthesiser effortlessly, the emerging personality showcased his prowess as a multi-instrumentalist and entertainer. If no one had heard of Running Touch before, they certainly do now.

I took this opportunity to explore the sections behind the Garden Stage, which encompassed the areas dedicated to arts and conscious living. In the Zen Garden, I stumbled upon an unconventional yoga session led by Suffian Thuri, that complemented its serene session with a soft acoustic duo. In another pavilion dubbed the Mind Tent, Manoj Dias led another class on Yoga Nidra or “sleep meditation”, with his attendees all lying down peacefully with headphones on (it looked comfy, I admit).

Yoga with soft pop, anyone?

Or how about some sleep meditation?

Adjacent to all of these activities was the Theatre & Dance Pavilion, where I caught YouTube-famous violinist, M Drako, as well as acclaimed belly-dancer, Darren Ho. Also filled with art installations and talks about sustainability (big ups to the festival banning single-use plastics), the Zen Garden was an area where one could heal, be aware, and discover subcultures present on our island. As an advocate of how festivals should always do their best to be inclusive and educate, I found this to be an excellent touch.

M Drako at the Theatre & Dance Pavilion

Special guests performed alongside dancer, Darren Ho

As daylight dipped, everyone began spilling towards the main stage, all in anticipation of what was arguably the biggest highlight of Garden Beats. If there was any worry of dismal attendance before, it was all overshadowed by the turnout for mega booking, Foals.

Behold: The turnout for Foals (Credit: Garden Beats Facebook page)

Their fourth show in Singapore didn’t fail expectations, as they blazed through an 80-minute blitz with the energy of a thousand suns. The arsenal from the later part of their repertoire (like “Exits” and “What Went Down”) were explosively fresh, while their classic anthems (“Spanish Sahara” and “Olympic Airways”) sounded like they hadn’t aged a day. Till this day, their set closer, “Two Steps, Twice”, still makes me lose my marbles.

There was a victorious moment in their set where frontman, Yannis Philippakis, uttered, “There was a chance this wasn’t gonna happen,” addressing the COVID-19 raincloud. That statement received a deafening ovation, almost as if the whole festival had heaved a huge sigh of relief, with a pat well done on its proverbial back. Foals’ presence was an unspoken “bugger off” to the crisis, and it was a move that everyone visibly appreciated. I suspect that Yannis and co. were glad they made the decision too.  

Thanks Yannis, you made everyone’s night

Everything seemed to switch to auto-pilot cruise control from then on. For the non-indie rock fans, Crussen had been blanketing the Sunshine Stage in a hypnotic, feel-good vibe, summoning sanguine energies with his downtempo rhythms and cheery harmonica accompaniment. Following Foals, the lauded Viken Arman kept the enthused crowd on Cloud Nine with his daydream-evoking selections, pounding and pulsating like with placid, groovy mesmerism.      

Crussen over at the Sunshine Stage

In light of everything that tormented the logistical flow of this event, and the paranoia that loomed over the revelries, I’d say Garden Beats was a shimmering success. Its seventh edition will be remembered for its resilience, and the astute crisis management that kept a good chunk of its spectators happy. Uniting communities from both the dance and indie circles is no easy feat, but Garden Beats bridged the two once more (during dire circumstances, no less), making our scene a more open and connected one. The festival showed that, in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, people just wanna party – you can’t snuff that out.

Viken Arman closed the main stage entrancingly

But it won’t be just the attendees who will appreciate this astounding effort. In a volatile climate where events are currently facing the axe of cancellation, the turnaround victory of Garden Beats is a glimmer of hope. If you ask me, Garden Beats’ triumph was exactly what the scene needs right now. Hopefully, things will look up from here.

(Credit: Garden Beats Facebook page)

For more information on Garden Beats, visit its official website. Garden Beats was organised by Sunshine Nation.