Red Dot Revelries: A Quick Guide On Partying In Singapore

Those who know me long enough will realise that I have problems shutting my gab about the party scene in Singapore. But frankly, what’s there to keep mum about when you have a climate that’s this buzzing and alive? Newcomers to Singapore might be sceptical about this notion – how can a city so minute sustain a sizeable topography of nightlife-fuelled shindigs? In fact, even fellow Singaporeans have uttered surprise when I tell them about the presence of some dingy techno hideout or a pop-up street festival, uprooting their impression that Zouk is the only thing we’ve got.

Parties in Singapore are known for venturing beyond the confines of a club. Take the folks from Darker Than Wax, for instance

On the contrary, punters are often spoilt for choice every weekend, once they take into account the whopping gamut of styles and genres that are scattered all around the city. In a nutshell, you can easily saunter into a disco bash on Thursday, crank it up with EDM on Friday, jive to jungle on Saturday and top it off with a reggae bashment on Sunday – if that’s what you fancy. You just need to know where to look, and that’s why I’m regurgitating just an inkling of my raver’s knowledge in this guide to clubbing and partying in Singapore.

For starters, say you’re more come-what-may in your party preferences. Maybe you’re a new resident of Singapore who’s all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and wants an overview of our scene. Maybe you’re a tourist who wants to get inebriated before your journey home. Or perhaps you’re local and just want a casual, good time.

Clarke Quay, where plenty of boozy, bad decisions are made (Credit: Flickr / Erwin Soo)

If you fall into any of those categories, you can’t really go wrong with Clarke Quay. The riverside enclave has been a nightlife hub for decades, and is home to commercialised establishments pushing out open-format sounds. Long-time spots like f.Club x Attica (a gateway venue for youngsters) continue to lure mainstream audiences, alongside more contemporary contenders like the urban-inclined Get Juiced that hosts jam sessions for aspiring DJs. Clarke Quay is also home to Zouk, undoubtedly Singapore’s most iconic nightlife institution with nearly 30 years in the game, having brought down both EDM mavericks like Hardwell and underground legends like Jeff Mills. Zouk also triumphantly occupied the #3 position on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs in the world in 2018.

For more lighthearted yet heavy-hitting jamborees beyond Clarke Quay, there are also other all-encompassing locales built around fun themes. Nineteen80, for instance, is a retro-relishing discotheque that celebrates the undying ’80s, and also doubles up as a boozy video arcade with old-school games from your childhood – check out my review of Nineteen80. And then you have Cherry, another vintage-hued playground that’s like a kitschy Polaroid come to life, with a soundtrack simmering dominantly in hip-hop. Not to mention, the gargantuan Marquee Singapore at Marina Bay Sands, that has its very own Ferris Wheel and kidult-friendly slides within.

CÉ LA VI boasts one of the best club soundsystems in Singapore (Credit: CÉ LA VI Facebook page)

Singapore loves its skyscrapers, so it’s natural you’ll find plenty of nightspots that take advantage of its high-flying vantage point. CÉ LA VI (#67 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs poll in 2018) and LAVO are luxe rooftop habitats that are perched atop the famous summit of Marina Bay Sands. Bar Rouge Singapore is the +65 counterpart of Shanghai’s notorious nightlife venue, boasting a spectacular view 71 storeys in the sky. And if you hustle in the CBD, you’re spoilt for choice with spots like Empire at Singapore Land Tower and 360 Lounge at Oxley Tower.

But like every city, you’re bound to stumble upon its various subcultures, especially in music. Despite its small populace, you do have loyal communities in Singapore who are dedicated to left-field genres and vibes, both via fixed establishments and pop-up events run by collectives.

At Headquarters By The Council, expect uncompromising house and techno (Credit: The Council Facebook page)

Currently rooted in the scene are underground clubs that push the currents of house, techno, tech-house, disco, and other four-on-the-floor rhythms. Kilo Lounge is one such establishment, often drawing sizeable crowds with floor-ripping residencies and guest acts like Nicole Moudaber and Rødhåd.

Booming from the shadows, however, is Headquarters by The Council – a two-room lair of debauchery that has roped in eccentrics and experimenters such as Charlotte de Witte, Gerd Janson, Peggy Gou and Christian Smith. Both clubs have been essential in fostering the underground scene as of late.

Expect the relentless spectrum of techno at Interstellar parties (Credit: Christopher Sim)

Beyond these venues, you’ll also find pop-up party series run by collectives, labels, and other fidgety visionaries. You can find reggae with Dub Skankin’ HiFi, drum & bass with Revision Music, psy-trance with Algorhythm and even indie and alt-rock with Eatmepoptart. These are joined by other collectives that plug other genres like world music, footwork, deep house, funk and more; just check out my guide to collectives and pop-up parties in Singapore.

On the island of Sentosa, Tanjong Beach Club throws chilled-out daytime parties (Credit: Tanjong Beach Club Facebook page)

Sounds exhausting already? Then pace yourself, call it an early night, and hit up these day parties in Singapore instead. Unlike the hedonistic, sinful nights, daytime parties provide a refreshing change of pace with breezier, bubblier fiestas that are often held outdoors and even in family-friendly venues. Places to take note are Tanjong Beach Club (for beach bashes), Camp Kilo Charcoal Club (they do a heck of roast), and Kult Kafe (it’s even next to an art gallery).

It’s a spectacle of insane proportions. This is It’s The Ship (Credit: All Is Amazing x Colossal Photos)

Lastly, the party scene does like to spread its wings in a humongous way every now and then, and you can find these gestures with large-scale music festivals. These include star-studded spectacles like Ultra Singapore, hailing from Miami; and It’s The Ship that annually embarks on an EDM-fuelled booze cruise of seismic proportions. Check out this guide to music festivals in Singapore.

As you can see, there’s essentially no shortage of party happenings in Singapore, and everything in this guide is really just the tip of the iceberg. My recommendation is to know what you like (or keep an open mind), find your tribe, and follow them on social media – or alternatively, you can just keep connected here at Life In Arpeggio. Because you’ll never know when the next sub-zero rave in an ice factory, or sunset house voyage on a Chinese junk, or EDM extravaganza might just spring from the scene. Singapore, after all, is a tiny dot with huge potential.

And has my loquacious excitement started to wear out through the years yet? Hardly.