The Return Of International Acts Is A Liberating Step Forward For The Local Scene

Zouk celebrated its official reopening with Salvatore Ganacci (Credit: Zouk Singapore)

The combo of good news continues to be unbroken as the scene wakes up from its dragged-out slumber. The forced shutdown of gigs is on its way to becoming a distant memory, and it’s being punted away even further with the revitalising resumption of international bookings. For years, the doors to our borders remained shut, tragically turning the idea of catching overseas acts on our shores into a pipe dream. But with concerns over the pandemic now on the decline, Singapore is back to becoming the global gig hub it once was. Finally.

Live concerts were the first to come back, so it’s natural to see the announcement of large-scale gigs with mega acts slated for the year ahead. One after another, the news of global tours and Singapore legs seemed to pop up, signalling a new lease of life for many noteworthy promoters.

Which act are you going for? (Credit: F1 Singapore)

LAMC Productions has the majestic task of bringing in Sigur Rós, AEG Presents Asia has got Justin Bieber lined up, and Live Nation has got LANY and The Script locked in its calendar. And not forgetting the hoo-ha of the Singapore Grand Prix which recently revealed its first-wave lineup of Green Day, Marshmello and Westlife.

Parties, on the other hand, were left on the back-burner for a disappointingly long time. While gigs were given a head-start, it was only just months ago when parties began bouncing back with the revival of pop-up events and return of clubs. Thankfully, this gradual reopening has also paved the way for international DJs to fly down with heightened confidence.

Heineken launches its Heineken Silver beer with a stacked lineup (Credit: Heineken Singapore)

Zouk recently threw a massive reopening party with EDM court jester, Salvatore Ganacci. Collective Minds Asia is getting busy by hosting UK radio veteran, Benji B, at Rumours Beach Club. You have major brands like Heineken that recently announced a warehouse launch party featuring the cosmopolitan lineup of Flight Facilities, Palms Trax and Floyd Levine. And even independent collectives like Revision Music are valiantly joining the fray, inviting New York icon, Kush Jones, in spite of limited budget and restricted capacity rules.

Big change begins with big risks, and it’s thanks to promoters and venues like these who are taking the first step to restore our scene. If this momentum keeps up, you can be certain that this streak of bookings is just a sliver of what you can expect in the coming months, for it’s only a matter of time till more institutions and crews follow their successes. Singapore is on its way back and it’s looking pretty good.

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