It started rainy that day. November is a rainy month this side of the world. And so is August, July, September, in any particular order.
Some were still from Black Friday Sales as Thanksgiving was around 24 that year. But maybe because Singapore doesn’t really observe this holiday as a country, historically, so it doesn’t matter that much other than department stores.
So yeah, it was raining hard (it never not rained every time I return to this country, often with an amazing thunderstorm you get to notice before your plane even does the landing). I was all too excited to go to the festival but I am so tired that Friday after walking the streets at five in the morning up to seven from Lavender Road just to see the sunrise over Gardens By The Bay, Helix Bridge, and the Singapore Flyer. See, I am supposed to meet a fellow backpacker that morning, as we went around Changi the night before hoping we get ourselves a late night Hawker Centre experience. I insisted we check out the closest to the airport refusing to go McDonalds or such because I will just order McSpicy and I will never really enjoy food that much when going to another place. So yeah, we went to a Hawker Centre and missed our bus going to our places, mine over Lavender Road near Little India, her’s over Chinatown.
The cab driver, as we later opted since we missed all our buses, kept on talking about Ferdinand Marcos and Lee Kuan Yew during their time and how things are going politically over South East Asia. It was never the easiest ride I say. All too preachy but well-educated conversation from a cab driver. I am always amazed how these conversations go this part of the world, and such counts among those precious Singapore moments.
But things are pretty much exhausting and mixed up that friday; also that was when I decided to meet another friend who toured me from downtown to Bugis to Vivo City to Sentosa to Siloso Bay — everywhere! We even decided to go to the Casino if only the locker rentals for you to chuck your bag in aren’t that pricey.
I never lasted ’til dusk. I went home around four in the afternoon just to really take a power nap.
While I am almost getting lost in this post let me get back to the events that Saturday. So I had a good rest and never did anything after dinner that Friday. Damn, it feels so bad thinking about how I missed that much that day.
So while I am contemplating over my loser escapades (don’t worry, it just gets much worse), I came into much more shit after trying to take a lunch over some fancy restaurant along Singapore River around Clarke Quay. It rained so hard I cannot find the place. I ended up hoping I can withdraw money so I can just get a cab to Fort Canning but my bank refused my transaction because I did not notify them in advance and I cannot make international calls because I refused to register to my network, because I really am positive I can hook up over any wi fi signal over this country — which I did but I still need to verify some codes etc and texts aren’t coming.
So yeah, there. I ended up eating mylunch in a McDonald’s somewhere until the rain stopped. McSpicy demmit.
Come Neon Lights Festival Proper. 26 November 2016.
Day 1.
It was raining so hard. Even caught more rain when I arrived at Fort Canning. I entered the wrong side of the venue and I need to walk around the park. I was even wet before another set started. So I only have the chance to take photographs of the live graffiti using my phone and the rest were Instagram stories — was new then so I am all too excited to use it everywhere I go.
One thing was memorable though — the sheer amount of mud, as I heard from one of those who were there, was Glastonbury-ish. Meanwhile, a mate who guided us throughout Singapore was a bit sceptical about that claim, also the crowd was a bit mellow. I should talk about this part later in this entry but I am a bit lazy to really formulate what I am putting in so I just type in whatever I get to think about.
It must be funny but I made friends. Met two people that I tagged along the entire time I was there. They’re the best. The rest of the guys I am supposed to meet were there but we never really made it together while watching Foals.
I was never excited before as I am that night.
I was there only to see Foals.
Nah, not really.
That day I came to see Foals. But I am amused to see both Lucy Rose and Shura on stage. I also glanced upon SBTRKT in flesh years after hearing his first feature via BBC Radio 6’s Lauren Laverne, if I am right that was a Maida Vale session. So yeah. Chairlift, being just introduced then had me wondering about their music. I missed 2MANYDJS set, but I sure had my chance to see Sugarhill Gang. Cherry on top, perhaps, was some kind of presence Alan Palomo had a.k.a. Neon Indian. Been geeking out how he does things live and I was there to see him with an army and full battle gears!
I walked my way home but this time acquainting myself about the place and how things go during night time. I came in around midnight only to hear people of different cultures talk so much, and so passionately, about world politics at the lounge. It was fun but that day I am just so tired I took the least amount of photographs and just unlovingly take my phone when I can and snap one only to see blurry or useless ones. So yeah. Day 1. DONE.
It was kind of a crazy mix, I have to admit. Both music and the arts are quite curated neatly all over the place — if only there wasn’t that much mud or rain it would have been great, but I love rains, and I do not even complain. I hated it when it started to go sunny around Day 2 but that is something else to even start talking about.
An eclectic mix of everything — and it never disappoints.
Just when people get too attached to calling this a ‘music festival’ must have missed the memo — it is a ‘music and arts festival’. oh for pete’s sake.
Sophia Natasha Wei, of all performers, had me uncomfortable. I never researched in advance what piece was she doing or what the entire thing was about but it kind of works how she does her thing while Daniella Beltrani gets to tie laces along the temporary fences that guide people up to the Fort Gate Stage. I took some videos but I have very bad settings then so I do not think any of you will care enough. That is if you are still reading up to this point.
diskodanny is among those interesting acts. People were a bit hesitant to go near him when compared to Singapore Sculpture Society — who did pretty good and interactive wood stuff by the way. I even took a picture of him tying a pregnant woman. That might sound crazy, but sure it is!
Ng Yi-Sheng. During my last day, I lounged the most inside the Rocking Horse Tent; and I am a bit late for this part when I really insisted I stay while new mates went around to take a photograph with José González. Yi-Sheng did a very nice touch of culture in his spoken poetry and such sincerity when performing poems need more than just claps.
27 November 2016.
Day 2.
It sux, but for me, the festival’s second day is the best of all. Also, the performances for each stage had me asking which do I go first. I am so confused and tired of choosing that I procrastinated for a while that day.
On the way to the park, a guy asked me if I have some cigarette, I said no. Chap seems to be needy for a smoke but I am in Singapore. I need to remind myself that even chewing bubble gums in public is somewhat rude.
I ate the best Laksa.
Asked for parents to send me monies to spend for a day because, remember, I cannot withdraw from my bank.
Went to a mall and notice how overseas workers spend their lazy Sundays hanging out.
Saw local Chinese women dressed fancy for a photo shoot near a park bridge.
Took the wrong bus.
Keep walking like crazy looking at my phone trying to figure out where is north.
I never took pictures.
Initially, I went there to see BadBadNotGood but I arrived at their set almost done and so I just waited for José González and Saras Per Kristian Matsson, a.k.a. The Tallest Man on Earth.
Meanwhile, they were all soul and funk over the Fort Green stage. George Clinton brought his vibes along, while Yuna made the venue a surreal experience despite slight drizzles and the smell of mud some guys were playing to during day one. It was hella muddy everywhere.
I was a bit sick and tired that I get to miss a lot of performances during that night. I tend to ask myself if I really would push it through Sigur Ros or just take enough sleep until I board for my flight past midnight.
But I decided to stay much longer, but that I take a walk outside the venue and have a bar of chocolate — because, hey, there is nothing a chocolate cannot fix! But actually, it must have been the constant chocolate I ate during my stay that I get to feel sick.
As per doctor’s advice, I should avoid as much as possible too many chocolates and nuts.
Yey!
So when I came back, Yuna’s set was done, there were performances in Club Minky while waiting a bit longer for Sigur Ros.
And so I came to see (or maybe something else) the best among other experiences (yet).
It was the idea of going to Laneway Festival that brought me to really want to go to Singapore, but I never really had the chance to schedule one, let alone catch a ticket sale ahead of time. And when I decided to finally go, I pitched my ideas to publishing companies and entities that follow the scene.
But they either referred me to another editor or they just ignored me.
Eventually pushing this through after documenting a local music and arts festival that same month, I thought, I will never make it that much just taking pictures. I did a portfolio, briefly, on which I had the chance to share it with people I hang out during the festival and ask friends about their thoughts about my photographs.
Was more assuring than I imagined it to be.
I will never forget that moment.
And I was alone most of the time just wandering about, really looking through what is happening. It was fun. Always fun.
This year, they announced that there will be no Neon Lights Festival. Meanwhile Clockenflap Festival is full green light over Hong Kong — another festival I thought of going back then but I chose Singapore first and opted to go this year for it. I never had the chance to push it through, though.
But I guess the trade-off was a pretty good. I kind of understand my shortcomings recently. And like any rabbit with fresh batteries plugged, I will never stop from doing what I feel I am alive at.
It is always surreal to hear your favourite bands perform live. And it will always be, even if it is not your favourite band, just regular good bands do really well live — I am talking about passion. That raw feeling you get when doing music, or anything you feel the joy of doing. Such moment is worth any price you pay just to get there. It shouldn’t always be more than what you can afford, just go out there and find something. There’s a lot out there to enjoy.
As for me, Sigur Ros was not just an aural experience, it was a visual spectacle as well. I get to read a lot of their live shows being just like that. It was all worth the trouble.
FIN
