Eve’s Faire featuring Kitchie Nadal in Singapore 2012

Kitchie Nadal graced one of the stages of St. James Powerstation at the Eve’s Faire last 25 November 2012 right after Barbie Almalbis energized the OPM-hungry crowd. The gig was organized by Requiem Rising & Pinoytuner, a part of the groups’ string of events which bring in Philippine artists to Pinoys living in Singapore. I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I never had the chance to catch Kitchie Nadal back home, neither would I expect to see her outside of my home country. That is why when you send in two of the most influential female artists from the Philippines to showcase their artistry in Singapore, the Eve’s Faire gig was a double whammy to the Filipino community.

Eve’s Faire featuring Barbie Almalbis in Singapore 2012

After the success of the Aquostika series with Franco & Johnoy, Requiem Rising & Pinoytuner moved on to bring their project to a bigger scale. Headlining two of the acclaimed female alternative artists from the Philippines, Eve’s Faire was one of the groups’ ambitious event which aimed to agitate the foundations of St. James Powerstation. The first set showcased the sweet & charming Barbie Almalbis, who was responsible for launching Hungry Young Poets and Barbie’s Cradle  into stardom.

Natalie Hiong @ Marié Digby: ”Your Love” Asian Tour live in Singapore

Natalie Hiong is a Singaporean artist who opened for Marie Digby on her recent gig here in Singapore last 18 October 2012. While waiting for Marie to prep up backstage, we managed to have a quick chat with Natalie and found her to be very pleasing. Our team managed to get along with her so well that she handed us free autographed CD’s of her single “Go Fly a Kite”.

Marié Digby: ”Your Love” Asian Tour live in Singapore

During the time when YouTube was a media only meant to be accessed & shared, a few people has found the site’s potential to be a gateway for fame. Because of its powerful influence on the viewers, there have been countless aspiring musicians that have gotten the quick ticket to international stardom. One of the pioneers that took the first step in reaching out to the rest of the world was Marie Digby. Her first highlights on YouTube was an acoustic rendition of Rihanna’s “Umbrella”, shot at what seemed to be inside a toilet. The video got an overwhelming response setting Marie Digby as one of the fastest rising stars in 2007.

Murder Mouse Blues Band @ Mosaic Music Festival

Murder Mouse Blues Band was one of the artists that I was able to catch during the Mosaic Music Festival last March 10, 2012. Traveling all the way from the land down under, the Australian trio sparked laid-back country blues with a tinge of Duane Eddy groove. Pardon my ignorance on the description but my knowledge of the world of blues is quite limited & I hope die hard fans won’t shoot me in the head for the poor choice of words. Anyway, the band is comprised of Adam Morris (vocals & guitar), Jon Edwards (vocals & lead guitar, along with several dozens of stringed instruments), & Warren Hall (drums).

Tokyo Blue @ Mosaic Music Festival 2012

Mosaic Music Festival is a week-long annual event in Singapore held within the Esplanade premises that feature live acts of diverse musical genres from artists of different countries. One of the bands that I was able to catch was a jazz-influenced progressive rock trio called Tokyo Blue. The band consists of Japanese bassist Hiroaki Maekawa, Indonesian pianist Ywenna Carollin, and Cuban drummer Pablo Calzado bringing the best of the three nationalities and mixing it under one extraordinary music phenomenon. From complex chord progression to off-beat timing, I was blown away with the technical expertise and the intricacy of the group. I was witnessing Prog at its best and it was one of those times when I had a hard time trying to nail my focus and ended up keeping my camera just to enjoy the show. 

Judas Priest Epitaph World Tour 2012

Lamb of God were down to their final touches tearing up the stage when I realized I was about to bear witness to the biggest heavy metal gig of 2012 in Singapore. A few moments later, a gigantic “Epitaph” draped rolled like a proscenium as the crew prepped the stage transforming it into a monstrous arena. As roadies scrambled backstage, some of the best heavy metal classics piped through the PA’s and as they aired Black Sabbath’s War Pigs, I was so ecstatic that my gallbladder was about to fill five colostomy bags. The crowd was getting wild chanting Judas! Priest! Judas! Priest! As soon as the song ended, the colossal drape suddenly fell & upfront blinding us was Judas Priest.

Lamb of God live in Singapore 2012

Ever since I’ve shot Lamb of God two years ago, I’ve been banging my head against the concrete for being so naïve. If you care to ask why, you can click here to know how I failed so miserably. It was a mistake which I thought I could never take back for the rest of my life. Just late last year, LAMC announced that the envoys of American metal are coming back to Singapore to promote their new album Resolution. Just a few months later, they added that Lamb of God will be sharing the same stage with the metal giants, Judas Priest (which I will be covering in my next post), and confirmed the date at 20th of February 2012. While I cowered in exhilaration trying to absorb the veracity of the news, one word came into my mind: Redemption.

Feist @ Laneway Festival 2012

Feist was the 12th band to perform at the 2012 Laneway Festival in Singapore held last February 12. This was also the last artist that I was able shoot since my body was starting to malfunction due to fatigue & dehydration. After shooting The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, I didn’t have enough strength to elbow 20 meters of dense crowd for Toro Y Moi at the first stage so I stuck at my current position waiting for Feist. When Toro Y Moi ended, the crowd started to push towards the center which gave me an opportunity squeeze through together with the flow.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Laneway Festival 2012

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart was the 10th artist to rock the stages of the last leg of the Laneway Festival 2012 in Singapore last February 12. At this time, the venue was already too tight to squeeze a few more spectators as the crowd was already packed rubbing skin with each other. My muscles was starting to shake & my legs felt like rubber. I was dead tired & anxious to see the band as the Stage 2, yet again, failed to deliver its purpose. For some reason, the PA’s stopped functioning. It was quite a wait before the band started to slam their frustrations into their instruments. Yet, the band still delivered a solid performance.