art jam - Nanyang Technological University

art jam 

Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club 

Feb - Mar 2010, Issue 20. 

MICA (P) 175/12/2009 

FREE 

COPY 

8 Modern Citizen 10 Giselle 11 Beauty & The Beast 

12 JP 13 katncandix2 17 Mosaic Music Festival 

26 West Grand Boulevard Interview

art jam 

Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club 

Cover Credit: The Esplanade Co Ltd 

editor’s note 

Dear Readers, 

We’re back! In this issue of ArtJam, we are going all music on you. 2010 is shaping up to be a great year for 

music lovers as there will be a bunch of international acts making Singapore one of their stops in their Asian tour. 

The Mosaic Music Festival promises to bring an exciting line up of both well-received performers from different 

parts of the world, making the Esplanade the place to go to for an experience for your ears. 

NTU Cultural Activities Club presents the Nanyang Arts Festival. Already in its 8th year, the organisers are going 

to deliver two months featuring the best of what NTU can offer. 

Keep those post secrets coming in! Visit www.ArtJampostsecret.com to share and see even more post secrets 

(that are deemed too ‘wild’ to be published). 

Warmest Regards, 

Danny 

Jan - Mar 2010, Issue 20. 

MICA (P) 275/01/2008 

FREE 

COPY 

publication team 

Editor-in-Chief 

Danny Wan 

Editor 

Audrey Lim 

Writers 

Devika Shinde 

Maryam Mohamed Mokhtar 

Victoria Chang 

Nur Asyiqin 

Samantha Soon 

Jennifer Dhanaraj 

Audrey Lim 

Cherie Thio 

Photographers 

Mervyn Chua 

Jonathan Kwa 

Graphic Designer 

Natalie Tuang 

Xpress Print Pte Ltd 

Tel: 6880 2881 

This is a Publication of Nanyang Technological University Cultural Activities Club 

To advertise with us or list your events in ART JAM, email us at cac_publication@ntu.edu.sg

2 

11 

where to find Art Jam 

13 

17 26 

• All Junior Colleges • All Polytechnics • Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts • NTU • NIE • SMU • SIM 

contents 

• Alliance Francaise AGF Theatre • DBS Arts Centre • Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay • *scape Youth Centre 

• The ARTrium • The Substation • Victoria Concert Hall • Victoria Theatre • Aspire Cafe • library@esplanade 

• National Museum • The Garden Slug 

8 

Download the softcopy of ArtJam at http://www.ntucac.com/ArtJam 

10 

2 

Nanyang Arts Festival 

6 

Nanyang Arts Festival Calendar 

8 

Modern Citizens 

10 

Giselle 

11 

Beauty & The Beast 

12 

JP Gumbo 

13 

Katncandix2 

14 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs 

15 

Patrick Watson 

16 

+65 Indie Underground 

17 

Mosiac Music Festival 

24 

Concert Preview 

25 

RGNTN 

26 

WGB Interview 

28 

Doinky Doodles 

29 

Post Secret 

1 art jam

art jam 2 

CAC press 

Nanyang Arts Festival 

“Colors, like 

features, follow 

the changes of 

the emotions.” 

-Picasso 

Text: Devika Shinde 

Photos: Mervyn Chua 

And the best place to see all these colours emoting and 

expressing is right now, right here on NTU campus! Nanyang 

Arts Festival (NAF) is back and in its 8th year, NAF 2010 

brings to NTU ‘COLOURWORKS’ - a two month extravaganza 

filled with vibrancy and vigour, beauty and brilliance symbolic of 

fireworks! 

Kicking off the two-month celebrations was the Festival Opening 

Ceremony on 20th January at Canopy K outside LT1A in NTU. 

Starting from 10:30am, the pre-opening featured the guest band 

Seville. The official Opening Ceremony was abuzz with numerous 

activities. It showcased the first ever sand sculpture in NTU and all 

institutions, specially commissioned by JOOheng from Sandworkz. 

Named Sandra, the pretty damsel highlights NAF’s theme for 

the Festival - the use of sand to illustrate the multitude of ways 

of presenting visual and performing arts. The day also kickstarted 

the quest to set a Singapore Record for the ‘Largest Sand Art 

Montage – Colourworks’. Award-winning groups like the NTU CAC 

Salsa En Sync, Breakdance, NIE DanceFuzion, Chinese Drums and 

Choir treated the audience to a blend of groovy dance steps, slow 

soothing music and vigorous strong beats. Following that, a miniconcert 

by the guest band – Aries Kaizer rounded up the official 

ceremony. Throughout the day, NAF balloons dotted the campus 

and each of the performances left everyone asking for more!

If you enjoyed the Opening Ceremony of NAF 2010, then you are going 

to love the next two months on campus. NAF 2010 will be rocking, 

for sure! 

As part of the bid for Singapore Records, NAF aims to collect a 

whopping 1000 sand art pieces. Open to one and all, just look around 

campus for the sand art booths and contribute your creativity to 

assemble a giant montage of sand art pieces that NAF will display at 

the Closing Ceremony. Be sure to be a part of the ground-breaking, 

history making event and revisit your childhood as you enjoy making 

limitless sand art designs! 

NAF 2010 aims to explore art from different perspectives associating 

each form with a colour and an emotion. So there is ‘Hot Stuff’, with 

loud music, groovy dance moves and stunning visuals, ‘Green Week’, 

where you explore how saving the earth can go hand in hand with 

art and ‘The Deep Blue Scene’, the time when you can slow down 

and explore the many facets of art that will set you thinking. In the 

Green Week around Valentine’s Day, put all your creative juices to work 

and challenge yourself to create gifts for that special one using only 

recyclable materials! This art challenge with a twist promises to be 

exciting and to give your gift a whole new different meaning of love, 

not just for that someone special but for the world as well! So give your 

love an exclusive ‘Green He(Arts)’! 

CAC press 



CAC press 

In the next two months, get ready to be mesmerised by the amazing 

performances and concerts of the NTU CAC Piano Ensemble, Choir 

and Chinese Orchestra. NTU CAC Symphonic Band will be having their 

very own concert “Live in Singapore”, which will premier new works by 

Mr Satoshi Yogisawa. In addition, CAC Special Projects, Impresario – a 

nationwide talent search competition, Arts From The Heart (AFTH), Guitar 

Ensemble and Joint Dance Concert will sure burn the stage with their 

activities and performances! 

Rocking the NTU campus will be various workshops teaching self-defence 

techniques of Wushu, simple Photoshop techniques and Tap Dance 

and Lindy Hop dances. Get a chance to be more creative with Balloon 

Sculpting, Batik Painting and Handicraft making. Try your hand at Western 

calligraphy and make your own Manga drawings! Rock out with the guitar 

like a Hollywood superstar with Guitar Hero Jam and have a blast with 

your friends. Vent your feelings and thoughts using colours and graffiti 

during Graffiti Week. Relax and rewind with movies like Step Up, Fame: 

The Movie, Wall-E, V for Vendetta and Inglorious Bastards. Join in the hall 

performances and lunchtime performances of Taekwon-do and Wushu. 

Never will there be a dull moment on campus!

CAC press 

Ending the festival on a high note will be the Closing Ceremony, held at the IMM Garden 

Plaza. It will showcase all the festival highlights and achievements to NTU and the public! 

The Closing Ceremony will be a concert-exhibition, featuring performances by external 

bands and NTU arts and cultural clubs, such as CAC’s DanceSport Academy. It is also 

the grand day when NAF will display the Singapore Record - Largest Display of Sand Art 

Montage ‘Colourworks’! 

Join NAF 2010 for a smashing good time right till 27 th March 2010! Look out for the NAF 

calendar near Canteen A, pick up our informative event guide or just simply log on to www. 

naf.sg. Feast your ‘sand-ses’ at Colourworks today and experience the magic of colours 

in life!! 



Calendar of Events



preview 

Model Citizens 

Text: Maryam Mokhtar 

Photos: The Necessary Stage 

In its latest offering, The Necessary Stage provokes audiences into analyzing relevant 

contemporary Singaporean issues, as it invites them to explore the journeys of three 

women bound by circumstance, in Model Citizens. 

Model Citizens, which runs from March 3 rd to 14 th at TNS’s Black Box, features a stellar 

cast of Goh Guat Kien, Siti Khalijah and Karen Tan as three women facing their own 

personal emotional and psychological struggles: an MP’s wife, a maid and her employer 

respectively. 

The play chronicles the lives of the maid, whose lover has just stabbed an MP, the wife 

of the MP, who struggles to keep up her brave front, and the maid’s employer, whose 

attempts at re-connecting with her children have so far been futile. Model Citizens looks 

at how these three women, whose fates seem intertwined, are forced to look to each 

other as they search for comfort, solace and salvation. 

Playwright Haresh Sharma and director Alvin Tan, in signature style, break language and 

social barriers, in this presentation of a multi-lingual piece that tugs at the very heartstrings 

we share regardless of race, gender and occupation: through an examination of the very 

nature of human relationships.

ArtJam got Siti Khalijah and Karen to dish out some quick bites on the rehearsal 

process and find out what it’s like to be part of an all-female ensemble, and 

what all humans, not just women, have in common. 

ArtJam: Siti, you play a unique role in Model Citizens. 

When you first saw the script for the play, what was it 

about your character that stood out for you? 

Siti Khalijah: The fact that she’s very manipulative and a 

pretty good actress! Even as I was reading the script, I 

felt like I’ve been fooled by her a couple of times. 

ArtJam: What is it like taking on the role of a maid? 

Did anything funny or interesting happen during the 

rehearsal process? 

SK: I really enjoyed playing Melly because she’s very 

‘happening’. She’s hardworking, loyal, confident and 

knows how to have fun! And also because this show is 

very multi-lingual (I’ll be speaking in Bahasa Indonesia, 

Guat Kian will be speaking in Mandarin and Karen will 

be speaking in Baba Patois and English), we have to be 

extra attentive and really listen for our cue to enter with 

the next line or blocking. So of course when we first 

started out it got pretty crazy because we weren’t sure 

and ended up panicking ourselves! 

ArtJam: Is there a unique chemistry and energy that 

exists with a female-only cast during rehearsals? 

SK: Of course! We can go from talking about the script 

and our characters and suddenly go into womenly 

things like flabby arms and bulging tummies! But 

seriously, I think the chemistry between the 3 of us is 

really wonderful. We can connect emotionally and ‘feel’ 

each other when we’re performing. 

ArtJam: Were there any quirks about your fellow 

cast members that helped liven up the rehearsal 

atmosphere? 

Karen Tan: I think the funniest would be the conversations 

between Alvin, who speaks no Mandarin, and Guat 

Kian, who speaks very little English. It’s panto at its 

best. 

ArtJam: Karen, your role as the employer of the maid, 

is one that a majority of Singaporeans can identify and 

connect with. What was it like getting under the skin of 

your character? 

Model Citizens 

March 3 rd -March 14 th 

3 – 6 & 11 – 13 March 2010, 8pm 

6 – 7 & 13 – 14 March 2010, 3pm 

The Necessary Stage Black Box 278 

Marine Parade Road #B1-02 Marine Parade 

Community Building Singapore 449282 

$27, $22* 

preview 

Karen: Actually, I should qualify that I play a woman 

who happens to employ a maid, as opposed to making 

a Maid Employer a character type. Just like Siti plays 

a woman who happens to work as a maid, and Guat 

Kian plays a woman who happens to be married to an 

MP. It actually makes a huge difference to how we see 

the women. 

My character is also a wife and mother; she reads a lot; 

she’s effectively tri-lingual, speaking English, Mandarin 

and Malay; she is bound to her family by love and duty; 

she resents foreigners who make a lot of noise and 

mess…and suddenly, she’s a person that many people 

can identify with, and not just by women who employ 

maids. 

ArtJam: All three characters have their own struggles, 

yet they seem to be tied by a common thread. Do 

you think this emotional thread is characteristic of 

the relationships between women, regardless of the 

circumstances? 

Karen: It’s easy to say that the women are united by 

emotional grief and the ability to exact change in the 

way men can’t. However, I like to believe that men 

and women are born with the need to communicate, 

no matter the circumstance. And we all find a way to 

connect with each other. We really mustn’t let modern 

theories and ideas rubbish that. 

But this being theatre, then the situation has 3 women, 

and their journeys to help each other, and in the process, 

hopefully find salvation for themselves. 

*Concession for students, senior citizens 

and NSF. Prices exclude $3 SISTIC handling fee. 



preview 

Giselle 

Love. Beauty. Betrayal. Redemption. 

This March, the Singapore Dance Theatre proudly 

presents French ballet ‘Giselle’, which promises a 

dark take on love with its tragic but romantic plot. 

Since its Parisian debut in 1841, ‘Giselle’ has been the 

oldest consistently performed ballet in the world, not 

only due to its dazzling array of dance techniques but 

also its artistic direction and its engaging plot. ‘Giselle’ 

is not only a classical dance act but also a blockbuster 

ballet that deals with love, mystery, otherworldly beauty, 

excitement, danger and death. Many critics have even 

dubbed ‘Giselle’ as the ‘Hamlet of ballets’. In ‘Giselle’, 

love is expressed with the abstract and subtle beauty 

of body language. 

Handsome nobleman Albrecht, is mesmerised by the 

beautiful village maiden Giselle and disguises himself 

as a peasant and promises eternal love to her. Yet, 

unbeknownst to Giselle, Albrecht is already betrothed 

to Bathilde, the Duke’s daughter. 

Upon realising the heart wrenching truth of Albrecht’s 

betrothal, and perceiving unrequited love, Giselle 

throws herself upon Albrecht’s sword and dies. Upon 

her tragic death, Albrecht comes to realise his true love 

for Giselle and mourns at her tomb. 

However, the plot does not merely end with Giselle’s 

tragic death. Upon death, Giselle becomes a wandering 

embittered spirit known as wilis, which exists to seek 

revenge on unfaithful and deceitful men. 

Will Giselle ever forgive Albrecht and embrace love once 

again? Will Albrecht ever be able to convince Giselle of 

Text: Victoria Chang 

Photo: Singapore Dance Theatre 

true love? Will this seemingly romantic and yet tragic 

ballet ever end happily? 

In charge of staging for ‘Giselle’ this time is Swedish 

artistic director Janek Schergen who is currently 

working in the Singapore Dance Theatre company. 

Before working with the Singapore Dance Theatre, 

Mr Schergen has been ballet master of the Pittsburgh 

Ballet as well as Artistic Director of the Nashville Ballet. 

With such an illustrious background in ballet, one can 

be assured that ‘Giselle’ is in capable hands under Mr 

Schergen’s direction. 

Step out of reality and into this hauntingly beautiful 

performance of a classic and unforgettable ballet set to 

an evocative and lingering score with Singapore Dance 

Theatre’s ‘Giselle’. 

Title: Giselle 

Date: 11 March 2010 

– Fundraising Gala Performance and Dinner 

12 to 14 March 2010 

– Regular Performance Nights 

Venue: Victoria Theatre 

Time: 8.00 pm 

Ticket prices: 11 March - $500, $250, $150 

(Tickets are available from SDT office ONLY) 

12 to 14 March - $88, $68, $48 

(Through SISTIC and SDT) 

We apologise that we are unable to admit infants 

in arms and children below 3 years old. Children 3 

years old and above will require a ticket for entry. 

Tickets will be available from 4 January 2010

Beauty & The Beast 

W!LD RICE’s Beauty & The Beast gives the 

classic fairytale a local rubdown and unveils it with all the 

flair that we’ve come to expect of their pantomimes. 

Listening to the chatter of children and their party 

clappers and waiting for the curtain to rise, I wondered 

if the production could sustain the interest of both 

young and mature audiences. It rises to the challenge 

masterfully. 

Beauty & The Beast coaxes its young audience into 

the tale by engaging their participation. Karen Tan’s Ah 

Ma Chao Chao opened the show by warmly initiating 

the audience into their roles in driving the story and 

connecting with the characters. At times, the effect 

came across as a little too Blue’s Clues (“Where’s 

____?”, followed by children excitedly shrieking “There! 

Behind!”), but there were stellar moments where the cast 

seized on to audience reactions and played off them, 

cleverly ad-libbing to the laughter of the audience. 

Alfian Sa’at’s script juggles the two audiences and 

sizzles as a cocktail of laugh-out-loud moments and 

references that pay homage to the big events of 2009. 

In one scene, there is a cringeworthy Ris Low tribute that 

plays out in the banter between Beauty’s two campy 

sisters (think “boomz” and “half zebra half leopard 

beegini”). In another, a conservative magician insists 

review 

Text: Nur Asyiqin 

Photo: Sirius Art 

she’s on page 73 (in the phone directory), a sly wink 

at the Dr Thio Su Mien’s “I’m on page 73” declaration 

during the AWARE saga. 

Emma Yong shines as the level-headed, strong-willed 

Beauty. Her voice, as always, is amazing, soaring 

through Elanie Chen’s musical compositions. RJ 

Rosales’ Beast, though awkwardly endearing, ends up 

being overshadowed by the rest of the cast. The other 

characters elicited laughter through their expressions, 

but him spending most of the show with a mask 

concealing his expressions, placing him at a 

disadvantage. For those who can stomach the camp 

(and I ate it up), Chua En Lai and Darius Tan as Beauty’s 

two over-the-top sisters are comedy gold. Flouncing 

around stage on heels, and flashing their petticoats at 

the audience, they brought catty fun to the show. 

Hossan Leong’s direction makes Beauty & The Beast 

a flurry of visual pleasure and well-timed comedy. The 

costumes are eye-catching, particularly during the 

opening and ending numbers where gowns and ruffles 

fill the stage, the props are meticulous and the set is 

well put together, and very effectively used. The forest 

swings open to reveal the interior of Beauty’s house, 

the Beast’s castle looms in the background and the 

LED rose wilts and blooms, suspended over the rest 

of the cast. 



review 

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 

Live Fringe Theatre: ‘JP’ 

Outrageous. Hilarious. Fascinating. 

Japanese Theatre Group , Gumbo, definitely lived up 

to its reputation of performing energetic, comedic and 

colourful plays with a serious twist. Their play ‘JP’ 

was part of the line-up for this year’s Singapore M1 Fringe 

Festival. Despite frequent injections of slapstick comedy, 

the play turned out to be highly entertaining and thought 

provoking. 

The actors opened the first scene with elaborate costumes 

and equally dramatic make-up complete with huge grins 

on their faces which brought about an almost frighteningly 

cheerful contrast to the darkness of the theatre. 

Throughout the play, the actors kept up with their 

enthusiasm with exaggerated motion and extreme 

expressions on their faces, causing the audience to laugh 

uproariously. Actor Mitsuru Yanase portrayed egotism at 

its extreme while actress Kayo Tamura portrayed female 

promiscuity with such extremity that it resonated deeply 

with the audience despite the play’s positive ending of 

repentance and change. 

Unlike most other conventional plays, ‘JP’ proved to be 

extremely interactive. Members of the audience were 

invited onstage twice to interact with the cast during the 

play. Cast member Ryo Nishihara energetically exclaimed, 

“Hi Singapore!” to the audience and shook hands with 

members of the audience in midst of the play. Often, the 

actors would directly question and address the audience 

as well, allowing them to experience the emotions that the 

cast was trying to portray. 

Text: Victoria Chang 

Photo: Iain Bond 

Figurative language was often humorously translated 

into literal acting as well. The cast was not inhibited 

by the sexual themes of the play and gamely threw 

themselves into their respective provocative roles. 

While ‘JP’ was comedic due to frequent sexual 

innuendos and exaggerated acting, underlying 

the humorous front were themes that dealt with 

the absurdities and inconsistencies in human 

behaviour. Said cast member Yuko Nishimura 

during the play: “Why do we hide and protect our 

true selves? We are happy when we live in truth, 

though it is difficult.” 

Though the members of the cast had little knowledge 

of the English language, ‘JP’ was painstakingly 

performed in English. This use of English was 

previously coined as ‘Japlish’ by critics due to the 

heavy Japanese accent of the actors which added 

to the humour of the play. Says Karo Tamura, who 

both directed and acted in the play, “We wanted 

to perform in English in order to connect with the 

audience in a better way, rather than have them be 

distracted by English subtitles.” 

Indeed, “JP” proves that Japanese Theatre Group 

Gumbo is one theatre group to watch out for in 

the arts scene. One can definitely look forward to 

experience even more of their quirky and meaningful 

works in time to come.

M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 

Text: Samantha Soon 

Photos: AsiaMuse 

Katncandix2 

This year, the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival 2010 brings us Taiwanese folk pop duo, Katncandix2, for a twoday 

show as a highlight of the festival. 

The night began with a thought-provoking question, ‘What do you think dreams are?’ making the audience reflect 

on their own ideals and lives. Their album title which is also the title of a song, “Little Flight”, was an apt beginning 

to the concert as their music brought us into their very own ‘B612’, the theme of the concert. 

Katncandix2’s music bears no resemblance to the sweet and airy cotton candy (a direct translation of the group’s 

Chinese name). Together with SSJ, the band’s guitarist and lead vocalist, Ball, the duo brought us a night of 

acoustic and original music with their eleven-song set. Ball’s natural vocals gave a fresh touch to SSJ’s melodies. 

The charm of Katncandix2 thus lies in its ability to draw near to their audience, not only through the music they 

make, but also through their stands on the masses’ ideals and principles. 

As opposed to mainstream Taiwanese pop, Katncandix2’s music maintains a positive spirit, even when it sings of 

heavy issues such as world peace and environmental protection, or even the usual theme of love. The double love 

song in the set, ‘Girl’ and ‘Please love him for me’, sings of facing heartbreaks with an optimistic outlook, and not 

to give up on love even when it fails. 

What was unique about the duo, was that while SSJ, the main composer of Katncandix2’s melodies was quiet and 

shy, lead singer Ball loved to engage with their audience in between songs, and she would talk about anything; 

from stories behind songs, to the journey of their music career: how they started out as street performers to where 

they are today, signed under a major record company under the support of Taipei’s Cultural Affairs. Katncandix2 

is a testimony to the songs of encouragement they sing, ‘We are the same’, ‘Blossoms everywhere’ and ‘Lacking 

of courage’, where they urge their audience to take an active step towards fulfilling 

dreams they believe in. 

The night ended with their original ‘Future?’ with visuals of environmental 

damage, where they repeatedly sang ‘Do you see? This is not the future we 

want’, advocating people to play a part in protecting our Earth. The concert 

was brought to a perfect end by their debut single ‘2375’, imploring the 

audience to never forget their earliest dreams and ideals. 

review 

A fresh take on Taiwanese pop 



review 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs. 

All eyes were clearly on Karen O, including the giant inflated 

eyeball backdrop as she took her place with guitarist Nick 

Zinner and drummer Brian Chase on stage as part of the 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs. One of the most electrifying front-women in rock, 

she did nothing but enthral audiences throughout the two hour 

sold out set. 

Her eccentric dance moves and stage antics kept audiences 

guessing as to what she would pull off next. And this included 

her choices of threads as well. Coming out for the concert opener 

‘Runaway’ in bright, neon stockings and an equally colourful romper, 

Karen O truly made her glow among the dim lighting. She got her 

‘leather on’ in ‘Zero’ when she emerged with a heavily studded 

leather jacket that spelt her initials at the back. She also worked 

the crowd into a frenzy when she emerged in a long robe and an 

elaborate headdress that provided a theatrical aesthetic that fit well 

with O’s dramatic and somewhat unique stage performance. 

The show truly started with a bang when guitarist Zinner played 

the familiar wicked, crunchy riffs to the obvious crowd pleaser 

‘Phenomena’ from Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ sophomore album Show Your 

Bones. Although quiet and timid, which was a stark contrast to 

the more flamboyant O, both Zinner and drummer Chase showed 

off their individual talents especially with songs like ‘Date With the 

Night’ and ‘Y Control’. While singing ‘Boy you’re just a stupid b***h 

and girl you’re just a no good d**k’, O violently stomped on a black 

box, releasing an intense shower of shiny red Y-shaped confetti 

that dazzled the audiences with glee and awe. 

Devoted Yeah Yeah Yeahs fans must have been delighted that 

the set list equally covered all of their albums including Fever to 

Tell (2003), Show Your Bones (2006) and It’s Blitz (2009) and even 

played ‘Miles Away’ from their self-titled debut EP. The Esplanade 

theatre morphed into a massive dance party with club-ready hits 

such as ‘Heads Will Roll’ but the true highlight was during the 

encore when Karen O melted the 2000-odd hearts with an acoustic 

rendition of ‘Maps’. As she repeated the lines ‘Wait, they don’t love 

you like I do,’ it is pretty clear the audience thought otherwise. One 

can only anticipate the next time the New York indie superstars 

step into our sunny island. 

Text: Jennifer Dhanaraj 

Photo: Jonathan Kwa

Patrick Watson 

review 

Text: Jennifer Dhanaraj 

Photo: Jonathan Kwa 

With light coming out of a strange contraption made up of five megaphones strapped onto his back, Patrick 

Watson and his band walked into the crowd singing the first encore piece ‘Hearts in the Park’. This is just 

a taste of Patrick Watson’s sold out live performance at the Esplanade Recital Studio; experimental and 

avant-garde but yet at the same time, fun and playful. 

Patrick Watson, whose band is named after him, opened the concert with ‘Fireweed’ that perfectly showed off his 

lush vocals, which included his heavenly falsettos as well. Every bit of the musical mad scientist that is so often 

used to describe him, Watson ran around the stage from the piano to the megaphones to the perfectly utilized 

digital loop machine. The digital loop pedals enabled Watson to beautifully recreate in a live setting the complex 

layering of vocals so exquisitely achieved in the band’s studio albums especially ‘Wooden Arms’ (2009). 

Despite the band being named after him, Watson certainly did not steal any attention away from the other three 

members. The chemistry between the band members was palpable during the performances as they engaged in 

playful on-stage banter in between songs. 

Especially impressive was percussionist Robert Kuster who was able to create a myriad of sounds with the use of 

various objects. Kuster showed off his skills in ‘Beijing’ where he expertly clanked on different metals that included 

pots and pans. We can definitely imagine the sounds of Beijing with the help of Kuster as Watson sings, “It was 

the sound of the city/Speaks to me”. 

During ‘To Build a Home’, the studio was transformed into a pitch-black room. Not being able to see a thing, the 

audience grew completely quiet as they were fixated on Watson’s rich, quivering and ghostly vocals that were 

accompanied by the beautiful piano chords. 

Taking advantage of the wonderful acoustics at the recital studio, Watson performs an acoustic version of ‘Man 

under the Sea’ as he engages the audience to sing the line ‘Just me, the fish and the sea’ repeatedly but in different 

dynamics. 

The best part of the concert had to be when Patrick Watson came out for another encore announcing that they 

wanted to try out an improvisation that was reserved for the occasional fun audience. He asked the audience 

to shout out random phrases that the band would then piece together to produce a song right there and then. 

Phrases like ‘The mating habits of ants’, ‘Boy in Blue’, ‘Pitch Black’ were thrown at the band. Clearly impressed by 

the imagination of the audience, he declared that Singapore had the craziest ideas ever. Bassist Mishka Stein along 

with Angell and Kuster immediately started playing their respective instruments and surprisingly, it all came together 

seamlessly. Watson then joined in and strung the phrases that were thrown at him in such a coherent manner. 

It was a privilege to witness the songwriting process of the band and it was at that point where one could see 

exactly how tight the band was, with regards to their musicianship. The concert soon ended and it really, did feel 

like the most intimate, whimsical and surreal dream. 



review 

Text: Audrey Lim 

Photo: Universal Music Singapore 

Music: +65 Indie Underground 

Released last December, the 3-CD compilation offers a selection of 

some of be the best tunes in the local music scene since the ‘80s, more 

specifically, the rock and indie scene. +65 Indie Underground frees itself 

from the restrictions of any subgenre of rock music and manages to 

balance well-known bands such as Electrico and Force Vomit alongside 

lesser known but still, talented bands. Taking the place of song lyrics in 

the CD booklet is instead a write-up of every band that is featured in the 

CD, a thoughtful move for listeners. 

The variety of sounds in disc one ranging from pop-rock to indie to instrumental rock provided an 

accurate indication of what was to come in the following CDs. Listeners unfamiliar with instrumental 

rock will find themselves intrigued by the sounds of Amateur Takes Control, Muon and I Am David 

Sparkle; all of whom deliver this relatively unexplored genre excellently in the first disc. “April” by 

Analog Girl and B-Quartet’s “Personal Space” both had an eerie but mesmerizing quality about 

them. However, “Personal Space” was especially outstanding musically as it started out with a 

simple accompanying melody which slowly grew heavy and jarring, but slowed back down just in 

time to a quieter and simpler tune. Aspidistrafly closed the first round with the soft but haunting 

tune “Red Toe Nails” that whetted my appetite for more. The first CD is an excellent listen and will 

most likely resonate deeply with the younger generation of rock music listeners as it features local 

favourites such as The Great Spy Experiment and Electrico. 

With songs like “The Girl From Katong” and “Siti” the second CD was characterized by distinctly 

Singaporean sounds. While merit should be given to the second CD for having maintained 

consistency in the sounds, it eventually grew tired on the ears halfway. Standout tracks have got 

to be Plainsunset’s “Find A Way” that carries an addictive tune with catchy lyrics that go “I have to 

find a way to keep myself from thinking of you” and Sugarflies “What About” helmed by a female 

vocalist. Stompin’ Ground injected a much needed heavy vibe with their song “Tunnel Vision” into 

an otherwise tame offering in the second disc. 

The third disc offers a rare listen into the early days of the local rock scene starting from the ‘80s. 

“Circling Sqaure” by Humback Oak opened the last disc with a melancholic tune and equally 

wistful lyrics. Instead of suffering from ear fatigue, it only served to heighten my anticipation of what 

was to come in the following tracks. The range of genres hinted at the diverseness of local bands, 

and provided hints of the roots of local rock music. From laidback country rock (The Noame), to 

trash punk (Nunsex) to electronic and experimental (Convent Garden), it was an honor to be able 

to listen these pioneer bands. Convent Garden’s electronic tune is still musically relevant today, 

perhaps best exemplifying how music transcends everything, almost. Zircon Lounge’s “Guide 

These Hands”, as well as Daze’s “Sexy Little Boy” showcased the deep, hypnotizing and rich 

vocals that lure listeners into a trance. 

Granted, +65 Indie Underground may appeal to only a small segment of the market but this does 

not discredit the compilation as having a solid collection of quality songs. What this compilation 

does on a bigger scale is to offer Singaporeans a glimpse into the local music scene and what 

it has to offer; that is, a myriad of brilliant bands. Listening to the CDs is like taking a walk down 

Singapore’s rock music history and witnessing its evolution from the early ‘80s till today. In fact, 

at the very end of the whole journey, I cannot help but smile with pride at how far the local music 

scene has progressed. The recognition and acknowledgment given to the local music scene is 

epitomized by this compilation. 

If this does not make you run down to the music store to buy this compilation, this should: 

“3 CDs for the price of 1! Cheap leh!” 

+65 Indie Underground is available at all major music stores and available for online purchase at 

www.getupmerch.com. Special thanks to Universal Music Singapore.

Mosaic Music Festival 

A 

bumper crop of talented artistes from all over the world are set to 

touch down at our sunny island for the upcoming 10-day Mosaic 

Music Festival at the Esplanade. They will be joining local talents to 

give performances representing a diverse range of music genres such as 

Alternative Rock, Reggae, Jazz and even Tango. Music lovers are in for a 

treat! ArtJam features five artistes performing at the festival. 

Prices with an * have a special concessionary discount for students, NSF and senior citizens. 

Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds 

preview 

Text: Cherie Thio & Audrey Lim 

Photos: The Esplanade Co Ltd 

When: 12th March 2010 @ 7.30pm 

Where: Esplanade Concert Hall 

How Much: $40*, $60*, $80, $100, $120 

American musician Kenny Edmonds will open the Mosaic 

Music Festival with a bang on the 12th of March. His name 

might not ring a bell but you probably would have heard 

his R&B or Pop tunes on the airwaves before. 

This 10-times Grammy winner has written songs like “Take 

A Bow” for Madonna and “End of the Road” for Boyz II 

Men. Other famous acts he has written and produced 

songs for include Whitney Houston, Fall Out Boy, Kristiana 

DeBarge and Mary J. Blige. Not only has he won Grammy 

Awards, but he has also earned the public’s stamp of 

approval. His songs have been a huge commercial success and have sold a whopping 500 million and 

counting units in singles and albums sales. 

Having 125 of his songs making it to the top-10 R&B and Pop hits all over the world is indeed no mean 

feat. Kenny Edmonds has definitely left his mark on the music scene as an iconic songwriter and music 

producer. 

Kenny Edmonds has also proven his mettle as a musician, with 11 solo albums to his belt. Coming to the 

Esplanade to perform with his trusty guitar, audiences can expect to hear a repertoire of contemporary 

R&B tunes and acoustic rock songs in his smooth dulcet vocals. 

He even has a stretch of Indianapolis highway dedicated to him, christened the “Babyface” Highway. 

What else can you ask for? This Friday concert on the 12 th of March will be the best way you will ever 

start your weekend. 



preview 

Dinosaur Jr. 

When: 16 th March 2010 @ 8pm 

Where: Esplanade Theatre Studio 

How Much: $40*, $60**, $80, $100 

Dinosaur Jr is an alternative-rock band that hails from 

Massachusetts, USA. Bursting out on the music scene in 

1984, the band has Murph on the drums, Lou Barlow on the 

bass and J Mascis on the guitar. 

With legendary Kurt Cobain as one of their self-professed 

fans, Dinosaur Jr’s music has elements of rock and punk. 

They were known as the pioneers of their genre in the mideighties. 

Their almost deafeningly loud music with trademark 

guitar noise gives their songs an unmistakable distinctive 

flair. 

This band shocked fans when they reunited in 2007 after an 

unhappy breakup 20 years ago. Nevertheless, their music seems to be better than ever. Their latest album 

“Farm” received glowing reviews from critics. One magazine went so far as to say “How Dinosaur Jr. came to 

be this good - arguably better than their late 80s/early 90s heyday - shall remain a glorious mystery”. 

Rolling Stone wrote “Dinosaur Jr. set the standard for convulsive indie-rock guitar fireworks in the Eighties. 

Incredibly, the band’s original lineup - guitarist J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph - hasn’t lost 

a thunderous step.” 

This is one band you should be looking out for. 

Pink Martini 



How Much: $40*, $60*, $80, $100 

If you were me and unknowingly visualised the singer Pink 

when you read Pink Martini, then the both of us could not 

be more wrong. Pink Martini is a band or ‘mini-orchestra’ 

of 12 international players on instruments such as violins, 

the harp, guitar and drums. They are also joined by lead 

vocalist China Forbes. 

Undoubtedly as talented as Pink, China Forbes is also 

their chief songwriter. Pink Martini is an all-rounded band 

that plays many genres and they are supported by China 

Forbes’ chameleon-like voice. From heavy French love 

ballads to quiet and angsty Japanese songs, she changes 

the tone of her voice to suit each different song perfectly. 

Pianist and bandleader Thomas Lauderdale formed the band in 1994. Although the band was formed 

in Portland, Oregon of North-Western America, they are not the average American band. Made up of 

international singers from all corners of the world, they play songs in almost every language. This includes 

Arabic, Japanese, French and Portuguese. 

It’s like a United Nations meeting, with music instead of talk. 

Their music perspective is to show an alternate side to America. Rather than familiar iconic American 

symbols such as McDonalds, Starbucks, and Hollywood representing American commercialism culture, 

Pink Martini’s American symbol is the Statue of Liberty. They want to show the melting pot culture in 

America, with the patchwork of different races living together in the same country. 

So don’t forget to book Pink Martini on the 17 th of March!

The Go! Team 

preview 

When: 17th March 2010 @ 7.30pm, 18th March 2010 @ 10pm 


How Much: $40*, $48* (on show date) 

Two of their videos are featured on YouTube – “Doing it 

Right” and “Milk Crisis”. The Go! Team might sound like a 

cheerleader group and the opening bars of “Doing it Right” 

is scarily reminiscent of a High School Musical tune. 

But don’t be fooled, because their music is in a different 

genre altogether. Borrowing elements of rock, their music 

is made up of mostly guitar, drums, Hip Hop rap and 

interestingly enough, Double Dutch chants. Double Dutch 

chants are the chants that little kids repeat as they swing 

two long ropes in opposite directions while other kids skip 

rope. The most prominent movie that featured Double Dutch 

chants was Disney’s “Jump In!” starring, ironically enough, 

High School Musical alumnus Cordin Bleu. 

Band leader and creator Ian Parton formed the band to create music with elements of guitar and Double Dutch 

chants simply because those were his favourite things. The Go! Team is now a sextet, a mixture of British and 

Japanese musicians from both genders. Based in the UK, they debuted in 2004 with “Thunder, Lightning, 

Strike” and followed up with 2007’s “Proof of Youth”. 

The Go! Team is your way to go if you like happy and catchy songs. Their loud, joyful and fun-filled tunes 

that are perfect for parties will soon be echoing at the Mosaic Music Festival so catch them for an amazing 

evening! 

Shugo Tokumaru 


Where: Esplanade Recital Studio 

How Much: $30* 

Shugo Tokumaru cannot be more different from most 

well-known Japanese artistes in Singapore. Unlike 

Ayumi Hamasaki, Arashi and such, Shugo Tokumaru’s 

style is probably more similar to Jason Mraz’s breezy 

and quirky songs. 

Shugo Tokumaru debuted in the year 2004 with his 

album “Night Piece”. His songs are influenced with 

elements of Folk and Electronica music. What makes his 

music so uniquely his is that he makes use of all sorts of 

instruments like guitar, melodica, banjo, flute, toy piano, 

drums and everyday items like ashtrays. 

Self-proclaimed to play over 100 instruments, Shugo is as different as you can get. Through the different 

items used to combine with Shugo’s gentle vocals, the overall effect is deceptively yet charmingly 

lighthearted and warm. 

Despite being little known in Singapore, Shugo Tokumaru is an indie sensation in his home country 

Japan as well as the United States and Europe. Before flying to our island for the Mosaic Music Festival 

performance, he will be going on a music tour to UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Spain in January. 

His music has also earned warm reviews in Rolling Stone and other music publications. 

Shugo records almost all of his music by himself with his Mac computer, and painstakingly records 

himself playing each instrument separately. In his live performance at the Mosaic Music Festival, the 

audience can expect Shugo singing all his songs while strumming his guitar in a 5-man band. Mark your 

calendar for the 19th of March and get your tickets quickly because they are selling out fast! 



preview 

Mosaic Music Festival 

ArtJam: Why is your music described as Indonesian 

dancehall-reggae? 

Ras Muhamad: Reggae music has many styles and 

sub-genres; you have the “Roots” that was popularized 

by legendary artists 

such as Bob Marley, 

Peter Tosh, the 

Abyssinians and 

Burning Spear. 

You have “Lover’s 

Rock” that is 

mostly romantic 

tunes, then there 

is “Dub Reggae” 

that focuses 

more on ambient 

instrumental sounds 

such as reverbs, 

delays and echoes 

with little or no 

vocals at all. The 

most recent style of 

Reggae is Dancehall, 

born in the late 

1980’s. Some call 

this style “Ragga” or 

“RaggaMuffin” due 

to the vocals being 

closer to “rapping” 

with a series of 

melodies and a 

distinct “riddim” 

(rhythm), two kick 

drums on the 1st and 2nd measure and a snare hit on the 4th measure. 

I ‘m a “Roots” artist but I wanted to experiment with 

“Dancehall Music” and explore the sound because 

I found that no one in Southeast Asia was properly 

creating Dancehall music the right way. At worst 

Interview 


Photos: The Esplanade Co Ltd 

For the upcoming Mosaic Music Festival, Club M.I.A will feature rising talents from Asia 

who will be bringing a variety of music genres such as reggae, hip hop and rock to 

the our shores. The three artists are Indonesian dancehall-reggae artist Ras Muhamad, 

Taiwanese hip-hop band Kou Chou Ching, and Thai funk-rock band Apartmentkhunpa. 

ArtJam speaks to them to find out more. 

Dancehall music was relatively unknown and unfamiliar in 

Southeast Asia and sometimes mistakenly categorized 

as “HipHop and R&B”, many misunderstood that 

artists like Sean Paul and Shaggy are Reggae artists 

themselves. So, I 

wanted to step up and 

introduce Dancehall to 

Southeast Asia without 

forgetting to respect 

the Jamaican people 

but I know that I cannot 

“copy and paste” the 

whole style because the 

Asian flavor has to be 

there, I need to make it 

more Indonesian. 

ArtJam: Is there 

something distinctly 

Indonesian in terms of 

your musical style? 

Ras Muhamad: 

Most of my Dancehall 

compositions are in 

minor and vocalized by 

chanting and eastern 

melodies, which are 

influenced by traditional 

Indonesian music. 

I personally feel that 

Indonesian Dancehall 

lyrics have to be mostly 

in “Bahasa Indonesia”, 

our official National language. In my song, “J-Town 

Rock”; I wanted to paint an audible picture of the hard 

and street life of Jakarta. The melodies of this tune 

are clearly eastern and the vocals are in a “Betawi”like 

traditional chant that goes “HEY JAKARTA 

METROPOLITAN! /HEY JAKARTA KOTA IDAMAN!”.

It means “Jakarta Metropolis and the city of dreams”, 

a far reach where many had their hopes and dreams 

broken by the harsh reality of this colossal metropolis, 

the chorus of this tune is reminiscent of the street 

chants of the Betawi people, the original people 

of Jakarta. Other examples would be “Runaway” 

and “Hot like Fiya” both of the tunes are in eastern 

melodies. So there are 3 distinct characters for 

Indonesian Dancehall, language, vocalized chanting 

and the melodies. 

ArtJam: Where do you draw inspiration from? 

Ras Muhamad: I draw inspiration from life and my 

environment. My parents inspire me, my friends inspire 

me and the struggles of the Indonesian people inspire 

me. I admire those who live for others and stand 

up against injustice, their fighting-spirit and bravery 

motivates me to be more than an entertainer, that 

music is not just mere entertainment but a platform 

of social change and uplifting humanity. World leaders 

that still inspire me to this day include the 1st President 

of Indonesia Sukarno for social justice, independence 

and the building of character of the Indonesian nation. 

Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia for tolerance, unity, 

the brotherhood and goodwill of the human race. And 

Comandante ‘Che’ Guevara for equality, self-sacrifice, 

courage and determination. I try to channel their 

ideas, philosophy and vision through my music and 

live performances without overstating it. Their fightingspirit 

is my spirit. 

ArtJam: You were raised in the US, how does that 

influence your take on music in terms of sound and 

the lyrics that you write? 

Ras Muhamad: Being raised in the U.S. broadened 

my mind for music, I had many influences from Hip- 

Hop and rock but I found “my calling” with Reggae 

music. Something about the Jamaican ‘riddim’ that 

hits the heart and soul, we call it the “vibez”, intricate 

and yet so simple. Music reaches all nations, color, 

race and creed. So my vision of music is to bridge 

and communicate my homeland and the world. The 

Indonesian people’s cry is “MERDEKA!” meaning 

preview 

“Freedom!” therefore I must be free to create my 

music the way that I feel like making with no limitations 

by outside powers such as the Indonesian music 

industry. I pride myself on being an independent 

artist, not relying on record sales or major labels. I am 

free to collaborate with whom I choose; I am free to 

create and direct the music that I want therefore no 

one can steer, commercialize and change the sound 

productions that I wish. I rebel against that old way of 

thinking that every kind of music has to be produced 

in a “Pop” standard and formula. 

ArtJam: Your songs mostly deal with subjects like 

“corruption, social injustice, political leadership and 

humanity”. Why is it that you choose to sing about 

such serious topics? 

Ras Muhamad: Music especially Reggae music is 

reality music, I think that music has to reflect reality 

and the state that we are living in. It is my duty as 

a Reggae musician to be a voice of the younger 

generation, a voice of the people and a musician of 

the people; also a defender of the oppressed, the 

poor and the downtrodden. I do not choose to sing 

about corruption and injustice, it’s just that I feel that 

is necessary as a musician to convey the people’s 

feelings. The economic gap in Indonesia is widening 

day by day, the saying “the rich are getting richer and 

the poor are getting poorer” is still relevant. We need 

to raise awareness and provoke thinking socially as a 

whole. 

ArtJam: Is there any message that you hope to bring 

across through your music? 

Ras Muhamad: My message in the music is simple, 

love and peace. But how can you have peace without 

justice? All you’d have is anger and frustration, when 

the poor has no right for education, social welfare, 

better healthcare and wages; music needs to play a 

part to raise society’s awareness of living conditions, 

to lift us all out to a better and just world. One way 

to build that world is to work collectively and have 

oneness of humanity’s struggle. 

Ras Muhamad 21 

art jam


preview 

ArtJam: What does Kou Chou Ching mean? 

Kou Chou Ching: Kou Chou Ching, literally translated, 

actually symbolizes a farmer working hard at harvesting 

his crops. However, it has a darker meaning which can 

be interpreted if you understand the Hokkien dialect. We 

deliberately played around with the language as we are a 

group that creates and composes songs using different 

languages. Linguistics is a deep and profound subject. 

Through the textured meaning in our group name, we hope 

that everyone will be able to seriously look at the existential 

purpose of every language and break the existing social 

hierarchy in languages. 

ArtJam: One very distinctive quality about your music is 

the mixing of old and new sounds; like using traditional 

instruments while rapping. Why is this style of particular 

interest to the band? 

Kou Chou Ching: Sampling is an important technique in 

hip hop music. Producers and musicians in America are 

very influenced and inspired by the tunes that they have 

grown up with, mainly blues, funk and soul music. Through 

hip hop, new life has been given to that genre of music, 

allowing them to gain acceptance today. Similarly, we are 

using traditional music from Taiwan to create a style of 

hip hop music that is distinct to Taiwan because we like 

traditional music and we hope that everyone will look at 

them seriously and love them. Through sampling, we hope 

to eject youth into the music and to provide an avenue 

for youths to regard the so called ‘traditional music’ 

differently. 

ArtJam: The band blends traditional sounds like “Nan- 

Guan” with popular music styles. What is a “Nan-Guan”? 

Kou Chou Ching: Nan-Guan is a type of traditional music. 

Compared to the more boisterous Bei Guan, Nan Guan 

is relatively softer. It originates from Quanzhou in Fujian 

Province and is often used when making offerings to the 

Gods. We often joke that Nan Guan is equivalent to the 

jazz music of Taiwan, but of course, not in terms of music 

theory. The music that we extract from Nan Guan usually 

has a graver tone and style, which is more similar to the 

Trip-Hop of western music. 

ArtJam: Do you find it challenging 

having to blend traditional “Nan- 

Guan, Taiwanese Recital Chants, 

Taiwanese opera, Hakka Eight 

Notes, Taiwanese and aboriginal 

songs with Hip-Hop, Reggae and 

other popular music styles” 

Kou Chou Ching: We faced a lot of 

problems when we first started composing, 

as our education in Taiwan did not include any 

contents on traditional Taiwanese music. When we 

were young, we learnt the western musical scores and 

style of music, thus we spent a lot of time accumulating 

information and fumbling through. In addition, due to 

the influence of western music, majority of Taiwanese’s 

traditional music has also been altered to different 

degrees. The most well preserved music is actually 

music from before World War II, but most of them are not 

obtainable from the market. Most of what we have been 

able to collate are versions that have been re-recorded 

or revised and a large portion do have varying degrees of 

disparities from the originals. Moreover, as this is a new 

form of music not done by others before, we do not have 

anyone to learn from either. Traditional Taiwanese music 

is also unlike western music which usually has a scale. In 

contrast, most of traditional Taiwanese music has a high 

pitch. One can arguably say that it doesn’t have a low 

pitch at all. Therefore, we need to add in a suitable Bass 

Line, and at the same time, make sure that we do not 

destroy the original style of the traditional music. It is also 

hard to sample these music as the traditional music does 

not have a 4/4 beat (i.e: it does not hav ea regular tempo). 

As a result, we need to listen to the music a lot of times 

before we can find a suitable portion to sample. 

ArtJam: Any musical influences? 

Kou Chou Ching: We are heavily influenced by Japanese 

DJ Krush. He infuses a lot of Japanese traditional 

instruments in his compositions and this is also what 

inspired us to try out this style of music. 

ArtJam: What can one expect at a Kou Chou Ching 

show? 

Kou Chou Ching: This will be our first trip to Singapore. 

Taiwanese Hip Hop music might be a stranger to 

Singaporeans who may be more accustom to a number 

of pop musicians. What we will be bringing is a different 

kind of Hip Hop music. Through our music, you will be 

able to experience a lot of the messages that we bring 

from Taiwan and we hope that everyone will be able to 

enjoy what we have prepared. 

Kou Chou Ching

Tul Waitoonkiat 

Club M.I.A. featuring Ras Muhamad, Kou Chou Ching & Apartmentkhunpa with DVJ Azz 

When: 20 th March 2010 @ 9.30pm 

Where: Heineken Music Club 

How Much: $30*, $38* (on show date) 

(* with one complimentary drink. All patrons must be above 18 years old) 

preview 

ArtJam: What does your name mean and why did you choose that name? 

Tul Waitoonkiat (vocalist of Apartmentkhunpa): Apartmentkhunpa is actually a name of an apartment building 

in Bangkok. We accidentally saw the building while we were eating noodles. I do not know the reason why we liked 

this name but it was just something that sounded catchy. 

ArtJam: How would describe your music as? 

Tul Waitoonkiat: Our music is very old fashioned. We love rock ‘n’ roll but each member comes from different 

musical background. To make it easy, we call our music “old school rock ‘n’ roll”. 

ArtJam: What can one expect at an Apartmentkhunpa show? 

Tul Waitoonkiat: Truthful storytelling and music improvisation with long solos done in a very old fashioned way) 

but if you don’t understand a word of our songs you can still be driven by our raw guitar sounds and danceable 

beats. 

ArtJam: Why did you guys decide to play for Mosaic Music Festival? 

Tul Waitoonkiat: We think it’s a good idea to go to Singapore to share our music with new audience, and hopefully 

we can make new friends 

ArtJam: The band sings about a wide range of topics ranging from “politics, ancient myths, philosophy, fashion, 

Bangkok nightlife, and music business to pop culture”. Where do you draw inspiration from? 

Tul Waitoonkiat: I write the songs to cure my depressions and sorrow. I think my inspirations come from the 

need to feel comfortable with myself, every time when something bothers me, I’ll write it down on paper and try to 

transform those negative thought into something that I can enjoy. For me songwriting is a form of psychotherapy. 



preview 

Concert Preview 

2010 is starting to seem like a really good year for music lovers in Singapore. Having international 

acts like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Green Day, Muse, just to name a few, grace our tiny shore with 

their performances at the start of the year, the upcoming months can only get better! In this issue, 

we sass out must see acts at the annual Mosaic Music Festival and preview upcoming concerts in the 

month of March, oh yeah! 

Paramore Live in Singapore: 

7 th March 2010 

Before Twilight catapulted the young band into 

mainstream success, Paramore, hailing from 

Tennesse, USA, was already making waves in the 

rock music scene. Needless to say, all the girls 

wanted to be like front-woman Hayley Williams, 

while the boys dreamt of getting it on with her. 

Paramore consists of Hayley Williams (main vocals), 

Josh Farro (lead guitar/backing vocals), Jeremy 

Davis (bass guitar), Zac Farro (drums), and Taylor 

York (rhythm guitar. The Grammy nominated band 

is set to rock the stage at the Singapore Indoor 

Stadium come 7 th March 2010 (finally!). 

Ticket prices are S$68, S$88 and S$108, exclusive of 

booking fee. 


Photo: Midas Promotions 

Jeremy Cowart 

Imogen Heap Live in Singapore: 

29 th March 2010 

Having earned the reputation of being somewhat of 

an indie goddess, Imogen Heap is bringing her own 

unique brand of indie, electronic tunes to Singapore 

as part of her Ellipse tour. The twice Grammy 

nominated artist will be performing on the 29 th of 

March 2010 at The Esplanade Concert Hall. Since 

learning how to play music from a young age, Imogen 

Heap has dabbled in many musical projects; one of 

her most recognized projects was being part of the 

British electronic band, Frou Frou. Interesting fact: 

She plays instruments like the keytar, the hang and 

the array mbira. So be smart and grab your tickets 

before they are gone. 

Ticket prices are S$68, S$88, S$108, S$128 and S$148, 

exclusive of booking fee.


Photo: RCGNTN 

head’s up 

MAKE LOCAL YOUR FOCAL 

Website: http://rcgntn.com 

RCGNTN, which stands for the word recognition, 

is a website that is dedicated to promoting 

local talents who are, more often than not, 

constantly being sidelined by mainstream media 

channels in favour of established foreign acts. 

The notion of Singapore talents being inferior 

to their Western counterparts is not only passé 

but also ignorant. While some may choose to 

despair at the lack of support given, Samantha 

Lo and Lu Yawen have channeled their energy 

into creating RCGNTN. The website is seeing a 

growing number of contributors who write about 

topics ranging from music to architecture and 

culture. So if you feel fervently about our local 

talents, send in your articles to them and you 

could be part of the team. Indeed, RCGNTN 

walks the talk and its promise to promote local 

talents applies to all areas, not just music and 

art. When we asked them what constitutes to 

‘talent’, they replied: “An individual passionate 

in the craft who will strive to perfect it in their 

own vision, no matter the consequences and 

obstacles they face. That deserves recognition.” 

Well put, we concur. 



personality 

West Grand 

Boulevard 

West Grand Boulevard is 

a local band that’s been 

around for the last five years. 

Comprised of members Jude 

Lee (Bass), Bryan Gamboa 

(Vocals), Syed Hyder (Drums) 

Erik Evangelista (Guitars) and 

Dharma Sadasivan – 

(Guitars/Vocals) this 5-person 

band has been around the 

circuit long enough to have 

acquired a healthy fanbase. 

Known for their lively, 

energetic gigs, adrenalinepumping 

alt-rock beats, and 

subsequent mosh pits, WGB’s 

earned the heavyweight 

street-cred that makes 

them a band to reckon with. 

Text: Abha Apte 

Photos: West Grand Boulevard 

ArtJam: Which genre of music would you say your work belonged to, and 

what are your major influences? 

Dharma: We were all always absolutely sure that we didn’t want to label our 

music as a particular kind. If I’d to answer that I’d say we don’t belong to any 

particular genre, because we don’t want to limit ourselves by being slotted 

into only one category. I guess our fans, though, would say we’re alternative 

pop-rock. But then we’re still growing as a band and we hope our musical 

style evolves continuously. And one of the main reasons being in WGB is fun 

is because of the freedom we allow ourselves, by playing exactly the kind of 

music we feel like playing, without giving in to genre classifications. 

Jude: As for musical preferences - I like metal, Dharma was a classical 

violinist, Erik’s into ska-punk – we have different inclinations, but a lot of 

similar tastes which our music’s influenced by. The Foo Fighters – they’re a 

huge inspiration; they’re an amazing band. 

ArtJam: How long have you all known each other and how did you meet 

and decide to form a band? 

Bryan: We’d all been playing in different bands, actually, before WGB was 

formed. Our previous lead – Daphne Cook – and Jude knew each other 

since they were what, fifteen? And then they sort of started playing together. 

Syed joined us recently on drums and Bryan on vocals. As far as deciding to 

form WGB, we had sort of started playing together for fun. 

Jude: We didn’t even have a proper name in the beginning. But after a while, 

the five of us had gotten pretty settled it, and WGB just fell to place. 

ArtJam: How was your experience right when you had just begun your 

music career? Was it very hard breaking into the music scene? 

Jude: This is a funny story, because we never really thought we’d get to 

where we are now. And things were crazy when we started, because first 

we used to jam together, and then we hooked up with organizers and things 

started happening.

Dharma: Our sound engineer, Leonard Soosay, he’s a brilliant 

guy. He helped us out a lot. And then suddenly we were playing 

shows back to back. It was crazy, and really hectic, because 

we’d finish one show and we’d have to leave and pack up to 

reach the next one, and this used to go on continuously. But 

getting a break was something we hadn’t planned or expected, 

and since then it’s been good, though maybe a little slow. 

Jude: It’s taken five years to release this new album, but 

the sound of it’s really huge, it’s a lot of growth since we first 

started out. 

ArtJam: You’re releasing a full length album this year, right? 

And it’s your second album? 

Bryan: Yes, that’s right. We’re five years old now, our first 

album was called ‘Waiting for You’, we released that four years 

ago in 2006. We’re going to be releasing our second album 

very soon now. We’re almost done with it, actually, and it’ll be 

out in the next, what, three weeks? 

ArtJam: Can you tell me a little about your new album? 

Dharma: Content-wise, it’s quite different, from our old album. 

It sounds really, really fresh. It deals with a lot of very diverse 

themes - there are some political themes. 

Jude: Yes, Dharma’s the one who can get political subjects 

right without going too far into things. 

Dharma: And then there are themes of social perspectives, of 

positivity in life, of death – this album is about a lot of different 

things, and they mainly centered around human condition. 

ArtJam: How would you describe your growth from your first 

album – “Waiting For You” to the one you’ve just come out with? 

Jude: We’ve changed a lot since we started out and made 

that album, we’ve become so much more mature. I think that 

this new album reflects that, lyrically and otherwise. 

Bryan: When we started out things were different, but after 

such a long time of being together we’ve all grown as persons, 

and we’ve definitely let this influence the album. So yes, 

maturity is the one thing that’ll be most evident if you check 

out our new album. 

Dharma: But it definitely has that energetic, loud, dancefriendly 

feel to it. We’ve always wanted to make music that 

we really believed in, regardless of anything else, and we think 

we’ve achieved that pretty well here. 

ArtJam: What are the main themes or topics of most of your 

songs? 

Dharma: Well, it depends. Our first album had a track I wrote 

for my ex, another Daphne wrote for her ex. It had this breakup 

feel going on. But we still retain the loud, catchy sounds and 

personality 

work them into our songs. And with our new album, things 

have gotten amazingly fresh, it sounds huge. There’s no other 

word for it. 

Jude: I think we sound much better, and so much bigger. 

The long break definitely helped us get a very new feel for 

this album. 

ArtJam: Which tracks to you perform most at shows, and 

which ones do the crowds respond to the best? 

Jude: DKNY, without a doubt. It always gets the energy going, 

and somehow the crowd always responds the best to that. 

Now We Will is pretty popular too. Come to think of it, the way 

people react with the name DKNY is funny, because we never 

really had a meaning for it. Dharma decided to call it that, and 

he has no clue what it means, either! 

ArtJam: Which were your best and worst stage performances 

so far? 

Jude: Philippines, it’s got to be Philippines. Philippines and 

Baybeats, actually. Everything was fantastic, and the crowds! 

Dharma: The crowds there actually appreciate what the 

music’s all about and there’s so much energy; they were 

fabulous places to play at. And the worst, well, we’ve had 

some bad experiences, with technical failures and stuff, but 

nothing really stands out as awful. 

Jude: We’d played in NUS a long time ago, for example, 

and that was pretty bad. It was an acoustic set, and Bryan’s 

microphone stopped working, Dharma had problems with the 

equipment. And then there was this one time when Bryan – he 

gets really into it when he sings – he was doing this spin and 

he just toppled over, it was hilarious. So yeah, we occasionally 

have moments like these. 

ArtJam: Other than being part of this band, what other work 

do you do? 

Dharma: I’m studying law in SMU right now, actually, I’m 

a grad student there. I used to do research before, for this 

health care company. Jude teaches guitar at Timbre Music 

Academy, Bryan works at an events firm. Syed’s actually a 

businessman, you could call him that. And Eric, he’s into 

freelance broadcasting. 

ArtJam: The best thing about being a locally well-known band? 

Jude: I don’t know about that, ‘well-known’? (laughs) But we 

always thought that the best thing we could achieve as a band 

was people liking us for WGB’s music, not its band members. 

Compared to some other bands, perhaps, we’re all pretty lowkey, 

and being known for our work instead of our personal 

lives or anything like that – it’s the best appreciation we could 

receive. And I dare say that we might have even achieved this 

in a way. 



heads up 

O 

ne of Singapore’s best kept secrets is Doinky Doodles, 

a cosy shop found at 33 Bali Lane. Selling a diverse 

range of handmade items from T-shirts to postcards 

under one roof, it is a shopping haven for the shopper with a 

taste for quirky designs with a unique twist. 

A few streets away from Bugis Junction, Doinky Doodles is 

located on the second floor of a shop house. Local designer 

Weng Pixin, 26, is the brains behind this humble shop. Having 

studied painting at LASELLE College of Arts, Pixin has been 

sewing her own toys since she was ten. She created the 

Doinky Doodles label in May 2008 and explains to ArtJam the 

meaning behind the quaint name. 

“It was invented after a series of frantic and fun text messaging 

with a friend. Doinky is a made-up word to describe the fun 

and colourful nature of my works, and Doodles represent the 

drawings, sketches and random ideas that come to me before 

every fresh creation.” 

Vastly different from your usual department store selling only 

mass produced items, every product in Doinky Doodles is oneof-a-kind. 

Her passion for creating her designs and pieces can 

be seen in her dedication to complete every item by herself. 

Yet, all her fantastic works share one thing in common. They 

exude creativity, positivity and fun. If you are feeling blue, this is 

the place to go for an immediate lift to the spirits. The moment 

you open the door to the staircase, you are immediately 

greeted by cheerfully painted animals on the walls. The warm 

atmosphere in the shop with happy colourful items surrounding 

you will certainly bring a smile to your face. 

Playing in the sandbox 

with Doinky Doodles 

Location: 32 Bali Lane (2 nd Floor) 

Contact: 6292 2248 

Website: www.doinkydoodles.com 

Text: Cherie Thio 

Photos: Doinky Doodles 

When asked how she comes up with design ideas, Pixin says 

that imperfection makes up a big part of her inspiration. 

“Imperfection embraces the fun and freedom in art making. 

There’s room for mistakes, there are no rigid rules to abide by. 

Everything is made up. Art making should be fun, like playing 

with mud in the sandbox.” 

She adds that the individualized faces on all her plush toys 

are inspired by various kinds of personalities, “from cartoon 

characters… to any intriguing individuals you see while walking 

around the neighborhood.” 

She is not only a talented designer, but one with an environment 

cause to boot. Seeing it as a “duty to be as environmentallyconscious 

as possible”, every product is made using recycled 

materials. Even product labels and shop promotional leaflets 

are printed on excess paper left from printers. 

Pixin also believes in giving back to the community. Whenever 

she has wholesale orders, she liaises with the Mother-&- 

Child Project that gives women from disadvantaged families 

sewing jobs. 

Doinky Doodles is the perfect place to shop for a unique 

present for a special someone or the decoration to liven up 

your working space while you are studying. If you cannot find 

anything to suit yourself in the shop, you can also make a 

custom order. What more are you waiting for? Head down to 

Doinky Doodles for a different shopping experience now!

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