Pop-up party places

Pop-up underground parties are making their mark on Singapore's party scene.

Held in improbable locations ranging from carparks to industrial warehouses, these events are where you are likely to find geek frames-wearing hipsters and move to cult music acts.

As home-grown electronica artists and indie bands jam, or DJ collectives spin, artfully dishevelled creative types mingle or simply cluster in venerating silence near the bar and podium.

Never mind the wonky temporary air-conditioning or deliberately inaccessible venues. Between 150 and 800 revellers turn up each time for these under- the-radar parties and at least three such events have been held in the past month. Partygoers learn of the parties through word of mouth or via social media.

Last month, local art and music collective Syndicate held its seventh and latest instalment of Syndicate Subsessions at the Substation theatre. The two- hour party featured local electronic dance music producer Darren Dubwise and electronic act Intriguant, the brainchild of hip-hop and funk DJ Louis Quek, and drew a crowd of under 100.

Two weeks ago, fashion label Fred Perry held one of its Sub-Sonic Live parties under a flyover along Thomson Road. The line-up included home-grown rock experimentalists Anechois and American chamber-rock act Ra Ra Riot, who performed to a crowd of 1,200.

And last weekend, the popular Super 0 Season pop-up festival returned for a second edition at converted industrial space The Mill in Jalan Kilang. The season, to be held over four Saturdays until Nov 30, features emerging local DJs, music workshops and art installations merging sound, design and multimedia.

The first Super 0 Season was held in April in a converted space among the art galleries at Gillman Barracks. It attracted 3,600 people over four weekends. Last weekend's Super 0 Season party drew 900.

Ms Alyssa Kokilah, 32, co-founder and director of Super 0, says that by choosing "lesser-known venues and completely transforming them", the organiser gets a chance to "breathe new life into" and "showcase the creative potential" of these spaces. She points out that the trend has caught on in cities such as New York, London, Berlin and Paris.

Inspiration for Super 0 Season came from The Warehouse Project in the Greater Manchester area of Britain, which features a series of club nights over six to eight weekends, drawing up to 30,000 people each week.

With alternative parties more common in Singapore compared to five years ago, says Ms Kokilah, she hopes to use Super 0 Season as a platform to introduce local and international acts to local audiences. She also wants it to marry art, design, music, dining and social scenes "to create a dynamic subculture".

Similarly, other organisers emphasise the inter- disciplinary aspects of such gigs-cum-parties.

Mr Safuan Johari, 32, co-founder of Syndicate, says his collective started the Syndicate Subsession series at the Substation theatre three years ago to "push and challenge" themselves to focus on the performance.

"In a club, there's chitter chatter and drinking, so you can get away with a lot of things as a performer, but with Syndicate Subsessions, there's a proper performance space, people are seated or standing, observing you... and they can experience how music correlates to the visuals on display," says Mr Safuan, a DJ and music producer.

Copywriter Daniel Foo, 30, has attended several alternative parties, including a Heineken event held at a warehouse in Alexandra Distripark, in Pasir Panjang Road, in 2009; and an event at the *Scape warehouse in Somerset in 2010. He says: "Sometimes the location is a bit of a pain to get to, but they're interesting locations. It also means you don't get people who go on a whim, but who are really there for the music."

Sub-Sonic Live's marketing and public relations manager, Ms Cheryl Ann Lee, 28, says nonconventional live music venues give independent local artists a platform to perform in a different setting. They keep fans engaged and enable the acts to reach out to new audiences, she adds.

"We wanted to build a community that includes the fashion people, art and design people and, basically, anyone who's looking for an alternative party experience," she says. "There is no 'one' type of crowd at the party."

Organisers tell Life! it can take months of preparations to select the acts to perform and scout for locations.

Some, like the self-funded Syndicate Subsessions, do not turn a profit but make enough to cover the production cost for the event. The budget for bigger-scale events, such as Super 0 Season, can run up to $150,000, with tens of thousands of dollars going into getting the official clearances to sell alcohol and building a proper DJ podium or stage with proper lighting.

Ms Kokilah keeps mum on whether the event is turning a profit, but adds: "Our main goal is to grow it so that it is sustainable and able to fund other alternative offshoot projects."

Mr Donald Ly attended the recent Sub-Sonic Live event and says the rough-around-the-edges location and relatively obscure performers gave it an "underground feel".

The 32-year-old, who is unemployed, says: "It gives a different feel to the usual weekend nights at clubs here, where the music sounds the same everywhere and people are just looking to binge-drink."

Another alternative-party regular, Mr Darius Goh, 29, says he seeks them out as it beats "just partying at a usual spot that you always frequent".

He likes the fact that the crowd that attends these parties are usually more "international" and it is an opportunity to "meet people you would not normally meet" at regular clubs.

The marketing and communications manager adds: "There're only so many clubs you can go to in Singapore and every club has a certain type of clientele, like the type who dresses really rich and buys a lot of bottles. I prefer it to be about the party and the event. You go there for a reason, like a good DJ."

melk@sph.com.sg

SUB-SONIC LIVE

What: A live gig series under British street- style clothing brand Fred Perry's global music initiative Subculture. The event showcases up-and-coming indie acts alongside the brand. Subculture started in London in 2005 and came to Singapore in 2010. It is known for its unusual locations and indie acts.

Past instalments have seen British electro- rock act Citizens! and home-grown indie bands such as Subshaman, Monster Cat and Astreal take the stage.

Where: Previous parties were held at the iconic Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, an abandoned school at 1 Kay Siang Road, a futsal pitch underneath a flyover off Whitley Road and The Foothills (the former River Valley Swimming Complex) in River Valley Road.

When: Details for the next instalment are not yet available. Check www.facebook.com/fredperrysg for updates.

Admission: Free, but register at www.facebook.com/fredperrysg

SUPER 0 SEASON (SOS)

What: A pop-up festival held over four Saturdays in a converted warehouse space. It features under- the-radar local and international DJs and music workshops. There is even a silent disco where partygoers slip on wireless headphones to wander around freely and groove to music spun by a DJ only they can hear. Expect non-commercial tracks, not club hits - the festival aims to cultivate an alternative music scene in Singapore.

The festival is organised by Spa Esprit Group's Cynthia Chua, 42, founder and chief executive of the lifestyle company, and Ms Alyssa Kokilah, 32, who is co-founder of events and music booking firm Aligned Agency. They say the festival is for "Super Troopers" - anyone interested in fresh entertainment and social experiences in music, art, design or food.

Where: Annex@The Mill, 5 Jalan Kilang

When: Nov 16, Nov 23 and Nov 30, from 10pm

Admission: $25 early-bird tickets are sold via Eventclique (www.eventclique.com) each week until Wednesday midnight. Thereafter, $30 advance tickets are available online until 6pm on Saturday. $35 at the door.

SYNDICATE SUBSESSIONS

What: A performance art series that marries underground electronica music and visual arts in a theatre space. Held on a quarterly basis, it is organised by local art and music collective Syndicate. Previously, home- grown indie bands have collaborated with local electronica artists to stage shows. And up-and-coming electronica acts perform alongside Syndicate's own group of DJs and music producers.

For the next instalment, expect to see new electronic duo Octover, comprising veteran electronic producer Jason Tan and singer Vanessa Fernandez.

Where: The Substation, 45 Armenian Street

When: Dec 14, 8pm

Admission: $20 at The Substation box office

NO PARTY HERE

What: These party planners have organised three shindigs since May, bringing in rising dance music acts such as Bradley Zero, the man behind London's popular live music webcast Boiler Room, and French techno producer Djedjotronic.

Each event offers an experience where "you can be who you want to be", says organisers Audrey Choy, 24, and Louis Lam, 29, who also try their best "to keep parties less serious".

If you have been to their parties, you would know. Visuals of 1980s gym instructors, video games and karaoke videos play while dancers groove to techno, disco and bass music.

Where: Previous locations include The Vault in South Bridge Road and Home Club in Upper Circular Road.

When: Partygoers need to get on a mailing list or check No Party Here's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/nopartyhere) to find out about upcoming events.

Admission: No cover charge. Register at www.nopartyhere.com/letmein

HEINEKEN GREEN ROOM SESSIONS

What: Started in 2002 by the beer company Heineken, the Heineken Green Room programme brings together people with a passion for alternative music and nightlife experiences. The typical Heineken Green Room event is usually a by-invite-only event, featuring two international, cutting-edge acts that have never performed in Singapore on the same bill. These acts tend to perform similar, if not complementary, sub-genres of electronic music, appealing to the trendsetters in that field.

Past sessions have seen English rockers The Rakes, American music producer-DJ Shadow and German electro act Chicks On Speed.

On the guest list: members of the byinvite-only Heineken Green Room, special invitees and members of the media.

Where: Previous locations have included the former Singapore Police Coast Guard Headquarters at Kallang Basin, the old Kallang Airport, a warehouse space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark in Pasir Panjang and Gillman Barracks.

When: Heineken Green Room sessions are typically held once a year.

Admission: Free, by invite only. Go to www.hgr.sg for more information.

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