The UrbanWire

Come rain or shine, sickness or health, I’d told myself: I was going to SINGfest 2010 no matter what.

Despite sniffling and sneezing nonstop from the flu I’d caught (all thanks to the fickle-minded Weather Man), I decided to take a chance and head down to Fort Canning Park last night and…

It.

Was.

Awesome.

Yes, it was so unbelievably fantastic that I’m still hoarse (from all the screaming and singing I did) and a little deaf from standing too close to the speakers. And I still can’t forget that horrid smell I was subjected to while waiting in the crowd for the acts to come on… it smelled very much like that time of the month, if you know what I mean.

The show started off with local artist Inch Chua opening the music festival with songs off her new album, Wallflower, followed by The Like, a young alt-rock band who got the crowd warmed up with their feet-tapping songs like “He’s Not a Boy” and “Wishing He Was Dead”.

Inch Chua, our local opening act

We like The Like!

Aussie Orianthi snazzed the concert up with her back-bending guitar riffs and the Wonder Girls did their little dance routine, fitted in an outfit change and even spent a little time to teach the audience the You-Know-What dance.

Orianthi breaking her back with her guitar riffs… We kid.

Wonder Girls, we cheese you!

However, the one that really got the crowd going wild was Tokio Hotel. With pyrotechnics, fake leather costumes and the Humanoid bike they brought from their European tour, the German rock band had the audience thumping their fists in the air along to songs like “Dark Side of the Sun” and “Dogs Unleashed”.

Raise your fists up in the air!

I even got a little teary-eyed when “World Behind My Wall” started playing. But seriously, though. Aren’t you a little warm in that costume, Bill?

Machiam like from outerspace. Bill K rocking the stage in his otherworldly outfit.

And then Katy Perry, clad in a skin-tight swimsuit, literally snatched the breath out of an already breathless crowd with her numbers like “I Kissed a Girl” and “Waking Up in Vegas”. She even gave us a sneak preview of her new single, “Peacock”, which is well, as suggestive as its name sounds. No prizes for guessing what she’s referring to, that cheeky Cali gurl.

Is that a subtle boob-grab we see?

She even brought in two “back-up” dancers from the audience for “Hot N Cold”, and bestowed upon them kisses when it was all over. Poor Russell, you’re not the only one she’s been kissing!

PS: Unfortunately, as this is a PG-rated site, we’re not able to display that scandalous kissing picture. Have another Perry picture instead!

Oh, we could almost believe that you’re trying to touch us, Katy.

Overall, it was an absolutely delightful experience, especially sweetened by the fact that my friend is regretting that he didn’t go for SINGfest.

“How was I supposed to know that they were going to play 9 songs each? And for the the weather to be so unexpectedly decent,” he laments.

Haha, S, too bad, I say!

(Photo credits: Aloysius Lim / SINGfest 2010)

Going to a music festival might sound innocuous, but being unprepared for the hysterical fangirls, drunks and unexpected hiccups might kill the fun the $175 you shelled out for the tickets (unless you won our contest) was supposed to deliver.

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or festival greenhorn, UrbanWire hopes this simple guide will make your festival experience an awesome one.

1) Interact with the Band/Artiste

Nothing pleases performers more than seeing the crowd reciprocate the fervent emotions that they put out on stage. Let your hair loose and react the way the band wants you to.

If the performer is a pop act, belt out the chorus of the song with the singer to create a cacophony of off-key singing. Despite being out of tune, the 10,000 voices will still sound good nonetheless.

A rock or metal band gets a real kick from seeing the audience either writhing in the mosh pit or jumping along to the songs. Although moshing is sometimes seen as an act of hooliganism, the activity’s harmless fun and every cool person should do it. Crowd surf, mosh, form a wall of death, or even dance to express how you feel about the music. That’s the loudest applause you can give.

2) Share your Food, but More Importantly Booze

Nobody likes stingy people. Besides, sharing booze is a great icebreaker to get to know more people, if the germs don’t kill you first. Festival spirit needs to be kept at an optimum to distract you as the long hours of standing is physically taxing. But there’s a good reason why plastic stools are in short supply here, people will deem you uncool and ostracise you if you arm yourself with one of these.

3) Dress Comfortably

Guys should don loose tees. They should also leave the spiked leatherwear at home to avoid attracting unwanted attention or impaling someone. People might stereotype you as a violent ruffian and avoid you. Gentlemen may want to get themselves  a shoulder pad to carry their lovely girlfriends on their back. Be prepared that this act of romance will earn you daggers from other concertgoers as the added height is bound to obstruct their view, while other guys will get ribbed by their girlfriends for not doing the same…

The ladies might want to wear a bright-coloured/neon/bling-crusted bra to throw on stage when singer-rapper Kanye West is performing. The multi-Grammy Award-winning artist who was last here in 2008, still gets a lot of heat for what he did to Taylor Swift, so the multi-talented celeb will definitely lap up any form of fangirl-ism.

4) Stay Hydrated and get an Early Dinner

Remember to keep yourself hydrated, as you don’t want to pass out (and miss the show, or make a fool of yourself) while watching your favourite artiste live. Also, you might want to grab a light dinner to line your stomach (in case someone offers you booze, see 2.).

However, don’t drink too much as you might have the urge to pee. This isn’t advisable, as you’ll kick yourself if you have to relinquish your spot in front after hours of queuing.

5) Don’t be an A**hole

Make sure to consume alcohol in moderation. UrbanWire doesn’t want to sound like a killjoy, but alcohol abuse will only create nightmares for you and everyone around.

Also, don’t push your way to the front when you join the queue late. The whole world will think you’re a jerk. True story.

It’s HYPE magazine’s 31st issue and we are celebrating it with a bang at the HYPEd Up! Flea Market!

Taking place on the 31st (how appropriate) of July at the best youth centric location in town – *SCAPE The Street + Market from 2-9pm, we promise you a day filled with fashion, music and fun. Still having doubts? Here’s a breakdown of what to expect.

Fashion: We are holding a massive flea market with 50 vendors ranging from various chic fashion blogshops to enterprising fashionistas with vintage and contemporary apparel to spare. Whatever you are looking for, you will be sure to find it (at incredibly low prices) at the HYPEd Up! Flea Market.

Music: Be entertained throughout your shopping experience with great acoustic sets from top local bands Trella, Postbox, Duxton Plains and Run Neon Tiger. Not only that, our Radioheatwave deejays will be sure to keep your feets tapping in between the live performances with the top contemporary hits from the radio charts.

Fun: To mark this spectacular occasion, a mini exhibition of every single HYPE cover from the past 15 years will be on display to demonstrate the magazine’s incredible transformation from a simple campus-based entertainment magazine to a full fledged 100-page, bi-annual entertainment and lifestyle magazine featuring industry standard design, imaginative fashion spreads and the latest pop culture news.

On top of that, there will be an incredible amount of freebies to be won, with goodie bags filled with vouchers from Wallet Shop, Active Red, Frolick and Once Upon A Milkshake, Island Creamery, Universal Music CDs, Festive Films movie preview and Butter Factory passes. Of course, we also have a year long VIP pass to St James for the most fashionable person at the Flea Market, as part of the HYPEspotting competition.

The last (but most exciting) event to look out for is the release of HYPE’s 31st issue! Come on down to grab your free copy of HYPE and take photos with a life-sized photo wall of our cover girl: Katy Perry!

In a celebration managed for youth, by youth, catch the flea and join us at the HYPEd Up! Flea Market.