Baybeats

Singapore's wonderful annual indie music gathering: Baybeat's Feastival, is just around the corner.  WIth a whole host of new additions to this year's event, it is all set to be bigger and better than ever.  Amy Ho, producer of Baybeats let us in on some of the highlights to look out for this year, and some of the ins and outs of organising a festival. 

Hi Amy, please tell us what it is you do, and briefly explain what Baybeats is for those who don't yet know:
Hi!  My projects include co-producing Baybeats with Wake Me Up Music, and Esplanade’s annual Mosaic Music Festival.

Baybeats is Singapore's own local annual indie pop-rock music festival that was first conceptualised and produced in 2002.  From an audience size of 6,900, Baybeats has attracted fans from all over and the audience has grown phenomenally, attracting more than 74,000 people in 2006.

What makes Baybeats so special compared to other events?
Many elements - The crowd, music, atmosphere and most importantly, the fact that it allows people to enjoy and experience three solid days of indie music - from some of the most respected indie music bands locally, regionally and internationally!

How many people are you expecting this year?
We attracted 74,000 people last year.  With this year’s Baybeats being fresher with new bands, new venues, new shows AND a never-before pre-festival Baybeats launch, we expect the same, if not MORE people this year.

Fill us in on some of these new additions/differences to 2007’s event?
Firstly, we will be introducing 10 new bands that have never played at Baybeats before! Singapore’s indie music scene will rejuvenate itself with this fresh crop of bands that emerged since the introduction of the Baybeats auditions in late Jan this year.  From a total of 120 entries, we shortlisted 30 bands to appear at the auditions and chose 10 to perform at the festival.  they may not be familiar names yet, but we’re sure that Singapore will be hearing a lot from them this year! 

For the first time, we’ll be launching Baybeats with a ticketed act by Mercury Rev from the US, in the Esplanade theatre.  Hailed from the US, this five-piece, dream-pop band from New York has often been compared to indie-rock band the Flaming Lips and has produced diverse albums like the dream, experimental Yerself is Steam, the restless dissonant Deserter's Songs, the placid, otherworldly All to Dream and the structured, romantic The Secret Migration.  It’s a one-night-only concert by this pop-rock band that should not be missed!

To mix up the Baybeats formula a little more, we’ll also be introducing a NEW stage, at the Esplanade Park!

As you can tell, there are MANY exciting additions to this year’s festival and I hope everyone is as excited as we are at Esplanade, to bring the house down with three solid days of good, quality indie music.

Sounds fantastic.  So how can people find out more about the festival programme, and are there any other related happenings you can let us in on?
We have magically transformed the Baybeats website to provide everyone with the latest information and updates on the festival.

We have also partnered with Channel V, AMP and Junk Magazine to create more hype about the event via the various mediums!  So watch out and read all about Baybeats on their channels!

Currently, all eyes are on the ten bands that will be performing LIVE for the first time at Baybeats.  Nokia, our Esplanade partner, will be introducing special Baybeats mobile wallpapers and ringtone downloads for the public.

In addition, in line with the objectives to nurture local talent, Gibson, our supporter for Baybeats, will be sponsoring and giving a set of guitars (one electric and bass), worth more than $10,000 to the most popular local bands.  It’s time for everyone to show their support for them by voting online from July onwards, and then head down to the Gibson booth to vote again, to HELP THEIR FAVOURITE BAND WIN THE GUITARS!

Besides the music, what else will there be for festival-goers to check out?
The Observation Deck is a place specially dedicated to people who would like to meet selected lead artists and band members in a more cosy setting.  These up-close-and-personal sessions will take place at the Singapore Art Café and Library @ Esplanade from 2pm onwards on Sat and Sun.  Beyond these acoustic sessions, the artists will also share about the inspiration behind the music, and perhaps give tips to aspiring musicians who wish to embark on a career in this industry!

The Village, located at the lawn, will house booths by our partners including Gibson, Nokia, Junk Magazine, Channel V and AMP. Some of these booths may have promotions so we encourage all to head down to the village to check them out.

And we’ll of course be selling the ever-popular Baybeats Kit.  This year, the survivor kit will include the (very funky!) Baybeats 07 t-shirt, a wristband, specially engraved dog tag and OTHER goodies.

How long is the planning process for Baybeats?
At least 9 months.

How big is the operation in terms of personnel?
It involves close to 100 people on site including production, security, front of house and artist’s liaison staff.

What are the major challenges of organizing the festival?
I think it will be programming and scheduling, where we are trying our best to fit as many groups as possible within the 3 days.  Groups that we want may not necessary fit in to their touring schedule.   So it usually takes about 6 months to finalise the line up.

Do you work with other Asian festivals/events in order to bring acts into the region?
We have been in contact with Fuji Rock in Japan, which is around the same period, and we hope we can continue work closely with them in future to bring in groups who are traveling to this region.

With more and more festivals and large music events cropping up in Singapore and all over Asia, how friendly is this competition?
I would say this is a healthy competition which keeps us focused and helps us sharpen our vision, to ensure that the programming, quality standards of the festival is continually improved year on year.

What’s the booking policy for Baybeats?  Is there a firm musical direction?
The bands need to be fresh, current, original, have a relatively good following in Singapore and most importantly, produce music of good quality.  Baybeats is essentially a mix of indie and alternative music bands coming together to promote exchange.  It is not genre specific and should represent a host of music forms for all to enjoy for three full nights.  As mentioned, the bands need to possess good musical quality and a demonstrated motivation.

Tell us more about the audition process you had this year:  
We called for demo submission from Nov '06 and then pre-selected 30 Bands for the audition.  In Jan '07, 10 bands were selected based on the live performance of their original materials.

We had an overwhelming response of 120 bands who submitted their demos and we are very happy with the result of the 10 bands - each of them has their unique style, is refreshing and passionate in what they do

How should artists outside of Singapore go about trying to get a slot at the festival?
Write to us via website www.baybeats.com.sg and submit your materials.

Mercury Rev is a great addition to any line up – Why did you choose them and was it a difficult booking process?
I saw Mercury Rev live in Fuji Rock two years back at Fuji Rock.  They are a typical old-school dream pop indie band performed with cinematic visuals, ornate sound, poetic lyrics led by charismatic vocalist Jonathan Donahue, who also joined the Flaming Lips as a second guitarist.  I felt that introducing them at Baybeats will add a whole new dimension to the festival – not only will this band attract the more matured indie music lovers, but its music will compliment the edgier sounds heard at the outdoor arena.

The negotiation process was smooth, the musicians and agent were very on the ball.

Was it a major decision to introduce the concept of a paid-ticketed element to the festival?  What do you think the response will be?
We had previously introduced indie alternative music under the Mosaic series and featured artists including Mogwai, Tortoise, The Album Leaf and Yo La Tengo.  Based on the overwhelming response for these concerts, I am confident that this will do as well for Baybeats.

How will you judge the success of your event?
When Baybeats continually becomes a launchpad and plays an instrumental role in the development of indie music bands, in the local scene.  Ultimately, we want Baybeats to be ranked and positioned as one of the most popular and sought-after festivals by both artists and audiences in the international realm.

What has been your own personal favourite Baybeats moment to date?
It was in Baybeats '06, during singer songwriter/producer Ken Stringfellow (the lead vocalist of The Posies) performance.  He performed his solo segment with only his keyboard perched on a box at the Chillout Stage and held the audience captive by his lyrics and beautiful vocals.  If anyone had the impression then that Baybeats is just about noise and loud music, they would have changed their minds immediately after watching him.

What do you take most pride in with regards your involvement with Baybeats?
To be able to be part of an organisation that strongly supports local talent and continually strives to help these local indie music bands chart their artistic development beyond Baybeats.

Any amusing anecdotes from past events?
Some of the loyal Baybeats fans dress up for Baybeats every year. 

Are there any items/things you would advise all festival goers to have at the event?
Before attending any Baybeats festival, it would be advisable to refer to our survivor tips on www.baybeats.com.sg. For starters, bring cash (you’ll need it to buy water as you’ll be cheering your lungs out for the bands, the Baybeats Kit and the artists cds).
 
What’s your insider’s tip as a good act to look out for at the event?
We have observed that there are more females in these indie music bands such as Allura, Giant Must Fall, Deputy Siren and Monofone.  Others to look out for would be, TooKoo, our first group ever from China, and headliner bands Blindside from Sweden and Aloha from the States.

What is the future for Baybeats?
Promising and there is still a lot of room to grow

Please sum up Baybeats in 5 words:
Happy, raw, inspiring and youth oriented.

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Find out everything you need to know about this year's excellent Baybeat's Festival direct from their official website.