New date for Gentle Bones at the Esplanade

Singer-songwriter Gentle Bones will be performing at the Esplanade Concert Hall on June 10, after his original concert last year was cancelled. ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

Homegrown singer-songwriter Gentle Bones has a new date for his cancelled Esplanade Concert Hall show - June 10.

The original concert, scheduled for Dec 10 last year was postponed as the folk/pop singer, real name Joel Tan, had his passport impounded in Jakarta in September due to a performance permit problem.

Tan, 21, was in Indonesia to perform with American singer-songwriter Kina Grannis. Immigration officials took their passports after their concert at Komunitas Salihara, a concert venue in Jakarta, and told them that they did not have performance permits.

Both of them, plus 12 others who make up their musicians and crew, ended up staying in the country for 3½ months and were allowed to leave only on Dec 22. Their regional tour together, which would have included shows in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, were cancelled.

All 1,500 tickets to Tan's original Esplanade date were sold out within a month of going on sale. The tickets buyers have since been refunded and fans would have to buy new tickets for the rescheduled show when they go on sale on Jan 29. They cost $25, $35 and $45 through Sistic.

Tan, the first home-grown act to be signed by record label Universal Music Singapore, is known for hit songs like Until We Die, Save Me and Elusive. His debut EP topped the local iTunes charts when it was released in 2014. The concert will be his first time performing at the Esplanade Concert Hall, regarded as one of the most prestigious stages in Singapore. Electronic music duo .gif will be the opening act.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.