Up to 1,000 partygoers are there weekly to catch Filipino bands such as Bamboo and Kamikazee.

And forget those old-fashioned house bands specialising in covers of Top 40 hits. These musicians are a new generation of popular artists, playing mostly original tunes, who fly here especially to hold concerts.

These popular Filipino artists are gigging in Singapore with increasing frequency. This Sunday, jazz-lite singer Aiza Seguerra and alternative band Parokya ni Edgar are playing in two separate shows.

Just as contemporary Filipino music is gaining an audience here, Thai artists too are seeing a similar surge in popularity.

Club Nana in Central Mall near Havelock Road held its first Thai music concert featuring rock band Da Endorphine last month, and about 1,000 hipsters turned up for the 11/2-hour show.

And it is not just the expatriate crowds grooving to the music. At Da Endorphine's concert, half the audience were Singaporeans, says Club Nana's operator Mr John Lee.

Arena entertainment director Freddy Dodwell estimates that about five per cent of the people who turn up for the weekly Sunday concerts at his venue are also locals and their numbers are rising.

'These are the elite performers from Philippines, not the lounge or regular Orchard Tower bands,' he says.

Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times Life!