SINGAPORE - Some K-pop and Mandopop fans might have been disappointed by the concert cancellations and postponements due to the coronavirus outbreak, but most pop and rock shows are still scheduled to go on for now.
In fact, the past few days have seen at least two new gig announcements - the return of jazz music festival Sing Jazz at Marina Bay Sands' Event Plaza on April 3 to 5 as well as a concert by British pop singer HRVY at *Scape on May 11.
Still, concert organisers are taking steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus that is believed to have originated in Wuhan.
The seventh edition of annual music festival Garden Beats, set to take place at Fort Canning Park on Feb 29, will feature eight hygiene stations spread across the festival grounds. These stations will have anti-bacterial wipes, anti-bacterial foam and hygienic waste disposal cans.
A spokesman for Garden Beats Festival, which has seen a 15 per cent rise in ticket sales compared to the same time last year (2019), adds: "If circumstances elevate to the point where more extreme measures must be taken, we will assemble temperature-measuring stations, where each festivalgoer must have his temperature measured prior to entering the festival grounds.
"As required in every festival this size, Garden Beats will deploy an ambulance and two first-aid tents with four stationed, trained medical officers at the ready."
Mr Dan Gordon, the director of HRVY's show organiser Now/Live, says that the company will share precautionary measures outlined by the Ministry of Health to concertgoers, such as observing good personal hygiene practices.
"We don't think it will have an effect (on our show) as things currently stand and we're hoping that the outbreak has been further or fully contained by then."
Some concerts, such as American pop punk band Green Day's return to Singapore at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on March 8, are already sold-out. Other sold-out shows include British grime star Stormzy at Zouk on Mar 21 and Australian singer and songwriter Ruel at *Scape on March 8.
Fans can also expect new music festivals to make their debut this year.
One of them, Hydeout, looks set to be one of Singapore's most ambitious music festivals in recent times, with pop, hip-hop and dance music stars performing on two stages at The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay over two weekends, April 10 to 11 and 17 to 18.
The line-up includes popular rappers A$AP Rocky and Gucci Mane, electronic acts DJ Snake, Martin Garrix and Nicky Romero, pop singer Rita Ora and Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin.
Another new festival is One Love Asia Festival at Bayfront Event Space on May 1 and 2, with a top-notch Mandopop line-up that includes home-grown stars Stefanie Sun and Tanya Chua, as well as Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai and Chinese singer Joker Xue. Organisers IMC Live Global are expecting the two-day event to draw 25,000 to 30,000 fans.
To date, five concerts in Singapore have been cancelled or postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, including those by Hong Kong singer Miriam Yeung and K-pop acts Taeyeon and Got7.
Concert-goer Mr Amalu J. Ahmad, who is planning to go to Garden Beats, says that he is not too worried about the spread of the coronavirus at gigs as he believes that music fans here are disciplined enough to avoid concerts if they are unwell.
The 29-year-old assistant station manager adds that he will still take some precautionary measures.
"I'll bring along hand sanitisers and a surgical mask just in case I need them. And of course, keep myself fit."
Upcoming concerts
1 A CAPPELLA/POP
PENTATONIX
WHO: One of the most successful vocal groups in the pop world today, three-time Grammy-winning American quintet Pentatonix are back for their fourth concert in Singapore.
WHERE: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre, 04-01, 1 Vista Exchange Green
WHEN: Feb 11, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $88 from Sistic (go to www.sistic.com.sg or call 6348-5555)
2 PUNK ROCK
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS - LIVE IN SINGAPORE
WHO: Northern Irish punk band Stiff Little Fingers are still going strong more than four decades after they released 1979 debut album Inflammable Material, which contains punk classics such as Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device.
WHERE: The Pavilion, 01-01 Far East Square, 28 China Street
WHEN: Feb 13, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $118 from Sistic
3 RETRO POP
TONY HADLEY LIVE IN SINGAPORE 2020
WHO: Tony Hadley is the former singer of English new wave group Spandau Ballet, and is the famous voice behind huge 1980s hits such as True (1983), Gold (1983) and Through The Barricades (1986).
WHERE: The Theatre at Mediacorp, 1 Stars Avenue
WHEN: Feb 16, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $128 from Sistic
4 JAZZ/POP
KENNY G 'LIVE' IN CONCERT
WHO: American saxophone star Kenny G made his name with easy-listening instrumental hits such as Songbird (1987) and Forever In Love (1993), which earned him a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition. He released his latest and 17th album, Brazilian Nights, in 2015.
WHERE: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands
WHEN: Feb 18, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $88 from Sistic
5 POP
AN EVENING WITH 98 DEGREES
WHO: American pop group 98° found fame in the 1990s and early 2000s, with hits such as Invisible Man (1997), I Do (Cherish You) (1999) and The Hardest Thing (1999). This will be the first time all four members - brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre - are performing in Singapore together.
WHERE: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre
WHEN: Feb 20, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $98 from Sistic
6 ALTERNATIVE ROCK/ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC
GARDEN BEATS FESTIVAL 2020
WHO: The eco-conscious music festival is back with its seventh edition. The line-up this year, performing over two stages, includes British alternative rock band Foals, Canadian DJ/producer Blond:ish, American singer-songwriter Sabrina Claudio, French electronic artist Viken Arman as well as home-grown electronic acts such as Bongomann and Brendon P.
WHERE: Fort Canning Green, Fort Canning Park, River Valley Road
WHEN: Feb 29, 1pm
ADMISSION: From $138 from Sistic
7 JAZZ
MOSAIC MUSIC SERIES - AN EVENING WITH PAT METHENY WITH ANTONIO SANCHEZ, LINDA MAY HAN OH & GWILYM SIMCOCK
WHO: Jazz guitar maestro Pat Metheny has won 20 Grammys in an illustrious career dating back to the 1970s. He is accompanied by musicians including drummer Antonio Sanchez, composer of the Grammy Award-winning film score for Oscar-winning 2014 black comedy Birdman.
WHERE: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive
WHEN: Mar 2, 7.30pm
ADMISSION: From $58 from Sistic
8 ROCK/METAL
SINGAPORE ROCKFEST II
WHO: Singapore Rock Festival returns for its second instalment with some of the world's most renowned rock and metal acts playing over three different dates at two venues.
German rock pioneers Scorpions and English rock stalwarts Whitesnake will perform at Fort Canning Park on March 4; American metal bands Slipknot and Trivium will play at the same venue on March 24; and Italian Gothic metal band Lacuna Coil will stage a show at Esplanade Annexe Studio on March 27.
ADMISSION: From $68 from Sistic
INFO: Go to www.lamcproductions.com for details
9 ALTERNATIVE ROCK/EMO POP
JIMMY EAT WORLD LIVE IN SINGAPORE 2020
WHO: American alternative rock band Jimmy Eat World broke into the mainstream with emo anthems such as The Middle and Sweetness from their classic 2001 album Bleed American. The band is still going strong and released their 10th album Surviving last year (2019).
WHERE: The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway
WHEN: March 14, 7pm
ADMISSION: From $99 from Eventbrite (www.eventbrite.sg)
10 RETRO POP
A-HA HUNTING HIGH AND LOW
WHO: 1980s pop icons A-ha, best known for some of the decade's biggest hits, such as Take On Me (1984) and Stay On These Roads (1988), are finally playing their first gig in Singapore. The concert will be followed by a special outing of Zouk's famous Mambo Jambo retro party.
WHERE: Singapore Turf Club @ Kranji, 1 Turf Club Ave
WHEN: Mar 21, 7.30pm
ADMISSION: From $148 from Sistic
11 ALTERNATIVE ROCK/HIP-HOP
YUNGBLUD 'TWISTED TALES OF THE RITALIN CLUB TOUR' SINGAPORE
WHO: English singer and songwriter Yungblud, real name Dominic Harrison, made his name in recent years with his energetic blend of emo rock, pop and rap. He released his debut album 21st Century Liability in 2018 and latest EP The Underrated Youth last year (2019).
WHERE: The Pavilion, 01-01 Far East Square, 28 China Street
WHEN: Mar 22, 8pm
ADMISSION: $108 from Apactix
12 R&B/POP
KHALID FREE SPIRIT WORLD TOUR 2020 SINGAPORE
WHO: American R&B and pop singer Khalid's debut single Location (2016) peaked at No. 16 in the United States singles charts and he has since racked up several other hits, including Young Dumb & Broke (2017), Better (2018) and Talk (2019). He is also known for hit collaborations such as Beautiful People with Ed Sheeran (2019) and Eastside with Benny Blanco and Halsey (2018).
WHERE: Singapore Indoor Stadium
WHEN: Mar 26, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $98 from Apactix
13 POP
MOSAIC MUSIC SERIES - CHRISTOPHER
WHO: One of Denmark's biggest male pop singers, Christopher made his name with hits such as CPH Girls (2014), Heartbeat (2016) and Irony (2018). The concert will be his first show in Singapore.
WHERE: Esplanade Concert Hall
WHEN: Mar 29, 7.30pm
ADMISSION: From $48 from Sistic
14 INDIE FOLK/POP
TOM WALKER 'WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE TOUR' SINGAPORE
WHO: Scotland-born singer-songwriter Tom Walker scored a massive hit with 2018 single Leave A Light On and won Best Breakthrough Act at the 2019 Brit Awards. His debut album What A Time To Be Alive topped the British charts when it was released last year (2019).
WHERE: The Ground Theatre, Level 2 *Scape, 2 Orchard Link
WHEN: Mar 29, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $108 from Apactix
15 JAZZ
SING JAZZ 2020
WHO: Jazz festival Sing Jazz is back this year with a line-up of acclaimed and popular acts. These include veteran favourites such as American R&B/funk band Kool & The Gang and French group Gipsy Kings, as well as Chicago-born jazz vocalist and composer Kurt Elling, Australian singer-songwriter Tash Sultana, American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and Cuban music group Havana Social Club.
WHERE: Event Plaza, Marina Bay Sands
WHEN: April 3 to 5, 6pm
ADMISSION: From $98, go to www.marinabaysands.com/ticketing and www.sing-jazz.com
16 POP/HIP-HOP/ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC
HYDEOUT
WHO: New music festival Hydeout looks set to be one of Singapore's most ambitious music festivals in recent times, with pop, hip-hop and dance music stars performing on two stages over two weekends.
The line-up includes popular rappers A$AP Rocky and Gucci Mane, electronic acts DJ Snake, Martin Garrix and Nicky Romero, pop singer Rita Ora and Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin.
WHERE: The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay
WHEN: April 10 and 11, April 17 and 18, 4pmM
ADMISSION: From $178, go to www.hydeout.sg
17 METAL
DREAM THEATER DISTANCE OVER TIME IN SINGAPORE
WHO: American progressive metal stalwarts Dream Theater return to Singapore. This time, their concert will feature not just songs off their 14th album, Distance Over Time (2019), but will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of their fifth album, Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes From A Memory.
WHERE: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre
WHEN: Apr 21, 8pm
ADMISSION: From $148 from Apactix
18 POP
HRVY - LIVE IN SINGAPORE
WHO: British singer, television presenter and actor HRVY made his name with hit single Personal in 2017 and Hasta Luego in 2018. He is also known for his 2019 collaboration with K-pop group NCT Dream, Don't Need Your Love.
WHERE: The Ground Theatre, Level 2, *Scape, 2 Orchard Link
WHEN: May 11,7.30pm
ADMISSION: $88 go to sg.bookmyshow.com/singapore
19 ONE LOVE ASIA FESTIVAL
WHO: This new two-day music and lifestyle festival brings together home-grown, regional and international music acts. The star-studded line-up includes Singaporean Mandopop stars Stefanie Sun and Tanya Chua, Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, Chinese singer Joker Xue, Taiwanese singer and S.H.E member Hebe Tien, Taiwanese singer Show Lo, Taiwanese indie band EggPlantEgg and South Korean singer BoA. Also performing are American pop rock band Goo Goo Dolls and American singer Greyson Chance.
WHERE: Bayfront Event Space, 12A Bayfront Avenue
WHEN: May 1 and 2, 2pm
ADMISSION: From $88 from oneloveasiafestival.com
20 INDIE POP/ALTERNATIVE HIP-HOP
REX ORANGE COUNTY
WHO: British singer, songwriter and producer Rex Orange County has gone from a bedroom musician to working with acclaimed hip-hop artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Chance The Rapper as well as award-winning singer-songwriter Randy Newman. His most recent album, Pony (2019), peaked at No. 3 in the US charts and No. 5 in the British charts.
WHERE: Capitol Singapore, 13 Stamford Road
WHEN: May 11 and 12, 7pm
ADMISSION: $98, go to bit.ly/REXORANGECOUNTYSGTIX
Concerts cancelled or postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak
MY BEAUTIFUL LIVE MIRIAM YEUNG WORLD TOUR - SINGAPORE
WHO: Hong Kong singer Miriam Yeung's concert was the first to be affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The gig had to be postponed due to issues with bringing in production equipment and machinery from China.
WHERE: Singapore Indoor Stadium
WHEN: Feb 8
WINNER [CROSS] TOUR IN SINGAPORE
WHO: K-pop group Winner was formed in 2014 through a reality television competition. The quartet last performed in Singapore at the K-pop music festival HallyuPopFest last year (2019). They were also here in 2018.
WHERE: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre
WHEN: Feb 8
NCT DREAM TOUR "THE DREAM SHOW" IN SINGAPORE
WHO: NCT Dream is the teenage subgroup of popular boy band NCT and is the first Asian act to be featured on Billboard's "21 Under 21" list two years in a row, in 2018 and last year (2019).
WHERE: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre
WHEN: Feb 15
GOT7 2020 WORLD TOUR 'KEEP SPINNING' in SINGAPORE
WHO: K-pop boy band Got7's current tour is in support of their 2019 EP, Spinning Top: Between Security & Insecurity. They previously performed in Singapore at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2016 and at Zepp@BigBox in 2018.
WHERE: Singapore Indoor Stadium
WHEN: Feb 22
TAEYEON CONCERT - THE UNSEEN - IN SINGAPORE
WHO: South Korean singer Taeyeon is a member of popular K-pop girl group Girls' Generation. She sang on the soundtrack for the Korean version of animated film Frozen 2 (2019) and held a solo concert at Singapore Expo last year (2019).
WHERE: Singapore Indoor Stadium
