| | Dave Tan of Electrico is frustrated that there are bands who still allow themselves to be taken advantage of. I understand completely where he is coming from. For those of you who have no idea what we’re on about, hopefully you’ll find this article enlightening, or at the very least, mildly entertaining.
The recently concluded SingFest 08 featured pop heavyweights like Alicia Keys, Jason Mraz, Travis, Pussycat Dolls and more on its massive stage. There was a smaller stage a distance away dedicated to sixteen Singaporean bands including Plain Sunset, Allura, the Fire Fight and more. These bands were playing at the same times foreign acts were, and needless to say, the turnout at their performances was negligible to say the least. You can’t really blame the crowd – having paid in excess of 200 dollars for a ticket, why should they choose to watch Singaporean bands (who they get to see week in, week out, and often for no money at all) over acts that they hardly ever get to see?
I’ve shared in a previous post my gripe about the treatment of Singaporean music and musicians by some errant corporations. I wrote about how their apparent endorsement of local music needs to be taken with bagfuls of scepticism.
Last year at the inaugural SingFest, we were the only Singaporean band on the bill. While that was something that we were proud of, we, like many other Singaporeans, musicians or otherwise, wondered why there weren’t more Singaporean bands playing in a festival that is dubbed Singapore’s own.
Our experience last year was generally a good one, though it was marred by what I’d like to refer to as ‘administrative matters’. We were adamant about being paid for our performance and demanded at least our minimum fee. They finally obliged just several days before the event. In the weeks it took for payment to come through, there was a final attempt by the man in charge himself to negotiate, and I’m being very kind here, a lower fee. I wonder if he did the same with the other international acts - sincerely doubt it. There was this overwhelming feeling that the organisers didn’t deem a Singaporean act worthy of payment. And it appears, not much has changed in a year. Word has it that the bands that played this year were not paid, not even a token fee.
On the back of last year’s outing, the organisers did get a lot of flak for having only one Singaporean act. Hence the larger Singaporean presence this year. Yet, for all their apparent support of Singaporean music (sixteen Singaporean bands this year, fifteen more than last, and a whole stage dedicated to them!), it seems there isn’t enough in the budget to pay the bands even a tiny fraction of what they’re paying the 'foreign talents' (doesn't this sound all too familiar?). You can see how this works beautifully for the organisers though. They put in a bit of money to erect a stage that no one would bother about, and in return get sixteen bands for free, credibility and those patriotic monkeys demanding more support for Singaporean music off their backs. Oh and you can imagine the kind of leverage they’d get from potential sponsors if they mentioned that they had sixteen Singaporean bands on the bill. Afterall, sponsors love nothing more than to be seen to support local musicians and causes, even if very little of the money they put in actually benefits the bands themselves.
This is how things should be:
1) SingFest should feature a comparable number of Singaporean and foreign acts, all sharing the same stage or stages. Naysayers might argue that Singaporean bands don’t deserve to play on the same stage as the likes of Alicia Keys or Pussycat Dolls. Well, if they’re good enough to be on the bill, they’re good enough to be on the same stage. Plus, some local bands really do know how to rock it, and if you haven’t discovered at least one Singaporean band that does it for you, then please do check out more gigs. There are some amazing talents out there. But I digress.
2) Singaporean bands should be paid at least their minimum fees. It’s not all about the money, hell no. But it sure helps the bands out a lot. Publicity in small measures doesn’t. Plus, with huge corporations backing the event, there is no way in hell the organisers don’t have the money for it. It’s whether they think it’s money well spent.
3) There should be some representation of Singaporean acts in promotional materials and events. There was none of that this year. Name me four Singaporean bands that played at this year’s SingFest. Can’t? I rest my case.
I know this is a rather abrupt end, but I’m spent.
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| | Posted 8/12/2008 7:25 PM - 65 Views - 0 eProps - 1 Comment
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