When asked what cues might change if time and budget wasn’t an issue, they could not think of anything else (literally) but to bring the Powerhouse Stage back. “We are really grateful to be granted the opportunity to play Baybeats this year! But if we really have to change something I guess we would like the Powerhouse Stage back? We are sure a lot of people are sad that the Powerhouse Stage is gone. It is the OG stage,” the band shared while sipping on their bubble tea.
Besides iconic stages and festival moments, Baybeats is an important festival that celebrates and showcases alternative music right here in Singapore. The main reason that guitarist twins Gina and Germaine got into local music was through Baybeats as well.
Gina: “Many years ago, we heard about the festival and we went down to check it out since it sounded interesting. When we were there, we discovered that Singapore have so many amazing bands.” “From then on, we started to take local music seriously.” Germaine added, “Then we started to attend the festival every year after that.”
Seeing a lot of promise in the local music scene, the cheerful four-piece band is excited to see where the scene will go and to be a part of its growth. Having met their previous bandmate through Soft, a local music forum, newer members bassist Hui Jun cites the internet as one big game changer for the scene.
Hui Jun shared, “Distribution is much easier now with platforms such as Spotify where you can just upload.”
“All the resources are there. You can even learn instruments just from going onto YouTube and other social media platforms,” Gina elaborated.
But despite the upward trajectory of becoming more visible and gaining popularity, more needs to be done. One example drummer Rex shared will be the accessibility to venues: “Most local gigs are at places such as Lithe House, Aliwal, Scape and Esplanade. Besides the Esplanade, these locations are not very well known and it is difficult to expect people who are not familiar with local music to chance upon these locations.”
Popspoken speaks to this post/math rock band on their band formation and what’s after Baybeats for them.
What made you decide to form cues and add your music to the mix of bands we have here in Singapore?
It was initially just a hobby band, formed out of fun and love for music, in hopes of having new experiences that come from making and playing music. And to escape from the everyday mundane working life.
What about making original music appeals to you?
The journey of creating a song from scratch through collaboration! It’s exciting to see how people can come together as a unit and work together to create and elevate the song by drawing from their own varied perspectives and experiences on life and music.
Making music can be pricey – from gear to booking studio rooms – so how do you support this endeavour?
Most of us have full time jobs that help fund this!
What does Baybeats Budding Bands represent for you?
A teenage dream fulfilled and a milestone achieved. Also a great experience and opportunity to learn more about the music industry and meet more people.
What next after this milestone?
We’ll be opening for Jyocho, an awesome Japanese math rock band, about two weeks after Baybeats! Super excited about that one because we really love their music! :) And we hope to release our debut EP/album early next year and would love to play shows around the region, Japan and beyond!!
cues will be playing at this year’s Baybeats Festival that is happening from 23rd to 25th August 2019!
They will be on for 25th August 2019, 6.30pm at the Livewire Stage (Esplanade Forecourt).
Photography credits: Darren ‘Merovign’ Tan
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