When Vertical Horizon took the stage at The Coliseum, the crowd exploded with cheers of adoration. Cameras were whipped out, ladies started screaming and the men started roaring in approval. Without missing a beat, they started their set with their first song “Save Me From Myself“. Everything came together; the vocals, the guitars, the bass and the drums meshed to form their unique brand of alternative rock. They proved deserving of the crowd’s cheers.

Vertical Horizon has been around for a long time. Though they were formed in the early 1990s, they only made their mark on our airwaves ten years later with hits such as “You’re A God” and “Best I Ever Had“. They took a hiatus for a while, and released their latest album, “Burning The Days” in 2009. Most recently, they toured Asia, stopping over Jakarta, Bali, and finally, our sunny island of Singapore.

The band performed their hearts out for a night which won’t easily be forgotten. They showcased their greatest hits, of which some were familiar while some were less so. Nonetheless, all of them got the crowd rocking. Special mention must go to band’s lead, Matt Scannell, who sang with much gusto and emotion. He bantered easily with the crowd, and expressed many times over his appreciation for his fans, and amusingly enough, his love for our local dish, Chicken Rice.

The clear highlight of the night was their performance of “Everything You Want“, arguably THE greatest hit that was the anthem of a generation. It only took the song’s guitar riffs to drive the crowd crazy and delirious. Quite a sight, really – everyone sang along and swayed to the music, in a seeming celebration of life as it is. Essentially, giving purpose to the music that was performed, a true appreciation of the arts and of life.

“Everything You Want” marked the end of their performance. But of course, as with every diehard crowd of fans, they cried for an encore, and the band more than willingly obliged. They rocked on, with performances of ‘You’re A God” and finally, “We Are“, one of their earliest singles.

Missed the concert? “We’ll be coming back, I promise,” said Matt. So just keep a look out from them. Keep a look out for their latest album too, which rumour has it, will be hitting the shelves within the year.

A huge thanks to Running Into The Sun for bringing us the awesome Vertical Horizon and for inviting SMU Broadcast and Entertainment to cover this concert.

Setlist:
1. Save Me From Myself
2. Finding Me
3. The Lucky One
4. Send It Up
5. Sushine
6. Miracle (Acoustic)
7. When You Cry
8. Forever
9. All Is Said and Done
10. Best I Ever Haid
11. I’m Still Here
12. Everything You Want

Encore:
1. You’re A God
2. We Are

On the 28th of April, readers were given the chance to exchange their old books for older ones at the Book Exchange 2012. In the 2 weeks preceding the event, readers were allowed to deposit their pre-loved books in exchange for coupons. During the Book Exchange, these coupons could then be used to exchange for books dropped off by other members of the public. These awesome initiative not only spreads the joy of reading, but is also a very friendly to our environment. Over 83,000 books were exchange this year – think of all the trees that were saved!

Some came as early as 6 in the morning. Some came lugging trolleys, baskets and huge bags. Some even skipped out on breakfast. Even before the Book Exchange was officially opened, a long and winding queue which snaked around the National Library Building, had already formed. It was very heartening to see so many readers from all walks of life – your aunties who would usually be in the supermarkets, teenagers, young kids, even whole families.

At 830am, the event was finally flagged off by Mrs Elaine Ng, CEO of the National Library Board, Mr Choo Chin Teck, Director of Corporate Services of Keppel Land, a sponsor of the event, and Mr Edmund Chen, local celebrity and Reading Ambassador for Book Exchange 2012. The eager readers rushed for the books – popular fiction titles such as Twilight, Harry Potter and Dan Brown books were snapped up quickly, and so were cookbooks and encyclopaedias. The range of books present was impressive and will satisfy the needs of even the most ardent of readers.

During the event, this correspondent had the opportunity of talking to some of the readers present. Most thought that the event was a great way for them to replenish their bookshelves. Some of course, complained about the hot weather, and the crowd, but I guess complains of this nature are part and parcel of any event. We even bumped into our very own student, Matthew Chua, from the School of Business, who was attending the event with his mum!

Started in 2009, The Book Exchange is an annual event organised by the National Library Board in conjunction with World Book and Copyright day, which pays tribute to books and authors and aims to promote reading. Judging from the great turnout, the event was a hugely successful one, and I must say that I, for one, am greatly encouraged to see so many people still clearly loving the books.

Tablets, smartphones and laptops might have become more popular over the years…but there’s nothing quite like flipping the page of a really good book.

Missed the event? Fret not. It will most certainly be back this time next year, and it will be bigger than ever before. There’s also BOOKCROSS@SG, an initiative by NLB, which allows readers to leave their books, and take a book left by somebody else, at different hotspots around the island. Go to www.bookcross.sg for more information!

The first thing audience members notice upon entering the park via the Gothic Gates is the sheer scale of the stage, and the various elements on stage that would be much harder to find within an enclosed proscenium theatre. The set emits a vibe that screams “fun” as the multiple levels and textures add to the ethereal ambience of the night. Even with a portion of the set covered with sand in attempt to recreate, visually, the island as depicted in the play or even the artfully constructed flooring that gave the stage greater depth, the crown jewel of the set still remains; the digital water and waves which genuinely convince you that you are looking out at a beach.

The play is enjoyable on many levels, with actors holding their ground as their characters and working extremely well in groups and playing off each other. Neil McCaul is thoroughly enjoyable as the permanently-inebriated Sir Toby, and Adrian Pang manages to keep the energy of the play constantly high as Feste. Also commendable are the efforts of Seong Hui Xian (playing Olivia) and Rebecca Spykerman (playing Viola) who were both seen in Pangdemonium’s production of Spring Awakening in February this year. You should definitely keep an eye out for these up and coming actresses who are bursting with talent and energy, and their passion for theatre translates in how much they seem to enjoy what they are doing.

Some might feel that Shakespearean productions are difficult to understand, but contrary to that belief, Twelfth Night translates beautifully in production, and you can be assured that watching a Shakspearean production is a much easier task than reading the plays yourself. It also helps that this production is set in the historical location of Fort Canning, where the audience can sit on picnic mats and enjoy the company of friends and good food while they watch the play.

However in Singapore there is always a lingering threat of rain washing out the performance, and  with our luck (but of course!), it was raining rather heavily up until about ten minutes to show-time. Entering the park to be greeted by a sea of colourful umbrellas is a rather interesting sight, but it admittedly does make for a messy seating area. There are Pavillion seats available which provide you with chairs and shelter, but the general seating area is meant for picnic mats and no chairs are allowed on the grass. Nevertheless, the rain and lightning let up within a half hour of the performance starting, and the rest of the performance went on without interruption. It is worth coming prepared with ponchos and waterproof bags.

In all, there is a certain novelty attached to spending an evening at Fort Canning Park with friends, having a picnic and watching a Shakespearean comedy at the same time. With a carefully constructed aesthetic that is constant between the visuals of the set and costumes and the music, this production of Twelfth Night is yet another success for SRT and if you’re looking for two and a half hours of something arts-related that can provide you with laughs while not delving into serious matters.

Twelfth Night by The Singapore Repertory Theatre is part of the Audi Classics 2012, runs until 20 May 2012 at Fort Canning Park, and features Rebecca Spykerman, Daniel Jenkins, and Adrian Pang.

Tickets are now available at Sistic.com.sg.

It was a Tuesday night like no other. On 22nd March, an up-and-coming rock band made up of New
Zealanders Sheldon Woolright, Paul Matthews, Aja Timu and the sole Brit in the band, Ed Martin, put
the “Hard Rock” in Hard Rock Cafe. The band rocked the crowd and got them banging their heads to
the furious drumbeats and singing along to their anthem.

The performance started off with the band making an entrance amidst a cacophony of sirens,
shrieks, screams and explosions. It perfectly captured what the band was all about – emphatic,
audacious and raw. The diverse crowd, some of which were die-hard fans sneaking out on a school
night, went absolutely insane. The band appeased their fans with a host of songs from their debut
album, The Horrifying Truth.

I Am Giant put forth an energetic performance that propitiated the unfazed and irascible souls of the
Thursday work crowd. Special credit must be given to the band’s lead vocalist, Ed Martin, who
unleashed the deluge of passion through his songs as well as Drummer Sheldon Woolright, who
played the drums with so much gusto; one feared that his arms would literally break!
The band decided to conclude the night with their lead single Neon Sunrise. In contrast to their
brash and explosive songs, they proved their mettle’s worth when they humbly thanked the crowd
towards the end. The delirious crowd screamed and applauded in appreciation. Our sentiments
exactly; we certainly hope to see them here again.
A huge thank you to Sony Music Singapore for bringing us I Am Giant and for inviting us at SMU
Broadcast and Entertainment to an evening like no other!
Do tune in to Campus Radio for an exclusive interview with “I Am Giant”!

Opening Act:
James Norris
Setlist:
City Limits
Let It Go
Purple Heart
Living The Crash
Neon Sunrise

]]> http://www.smube.com/2012/04/29/1586/feed/ 0 http://www.smube.com/2012/04/29/transformers-cybertron-con-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=transformers-cybertron-con-2012 http://www.smube.com/2012/04/29/transformers-cybertron-con-2012/#comments Sun, 29 Apr 2012 06:45:02 +0000 weng http://www.smube.com/?p=1585

 The second you walk into Compass Ballroom of Resorts World Sentosa, you know you’re as close to planet Cybertron as you can get on Earth, with the Allspark clearly welcoming you to the most epic Transformers convention ever.

Held from the 11^th to the 14^th of March 2012, this marks the first time that a Transformers exhibition of this scale and size has ever been held in Singapore, and only the second time this biennial event has been held following Cybertron Con Shanghai 20120. Our media representatives from SMU Broadcast and Entertainment were lucky enough to be invited to cover this historic event.

Transformers began as a toy line way back in 1984, and have expanded in its 28 years to encompass several animated series and movies. The exhibition doesn’t let you forget this, as you’re taken down memory lane in a visually stunning exhibition of every series beginning from the first, now known as Generation 1.  This exhibit, aptly called ’28 years of Transformers’ also introduces the new series, Transformers Prime, which is animated in full 3D.

While you refresh your memory on the mythology of Transformers, you’re also treated to accompanying toys from each series. Personally, I loved the toys from the original series as a child, but I really got into Transformers during the Beast Wars series, which featured robots turning into animals. I was a little disappointed that the Cybertron Con didn’t cover more of my favourite series, but I was absolutely enthralled by the nostalgic array of Beast Wars action figures on display. As a true 90’s kid, it’s unlikely you won’t start tearing up a little at the flood of childhood memories.

 Perhaps the most noteworthy picture to take at the exhibition is the one of the 22-foot life-sized Optimus Prime, prominently displayed in the middle of the exhibition. To get the best picture, however, we had to queue, so this is our best shot of the towering monstrosity!

There’s no shortage of things to do at Cybertron Con, either! Convention goers can participate in the ‘Fastest Fingers First’ 2012 competition, where their ability to transform a toy figures back and forth will be tested. Those with tired legs can also visit the Hasbro 3D Mini Theatre to check out the latest series. If you’re reading this before the 13^th of March, you can still pop by from 11AM – 8PM to catch the entire Transformers movie trilogy!

The interactive panel discussions held each day also offer an insight into the Transformers franchise, with special guests like Stephen Davis, President of Hasbro Studios, and Hideaki Yoke, lead designer of Takara Tomy.

Being a convention of one of the most popular toy lines in the world, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to us that there was a long queue just to enter the merchandise area. Exclusive Cybertron Con 2012 merchandise was also offered, making it a must for die-hard collectors to grab. For the casual shopper, it was a great place to grab new iPhone covers! It was truly an exhibition that transformed the mundane weekend.

Directed by Derrick Chew

The night started with a bang. The audience were seated in fashionably old school parliament chairs (And furniture of true Courthouse origins) as though judging the performance of the cast and play, which in a witty reflection, symbolized the microcosm of the Singapore community of public transport commuters and their reaction to service breakdowns.

While the ridicule of the government and Singapore transport providers were aplenty amongst other buzzing caricatures of recent news events, satire was incorporated into the mash up of popular tunes  (more often than not, pop songs and the latest hits). The peripherals were made up for with an incredibly good sound system and vocals of the cast, namely Siti Khalijah, Darius Tan and Celine Rosa Tan.

Speaking of the cast – they were interactive, fun, and most importantly, talented, as they let their personae shine through to make each scene more memorable than the last.  Also, the chemistry on stage was clearly an ingredient that contributed to an entertaining night.

In addition to the consistent pokes of a certain transport provider, other prevalent issues in Singapore were well executed too. In one scene, the satire on the lack of employment opportunities for the local arts scene through Singapore’s embrace of foreign performance troupes came from the very core of frustration by the cast. The various understated nuances, made the play a successful one.

While Trainstopping is Sight Lines Production’s first production, the arts scene in Singapore can definitely be grateful for this newcomer that will add to the melting pot of local creative talent. Treat yourself to a satirical musical (For god sake, step out of your politically correct shells!)  to mark the end of your examinations for the semester. Have a good summer holiday folks!

Trainstopping is now showing from 26th April 2012 – 3^rd May 2012 at Chamber at The Art House.

Campus Radio:        WE. ARE. BACK.

And with an ATTITUDE. After some restructuring and tinkering around, Campus Radio is back on air, and your ears can finally get back to hearing our DJs’ sweet voices, this time with a fresh lineup of shows.

You ain’t going to get our music anywhere else either, because not only are we going to be playing your favourite hits as covered by the likes of Boyce Avenue and Tyler Ward, our local heroes of the Singapore band scene will also be delivering you aural heaven with their originals.

We can hear you hyperventilating with can’t-wait-edness!

That’s why we’re bringing Campus Radio Launch to you on the 5^th of March (Week 9, Monday). Our lovely DJs will be broadcasting LIVE on that day to remind you just what you’re missing during the weekend, and to spice it up, there’ll be a contest during that day to make your Campus Radio listening experience that much more awesome.

I want to tune in!

We know you do, so HERE IT IS:         http://www.smube.com/campus-radio/tune-in/

If you’re still lost for what to do when you go to the link, no worries! Just come on down to our booth at the T-Junction staircase and our friendly BE members will be there to help you out.

LIVE Radio cum Campus Radio Launch: Hear us out

Make sure you’re at our booth atop the T-Junction staircase on the 5^th of March (Week 9, Monday), from 11.30 am to 4.00 pm for LIVE Radio cum Campus Radio Launch 2012! Get up close with the DJs who’ll be entertaining you during the weeks ahead, and who knows, you might be the one winning a prize!

SMU CAMPUS RADIO

Your Station, Your Music.

Based on the play by German Frank Wedekind, this highly anticipated Spring Awakening by Pangdemonium, portrays self awareness and teenage sexual confusion (and more often than not, sexual tension) in a fascinating morbid mix of rock music and dark humour.

This production of the Broadway rock musical that won eight Tony Awards might have been too honest a production that highlighted issues such as sexuality and education in modern society. Put in the Singapore context, I thought it was an interesting blend that coyly brought forth institutional issues as well as challenged authority (Parental, to say the least) through a well designed set and costumes that were so detailed; it made the whole thematic experience an added dimension of realism.

Fresh blood was definitely a highlight of this production as the local theatre scene saw the transformation of eleven new and young talents, trained by Adrian and Tracie Pang, for the show that lasted from 3^rd to the 26^th of February at the Drama Centre Theatre. It was certainly a memorable performance as the play kicked start with the young sons of the producers themselves and the audience were certainly drawn to the perkiness of the opening where the set design was splendidly assembled.

The leads Julia Abueva (as Wendla Bergmann), Nathan Hartono (as Melchior Gabor) and Eden Ang (as Melchoir’s long time buddy Moritz) conveyed with precision the loss and disappointment faced through their powerful vocals and were able to portray teenage curiosity and discovery of first loves in a very sensitive manner that drew not only on the subtle theme of reconciliation and expectations, but also their ever evolving self identities. The sound system, albeit slightly inadequate, was not always on par with the gumption that the youths on stage were trying to bring forth. Though the play was set in a time, more than a century ago, the effervescent cast certainly handled the rites of passage and coming-of-age teenage angst with a refreshing affection that highlighted their love for theatrics and appreciation of the respective songs such as Mamma Who Bore Me, Touch Me, The Dark I Know Well, Whispering, Totally F*cked and Song of Purple Summer.

Undeniably, Spring Awakening is an obviously challenging musical to produce in terms of the throat-torturing rock songs coupled with the complex melody of certain melancholic songs throughout the production. The intensity of the story was further underlined by an erotic sex scene between Abueva and Hartono and even then, the cast did not shy away from addressing other deep set social issues such as failing grades amongst teenagers and how they cope with life that get too much for them to handle.

This retrogressive production that embraced every aspect of boldness and fertility, all in all, allowed the audience to reflect upon an ostensibly new awareness of, as aptly phrased, “[the b*tch of living]”, that we are all immersed in.

Time to bring out your head-banging skills to the test this April, because Avenged Sevenfold is coming to town! The only pre-requisite you need for this concert would be strong neck muscles. That’s about it.

Avenged Sevenfold released their 5th album “Nightmare” in July 2010, topping 3 Billboard charts (Rock, Hard Rock and Digital), going Gold by the RIAA and selling over 660000 albums worldwide.

They even won 4 “Golden God Awards” for the album. Did you even know such an award existed? Golden God Awards!

But seriously, the album is really good if you haven’t heard it. You’ll have to understand rock/metal music. This isn’t your ordinary K-pop stuff. Neither is it your Justin Bieber or your Taylor Swift. This is Metal. The feeling of a dense silvery heat and electrical conductive material in your veins when you listen to them. Metal.

So if you need some metal freedom, and are in dire need to escape from mainstream pop you hear on the radio everyday, and feeling a little heavier than rock and heavier than hard rock, and would love watching guitars get shredded and drums get… well, drummed, then you HAVE to go for this concert.

Because they are, undoubtedly, one of the metal bands that must be in your music band dictionary.

Catch them rock hard at the Hard Rock Hotel! (Geddit geddit? rock hard at the Hard Rock hotel??)

Details after the break.

28th April 2012 – 8PM

The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa

Tickets on sale from 17th February

Early Bird – $95 (17th Feb till 9th March)
Standard – $107 (from 10th March)
Door Sales – $123

 Purchase at SISTIC outlets and at www.sistic.com.sg

Avenged Sevenfold’s Far and Middle East tour is brought to you by Midas Promotions

]]> http://www.smube.com/2012/02/19/avenged-sevenfold-coming-to-singapore/feed/ 1 http://www.smube.com/2012/02/18/smube-exclusive-interview-brandon-lee/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=smube-exclusive-interview-brandon-lee http://www.smube.com/2012/02/18/smube-exclusive-interview-brandon-lee/#comments Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:40:17 +0000 weng http://www.smube.com/?p=1509

Most guys blow off their National Service allowance on clothes, clubbing, girls and travel. Not Brandon Lee. A singer and songwriter with big dreams of making it big and a passion for music which is unrivalled, he used the money to produce an EP. The EP – ‘My Life’ has garnered glowing reviews from the local media and has shaken up the local music scene.  His songs, which tell of heart break, hopes and dreams, has been played not just here in Singapore, but in the UK as well.

Despite his busy schedule, which involves managing his band, recording, writing, being a freelance personal trainer and doing gigs, he found the time to have a little chat with us at SMU BE. He shared with us his muses for his songs, his humble beginnings and his ambitious plans for the future.

For the full interview, tune in to SMU Campus Radio’s “The Stooge and The Dude”!

If you want to find out more about this inspiring artiste, visit his website (http://brandonleeofficial.com).  His songs are available for listening on YouTube.

His EP is available for purchase on iTunes and several local CD stores. “Back Against The World” – his first album, will hit the shelves on June 29.

Watch this space to find out more and tune in for a chance to win tickets to watch Brandon Lee Live in concert!

(All pictures of the recording may be found here at our Facebook Page)

Live Radio is back!

And this time it’s Hugs and Kisses XOXO, the SMUBE way.

We’re going to take you back to the days when anonymous love letters and saccharine song dedications abound. This Valentine’s Day, we’re going Cupid to win over some hearts!

So you’ve been eyeing that girl in your class, you know, the one you keep trying to grab a seat one row behind from? Well, we’ll play her a song for you! All you have to do is to let us know when she’ll come a-strolling by (15 minutes after class ends, we reckon, unless she stops to chat up the prof) and leave the rest to our charming DJs.

But that’s too corny you say?

Ok, how about we deliver that carefully handcrafted note you spent half a seminar writing to her? And we’ll be your voice and even read it aloud in our best Shakespearean swagger. We guarantee that our DJs are well versed in the literary arts and it’ll only be a tragedy if that note of yours never gets to her because it’s still in your back pocket.

And there’s absolutely no catch at all!

These are all complimentary services extended to you, our faithful listeners, because if there’s anyone who understands when things only go one-way, it’s us.

So take a leap of faith this Valentine’s Day and start your dedications at: 

Live Radio 2012: Show Your Love

Visit us outside Pick and Bite on the 14th of February, Valentine’s Day, from 11.30am to 5.30pm for Live Radio 2012! Take photos with our life-sized Cupid Balloon Sculpture!! Stick your lovely post-its on our crush letter bulletin board!! Perhaps, even a date or two with our gorgeous and handsome DJs.

ONE MORE WEEK TO GO TILL LANEWAY FESTIVAL KICKS OFF!

Laneway continues to impress with awesome performances year in, year out, with an exceptional performance last year. We’re still suffering from PCD (Post-Concert Depression) over it.

Need your healthy dose of indie music? Feeling bored of your playlist? Fear not, because you’re in for a treat. There’s still time for some auditory salvation heading next week.

Catch the Laneway Festival on Sunday 12th Feb for a full day’s serving of “Australia’s most insurgent and unique pop music event” – AT FORT CANNING!

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