IGNITE! Music Festival is BACK AGAIN!

by Seri Azilia

We are back, but better than ever. IGNITE! Music Festival will be celebrating its eighth year in 2015 as it aims to ignite the pride of being a Singaporean in everyone. The festival is driven by youths filled with passion and compassion to support local artistes to showcase their talents up on stage. The annual music festival has drawn over 20,000 people over the years. Now, we shall take a glimpse of how this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival would be like compared to the previous year.

What could be so special about this year’s upcoming IGNITE? Held at the spacious lawn – a public green deck in Republic Polytechnic – there is space for…

Uncle Ringo! They will be joining us this year with the various games available and you are sure to revisit your childhood times, making your IGNITE! Music Fest experience a little more cheerful.

Feel like munching during the event? Fret not. This year, the F&B at the village serves you with popular favourites such as Garrett Popcorn, Banana N Cheese and not forgetting the latest-rave of churros from the Churros Factory.

If you want to get merchandises to remember the loud and exciting night, PeonFX is back this year to settle that for you. Other local clothing brands that are new to the village such as Sixth Empire and LIVEHIGH will also be there to satisfy your fashion needs.

Skipping IGNITE! Music Fest because of your gentlemen’s haircut appointment? There is no room for excuses because The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop will fix that haircut for you while enjoying the live performances.

Photo taken from: The ‘A’ Street Barber Shop’s Facebook Page

Moving on to the line-up of IGNITE! Music Festival 2015, the pop/soul singer of ‘Broken’ and ‘Sayang’, winner of Singapore Idol 2009 - Sezairi Sezali - will join us on the second night of the music festival. ShiGGa Shay, the rapper of the song ‘Lion City Kia’, is back for more hip hop genre songs that gets everyone bouncing along to his music.

Other bands and artistes such as THELIONCITYBOY, Wicked Aura, The Full Pledge Munkees, In Each Hand a Cutlass, Take Two, Dru Chen and many more will be performing to get you constantly up and jumping along to the beat. Not forgetting, RP’s Jammerz Arena and Replug that will get you moving around and singing along to their covers of your favourite songs.

(Information is correct at time of print)

There is no reason for you to miss out this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival because you are guaranteed to two continuous nights of energetic fun. We are super excited to have you join us for Singapore’s biggest local music festival that will be held here in Republic Polytechnic. Do lookout for updates on our various social media platforms and see you soon!

5 Fresh Acts from the IGNITE! Lineup That You Must Check Out

by Rachel Ng

This year’s IGNITE! Music Festival line-up is full of fresh new faces. Some, however, are no stranger to IGNITE!, such as veteran ska-punkers The Full Pledge Munkees who performed for IGNITE! in 2010, and hip-hop rapper ShiGGa Shay, who performed last year.

In the spirit of introducing new up and coming local music, IGNITE! 2015’s line up boasts a total of eleven out of seventeen acts that are new to the IGNITE! stage. Here are just some of the new faces from the line up for you to check out, so you aren’t too lost when the actual day comes! 

1. Cadence

This alternative rock quintet is slowly but surely making a name for themselves in our local music industry. They’ve recently performed at Baybeats 2015, and was also part of their Budding Bands Programme, and have just also released their debut single, ‘Come Home’. Cadence’s melodies are hopeful, and with their deep vocals and dynamic instrumentals, they’re definitely one of the acts to check out at IGNITE! this year.

2. The Good Life Project 

This is one unique band - with their diverse selection of instruments, the seven-piece alternative soul and funk band is one act not to be missed at IGNITE! this year. The Good Life Project has vocals, guitars, bass, drums and keyboards, but they’ve also got the violin, synths, and the turntables. Their unconventional approach to music is admirable, and the groovy and soulful group’s smiles and energy while performing is worthy of a watch at IGNITE! this year, for sure.

3. THELIONCITYBOY

Local hip-hop rapper THELIONCITYBOY, also known as Kevin Lester, has been making waves over the past few months in our homegrown music scene. The producer, rapper, and music activist has partnered with BMBX, Apl.de.ap from the Black Eyed Peas’ music management label, and has performed at Music Matters Live, SG50 themed Sing, Love concert alongside well-loved local musicians like Sezairi and ShiGGa Shay. If you enjoyed ShiGGaShay’s performance at IGNITE! last year, you’ll definitely dig THELIONCITYBOY’s set this year.

4. Dru Chen

Effervescent and old school soul Dru Chen was born in Australia, but raised in Singapore and has been winning the hearts of many with his soulful pop funk music. This singer-songwriter has had his music played on radio stations in the United States, Australia, and Singapore, and especially never disappoints at a live performance - you just can’t stop yourself from dancing to his music or tapping your feet.

5. In Each Hand a Cutlass

“My mind just travelled all nine worlds listening to this,” reads a comment on one of their songs on YouTube. So will you, when you hear them live at IGNITE! Music Festival this year. In Each Hand A Cutlass is another instrumental rock act on this year’s IGNITE! lineup, and they’ve been established since 2005. Their epic album, ‘The Kraken’, was released earlier this year to massive acclaim. When a group of well-known musicians come together to make music, assuredly - the product would be extraordinary.

Of course, these are just five out of the many awesome acts we have on our lineup for this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival. If you want to catch them all, come down to IGNITE! on 21 and 22 August at Republic Polytechnic to discover more great bands, all born and bred in our Lion City. See you there!

IGNITE! Survival Guide

by Fasiha Nazren

Free and good local music, great vibes and yummy food to buy. What’s there not to love about IGNITE! Music Festival? As we’re nearing the big day, here are 5 tips guaranteed to make your IGNITE! experience a memorable one.

Drink Up!: Make sure to bring a bottle and stay hydrated for IGNITE! Music Festival. PHOTO BY: Hasif Hasny

1. Stay hydrated

We wouldn’t want anyone to faint and miss out on the hot and sizzling line-up halfway through the festival! Remember to bring a bottle of water with you to keep yourself hydrated throughout the night. If you run out of water, there are watercoolers all over Republic Polytechnic for you to refill your bottles! Alternatively, you can grab a drink or two at the IGNITE! Village where food and drinks will be sold.

Ready, Set, Charge: Remember to charge your smartphones and bring along a portable charger to capture the moment! PHOTO BY: Hasif Hasny

2. Charge your phones and portable chargers

In this day and age where everyone has a smartphone, it’s a given that many will be snapping pictures and videos of their favourite acts. That’s totally cool, but what isn’t cool is when your smartphone runs out of battery! That’s where tip number two comes along – bring a portable charger! Don’t forget to charge both your smartphone and portable charger before leaving your house so that you can capture every single moment at this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival!

But First, Let Me Take A Selfie: It’s always better to take selfies with your friends, so don’t forget to bring or even make friends at IGNITE! PHOTO BY: Hasif Hasny

3. Bring a buddy

Being the largest local music festival, do expect IGNITE! to be big and hectic. So do bring along your friend(s) so you will always have someone to go to the toilet with, someone to buy merchandise with and most importantly, someone to fangirl/fanboy with once your favourite act performs! Also, don’t be afraid to interact with the rest of the crowd and who knows, you might go home with more friends than you came with?

Never Go Out Of Style: Stay fashionable and comfortable just like our IGNITE! crew in their IGNITE! shirts! PHOTO BY: Hasif Hasny

4. Dress comfortably

You’re probably racking your brains on what to wear to IGNITE!, right? While looking good can be a priority, dressing comfortable is important as well! Since you will be standing (and maybe dancing around) most of the time, do wear something breathable so you won’t feel so sticky and sweaty. You might also want to bring an extra shirt or towel given Singapore’s hot and humid climate!

Don't Be So Pushy: Leave your worries elsewhere and enjoy the performances while you’re here at IGNITE! PHOTO BY: Hasif Hasny

5. Have fun!

Of all the 5 tips, this is the most important tip. Why come to IGNITE! when you’re not here to have fun, right? We’re all about the good local music, so forget all your troubles for a while and soak yourself in the good vibes! Enjoy the performances, grab the yummy grubs and have fun with your friends. You’re now set for the best night of your life!

What to eat at #IGNITEMUSICFEST 2015!

by Herlyani Ramlan

#IGNITEMUSICFEST is here yet again, and whether you are an insane music buff or just here to soak up the festival ambience with your friends after the end of a long semester, what is a festival without some yummy treats to nibble on?

This year, #IGNITEMUSICFEST is bringing more food to satisfy your every craving. So don’t fret about being hungry during the festival or having no water to quench your thirst, #IGNITEBESTCREWEVER has got you covered.

Caramel Brain Freeze

Well, we don’t have an outlet (yet), but we finally have a Starbucks on campus.

Between all the talented musicians, weather and raving audiences, it’s going to be a really hot #IGNITEMUSICFEST, and what a better way to cool off than with an ice-cold frappuccino? You’ll be up, running and raving to the music again in no time!

Pairs well with: Arson, Sezairi

Dynamic Duo

This year’s fad food is making its way to #IGNITEMUSICFEST this year!

The unlikely pairing of fried banana fritters and cheese made waves this year, flooding everyone’s social media timeline and filing our post-break fast tummies during Ramadan. If you weren’t patient enough to brave the long waiting time then, don’t miss the opportunity to try them out at #IGNITEMUSICFEST!

Pairs well with: The Full Pledge Munkees, Riot !n Magenta

Disco Stick

Churros Factory will be at #IGNITEMUSICFEST to satiate any sweet cravings.

Just like the dynamic banana and cheese duo, churros have been flooding our timelines and dashboards lately this year. With interesting, unconventional and locally-inspired dipping sauces such as Gula Melaka and Butterscotch, Churros Factory is definitely a booth not to be missed.

Pairs well with: THELIONCITYBOY, ShiGGa Shay, In Each Hand A Cutlass

Popped

Oprah loves it, and it’s kind of hard not to disagree with her. #IGNITEMUSICFEST will also be hosting Garrett Popcorn at the festival village this year.

It’s pretty hard to rave with a burger, so in case you get the munchies while you’re right smack in the center of the audience, you can sneak a few bites of Garrett Popcorn’s signature handcrafted CaramelCrisp popcorn. No one would notice a thing.

Pairs well with: This Is Atlantis, Wicked Aura Batucada

Turkish Delight

If your taste buds are leaning towards something more savory, the Stuff’d Crew will be here at #IGNITEMUSICFEST for a mini Mexican/Turkish spread.

Their Kebabs, Burritos and Signature Quesadillas are made daily from scratch. Grab a quick bite in between sets to curb that festival appetite.

Pairs well with: Attention! The New Portsdown, The Good Life Project

A Taste of Thailand

Handcrafted daily for maximum freshness, Pong Gelato is set to please both foodies and health buffs alike at #IGNITEMUSICFEST!

Their coconuts are carefully selected and directly imported from Thailand, complimenting their signature Coconut Gelato and Sorbets which are not only lactose-free but also rich with vitamins and minerals.

Pairs well with: Dru Chen

All Rolled Up

Another guilt-free indulgence happening at #IGNITEMUSICFEST includes Fat Rice SG’s unconventional yet flavorful sushi roll. 

Made using minimal oil, Fat Rice SG presents a yummy and healthy fusion sushi rolls designed to be packed with intense flavors and easy with the calories!

Pairs well with: Take Two

With the large nibble selection, we bet we’d be seeing you at #IGNITEMUSICFEST 2015.

IGNITE! Music Festival 2015 will be held on 21^st and 22^nd of August 2015 at Republic Polytechnic, Lawn. Head to our official site for more details.

IGNITE! Music Festival Essentials!

by Rushiqah Dahlan

IGNITE! Music Festival is upon us, again! More than 20, 000 people have been involved in IGNITE! for the past few years. For local music fans and supporters, it’s often one of the most anticipated days in the month of August. Are you one of them? We’ve written out what you need to know – what to wear and what to bring.

When you’re going to IGNITE!, there’s no one to impress and there isn’t a focus on dressing up trendy. The most important factor is staying cool and comfortable, so be sure to wear comfy clothes. Also, wear shoes! Don’t even think about wearing sandals or even flip flops, unless you don’t mind your feet being stepped on. A nice pair of shoes will keep your feet from getting dirty and also keep you comfortable while dancing or moshing to your favourite band. For the ones with long hair, you might want to bring some hair ties and bobby pins, just in case it gets too hot.

As for essentials, there are not much that you need to bring, just basic necessities so we recommend you to pack light. Be it a cross-body bag or a bag pack, ensure that the size of it would not stop you and the other audience from having fun. A little tip: Buy your merch first, especially shirts and shoes. Why? Since the prices are cheaper, the sizes run out and it is probably more crowded around the merch booths when the performance ends. This is where a bag pack comes in handy. You wouldn’t need to carry the stuff around because you can simply keep it inside your bag! Whatever it is, bring things that you need and will most probably use. With that being said, below are the essentials for IGNITE! 2015.

IGNITE! Music Festival is back!

The biggest local music festival is set to enthral music lovers this 11-22 August with various workshops, showcases and a two-day Main Festival Stage which would happen on 21 & 22 August.

After seven successful runs since 2008, Republic Polytechnic (RP) and The Republic Cultural Centre (TRCC) are pleased to present IGNITE! Music Festival 2015. With the participation of more than 600 students, the annual music festival prides itself with a fully run concert by students of RP. The student-driven festival, which circles around the theme – Passion and Compassion – aims to promote the best of local music in a great setting, for a good cause. Best of all, it’s free!

Every year, IGNITE! is armed with a series of fringe events and workshops. IGNITE! 2015 is all set to entertain music enthusiasts once again with Gig Photography Workshop, Band Management Dialogue, Song Writing Workshop and many more.

Last year, the two-day festival garnered more than 10,000 festival goers – from screaming fan girls, laid back hipsters to head banging rockers – all came down to RP to enjoy the good music from bands like 53A, Aspectrum, Caracal, Gentle Bones, ShiGGa Shay, The Sam Willows and RP’s very own Jammerz Arena and Replug IG. This year, IGNITE! 2015 is set to bring down the house once again, featuring the best of local acts which would be made known soon.

Besides good music, there would also be a village of booths set up to complete the IGNITE! experience. From food and beverages to merchandised booths mended by sponsors, festival goers can expect a happy tummy whilst enjoying the good music and shop for their fashion needs.

With a bigger setting, the festival aims to reach out to even more partners this year – including Volunteer Welfare Organisations, Homes and many more. Promoting youth volunteerism through music, booth of RP’s Service Learning Club would be housed within the festival village alongside buskers, lifestyle booths and many more!

Keep Up with IGNITE! Music Festival

Always be updated by following IGNITE!’s social media plug-ins; stay tuned to find out the full band line-up and how to take part in interesting online competitions and stand the chance to win attractive prizes.

Official Website: http://www.ignitemusicfest.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ignitemusicfest
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IgniteMusicFestival
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/IgniteMusicFest
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ignitemusicfest

IGNITE! The Compassion

On the 14th of June, close to 100 students were part of IGNITE!'s service learning project with Very Special Arts (VSA).

Back for its seventh year running, VSA is a nationwide concert by artists from the special needs community. With 12 spirited performances from over 200 members of various special schools and voluntary welfare organisations in Singapore, the concert hopes to inspire with performers' tenacity in overcoming all odds with passion.

Media Ninjas: IGNITE! Media Ninja, Muhammad Rabbani, behind-the-scenes of Welcome To My World Concert, taking snippets of other student crews on the job. PHOTO BY: Ariani Adam

Tying in closely with IGNITE! Music Festival's recurring theme of Passion and Compassion, Welcome To My World Concert parks perfectly under IGNITE!'s efforts to reach out to the less fortunate for a cause. The students were extensively involved with various roles ranging from Stage Crew, Artiste Liaison Officer, Media Crew to even Front-of-House Crew.

From 13th June, students were already activated for duty as they commenced sound checks and rehearsals for the groups to familiarise themselves with the stage and venue. With not much time in hand, the IGNITE! Team had a lot of planning and prepping to do to ensure that the show ran smoothly.

On The Ball: Stage Crews ensured that they prepared equipment beforehand to avoid any discrepancies during the show. PHOTO BY: Ariani Adam

At backstage, the vibes were really lively as crew put on their best smiles to greet the performers on stage for their sound checks. Although there were a lot of things to be done, the crew tried their best to work around the tight schedules, showing positivity across the room.

Chief Artiste Liaison Officer, Kelwen Liew, said, “It’s really nice to see different people coming together. Their willingness to learn is really encouraging.” Kelwen is a Year 2 student studying Arts and Theatre Management and the Secretary for Campus Arts Productions (CAP).

Behind The Scenes: Meet the people behind-the-scenes, (from left to right) Kenny Lim (IGNITE! Music Festival Producer), Nurul Ainnie (Student Co-Producer), Syed Ali (Stage Manager) and Nethaniel Jotham (Student Producer). PHOTO BY: Ariani Adam

No doubt that it was a really different environment for the students, but it was certain that each and every one of them enjoyed themselves and learnt something along the way.

“It’s really humbling to see the performers with different disabilities; if they could do amazing things, we should be thankful and stop giving excuses,” said Zainulrahman Bin Motalif, Assistant Stage Manager. Zainulrahman is also a Year 2 studying Customer Relationship and Service Management, and an active member of Jammerz Arena.

Music comes aLive!

by Nicole Ho

The fountain stage at Clarke Quay was packed with avid screaming K-Pop fans. PHOTO BY: Benjamin Ng Wei Jie

Music – everyone loves it, but no one really has the exact same music taste. Most people usually prefer sticking to their own music, but when it gets to the point where you’re sick of what you’re hearing on your playlist; it happens – let’s face it, how do you look for new music? Some people search through the endless ‘suggested songs’ list on YouTube while others put on a playlist from the web and see how it goes. But really how often do you find yourself skipping the song lists?

Music Matters Live has been around in Singapore for 5 years now where bands from all around the world take part, catering to everyone’s music likings and preferences over a period of 4 days. This year, bands from the Philippines, Nepal, Australia and even Russia – just to name a few gathered together where more recognised bands played on the main fountain stage at Clarke Quay while up and coming bands play at the bars.

Dominic Lau’s lively persona fit his role for the event to a tee, engaging the audience at just the right amount while at the same time hosting the event. It did not seem like a music festival at first – at 7pm, all the audience (or passers-by, at this point) could still see the logistics crew making sure all the equipment on stage works. As the programme progressed, the sky turned darker and colourful lights lighted the entire venue. More people strolled in to watch, all swaying their bodies with the music and head banging for the heavier sounding sets, whether they knew the bands or not.

The K-Pop fans would not be forgotten at this event. In fact, KPOP NIGHT OUT @ MML was meant just for the music lover! Held at every MML event since 2013, it is a segment which features bands from South Korea, each possessing their own very distinct sound. The crowd were fired up, with fans dancing and raving to the beat while the first band, Kingston Rudieska kicked the segment off. In the middle of their set, the power tripped, all electronics stopped working and the sound and lighting got cut off! However, the members of the band were able to overcome the adversity and used only their voices and instruments to hype up the otherwise awkward atmosphere, long enough for the crew to fix the issue. The crowd wasn’t fazed by the situation and kept on singing along. The other bands include Glen Check, Idiotape and all girl group Sonamoo.

As this was going on at the main fountain stage, there were acts going on concurrently at various bars along Clarke Quay. The crowd and atmosphere at these venues, despite having a smaller audience, were as happening as the main stage – fans of the artistes sang and jumped along to the music energetically and relentlessly.

Gentle Bones, a local singer-songwriter, was one highlight of this year’s event. He has come a long way, from playing at Shuffle and Paulaner at last year’s Music Matters, to acquiring the main stage this year. For his set, the entire space in front of the stage was packed with screaming fans, guys and girls alike. They were energetically screaming his name and “I Love Yous” were being shouted. After his set, the crowd scrambled to where he was, fighting for a position to be first in place to snag a picture with Joel Tan, the man behind the moniker.

The next time you’re looking for new music, be sure to look out for the next Music Matters Live event and have it marked down in your calendar (and get your friends to do that too). It is a fun way to explore music you would never thought you could like in a comfortable and familiar environment, and did we mention that the event is free, too? For more information about the event, log on to http://musicmatterslive.com/