The last weekend of November 2016 (26-27) was a special couple of days in Singapore as people coming into Fort Canning Park because the day of Neon Lights Festival has finally arrived. People from inside and outside Singapore filled in areas of the park to celebrate arts in all form all weekend

 Day 1 of Neon Lights started out wet, really wet. It was already drizzling by the time the gate’s open. Sea of people in bright colored ponchos entering the fully transformed Fort Canning Park. Neon Lights Fest team has perfectly transformed the park into an art lover paradise. With two main stages, Fort Green Stage and Fort Gate Stage, they’re ready for the music to kick in!

While day 2 started out relatively dry, it ended up a lot muddier than day 1, heaven knows why. The excitement however was still as high as day 1, or maybe even higher. We never ran out of excitement on both days. But we do have some favorite moments that we still daydream about until now.

Lucy Rose

This soft spoken lady from England managed to keep everyone engaged with her sweet and easy listen numbers such as “Middle of the Bed”, “Shiver”, “Nebraska” and “Bikes” as her closing remarks. She made standing in the rain all worthwhile.

Shura

Being her first time in Asia, we say she did a fantastic job. Top notch numbers combined with her fantastic stagemenship made it one of the must seen set of the day. She played some of her hit numbers like “What’s It Gonna Be?”, “Indecision”, and “Touch”, pleasing the crowds.

Foals

Oh yes, Foals! The five piece band from Oxford finally came back to Singapore to headline Neon Lights Festival. The build up excitement minutes before the lads went up on stage was unbelievable. People coming in from all over Southeast Asian just to catch them perform live again after all these years. We can tell you that it was all worth the wait. When the first beat of “Snake Oil” erupted, so did literally everyone at the park.

 Their set, despite being moved three hours early from the headliner slot, could still get the best of the crowds energy. Song after song after song never left un-chanted. Their setlist was the perfect combination of all of their album. From their first record such as “Red Socks Pugie”, “Olympic Airways”, the classic “Two Step Twice” and they even treated us to an old classic “Cassius” since it’s their second last show for the “What Went Down” album tour. Speaking of that brilliant record, bless them for playing some of their most powerful song yet, “Mountain at My Gates” and “What Went Down”. “When I see a man I see a lion” never sounded so good.

Day 2:

Blood Orange

 The London born and raised R&B singer-song writer amazed everyone with his pitch perfect voice and groovy moves across the stage. A soulful voice backed by guitar playing skill that was out of this world, Dev Hynes really took that stage to a whole other level.

José Gonzáles 

 For everyone’s in love and in need of a good holiday, José Gonzales set at Neon Lights would make you weep. His soft voice, acoustic sound, impeccable band, and pretty backdrops made it impossible for us not to quietly sob while singing “Heartbeats” under our breath.

Yuna

The Malaysian singer-song writer was a late addition to the line up, but the reaction was overwhelming! She took the main Fort Green Stage like a pro that she is. Looking and sounding flawless, she get the crowds to replace her duet partner Usher in “Crush”. We’re having a big crush on her till now.

Sigur Rós

What can we say about this Icelandic trio that hasn’t been said before? If we could choose one word to describe Sigur Ros set, it would be hypnotizing. Indeed everything about their set baffled us in the greatest way possible. From their music, Jónsi’s perfectly high pitched voice, to the mesmerizing backdrops, they left us in awe and in a shocked state even long after their set was over.

Although if we have to choose just one favorite Sigur Rós moment, it would have to be their live version of “Sæglópur”. The way they carry out the whole song starting from the most whimsical sound to a hard rocking beat, you just simply have to be there to feel its power.

Neon Lights Festival 2016 has put Southeast Asian in the map of international music and art festivals. With top notch line up and art, Neon Lights has shown the world how we like to party.  They indeed have rise above all expectation, and we had a very high expectation. We can’t wait to see what Neon Lights 2017 will bring for us! (Photo: Safitra A. Pranoto)

Neon Lights Arts 2016 presents an immersive and engaging adventure for all festival-goers, incorporating dance, theatre, comedy, sideshow, cabaret, workshops, literary, live art, installations, exhibitions and more by over 150 renowned local and international artists.

 CLUB MINKY

Club Minky, Neon Lights’ ultra-sumptuous parlour of circus, comedy and cabaret, returns to the festival with a sizzling lineup of international stars and local heroes.

London’s neo-cabaret darlings Bourgeois & Maurice make their Singaporean debut with their ultra-theatrical kaleidoscope of eye-boggling fashion, hilarious take on world affairs and unforgettable tunes. Other Singapore debuts include Ireland’s top comedy hip-hop improv team, Abandoman, who has won major awards and stirred audiences around the world with their inventive and enormously fun blend of crowd interaction and razor-sharp improvisation.

Singapore’s legendary drag queen Becca D’Bus and her merry band of Queens return to Club Minky with AlterCation! a brand new, royal revue that will see you dancing into the night while Comedy Masala Cream promises the best in Asia standup comedy featuring the award-winning Jim Brewsky (Stand Up Asia!) Ben Quinlan and Umar Rana.

THE ROCKING HORSE

 A feast of ideas and a temple of the word, The Rocking Horse brings together local literary giants to sooth, exhilarate and inspire. Curated by Marc Nair and topped off with electro disco beats from revered collective Darker than Wax, the venue presents Singapore’s award-winning multidisciplinary writer Ng Yi-Sheng, who will perform his maddest and queerest works spanning over two decades, while comedian and poet Kok Wei Liang brings on a cheeky take on pop culture, social media and fairy tales, and twice-winning Singapore National Poetry slam champion Shivram Gopinath dances in the rain with nunchucks!

Homegrown songwriter Shak (Shak’thiya) will come up close and personal with original songs influenced by Blues, Boss Nova, Hip Hop and Folk that capture specific moments in his life. He is joined by an electric one-woman poetry show by TEDx speaker and author of ‘Rebel Rites’ Deborah Emmanuel and poetry slams champion Stephanie Dogfoot with her feisty take on life. Jennifer Anne Champion reads from her critically-acclaimed collection of poetry about children ‘Caterwaul’, while curator of The Rocking Horse, the illustrious photographer and poet Marc Nair will present his latest collection of a series of poems and photographs from the Balkans.

THE NEST

Curated by Substation’s former artistic director Noor Effendy Ibrahim, The Nest presents a glorious carnival of alternative Singapore culture for everybody’s participation.

 Family workshops activate The Nest by Day: Children will love the Superhero Budget Cut Workshop presented by the Busybodies (Sat 26 Nov), where they will create superhero characters and their costumes on a budget, while the Cut & Paste Mayhem Workshop, (Sun 27 Nov) by Cap Merah, teaches the lost-art of hand-made flyers, pictures and zines. Festival goers of all ages will also enjoy The Barter Market by Indigoism – a creative marketplace where no cash is involved. The Barter Market is a collective effort between local makers, craftsmen, artists, musicians, skilled individuals in the community, and you! So what will you bring to barter?

As we head into The Nest by Night , The Scene Kids bring their acclaimed punk theatre show Holding The Fort to the festival, while one of the hits of the Neon Lights 2015, UFO Project  (Sat 26 Nov) present an unmissable harmony of anime-like Zentai dancers and futuristic sounds.  Singapore’s very own prominent drum and percussion ensemble Nadi Singapura headline The Nest on Sun, 27 November, bringing the vibrant sounds of the Malay Archipelago.

NEON NOOKS

Neon Nooks is a programme of visual and performance art dotted throughout the festival grounds, activating the hidden alcoves and enhancing the stunning architecture. Radiance by Brandon Tay and Safuan Johari is a transformative digital mapping and sound installation commission that will wow. Singapore’s first ever New Orleans style brass band, the New Stream Bass Band, blend Jazz, Latin and Hip Hop styles with brass sounds as they rove around the park.

The Sculpture Society of Singapore will showcase a mini-exhibition of artworks created during their recent Woodcarving Symposium, and will host two woodcarving workshops: “Creating Wearable Art” and “Experience Woodcarving”.

EASY STREET 

Curated by local impresarios Recognize Studios and Sideshow, Easy Street is a celebration of all things street from live graf to breakdancing battles; turntablism to beatboxing; funk to reggae; and jungle to jazz.

 Located in the secret alleyways of the festival, different elements of street culture come to life as self- professed visual anarchists ANTZ, DEM, ROAK, SLAC and SPAZ hit the walls with live graffiti, murals and graf workshops; Dharni – recognized as one of the best beatboxers in the world, mixes it up with K-leah on vocals; Dancehall Nation – the first and only community of dancehall/reggae dancers in Singapore, join DJ Jean Reiki on stage; while beatmakers RAH & Senja, Lion Steppaz Sound, FZPZ and Scorcher Hi-Fi warm up the Street for headliners Gold Panda (Sat 26 Nov) and The Mad Professor (Sun 27 Nov).

With such a diverse and broad arts programme added to the already super hot lineup of 25 diverse music acts such as Sigur Ros, Foals, Yuna and 2manydjs, Neon Lights promises an exhilarating and unmissable weekend.

Neon Lights 2016 takes place on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th November throughout Fort Canning Park in Singapore. Neon Lights Festival is an all-ages event, and tickets are available from SG$135 (Adult)/ SG$25 (Under 12s) for a single day pass at www.neonlights.sg/tickets.