sleepmakeswaves

There can never be gig-fatigue in Singapore. I'm not attending two-day outdoor festivals back-to-back. It's fantastic to catch sleepmakeswaves in Singapore. Before heading back to Sydney, this was the last stop of their 10-week tour. They hit UK and Europe, then stopped by every notable Chinese city for music, and Hong Kong, then flew into Singapore on a rainy afternoon.

If the band wasn't compelling, I wouldn't have bothered attending this gig because it was held at a really annoying venue. TAB. Their crew was helpful, but the acoustics and general decrepit look and sleaze were just strange. You would need your own sound team. Never mind the horrid stale beer and puke stench which greeted us upon entry and didn't go away. I have this huge issue with its S$13 Tiger beer in a tiny plastic cup. You could pay S$48 for a jug, at happy hour. It reminds you that it doesn't care and its main clients are cognac-chugging humans who would pay for those prices for beer because they were there for the strippers upstairs and weird dancing.

Luckily, sleepmakeswaves put on a great show. Every instrumental rock band is different. The only thing in common they share- no vocals. They don't even sound similar. sleepmakeswaves is so grunge, so fierce. Like what many said, the band hit us with a wall of sound and melted our faces. They must be utterly exhausted. Yet it didn't seem so that night. The boys gave it their all and burnt up the stage. The light show was awesome too. Took us right out of this world and into the next. Forgot to ask if those lights belonged to the venue or they rigged up additional lighting. Thanks for bringing them in Gsonique! I wanted to buy a tee. They sold out. Aiyah. Gotta get it online.

From left: After-the-show grins on smv drummer Tim, guitarist Otto,
making-a-funny-face Brett (sound and tour manager),
bassist Alex, Gsonique's Goose, and guitarist Kid.