Baybeats 2022

I'm too old for Baybeats. I can't keep up with these young bands, and honestly, some of their music don't speak to me, and I'm a bit tired to go stand for four hours for three nights at gig venues. I'm still interested in a few bands though. 

This is still one the largest alternative music festivals that throw up new and fantastic young bands without ripping us off of the tickets. In fact, all the shows are free. However, a busy schedule this weekend meant that Day 1 and Day 2 of Baybeats 2022 were watched via the livestream.

No way I could make it to an 11.55pm gig by Burgerkill (Indonesia), no matter how curious I was about them. I had things on till 11pm, and a 7am start the next morning. The livestream meant that I could watch it comfortably at home while feeding the dog and getting ready for bed. Burgerkill was really good. But woah, has it come to this? Watching a metal band play a live gig in Singapore in PJs at home. 😂 

I turned up for Day 3 of Baybeats 2022. The progamming team did a good job with the timings. You'd thought they'd gotten this down pat after so many years, but some years still sucked. This year was great. Nothing overlapped so we didn't have to end up missing bands we wanted to catch. There were some repeats, and everyone caught what they were here for. 

We came in to the Concourse to watch Trust the Chaos, then went out to the Outdoor Theater (Areana) to catch Aggressive Raisin Cat, and across to the spanking new Waterfront Theater (Powerhouse) to catch False Plaintiff, and then back to the Outdoor Theater to end our night with The Voodoo Sound. Mini mosh pits went on, and security didn't throw a fit. They kept a close watch, but didn't come in overbearing and unreasonable. 

There were still Ottoboke Beaver (Japan), tide/edit (Philippines), Force Vomit, but I needed to get home to the dog. I was also HUNGRY. Also, standing out there, I felt the barometric pressure drop as the storm clouds rolled in thick. Eeeeps. It was a wise move to leave when we did because just thirty minutes after, the storm rolled in for the night and stayed for hours. It was a torrential storm. The bands at the Arena had to cancel their shows, even sadder when they're visiting bands from overseas. They totally missed their chance to play and a chance for us to listen to them and show our appreciation for their music.  

We got takeout from Shake Shack, and I had to settle a jittery dog who of course didn't eat her supper. At least she peed, outdoors when we seized a break in the lashing rains. Watched the rest of the bands in the Annexe and Powerhouse on livestream. Ahhhhh... it is sooooo nice to see live gigs and bustling venues again. Seeing all the friends made it so fun. I have a soft spot for this homegrown indie music festival that I have seen sprout from Year 1. For as long as I can, and as long as the festival happens, I'll try to pop by for at least one night to soak in the music and check out the vibes. With earplugs, of course.