Skate-Wear Central

Lion Reggae

Enjoy Up-Close and Personal Performances in Singapore’s Live Entertainment Hotspots

In keeping with its reputation as an international tourism giant, there is no dearth of entertainment options in Singapore. The national pastime of the good denizens of the Lion City is generally considered dining, of which they are fastidious connoisseurs, with shopping coming a close second. However, they are no slouches when it comes to partying either, and the merry-makers of the multi-cultural metropolis are a discerning breed that prefers to enjoy their entertainment up close and personal.

Hence, Singapore is fast becoming a veritable mecca for live entertainment and music, drawing international superstars of both hemispheres to gargantuan open-air stages as well as emerging new talent to perform in the more intimate settings of pubs and bars. With its innovative arenas replete with cutting-edge acoustics, branded retail outlets and luxury holiday resorts, Singapore is a natural draw for the glitterati of today’s silver screen and music industry.

For massive outdoor concerts featuring the artists gracing the Billboard Top Ten, the usual suspects are the iconic Esplanade Concert Halls and the Singapore Indoor Stadium. These venues already have a string of notable performances by international music idols of all genres under their belt, from the hit R&B sensation Rhianna to the cult rock band Oasis. The Kallung Stadium also opens its doors to popular concerts from time to time.

However, Singapore even more notably specializes in small-scale live entertainment. Fashionable bars, pubs and lounges regularly feature everyone from world-renowned DJs to locally loved bands. In entertainment districts such as Clarke and Boat Quay, exclusive and high-end live entertainment venues rub shoulders with more laid-back ones ideal for the more reluctant wallets. The Tangling Shopping Area and Cairnhill Place are also popular in the live music scene while The Boom Boom Room of Bugis Village falls somewhere between large and small scale performing arenas.

It must be said that blues, jazz and R&B largely pervade the small-scale entertainment landscape, but there is no lack of popular music both Oriental and Western either. The thumping bhangra beat of Bollywood reigns supreme over in Little India and all flavours of Western melodies can be found in any haunt of the city’s expatriates. Karaoke and stand-up comedy, meanwhile, are fast-growing phenomena in bars and clubs across the city.

The aficionados of jazz and blues mostly gather at the Cuppage Terrace, Jeremy’s Jazz and Blues Club, Somerset’s Bar in Westin Stamford, the JJ Mahoney pub, BJ’s at the Conrad International Hotel, the Blue Jazz Bar or the favourite expatriate haunt of the Chicago Bar and Grill. The Boat Quay area is peppered with a range of choices where one may enjoy an evening of rhythm and blues. Mama’s Caribbean Bar, meanwhile, is famed for the more exotic strains of reggae.

Fans of rock, on the other hand, invariably find their way to the legendary Hard Rock Café on Cuscaden Road. Walla Walla and Balaclava are other dining establishments that feature the best in both rock and food while the third level of Riverbank caters to the more retro crowds with its live renditions of 80s rock music. The Crazy Elephant is a pub that falls on the middle ground between the genres, featuring both R&B and classic rock and roll.

The Wild West Tavern and the Charleston Showbar are two of the most uniquely ambient live entertainment venues in the city. The former brings patrons back to the wild, wild west with its American saloon bar straight out of an old Western movie and music to match. The latter stages live cabaret shows evoking the nostalgia of the 1920s and 50s with its song list of golden oldies.

Other than these standalone venues, Singapore hotels also have an entire range of live entertainment options in their various nightclubs and lounges. Of the many luxury recreational hubs that have sprung up in the city, Marina Bay Sands Singapore is the hottest name in Singapore entertainment today. Always at the centre of the action, the elegant lounges of this hotel in Singapore, such as Fuse and Sancy, are exclusive hang-out spots for the hip and trendy. Fuse is famed for its contemporary and jazz performances, inviting easy listening in a relaxing, informal atmosphere spiced with creative cocktails. Sancy appears at the other end of the energy spectrum, being an exciting show lounge where international performers receive top billing.

Old or young, flush with cash or looking for entertainment on a budget, Singapore is one destination that caters to every taste in live music and entertainment.

About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

Lion Reggae – Good Vibes

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Billabong BM Reggae Revolution Tank $25 Billabong BM Reggae Revolution Tank

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Neff Lion Wildstyle Hat $26 Neff Lion Wildstyle Hat

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