Last December, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore sold out the entire run of 500 tickets for Back to Live, a concert featuring up-and-coming local musicians. It was the country’s first large-scale live entertainment event since the beginning of the pandemic, though by then “large” was a relative term, given requirements for social distancing. The Sands Theatre normally has a capacity of 2,500.
“We worked with the Singapore Tourism Board and the Ministry of Health to figure out how to stage live entertainment in a way that’s safe, based on health restrictions,” says Adam Wilkes, president and CEO of AEG Live Asia, which produced the event with Collective Minds, an agency that has organised tours for the likes of American jazz musician Kamasi Washington and rapper Anderson Paak around Asia.
It was a rare opportunity for local artists who, due to travel restrictions, had the chance to be more than just opening acts for bigger international stars. For once, they became the headliners and took centre stage. As Singaporean pop singer Benjamin Kheng wrote on Instagram, “This moment was kinda amazing.” Fellow performers Charlie Lim and Aisyah Aziz debuted their collaborative bilingual track, Won’t You Come Around, which features lyrics in both English and Malay. Lim posted, “Thank you for making us feel alive again ... here’s to better times ahead.”
“This past year has been a reminder that, even as so many experiences become virtual and available on-demand, live music is irreplaceable,” says Wilkes. “It brings people together. You can’t replicate the experience of being with your community.”
Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av Tatler Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra June 2021-utgaven av Tatler Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A Family Jewel
Fanty Soenardy unveils the crowning jewel of her vault-a Chaumet tiara that she dreams of passing down to her daughter on her wedding day
GROWTH MINDSET
Three women entrepreneurs share their smart habits to managing money and growing wealth—and doing so meaningfully with purpose
A Classic Redefined
Through the organic beauty of wood veneers, Steinway & Sons' limited edition Masterpiece 8X8 explores an alternative to the established aesthetic of pianos
Oak Artistry
Born of a collaboration with contemporary circus producer Cirque du Soleil, Vibrant Oak, the fourth release in The Macallan's Harmony Collection, pays homage to the Scottish whisky house's rich history with oak and the sherry-seasoned oak casks central to its heritage
Full Potential
Philippine tourism is buzzing with activity, and Christina Garcia Frasco is at the forefront of it all
Live & Learn
When Anthonia Hui and Leonardo Drago still lived in Hong Kong nearly three decades ago, they came across a beggar on the streets. “Just as I was about to pull out my wallet, Leo held my hand and said, ‘How do you know he’s not scamming you?’”
Hip to Be Square
Patek Philippe launches Cubitus, its first new collection in 25 years, in Munich, Germany, debuting three sporty and elegant watches By Annabel Tan
Marine Wonders
Rolex's Perpetual Planet Initiative and Mission Blue join forces to support the conservation of Indonesia's island paradise of Nusa Penida and its magnificent biodiversity
Deep Purpose
Rolex champions environmental conservation through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, which supports ocean-focused organisations such as Sylvia Earle's Mission Blue and Titouan Bernicot's Coral Gardeners
Grand Designs
When it comes to grand touring, few carmakers can boast the storied history of Maserati, which has been producing vehicles that embody grand touring's golden era, which originated in the mid-20th-century, for more than 75 years.
