Rico Blanco headlines Singapore’s Sundown

Rico Blanco (Photo from his official Facebook page)

The annual Sundown Music Festival has announced the international acts that will perform at the F1 Pit Building at Marina Promenade on Nov. 16 in Singapore.

An unrivaled gathering of eight nations, the fifth Sundown Festival boasts of an impressive lineup of established headliners and up-and-coming acts from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

An event that draws fans from across Southeast Asia, the massive musicfest promises to turn the Marina Promenade into an Asian music and cultural central for an eight-hour-long celebration.

’Pinas Represent

This year’s edition welcomes three Southeast Asian nations to the mix: Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Two acts will represent the country to the festival, namely, Rocksteddy and headliner Rico Blanco. They will front the tri-nation sensations, along with Nidji (Indonesia) and No More Tear (Thailand).

In an interview with select members of the media, Blanco explained how he was tapped to represent the country in the festival.

“I think they chose between me and U2,” he says, laughing. “Eh, ’yung budget…”

On a more serious note, Blanco notes that music appreciation should not purely be about nationalities.

“’Yung music kasi sa akin gusto ko ma-enjoy ng tao bilang music, eh. I like to say na, ‘Support local artists,’ the same way na (they should) support the local industry… pero ayaw kong i-support ’yung music dahil lang sa lahi mo…

“Pwede mo dapat i-appreciate ’yung Filipino music dahil maganda, dahil gusto mo. Hindi (lang) dahil Filipino, alam mo ’yon? So in the same way, kung may mga non-Filipinos (na nakikinig), gusto ko ma-enjoy nila ’yung music dahil na-enjoy nila. And then siguro maiisip lang nila, ’yung kumanta nun, ‘Ah. Filipino ba siya?’

A flipside to this, he clarifies, “Gusto ko naman i-support natin ’yung local artists natin kasi may iba naman (na Pinoys) lahi ’yung inuuna; gusto hindi muna Pinoy (ang artist). Dapat pareho lang… May remnants of that period na (may) colonial mentality… So sila lang ’yung nire-remind natin (to support our own).”

He wants to be able to maintain the impression of other nationalities that Filipinos are great performers. In line with that, he plans to give a memorable performance not just for the Pinoys in the audience, but for those from other nations.

A Mix Of Talents

Festivalgoers will be treated to different forms of music from the varied lineup this year.

Fans of Japanese glam-metal will be treated to the stylings of visual kei bands (those who employ varying levels of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes) Screw and D=OUT (pronounced as ‘doubt’).

K-pop fanatics, on the other hand, can expect some eye candy and sugar rush in the form of Ace Of Angels (AOA), all of whose eight members will be making their full appearance at the festival.

Also featured in the lineup are Adonia Shao Yu Han from the People’s Republic of China, Mandopop Taiwanese boy wonder Yoga Lin and Cantopop and TVB star Bosco Wong.

Music And More

Audiences can look forward not only to hours of non-stop entertainment, but also different types of street food from the eight Asian countries, as well as fringe cultural performances such as “the barong” (storytelling dance form) from Indonesia, Tinikling B-boys (a mix of traditional pre-Spanish tap dancing with bamboo poles and breakdancing) from the Philippines and muay thai exhibition from Thailand.

Undoubtedly the largest music festival in Asia, Sundown Festival 2013 has a simple goal: “To bring the burgeoning stars in Asian rock and pop music together for the best show in the region, a show that the world can only see in Singapore.

“That is exactly what we have done; these acts we have brought in this year will rock your socks off, bring pride to being Asian and prove once again, there is no place more exciting than Singapore’s Marina Promenade this coming November,” says Samantha Chan, director of the Festival. She also notes that, “Year five of Sundown Festival is a milestone.”

For tickets and information, visit www.sistic.com.sg. For added information on Sundown Festival, check out www.sundownfestival.sg.

Rico Blanco headlines Singapore’s Sundown

Source: Mb.com.ph (October 25, 2013 at 09:50AM)

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