Anyone who’s been to an event under Emonightsg or Daydream Nation – two of the most popular fixtures on the local nightlife calendar – would know they’re not quite the typical electronic-laced, dance-fuelled clubbing affair. The first – which has been running since 2016 – pumps out roaring anthems by the likes of Paramore, My Chemical Romance and Blink 182, and draws a crowd whose favourite moves include headbanging, moshing and playing air guitar.
The latter – helmed by visual artist, DJ and educator Ginette Chittick – describes its playlist as “indie, shoegaze, rock, punk and everything between the cracks”. (Naturally, there’s a lot of air guitar-ing going on here too.) We hit their latest editions at press time to suss out the style, sights and sounds that are getting this alternative pack of revellers – which now includes a growing throng of Gen Z devotees – going.
EMONIGHTSG
The dance floor at Emonightsg never fails to turn into a mosh pit (albeit one with regular reminders to watch out for others’ safety) and The B-Sides party it staged at Hard Rock Cafe on April 6 was no different. Organised by the collective Look Ma No Hands – comprising of music enthusiasts and newlyweds Bryan Sta Maria and Amelia Chen, as well as Edwin Waliman, who also runs a music public relations and marketing agency – Emonightsg started out as a way for the trio and their friends to reminisce about the bands they grew up listening to.
In the seven years since though, it’s been invited to bring its emo-charged brand of partying to major events such as Baybeats and the Singapore F1. Its monthly nights have also become a rite of passage for young fans of alt-rock – or just anyone looking for an alternative way to let their hair loose. Says Sta Maria: “The goal behind Emonight is for whoever comes to absorb the music and leave feeling a little better. The world is a messed-up place so hopefully we can provide people with a sense of release for a couple hours before they head out to fight the battles of life.”
VICTOR GORBATENKO, 22, WRITER
One song that always gets them going: “Dragula by Rob Zombie – it makes me feel hyped-up, and like I want to be alive and dance.”
ANDREA KOH, 26, RESEARCHER (ON RIGHT, PICTURED HERE WITH HER FRIEND NATALIA RAMA)
What she’s listening to right now: “(American deathcore band) Lorna Shore’s latest album Pain Remains”
NICOLE LIEW, 19, POLYTECHNIC STUDENT (LEFT) AND VON TAN, 22, GRAPHIC DESIGNER (RIGHT)
One song that always gets Liew going: “A cover of t.A.T.u.’s All The Things She Said by (the metal-influenced American singer-songwriter) Poppy.”
What Tan’s listening to right now: “Melanie Martinez’s recently released album Portals. My favourite track on it is Evil – it’s such a good song.”
JULIANA TAN, 32, CLIENT SERVICES ASSOCIATE
What she’s listening to right now: “Mostly emo-punk songs from the 2000s – lots of My Chemical Romance, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus kind of stuff. My main act though is Avril Lavigne – I idolise her.”
JAMES, WHO PREFERS TO GO BY THEIR FIRST NAME ONLY, 22, BARISTA (ON RIGHT, PICTURED HERE WITH THEIR FRIEND DAN)
What is they listening to right now: “I love nu metal – my favourite bands are Korn and Limp Bizkit, and right now, I’m listening to the latter’s 2011 album Gold Cobra.”
One song that always gets them going: “Spiders by System of a Down – I listen to it no matter the occasion.”
DAYDREAM NATION
Ginette Chittick in her element behind the decks at Daydream Nation
Ginette Chittick – visual artist, educator and member of Singapore’s first all‑female punk band, Psycho Sonique, then later, the pioneering art rock band Astreal – has been parlaying her passion for the indie and punk rock genres into feel‑good party nights since the early 2000s. Along with Joe Ng and George Chua – both veterans of the local underground music scene – she was responsible for Beat!, one of the first regular indie disco nights here that ran for a good seven years at the now‑defunct Home Club and which Chittick describes as “some of the best times of her life”.
“I believe that the people who come to Daydream Nation are full-on indie and rock heads – the Gen Z-ers included even though a lot of what I play is a mix of ’90s Britpop and shoegaze, and early 2000s indie; music that was my jam back in those very days. They know the words to all of the songs and night after night – when I drop their favourite track – we ride the tune together like a wave. I never thought that the night could be such a bridge… The punk and indie rock scene is like that little bit of crust on the sidewalk that you just can’t get rid of. Often here, it’s overshadowed by whatever scene that is the flavour of the month, but us punk rockers will always be around.”
Ginette Chittick
About four years ago, independent cinema The Projector approached her to revive a similar concept, resulting in the birth of the now‑monthly (and sometimes bimonthly) Daydream Nation, which was most recently held on April 15. Says Chittick, who is also currently working on her PhD on the Singapore punk scene from the ’90s to the 2000s: “I’m not really about the bottles and sparklers – Dixie cups are fine by me. Just come and headbang to some rock tunes … Entry is free because I know cab fares are insanely expensive these days. It would be my pleasure to be able to make the experience of having a good time less costly – that’s the punk in me talking!”
DZAKIRIN ZHARFAN, 22, GRAPHIC DESIGNER, BARBER AND ONE FOURTH OF THE ALTERNATIVE ROCK GROUP, KRUNKLE THE BAND
What he’s listening to right now: “I’m currently hooked on Feeling Like I Do by the American alt-rock band Superdrag.”
One song that always gets him going: “Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order”
(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) FOO JIE EN, 20, STUDENT; MOONIKA SHETTY, DECLINED TO REVEAL AGE, CORONER; CHARLENE KTHULLU, 20, ANT BREEDER; AND KERRU HEE, 19, ART ASSISTANT
What Foo’s listening to right now: “Die 4 Me by Halsey.”
One song that always gets Foo going: “Lucid Dreams by Juice WRLD”
What Shetty’s listening to right now: “Broadway songs; sad and intense tunes such as I Dreamed A Dream by Susan Boyle; Elvis Presley and Adele.”
What Kthullu’s listening to right now: “American rock band Linkin Park and British rock band Queen.”
One song that always gets Kthullu going: “Battle Symphony by Linkin Park.”
What Hee’s listening to right now: “Recently, a lot of Chinese tunes. I’m very into Shanghainese music from the ’30s and ’40s – it makes me feel close to my roots.”
One song that always gets Hee going: “Bela Lugosi’s Dead by the British gothic-rock band Bauhaus... There’s something mesmerising about the drums that sound like marbles dropping in rapid succession. Plus Peter Murphy’s voice scratches my spine just the right way. I listen to it while getting ready to go out.”
DEANNA DZULKIFLI, 25, INDEPENDENT PRODUCER
What she’s listening to right now: “Kali Uchis’ Red Moon In Venus album.”
One song that always gets her going: “Fake ID by Riton & Kah-Lo.”
JODIE CHAN, 32, FOUNDER OF AROMATHERAPY BRAND ESSCENTRIC (IN FOREGROUND, PICTURED HERE WITH HER FRIENDS – FROM LEFT TO RIGHT – FIONA SIEW, KIM WONG AND CARC CHAN)
What she’s listening to right now: “Soulful deep house.”
One song that always gets her going: “Ylang Ylang by Parisian electronic artiste FKJ.”
(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) TAN ZI QING, 28, CREATIVE EXECUTIVE; MATILDA PATRICIA WUYSAN, 22, CREATIVE INTERN; MA XIAOYU, 23, STUDENT; AND ADEELA NUR, 22, FASHION CREATIVE
One song that always gets Tan going: “Half by Queen Bee – a Japanese ‘fashion punk rock’ band that incorporates traditional sounds and is led by a black trans singer.”
What Wuysan’s listening to right now: “Soft rock.”
What Ma’s listening to right now: “I listen to everything, but of late, it’s been mostly house and trance.”
One song that always gets Adeela going: “Ephedra by My Sleeping Karma – it starts my morning off in a mellow, trippy way.”
JEROME CHONG, 30, DEVOPS ENGINEER AND DRUMMER IN THE EMO BAND XINGFOO&ROY (LEFT) AND ADITYA MIRCHANDANI, 27, UX DESIGNER (RIGHT)
One song that always gets Chong going: “The first song that comes to mind is Run Away With Me by Carly Rae Jepsen.”
What Mirchandani’s listening to right now: “Brazilian singer Tim Bernardes’s album Mil Coisas Invisiveis, which has a really nice indie-folk vibe; Singaporean producer your friend, dan’s debut album otw; and the singles American rock band The Nationals is dropping as a build up to their next album.”
(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) ANNABELLA TOCK, 29, CUSTOMER SUCCESS MANAGER; SUE LYNN, 28, MARKETING MANAGER; GLENN YEO, 29, SALES INVESTOR; SAMUEL CHIA, 32, ENGINEER; DEANNA YIP, 29, CONTRACTS MANAGER
What Tock’s listening to right now: “I listen to a little bit of everything: shoegaze, indie, pop. Right now, I’m into (the British indie rock group) Wet Leg.”
One song that always gets her going: “Wet Dream by Wet Leg.”
What Sue’s listening to right now: “I’ve had (Canadian indie pop band Alvvays’ Blue Rev album on repeat since December.”
One song that always gets Sue going: “Good Bye Boogie Dance by Anri. It’s a city pop song – I listen to a lot of city pop, power pop and pop songs in general.”
What Yeo’s listening to right now: “A lot of Muse because my friends and I are going to see their The Will Of The People world tour on its Kuala Lumpur stop in July.”
One song that always gets Yeo going: “Mr. Brightside by The Killers.”
What Chia’s listening to right now: “Maggie Rogers and Fleet Foxes. I listen mostly to folk and indie music; pop and experimental sometimes.”
One song that always gets Chia going: “AURORA’s Daydreamer.”
What Yip’s listening to right now: “Two Door Cinema Club and Maggie Rogers.”
One song that always gets Yip going: “Forgotten Love by AURORA”
This article first appeared in the May 2023 Rock ‘N’ Roll Forever Edition of FEMALE
