It’s hard not to be proud of homegrown talent gone global. Except this time we’re not talking about musicians, but instead our festival entrepreneurs. And in the current climate where these music events are dropping left, right and centre the fact that Laneway expanded to Detroit in 2012 is no mean feat.
The Laneway city in question this time around though is Singapore, where the franchise expanded to in 2011 a year after adding Auckland into the fold.
Given the event’s close timeframe and almost identical lineup to the Australian dates in early 2014 flying out to the Asian metropolis might seem like a costly and ultimately unnecessary means to enjoying the Laneway brand.
But we’re here to convince you otherwise. International holidays are an experience that we shouldn’t need to convince you of, but there are plenty of things to compliment your trek to Laneway Singapore.
As discussed in our music guide to the urban sprawl, “while hoards of tourists seek out Singapore for its shopping there is no reason why you won’t find a venue, which features quality local musicians, to experience the city’s nightlife after a long day of searching for sales”.
Just as you spend an entire day at the festival witnessing the best indie acts from around the world, the rest of your time in the city can be spent discovering the hidden gems contained within the local music scene.
How though does Laneway Singapore differentiate from its Australian counterparts?
With only two stages and a smaller lineup you can forget any likelihood of clashes and enjoy the lineup for all it has to offer.
While the 2014 lineup benefits from the exclusive addition of James Blake, the likes of Gotye, Kimbra and Tame Impala played the 2013 edition for the Singaporean event while the Australian events missed out on these sets.
Held at The Meadow, the cities largest outdoor garden venue, the setting provides a magnificent view of Singapore’s skyline that will define the festival from any other music event you’ve ever attended.
Travel addicts that want the brilliance of the Australian festival in a low key environment with an equally great lineup and in a foreign territory can experience the best of both worlds at Laneway Singapore.
Lineup
Off the back of his Mercury Prize win for his sophomore release, Overgrown, Brit electronic crooner James Blake will headline the festivities. Compatriots and post-punk rockers Savages will join alongside playing songs from their highly acclaimed debut Silence Yourself.
Also from the United Kingdom Scottish popsters Chvrches and Jamie xx will provide the crowd with ample amounts of dance beats. No strangers to such sonic texutres electronic duo Mount Kimbie will also play songs from their 2013 album Cold Spring Fault Less Youth.
Sister rockers Haim, brooding three-piece Daughter and indie rocker Kurt Vile are all expected to provided festival highlights.
Aussie representatives include Vance Joy, Jagwar Ma and The Jezebels amongst more international acts which you can read about here.
Where And When
Laneway will overtake Singapore’s The Meadow, Gardens By The Bay on Saturday 25th January 2014.
How To Get There
Airlines that fly to Singapore include, but are not limited to Emirates, Virgin Australia, Qantas, Malyasia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, British Airways.
The following are estimated prices for return trips that were available at the time of writing.
Adelaide: Direct flights start from $1000, while a one-stop journey is upwards of $800.
Brisbane: Direct flights start from $700, while a one-stop journey is upwards of $900.
Melbourne: Direct flights start from $800, while a one-stop journey is upwards of $900.
Perth: Direct flights start from $600, while a one-stop journey is upwards of $800.
Sydney: Direct flights start from $1000, while a one-stop journey is upwards of $800.
The ease of getting to the festival will depend upon where you’re staying. While the Laneway website details driving directions, we can bet that as a tourist you’ll either be getting there via a taxi or public transport.
The nearest station is the Bayfront MRT and it is only 5 minutes away from the festival site, take a look at the Singapore Public Transport website to plan your journey.
Alternatively you may also wish to splash out on a chauffeur driven Garden Cruise which can be pre-arranged so that you can make you way to Laneway via a ferry. Whether you’re seriously interested or just want to dream you can find further information about this transportation on the venue’s website.
Where To Stay
Travelling internationally isn’t cheap so we’ve found some of the best hostels in the city to stay in. Look no further than River City Inn, Five Stones Hostel, Hostel One66, Happy Snail Hostel and Rucksack Inn for cheap yet comfortable accommodation.
If hotels are more your style there are an abundance of such accommodation options in Singapore, although keep in mind that the likes of Raffles Hotel might be out of your price range.
How To Get Tickets
Tickets to Laneway Singapore are valued at $150 plus a $3 booking fee in the Singapore dollar, which for Australians converts to around $130.
You can buy your tickets either through here or this link.
Insider Tips & Tricks/Things You Shouldn’t Miss
When you go online to purchase your tickets you will see a $20 bundle ($17 AUD) for what is called a F&B Voucher. This voucher for food and drinks will allow you to beat the queue on the day. You may as well plan ahead because everybody needs to eat!
If you don’t plan ahead or you just wish to buy some merch there are ATMs on site if you’re strapped for cash. The ATMs are located at The Canopy and Supertree Grove.
You can find these locations and see the festival map before the day of the event just by clicking on this link.
For more details head to the official Laneway Singapore website.
