Ian Grushka, bassist for American pop-punk band New Found Glory, says he's heard 'nothing but great things about Singapore and Hong Kong'. In two weeks, he'll be able to judge the cities for himself when he and the band visit during the Asian music festival season.
Summer Sonic and Fuji Rock Festival in Japan are the highlights of the season, but now Asian music fans have more dates to mark in their calendars. Sandwiched between the two Japanese extravaganzas is SINGfest, which returns for a sophomore effort at Singapore's Fort Canning Park on August 2-3, and Live N' Loud Hong Kong 2008 on August 5.
As the dates are close to those of the Japan events, they are able to tap rich talent. SINGfest will be headlined by the 11-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys, who will be joined on the roster by the Glaswegian alternative rock act Travis. Both are also the principal crowd-drawers for Summer Sonic and Fuji Rock respectively.
SINGfest will also see sets played by artists from across the spectrum, from rock quintet One Republic and Welsh alternative metal outfit Lostprophets to emo pop bands Simple Plan and Panic! at the Disco.
Also among those who will contribute to 20 hours of live music is American singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, fresh off the release of his latest album, We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things., who will play on one of the two stages. In throwbacks to both the recent and not-so-recent past, Christian pop darling Stacie Orrico, known for her infectious 2003 hit Stuck, and 1980s soul singer Rick Astley, who recently made a YouTube-fuelled revival, will also make appearances.
Ticket sales for the festival's debut last year, which saw Sugar Ray, Cyndi Lauper and The Academy Is... take to the stage, disappointed due to three prospective headliners having turned down the chance to perform. In a bid to ensure that history is not repeated, organiser Midas Promotions ensured an all-star ensemble would perform this year, announcing the surprise addition of The Pussycat Dolls barely three weeks before the first guitar is due to be strummed.