Baybeats 2023: The Alternative Music Festival Reveals Its Lineup With Surprises Galore
Baybeats is bigger and bolder than ever with acts including (clockwise) Cesspit, The Great Spy Experiment, Wormrot feat. Gabriel Dubko and Weish, and Krunkle [Credit: Provided by Baybeats]
When you’re a giant of the industry, the shoes of your legacy through the decades are usually hard to fill. Now on its 22th edition since its launch on The Esplanade waterfront in 2002, Baybeats is back with another whopper of a lineup to cement its position as one of the region’s most respectable music festivals.
The appeal of Baybeats has always been multifarious. Its proclivity for alternative genres means spectators are treated to an assortment of indie, hardcore, electronica, metal, hip-hop and even ska. Its annual budding bands programme cultivates an energy of healthy competition with selectees receiving the massive reward of playing on a milestone stage. Its reach for regional talent exposes the local community to stellar acts beyond our borders. And the fact that it’s perpetually been a free event just goes to show its selfless and communal spirit when it comes to its love for music.
Baybeats has been a longstanding tradition of the scene since 2002 (Credit: Courtesy of Baybeats)
Baybeats 2023 promises three days of entertainment from 6 to 8 October across several stages, with four in total this year. And like previous editions, Baybeats is packed yet again with a stack of headlining inclusions and unexpected curveballs. One of the biggest stunners from its lineup reveal is the return of The Great Spy Experiment, seminal indie-rockers who inspired a generation of zealots. Other notable local highlights include the comeback of math-rockers Sphaeras; reappearances from emo upstarts Forests, ska rebels Cesspit and post-rockers Paint The Sky Red; and the announcement of world-famous grindcore legends Wormrot featuring vocals from Gabriel Dubko and multi-talented do-it-all weish.
Local acts joining the fray include Sun Cell, Shye, Mary Sue and the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club, Paint The Sky Red, and Forests (Credit: Provided by Baybeats)
From this year’s budding bands list, you’ve got the rising ensemble of Count Vernon, M.Y.T.H, Taledrops, The Workshop and Thy Howler. Other trailblazing homegrown acts on the bill are dream-pop maestro Sun Cell, alt-rock entrants Krunkle, and rapper Mary Sue now with the instrumental backing of the Clementi Sound Appreciation Club. And for extra star power, the Baybeats lineup even boasts a performance from starlet and household name, Shye.
International acts from left to right: Orance Ocean (CN), WHIZZ (HK), Urbandub (PH), Jade Eyes (TW), MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS (JP), The Jansen (ID)
To amplify its regional identity this year, Baybeats has also partnered with Taiwan’s Golden Melody Awards and Festival and Hong Kong’s Ear Up Music Festival. It’s a team-up that’s helped the festival rope in bands like I Mean Us and JADE EYES from the former, as well as Club Fiasco, hirsk and WHIZZ from the latter. Plucked from other flourishing scenes are Death of Heather from Thailand, Orange Ocean from China, MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS from Japan, Urbandub from The Philippines, The Jansen from Indonesia and Delta Sleep from the UK.
It's a lot to take in, but that’s always been the draw of every Baybeats. Join the herd, roam and explore, discover new music and maybe fling yourself into a mosh pit while you’re at it. That’s Baybeats for you.
(Credit: Artwork by Jasmine Ho)
Baybeats 2023, 6 to 8 October 2023, The Esplanade, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981. Entry is free, but registration is required for some stages. Follow its Instagram page for more information on the programme.
