Should House And Techno Be Played In A Ritzy Establishment Like Marquee?

Imagine techno spilling out into a place like this. Can you? (Credit: Epitome Collective)

In 2014, I had the privilege of attending the inaugural International Music Summit in Singapore, where I clinched an interview with the legendary Pete Tong. As a global ambassador of the dance industry as a whole, Tong made a remark that supported the existence of EDM and other commercial-inclined music in the scene.

In that interview, he likened EDM to the mouth of a funnel; a catch-all portal that captures an ongoing deluge of fresh-faced listeners through the mainstream, with its thinned-out filtrate coming out a little more discerning. The implication of Tong’s metaphor is that EDM reels in folks who would eventually – through enough initiation and enlightenment – become fans of the underground.

Everything in Marquee is relentlessly over-the-top (Credit: Marquee Singapore)

While you might not agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly, it’s worth considering with a pinch of salt. Chances are, you have that one mate who started out as a Calvin Harris worshipper but is now your constant rave buddy at techno events. That transition doesn’t always happen, but when it does, commercial music can then be perceived as a means to an end; that end being, the growth of the underground community.

Marquee booked Luciano near the end of 2019 (Credit: Epitome Collective)

That’s what makes the recent booking decisions of Marquee Singapore intriguing, to say the least. Since its launch in April 2019, Marquee has steadily evolved from New Yorkan import to a local nightlife institution in its own right. The superclub by the Tao Group has changed the complexion of the industry in a short span of time, briskly becoming the place to be seen and to partake in a tier of entertainment like never before.

An entrance that mesmerises instantly (Credit: Marquee Singapore)

From the get-go, Marquee Singapore flaunts its chips the moment you’re at its brazen entrance – an iridescent mirror-surfaced corridor not unlike the core of a prism. Staff dressed to the nines usher you in like the reception of a fine dining establishment, with the menu of the evening being a ritzy platter of entertainment. It’s hard not to get sucked in by its sheen, even if you’re the grinchiest of revellers. It’s undeniably grandiose, and the sooner you accept it for what it is, an opulent palace of pleasure (or think a campy amusement zone at Vegas), the less out of place you’ll feel.

The Big Q is the name of the Ferris Wheel that overlooks the club (Credit: Marquee Singapore)

The double slides are known as the Sunny Slide Up (Credit: Marquee Singapore)

Marquee Singapore burst into the industry guns a-blazin’ with its extravagant facilities, quickly latching onto the consciousness of even non-partygoers. Upon entering, you’ll learn that these features are far from just salad dressing aggrandised by slick marketing spiel – the hype is justified. Indeed, there is a Ferris Wheel standing tall within the space, with camera-equipped cabins that provide sobering (or surreal) moments after a couple of bevvies. And true enough, there is a pair of mega slides that whizz you down at surprisingly fast speeds, through a twisting tunnel of dazzling lights.

The screens behind the console are 20 metres tall (Credit: Marquee Singapore)

But aside from these kidult-friendly attractions, what would matter most to clubbers is the sterling production value of this spot, and it doesn’t skimp. With a 20-metre, LED native 8k resolution screen and a Funktion One sound system, the sensation of partying gets amplified instantly. For what you might experience at a full-scale music festival complete with immersive visuals and body-quivering audio, you can find it just as mega at Marquee.

Big commercial names that have played here include Skrillex (Credit: Epitome Collective)

It’s no wonder then that Marquee has become an ideal playground for big names in the festival circuit, or at least, from a commercial aspect. In less than a year, the institution has brought down EDM titans such as Alesso, Tiësto and Kaskade, and even hip-hop trendsetters like A$AP Rocky and Rae Sremmurd. Marquee has unquestionably become the go-to place for top bookings, toppling Zouk from the pedestal that it once stood atop, and it’s a trajectory that doesn’t seem to be losing steam.

So, where does house and techno come into all of this? Can it fit in a place deeply steeped in such flamboyant glamour?

Luciano behind the decks (Credit: Epitome Collective)

Carl Cox back in May 2019 (Credit: Epitome Collective)

A week apart from each other, the club made the unlikely bookings of Luciano and Richie Hawtin, a move that perplexed both Marquee regulars and underground fans who’d probably never set foot in the space. The last time Marquee made such a move was back in May 2019 when they booked Carl Cox, so this was a breath of fresh air over half a year later. I’d missed Cox then, so I decided to head down for Richie to see how this scenario would play out.

Richie Hawtin swung by in the beginning of 2020 (Credit: Epitome Collective)

When you’re on the dancefloor, the one thing you can’t help but notice is everything, as you’re constantly surrounded by a multitude of distractions. If the peacocks on the walls of the bar don’t catch your eye, the Champagne trains that parade by every quarter-hour will; the dancefloor is flanked by sizeable VIP booths on all sides, filled with guests more concentrated on their phones than the techno masterclass in front of them. And don’t be shocked when costumed dancers start taking to the podiums; although, if Ibiza can do it, why can’t Marquee?

Champagne trains are a common sight at Marquee (Credit: Epitome Collective)

As are the podium dancers (Credit: Epitome Collective)

More likely than not, you will also experience the inevitable instance of a group of EDM-expecting young’uns jostling into your personal space boisterously, shouting, “Huh? What is this crap?”, and trailing off as quickly as they came in. Such intrusions, however, were a minority at Richie. In fact, it was a dominantly techno-favouring crowd at Richie, with the floor tightly packed in swaying rhythm.

As for Richie himself, he seemed unfazed by the ostentatious setting he’d found himself in. I admit that I was initially concerned that he’d play a more diluted sound to accommodate the vibe of the place. Yet he showed no compromise, as he flaunted his mastery of the genre he’s been championing for decades (minus his more experimental Plastikman antics, but hey, you can’t have everything).

If you detach yourself from the superfluous noise on the outside and focus on the storyteller in front of you, does it work? It almost does.

At this time of writing, Marquee has already booked South African house pioneer, Black Coffee, on 13 March. So it goes to show that the honchos behind Marquee aren’t done taking risks, trying to fit house and techno into a space that might seem foreign.

You won’t find any cutting-edge underground artiste here, and that’s fine, for you already have places that cater to that. It’s more likely, though, that Marquee will reach out to much bigger acts, like Cox and Richie, and give them a stage as immense as their reputation.

You won’t find a nightspot quite like this in Singapore (Credit: Epitome Collective)

Marquee isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but with regards to its role in the industry, it’s doing what it does with aplomb. And if it can educate partygoers with the occasional house and techno excursion while it’s at it, then that’s something that the community – one which was built on the foundation of inclusivity – should acknowledge.

Marquee Singapore, B1-67 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018972, +65 6688 8660.