Wednesday, March 14   10:00 p.m.
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  Electrico - Love In New Wave
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It’s been said that the measure of a band is its capacity to wow audiences night after night, show after show. If so, you could say Singapore’s hottest rock band Electrico has cleared this hurdle without breaking a sweat. Meet the band - 4 guys, 1 girl, many fans and just a whole lot of jump up and down, feel-good, super catchy rock ‘n roll - always with a touch of class. Electrico plays tunes that were born from their hearts but that lodge themselves in your head.

Formed from the remnants of the band Electric Company which a teenage David Tan (vocals, guitar), Desmond Goh (bass) and William Lim, Jr (drums, backing vocals) first cut their teeth in back in 1996 before turning off their amps four years later, Electrico was formed in 2003 with Daniel Sassoon (guitars) before shortly roping in Amanda Ling (keyboards) to complete the line-up.

In August 2004, Electrico’s debut album “So Much More Inside” was released by Universal Music Singapore under a licensing deal in Singapore, Australia, Thailand and Indonesia. The album was a product of an intensive 9-month long recording session at Snakeweed Acoustic Labs with Singapore’s most highly regarded producer-cum-sound-engineer Leonard Soosay at the helm, with finishing touches courtesy of legendary mastering guru Stephen Marcussen – both whom would also later work on the band’s follow-up album “Hip City”.

Fueled by the first single “I Want You” which shot to No. 1 on local radio, coupled with their ever-growing reputation for putting on some of the finest live shows in the country, the band’s popularity in Singapore sky-rocketed. Recognized for its unique pop hooks and stunning tunes, “So Much More Inside” virtually cemented the band’s standing as Singapore’s premier indie band, with follow up singles “Runaway” and “Good Time” not just being staples on local radio but also garnering considerable radio and MTV airplay throughout South East Asia. This bout of mainstream attention was rare in Singapore and the band has since been credited with reviving the local music scene, which had prior to this been largely underground and obscure, with radio generally eschewing all but the most commercially bland pop elements of local music for the last few years.

The band spent the months thereafter playing live, touring relentlessly throughout Singapore and even taking their high-octane, dynamic live performances to Thailand and Australia. Whether playing to a capacity crowd on any given club date, rocking 10,000 festival revelers in Pattaya, or to 50,000 people celebrating Singapore’s National Day at the National Stadium, the live Electrico experience never fails to get audiences on their feet and having a great time to parallel the energies emanating from the stage. In fact, the band owns the stage. Every show is a treat to watch as well as to hear. Seeing the band bouncing all over the stage, scissor-kicks and all, while somehow remaining as tight as new jeans – it’s 100% rock action in all its sometimes dumb, always entertaining, fist-in-the-air glory. Seasoned performers, Electrico have played over a hundred shows, enthralling audiences and winning new fans everywhere.

Electrico has also been nominated for and winning various media accolades. A prestigious nomination for “Favourite Artist: Singapore” in the MTV Asia Awards 2005 in Bangkok was a highlight amidst many unforgettable moments the band has been chalking up. “I Want You” clinched a COMPASS award for Top Local English Song in 2006. Electrico won popular street culture magazine I.S.’ Readers Choice Awards for Best Local Band for two years running in 2005 and 2006. In October 2006, Electrico clinched 2 awards in the first Power 98 Singapore Music Awards held by radio station Power 98.0fm and as voted by the public, winning the categories for Favourite Singapore Band and Favourite Local Song for "All The World".

The band continued to share the stage with international acts like The Bravery, The Posies, Ashlee Simpson, Copeland, Last Days Of April and Screamfeeder, and some of South East Asia’s best known acts such as Rivermaya (Philippines), Disagree (Malaysia) and Armchair (Thailand).

Electrico’s sophomore effort “Hip City” (Universal Music Singapore) was released locally in June 2006, demonstrating a more mature side and trading in the “greatest hits record” mentality for a more thought-out album. Wiping off the polish for a grittier, edgier and more urgent sound, the band has perhaps succeeded in creating one of the more thoughtful and refreshing albums this year. The album immediately hit HMV Singapore’s Top 10 sales chart for a few weeks upon its release. Spear-headed by the aptly titled first single, the synth-rock “Love In New Wave” which recently gave the band its second No. 1 hit on 98.7fm in September while having its music video aired throughout South East Asia on MTV Asia and Channel V, Hip City has preserved the best elements of the band’s first album, pushing the envelope on the creative boundaries the band always wanted to surpass.

From the propelling album opener, the call-to-arms of “Electricorp.”, to the languid dreamscape of closing track “All The World”, Hip City is an exciting journey – not unlike a drive through an exotic city you’ve never been to...taking in its familiar yet alluring architecture, past its smooth friendly exteriors, detouring round for a glimpse of the darker underbelly and cruising the twilight that resides between. There are many moments on the map worth exploring, and some that would take even fans by surprise. Witness the rapid fire guitar sting of “Fever Fly”. The tip of the hat to all things retro that is “Stay Away”, replete with an incessantly cute if dorky keyboard hook. The soaring majestic sweep of “Hello”. “Walk”, which echoes the office cubicle nightmare of the daily grind. The barroom stomp to match the down-and-dirty of “Teenage Queen”.

There aren’t many things more Singaporean than Merlions, cleanliness, concrete jungles...AND Electrico. In fact, separating the “O” from their name might just be the perfect way to sum up everything about them – sexy, intense, liquid passion and just possibly the best feeling in the world.