Singapore has seen its fair share of chaos and calamity over the past month, from record haze levels, hailstorms to Hello Kitty hullaballoo – but only time will tell if the island is truly ready for the rock & roll riot that will ensue once Force Vomit takes the stage this Friday evening at the annual Baybeats Festival. Formed two decades ago in 1993, which effectively means that the band is older than the festival’s youngest performer (14-year-old Chris Jones of These Brittle Bones), Force Vomit’s magnetic surf-punk stylings will be welcomed by long-time fans who are eagerly anticipating the veterans’ return to the stage. The Wknd squeezes in a quick chat with the band as we gear up to ride the waves of nostalgia that are bound to hit the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay as it succumbs to the Force.
The Wknd: What can we expect from Force Vomit’s first set in a long, long while – old favourites, different arrangements, new tricks up your sleeves?
We’re trying to fit in at least a song from each of the band’s different eras so yeah, there’s gonna be a couple of tunes from the old demo cassettes, a few from the two CD albums and a handful of songs from the mid to late 2000s. A little something for everyone hopefully.
Share with us – what were your most memorable moments as a band throughout your 20-year-long history?
Having the late and legendary John Peel play ‘Spacemen Over Malaysia’ on his radio show was definitely a high point. There are plenty more – getting the massive crowd at Stadium Negara to sing along to our songs at Rock The World in 2006, doing the whole demo tape trade thing via post back in the 1990s, getting our gig raided by the Malaysian cops because we were ‘black metal’, and many more…
Is this return a one-night-only affair, or will we be able to see Force Vomit playing more shows in the future? Any plans to make it across the Causeway and beyond?
Baybeats is the only show scheduled so far. We would love to play in Malaysia again though, the scene there will occupy a special place in our hearts. Nothing planned yet but you never know.
Catch Force Vomit at Baybeats Festival in Singapore, tonight at 9:30pm at the Powerhouse stage. More info here.
Written by Ili Razid
