From The Straits Times    |

Image: Debbie Y. Photography / Sofitel So Singapore Hi-So rooftop bar

The sweltering heat is not stopping three party organisers from holding their events outdoors this weekend.

In fact, the sunnier, the better, says Mr Oliver Osborne, founder of music and nightlife brand Eyes To The Front, which is behind the Light Pool Party.

Kicking off tomorrow at 2pm, the monthly poolside shindig, which started in March and takes place on the first Saturday of each month, is for revellers who favour letting loose in comfy beachwear.

At Kult Kafe in Emily Hill, the third edition of the jazz series, We Love Jazz Party, takes place the same evening. The next day, the bar will also be the venue for Sunday On The Hill, a family-friendly daytime party organised by alternative event planner Sideshow.

At the Light Pool Party, held at the Hi-So rooftop bar of hotel Sofitel So Singapore in Raffles Place, party- goers will groove to vintage urban beats – think hip-hop, reggae, funk and R&B from more than a decade ago. Nightclub Kyo’s resident DJ Titus, newcomer and vinyl purist Rocky Suave and Mr Osborne himself will helm the decks till 11pm. The cover charge is $10 and a barbecue menu of soya honey buffalo wings and sausage platter is available.

The event is still relatively new, but Mr Osborne says about 400 people attended the last party in April. He attributes the appeal to the event’s use of alternative music and the location, adding: “It’s an intimate rooftop party in the heart of the city. Where else can you party in your swimwear outside of Sentosa?”

For those who prefer to chill out in a mellower setting, We Love Jazz Party Vol. 3starts at 5pm at the cosy Kult Kafe, which is housed amid lush greenery in Emily Hill. Standard tickets are $25 each.

Previously known as We All Love Jazz Party , the event was conceived by Bon Gout Music director Aya Sekine, a Japanese jazz pianist based here, as a way for the “public to be introduced to and engage with jazz”.

Tomorrow’s get-together is a special SJ50 edition to mark the 50th anniversary of Singapore- Japan diplomatic relations. Leading Japanese jazz pianist Yuki Arimasa will perform alongside Sekine and up-and-coming home-grown talents Ben Poh and Ben Thia. Japanese tap dancer Rie Watanabe will share the stage with Singapore singer Dawn Ho, while guitarist Andrew Lim and crooner Louis Soliano are the headline acts.

After the performances, the audience can quiz the musicians in a question-and-answer session, or get their hands on vintage jazz memorabilia at the Jazz Market. Patrons can beat the heat with Popaganda popsicles and chilled herbal tea.

On Sunday afternoon, the bar will host families at Sunday On The Hill. The event was previously known as Sunday At The Training Shed as it was held at outdoor bistro Training Shed in Port Road for four years till last November. Due to redevelopment in the area, the bistro moved out.

The party, where everyone, including kids, are welcome to chill out in an outdoor setting – is back after six months.

Sideshow’s creative director Tom Kelly says they are keeping it simple for the first edition in the new space.

“We are still testing the waters to see what works, but it will be the same relaxed vibe as before.”

Weather-wise, the new venue is at an advantage as it sits atop a hill, adds Mr Kelly. “It’s pretty breezy and we will switch on fans around the area.”

Patrons can lounge in hammocks, play a round of garden bowling or darts or groove to the beats of DJs Tom Shellsuit and Stew Bamrah in the breezy garden area of Kult Kafe. Kids can enjoy art and craft activities.

Pulled barbecue jackfruit burgers, Pimms cocktails and coffee served from a cart on a bicycle will be sold.

Freelance musician Karen Denise De Silva, 36, is unfazed by the warm weather and is looking forward to the We Love Jazz Party.

She says: “It’s a different atmosphere to listen to jazz in an outdoor setting as it’s normally played indoors. Plus, it’s in the evening and on top of a hill, so it should be wonderful.”

 

A version of this story was originally published in The Straits Times on May 6, 2016. For more stories like this, head to www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle.

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