During a live show, attention has always been focused on the performers on stage, be it DJs, live acts or musicians. What the audience does not see is the dedication, tension and back breaking work all happening backstage before and after the show.

In this post, we say thank you to the backstage production crew. Yes, those guys whom you sometimes see running cables across the stage, setting up and tearing down heavy speakers and bassbins, tweaking the sounds over and over again as musicians search for the right frequencies.

Good sound guys are really hard to come by, especially those who relish the challenge of a complex set up and understand sound from a musician’s perspective. Here’s a short chat with Chris of BCUBE Entertainment who’s running his own audio rental company whilst taking on a media degree in Melbourne!

The air seems strangely calm, husbands kiss wives, children play unaware of the pending change, life as they knew it would never be the same again. The spread of information intensifies, people are more aware.

// JPS (The Operatives)

Close encounters with another dimension as the SYNDICATE eye wanders into the forest, stumbling upon the mystery portal.

Get ready for 2nd April 2011 at Home Club with the SYNDICATE residents and selected guests representing the best of beats and bass.

“I first met Gerard aka Kidkanevil in RBMA London last year. He came across as this lovely anime character loaded with beats, brilliant ideas hidden inside and an infectious bounce that could not be ignored.

I think this is the first time a UK producer/DJ had a Made-in-Singapore music video! We are definitely looking forward to more collaborations in the future.” – Cherry

Download “One For Tokyo” & other free Kidkanevil beats.

Mary Ann Hobbes and Gilles Peterson have been singing praises over the musical outputs of this young LA beatmaker. She has even gotten the attention of Ryuchi Sakamoto.

On the path to global beats domination, TOKiMONSTA dropped by Singapore to let us have a taste of her mindblowing electronica beats.

Recommended listening: TOKiMONSTA – Midnight Menu or follow TOKiMONSTA’s music on SoundCloud.

The SYNDICATE crew is getting ready for 4th Dec 2010 @ Homeclub for SYNDICAte X RBMA special featuring Kidkanevil (UK), Daisuke Tanabe (JPN) + SYN crew Cherry Chan, Sammy Panamuga, Kiat and Brandon Tay.

Get event details and RSVP on Facebook!

Check out our special cinematic promotion video for the last SYNDICATE of the year:

Special shoutout to Brandon for pulling off such an awesome video.

We are also holding a special RBMA workshop in the earlier part of the evening at 8PM. The open and relaxed workshop will include :

1. Sharing session by 2010 RBMA London alumni – Kidkanevil + Daisuke Tanabe + Cherry Chan

2. Introduction to the world of sound art by 2008 RBMA Barcelona alumni SonicBrat, an incredible sound artist and composer

3. Roundtable discussion on marketing yourself as an artist with 2005 RBMA Seattle alumni Debbie Chia and Qilin label owner Kiat.

A Q&A session will follow where you will have the opportunity to ask all artists any question you think are relevant. Workshop size is limited to 40 pax.

Register your spot using the form over at the SYNDICATE Facebook page now!

Smashing it with a live set from Dizz1, supported by Ikuma, Cherry Chan, Max Lane, Izaak Stern. Thanks Natalie for the edit!

Check out more SYNDICATE videos on YouTube.

Heya Singapore peeps! Am over at the Red Bull Music Academy in London.

It’s been an amazing experience jammin’ and hangin’ with fellow participants from all over the world, meeting guest lecturers like Modeselektor, Don Letts, Hot Chip, and Roots Manuva, and getting studio lessons from Todd Osborn, Marco Passarani, and Robin Hannibal.

A few months after being showered with praises by BBC Radio One’s Mary Anne Hobbs and worshiped by the Sonar crowd, The Motherfucking Gaslamp Killer appeared in Singapore giving the locals a sonic adventure in the latest sound in electronica – call it future bass, call it LA style avant garde hip hop or post-Dilla experimental wonky beats with a big dose of sub-bass and psy-rock.

SYNDICATE and upp/circular’s Max Lane makes it onto the cover of The Australian. Read “New act plays to the Max” by Bernard Lane by clicking on the picture above.