Day 3 of Baybeats saw Anberlin raise (holy) hell

The wait was over as the third day of Baybeats beckoned avid followers to the Esplanade on Sunday evening. Not to be outdone by the acts showcased on Day 1 and 2, Day 3's lineup comprised of some choice cuts from the local, regional and international music scene.

With Audiocean opening at the Arena, it looked like there was more fun to be had from the get-go. Delivering vocals that one would expect from someone with years of hardened experience, frontwoman Sarah belted out on demand as the rest of her band shared the same kind of energetic delivery. Infectious single 'Hollywood' looks set to rival anything Fireflight could come up with.

Another petite woman stepping out of her comfort zone was Inch Chua. Better known as the Energizer bunny of Allura, today she was more toned down at the Chillout Stage but none the mellower as she gracefully launched into her acoustic set albeit with fierce conviction. Her Allura fan base was all out tonight, as cheers and whistles of approval were heard throughout the echoed hall.

By now it was getting pretty packed. As the air became a bit more stifling, it was no surprise what the cause was. Anberlin's acoustic set was next, a stunning preview of what they would soon offer later in the night at the Powerhouse grounds. There were actual church-going types in the crowd, and I wondered if anyone might've started spraying holy water on frontman Stephen Christian upon his arrival. But "Passion Of The Christ" displays were withheld as Anberlin launched into their set, proving that bands who could bust out 360˚ guitar spins could also tone it down yet not look like pansies.

Yearning for a mosh, I could actually feel the sound waves through my Chuck Taylors when Singapore's Zero Sequence took to the stage at the Powerhouse. There's a place for progressive rock no matter the realm, and the band launched into a brutal symphonic set showcasing their album's finest. Epic closer 'The Grim Phantasm'  solidly acknowledged what the Baybeats crowd already knew: Zero Sequence was well worth the wait.

Quite possibly one of the hardest working blokes in the Singapore/regional music community, Jon Chan's debut solo set at the Arena could be aptly described as magical. The veteran extraordinaire's solo set, with the help of his acclaimed backing musicians, was intricately laid out with every song played perfectly to its strengths. With 'Security' and brilliant closer 'The Siege', and a short nod of influence to Abba's 'Dancing Queen', we were left with the feeling of witnessing one man's soul-baring autobiography in sound. And that is pretty damn special.

It was then time to greet The Ambassadors at the Powerhouse! Hailing from the Philippines, they were undoubtedly the comedians of the night, stirring the crowd into a much renewed vigour as the moshpit set off. A strong showing of fellow Filipinos cheered their nationalistic heroes as the band launched into hits such as 'Smile' and 'Let Me Know'. Three-chorded punk rock never sounded so good. And by the time The Ambassadors went through set closer 'Something's Always Wrong', it was suffice to say that new fans had definitely been made.

Silent Scenery from Malaysia were up next. Looking like arty indie types, they kicked things off without much in the way of banter, preferring to let the music do the talking. 'Twilight Pulse' could've been considered a gnarly opening song, if there ever was one, as their set continued down keyboard-laden melodies. It was like Death Cab For Cutie met Thursday and had a bastard child of instrumental proportions. Silent Scenery proved that forgoing lyrical formations can be a good thing when done right.

The grand finale finally arrived as things were starting to get balmy. Not just 'cause the weather had decided to up the ante, but also because main headliners of the entire event, Anberlin, were taking the stage in a matter of minutes. Technical difficulties abounded as the sound crew scurried about trying to get things going. It was to be another 15 minutes before the band would take the stage, and the crowd that gathered was visibly dismayed and antsy for things to start. Mineral water bottles were thrown about and lengthy "boos" were heard all round, but some in the audience were wise enough to conserve their energy for the mayhem to come.

Anberlin have come a long way since (Stephen Christian's former band) SaGoh 24/7 disbanded in the late 90s. Proud Central Florida natives that were well known for their extensive touring, Christian himself labelled the band's live shows to be "intoxicating and memorable as swallowing razors and washing it down with rubbing alcohol". (I'm pretty sure that Baybeats goers needed a little more than a few beers to digest the band's live show.) Bassist Deon Rexroat and drummer Nathan Young lay the groundwork for Anberlin's live set while guitarist Christian McAlhaney manned the six-string. With socially conscious songs chronicling the plight of exploited people on a global scale who have gone unnoticed for a tad too long, Anberlin launched into a new kind of live show-one with a message but also with a nod to the people across this side of the world, who had patiently waited for so long to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

As the band busted out epic choice cuts from their New Surrender and Cities albums, the crowd let loose, bellowing out the lyrics for each song word for word-this was then thankfully acknowledged by Christian during and after the show. In a world where aesthetics and revenue count more than artistic craftsmanship, it's safe to sleep at night knowing that there's a band like Anberlin out there changing lives and delivering kickass rock shows, and closing possibly the most progressive and monstrous instalment of Baybeats yet.

WORDS SHONA-MARIE WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY THANESH PHOTOS HOONG WEI LONG, BRYAN SOON

Further reading:
Baybeats Day 1
Baybeats Day 2

Check our gallery for more pics from Baybeats!