Music royalty ready to rock Singapore 18 Sep 2009
With less than a week to go before the inaugural F1 ROCKS™ event gets underway in Singapore, the sense of anticipation is reaching fever pitch as the island city state prepares to welcome the likes of Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas and No Doubt ahead of this year’s Singapore Grand Prix.
Beyonce, top of the bill on Saturday night at Fort Canning Park, was in the headlines this week as she picked up the ‘Video of the Year’ prize at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), though her triumph was somewhat overshadowed by rapper Kanye West, who hijacked Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for ‘Best Female Video’ to tell the world he thought Beyonce should have won that gong too.
US rockers ZZ Top, who play on Friday, will be treating this one-off outdoor show as a warm-up before going into the studio with Rick Rubin, the Midas touch record producer behind Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Johnny Cash and the Beastie Boys. Like two-thirds of the Texan trio, Rubin is a big fan of facial hair.
“Yeah, we’re definitely on that same path,” joked frontman Billy Gibbons - who sports a navel-length beard - to the Boston Globe. “Ours get trimmed when they get caught tangled up in the guitar strings, so we don’t have to worry about it much.”
World champion Lewis won’t be the only famous Hamilton in Singapore. Ensuring that the F1 ROCKS™ concert footage is as spectacular as Sunday’s night-time Grand Prix will be Hamish Hamilton. The man the Rolling Stones, Madonna and U2 call when they want the most high-octane, spectacular film money can buy, Hamilton is also famed for his work on MTV’s VMAs, the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and the UK’s dazzling BRIT Awards.
And don’t be surprised if one of contemporary music’s biggest stars serves you at the merchandise stand at F1 Rocks next weekend - Pharrell Williams of Friday night openers N*E*R*D* last week took part in a one-off benefit night in New York, that saw the acclaimed pop producer working the cash registers at his Soho-based Billionaire Boys Club/Ice Cream clothing store.
As part of New York Fashion Week, the ‘Fashion’s Night Out’ campaign was staged to aid the city’s struggling retail industry by getting a few big names out on the shop floor.
“All these kids, they’ve changed our lives,” said Pharrell as he served fans from behind the register. “Without them there is no support of the music, no support of the garments, no support of a lot the other endeavors I have outside of this. I’m just trying to say thank you, that’s all this is.”
F1 ROCKS™ day tickets for Beyonce and The Black Eyed Peas on Saturday September 26 have already sold out and are now only available when purchased as part of multi-night packages, which are on sale until midnight Singapore time on Friday September 18.
For details see www.f1rocks.com, where there is also the chance to win a pair of VIP passes, complete with return flights to Singapore and three nights’ accommodation.
The full line-up for F1 ROCKS™ Singapore with LG:
Thursday September 24 - Jacky Cheung, A-Mei, Da Mouth and Sodagreen
Friday September 25 - ZZ Top, No Doubt, Simple Minds and N*E*R*D
Saturday September 26 - Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas and Havana Brown
