Rock and roll isn't noise pollution, as an expected 80,000-strong crowd will profess. And it's not just rock that's on display at Baybeats 2009. Expect a lineup of acoustic and electronic acts to take the stage over three days from August 28 to August 30, playing at three venues at the Esplanade. inSing.com speaks to He Junmin, programming officer at the Esplanade, to get the lowdown on the success of this homegrown music festival and to find out just how to secure one of those coveted spots in the lineup. Aspiring musicians, listen up!

Since 2001, thousands of youths in Singapore have thronged the Esplanade for what is arguably the country's biggest local rock festival, Baybeats. Now in its eighth year, the festival has grown from strength to strength, seeing as much as 80,000 in attendance in 2008, up significantly from just 7000 in its inaugural year.

Baybeats was first conceptualised when the Esplanade recognised that there was a niche that needed to be filled - a platform for local artists to showcase their music, especially in the absence of publicity via radio airplay, although the festival also sees regional and international artists sharing the stage.

Baybeats - a launching pad
The festival might take inspiration from established music festivals overseas, but Junmin is careful to add that it isn't just a simple matter of importing formulas that have worked well overseas. "The key difference is that Baybeats is not commercial in nature," says Junmin, "We make sure that we are in tune with what the local audience wants via social networking sites like Facebook, and also by logging onto music forums and conducting polls."

The proof of the success of Baybeats speaks for itself. Homegrown rock and indie acts such as Electrico and The Observatory have all used Baybeats as a launching pad, and have since been consistently putting out new albums and even playing overseas to international audiences. So just what does it take for a new band to guarantee a place in the line-up?

How to secure a place in the lineup
"Representatives from the Esplanade will usually go check out bands - both local and regional - performing live somewhere. Usually we do this without them knowing so we can gauge how good they really are," reveals Junmin, "But two years ago, we also introduced the audition component, where we send out calls for bands early in the year to send in their demos. This component was introduced to catch bands that might have slipped the radar."

And to ensure that quality of the bands that make the final cut are up to par, the Esplanade have also roped in industry professionals to be in on the judging panel. "This year, we got Jon Chan (frontman of punk rock band Plainsunset) and Daniel Sassoon (former lead guitarist of Electrico) to help audition the bands. More than a hundred bands wrote in and sent in demos, but we shortlisted only about 30 for the first round due to logistical reasons. Jon and Daniel functioned not just as judges, but also as mentors to these bands. After the bands came in to perform during the first round, Jon and Daniel gave them advice on how to improve. We then met with the bands again in a couple of months to see how they were progressing, and from there further shortlisted the bands till we ended up with the selection of the final eight," says Junmin. But just what is it that the judges are looking out for in that crucial first demo? "It definitely has to be of a decent quality," advises Junmin, "But we also look at how good their instrumentation is."

Not forgetting the veterans
Besides showcasing new, young local talent, it's also a chance for the veterans to play and promote their new work. This year, the likes of The Great Spy Experiment, The Marilyns and Love Me Butch (from Malaysia) will be rocking out at one of the three locations - Chillout Stage (Concourse), Arena (Outdoor Theatre) and Powerhouse - alongside international acts Anberlin and Chris Collinwood (of Fountains of Wayne fame). Collingwood will be sharing the stage with local acts Lilac Saints and Kevin Mathews in a first-time ever collaboration for Baybeats 2009.

What advice that Junmin have to offer to new bands that might be intimidated about sharing the spotlight with a big name like Anberlin? "We hope that they will definitely take it in the right spirit. The very fact that they are here performing at the same festival as Anberlin or Chris Collingwood should give them some measure of confidence," encourages Junmin.

So what are you waiting for? Makes sure you make your August a rockin' good one by heading down to the Esplanade from August 28 to August 30 for Baybeats 2009!

And to make sure you're in the know about all the new bands that Baybeats has uncovered this year, we interviewed each of them to find out what makes them tick, and what the Baybeats experience is going to be like for them.

Music: Baybeats introduces ... ExDee
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Barricade
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Flawed Element
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Meza Virs
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Suicide Solution
Music: Baybeats introduces... For Better Endings
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Lunar Node
Music: Baybeats introduces ... Audiocean

Also read these interviews with the international acts:
Interview: Chris Collingwood Baybeats special
Interview: Anberlin Baybeats special
Interview: Ally Kerr Baybeats special

For more information about Baybeats, check out the details at inSing.com's event listing.