After a complete overhaul, Le Noir – a live entertainment venue that has championed local acts since it opened – is back and even better than before when it comes to looks and menus.
The award-winning venue at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has set high standards for live entertainment in the city-state’s vibrant nightlife for 15 years. Following a complete revamp, it has evolved into a sophisticated late-night lounge where talented musicians remain the centrepiece.
It now boasts a new image and refreshed atmosphere, along with revamped food (bye, bar bites!) and cocktail menus, and front-row seats to MBS’ nightly Spectra light show.
Serial entrepreneur on a mission to succeed
Owner-founders Mark and Kelly Brimblecombe are eagerly looking forward to drawing an even bigger local and international crowd. As it steers a steady course to bigger success, we sat down for a one-on-one interview with Mark, who is also managing director of Attica and Le Noir Entertainment groups which operate high-end cocktail bars, nightclubs, restaurants, beach clubs, and live music venues in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and China.
With over three decades of professional experience, much of it spent in Asia, this serial entrepreneur has always been on a roll. As well as F&B, he has created and managed innovative start-ups and new businesses in technology, mobile, e-commerce, healthcare, and entertainment – and now, real-life experiences.
Here, he discusses Le Noir, the current entertainment scene, and his promising new venture that brings people together in diverse ways.
Attica and Le Noir were popular clubs from the get-go. Can you share their origins?
Attica was founded in 2004 and Le Noir Bar & Lounge in 2007. They both opened in Clarke Quay and attracted residents and tourists alike. Le Noir featured live music and had a large following; we also opened an outpost in Kuala Lumpur.
Attica became a leading club in the Asian nightlife scene. There was a constant flow of some of the best DJs in the world. Paul Oakenfold, Dirty South, and Jonathan Ulysses were among them. Both were mostly packed to capacity.
In 2019, we reopened Le Noir at Marina Bay Sands using our live music concept and welcomed back many regulars.
Le Noir recently underwent a major upgrade. How and why has it been refreshed?
We must adapt to the changing times. Since the pandemic, the F&B scene has picked up and is now more competitive than ever. In a place like MBS or the Central Business District (CBD), you have to be top-notch. Our live music venue is the only one in MBS, but we also compete with some of the world’s best F&B concepts.
Le Noir now sports a fresh, more upmarket look and vibe, from the ceiling to the floors and furnishings. With our commitment to the idea of being on the water, we have created a more sophisticated and brighter, yet relaxing indoor-outdoor atmosphere.
Elsa van der Nest, an award-winning chef and culinary consultant, has refined our menus, including replacing the bar bites with a more tasteful menu focused on freshness and sustainability.
Most of the F&B outlets at MBS either have DJs or canned music. Music-wise, what’s on the table at the revamped Le Noir?
Le Noir continues to stand out with its live bands. We remain centred on presenting unique and consistently different live music by local performers from varying backgrounds. We have a diverse line-up of 15 acts, with two live bands every night from 7pm to 1am.
Obviously, we are selective about who we hire. Performers must be very professional, good at what they do, have a current repertoire, and keep our guests entertained and engaged.
We are very loyal to the performers we work with, too. Occasionally, we have some acts come on twice a week. Considering MBS is one of the best and most spectacular venues for live music on the island, quality is essential. Le Noir, of course, overlooks Singapore’s cityscape and the CBD, making it the ideal place for live performances.
Are there any talents that have particularly impressed you?
Yes, of course. Abby Simone, who is currently in Europe. Several years ago, she was spotted performing at Le Noir and signed to Sony Music. Her songs are on Spotify. This just goes to show how talented and dedicated our home-grown bands are.
What role has Le Noir played in the tourism industry?
On TripAdvisor, tourists ranked us 30th out of 10,000 outlets. That says a lot. Le Noir appeals to both local and international customers, who expect a great time and receive it. Ours is a great experience that combines food, drink, entertainment, and an amazing view of the Singapore skyline. You won’t find a better view than the one we have at Le Noir.
As a serial entrepreneur, you have a lot of experience. For more than 30 years, you’ve been a part of start-ups and businesses. What are some of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Adaptability and readiness for change are two of the most important qualities. Some ventures start one way, but very quickly, you realise you need to change and adapt to appeal to a particular audience.
Continually evolving is essential. The key to success is listening to your customers and learning from them. They don’t want the same thing every week or every month. They prefer to see things differently and do things differently. With Le Noir, for example, Singapore is a tough market where the crowd is accustomed to high-quality service.
On social media, we are always in the spotlight, so we would never offer inferior products. Those unhappy with your venue will write you up and won’t return.
Having lived in Singapore for 30 years, I have observed the F&B market change rapidly and become a far more sophisticated market. If you sit alongside some of the world’s best venues, people expect you to be among the best. Adaptability, knowledge of your market, and great customer service are key.
Speaking of adaptability, your new business is thriving. How does Anymoment.com work?
Yes, and I’m very excited about it. I am the co-founder of Anymoment.com. We launched it under another brand as a Singapore company about two years ago. Our platform needed to be expanded, so we took it down. Initially, we started in London, then Thailand, and now we’re relaunching in Singapore and adding content.
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We bring unique experiences to your office, home, or any other location you choose. Let’s take a look at the office as an example. By making work more exciting with special events focused on staff well-being, people will be more likely to return to work on a larger scale. For example, an entertainer could surprise staff by singing to them at lunchtime.
With Anythingmoment.com, you can enjoy entertainment, learn something new, bring people together, or simply relax and enjoy an experience. With our Experience Creators, we create unforgettable memories.
My goal here has always been to give people experiences. Reaching clients where they are is the focus of the new business. With this platform, you can enjoy dining and themed experiences, magic and music performances, virtual reality escape game adventures, master classes, wellness therapies, team-building events, and staff parties. People want to access these areas, but find it difficult to locate because they don’t know where to look. We can get them what they want at any moment.
Le Noir is at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave, #01-84, Singapore 018972. Make your reservations here.
