There is much to be desired when it comes to the nightlife scene in Singapore. Sure, there’ve been huge openings as of late, what with the arrival of international clubs Bar Rouge and Lavo, as well as new local joints Peaches, Mao and Avry. But most of these spaces—including the current institutions—are glitzy and dish out either commercialized EDM or Top 40s R&B and Hip Hop. And then there’s Headquarters by The Council; a solid underground music venue hidden in Boat Quay’s underbelly, which just announced that they’ll be taking over the unit upstairs as part of their expansion plans next year.
For more than a year now, The Council has been champions of Singapore’s house, tech-house and techno scene, regularly hosting international names, regional favorites and local stalwarts in their now infamous cage. They’ve grown very quickly, from throwing pop-up parties to having a characteristically unique home with a strong community of like-minded music lovers spilling out onto the streets to take a break from the steady thumping bass; week in, week out.
It’s only natural for these guys to expand, especially after filling a deep, dark void in an otherwise relatively typical (we won’t go so far as to say “boring”, though) nightlife scene here. Where some try to tackle both mainstream and underground music in their rosters, Headquarters fully commits to sub-genres otherwise shunned away from these places. They’ll be occupying the unit just above them, where you can enjoy a beautiful, unobstructed view of Singapore’s skyline while having a drink or 10 on the open-air balcony.
Details for Upstairs (it’s the official name, guys, and we love it) are still underway, but Eileen Chan a.k.a. CATSONCRACK and one half of The Council says that they “love every shade of house and techno equally, so it’ll be nice to have two different rooms to better represent the sounds for a whole different music experience to what [they’re] currently offering at Headquarters”.
We were curious if Upstairs would have a similar dark and mysterious vibe, but Chan says that “it’ll be cozy and perfect to round up your friends for after work drinks”. The menu will definitely be expanded, so you can expect the same strong tipples you’re probably already familiar with at Headquarters. Knowing them, Upstairs will probably be fitted with no-frills décor (none of that over-the-top bullshit), quirky bits and pieces that just somehow blend well together and… more arcade machines? One can be hopeful.
Upstairs at Headquarters by The Council will be ready by the end of this year. Stay tuned to their Facebook page for updates.
