You can be forgiven if you thought you were at Coachella on Friday, 20 May 2016. Roaming packs of 20- to 30-something music-lovers thronged Tonic-X for a three-hour extravaganza as more than five SoundFoundry alumni bands performed the night away. The crowd grooved to familiar renditions of Ed Shereen, Taylor Swift and Sam Smith at the launch of the SoundFoundry Alumni Group.
Director of SMU’s Office of Alumni Relations (OAR) Associate Professor Low Aik Meng welcomed the 120-strong alumni and student crowd, “One of the ways to encourage alumni to come back to the University is through the formation of alumni groups. We hope that this group will be very active and perform often at Tonic-X. OAR will continue to support towards the success of our alumni groups”.
Almost eight months in the making, the SoundFoundy Alumni Group made its debut to a widely appreciative audience. Leading the charge was the group’s President, Yang Chuan Rui (BAcc, 2016) who worked tirelessly with the OSL Arts Team and OAR in bringing this group together. The ex-President of SMU SoundFoundry explained, “We are here to provide a platform for SoundFoundry musicians to perform after they graduate. We want to give back to the University through events like these to play music. Today, we are also pleased to officially launch our website at http://soundfoundryag.wix.com/sfalumni“.
The website boasts a directory of SMU alumni bands under the SoundFoundry Alumni Group. These experienced bands – having performed in SMU and externally – represent the best of what SoundFoundry has to offer. Interested parties keen to engage them can find more details which include full and comprehensive packages of quality music and sound for any gig.
The newly minted SoundFoundry Alumni Group falls under the SMU Alumni Association (SMUAA). Supported by OAR, their addition brings the total number of SMU Alumni Groups to 30. SMUAA President, Deborah Wee (BSocSc, 2009) encouraged alumni to join relevant groups to reconnect with one another and to build new connections, “We urged you to join one today. Find something that will interest you”.
A stellar line-up of acts filled the night showcasing the talent that SMU alumni had to offer to the local music scene. First up was Theo & Bong. Founded by a love for music, this acoustic duo specialises in Top 40’s, mandarin pop, country and easy-listening tunes. For the past few years, Theo & Bong have lit up various corporate dinners, weddings, private parties, and special events with their music and light humour.
No stranger to performing at alumni events, Trella Trio was next with Trella as the lead vocalist alongside two instrumentalists, guitarist Wayne and percussionist Chuan Rui. Flexible and occasionally switching up the instruments for different sounds, Trella Trio was a favourite with the crowd, belting out top 40 hits, R&B and soul.
Hailing from the School of Information Systems (SIS), two alumni formed XY, with Xuan Yi as the main vocalist and Brandon as the guitarist. This easy-going rock-and-roll duo performed songs of the moment just before the gig demonstrating their versatility and flexibility.
Up next was St. Helen, an ‘old’ band with a new face who reunited for an acoustic set with the talented Dita on vocals and former “Saints” Sheldon on drums. Shuiyong and Naren were on guitars.
Photo credit: Paul Harris (BBM, 2016)
The launch event amped up its star power with guest band Shikaye performing its finale of soulful renditions. Shikaye comprises three individuals with Shikaye herself on vocals, Ben on guitar/keys and Chuan Rui on cajon. Formed in 2013, Shikaye has been playing acoustic gigs since, and have their roots in mainstream pop and ballad genres.
The surprise of the evening had to be the impromptu performance by the three-man F&B team behind Tonic X. Aptly named the X-Men, the trio took their talents from kitchen to stage, impressing all with their musical prowess. Café Manager Anthony was on bass; Chef Patrick worked his magic on guitar and vocals, while Barista Hamdan played the cajon. With the last note, the enthralled crowd morphed into a mob of deafening screams and cheers.
Photo credit: Paul Harris (BBM, 2016)
It was a fabulous evening as everyone bonded over food, drinks and their love for music. For more information on the SoundFoundry Alumni Group, visit their website at http://soundfoundryag.wix.com/sfalumni
Click here for more photos of the event.