Culture, Interviews — October 29, 2012 at 11:40 am

Taking Flight: Snowbird Productions

by Ili

Singapore has been abuzz with a marked surge in music-related events, from large-scale commercial concerts such as the F1 Rocks series to smaller boutique shows of lesser-known but still well-loved independent acts. This increased vibrancy can be attributed to the rising number of live music promoters on the island that collectively cater to a varied range of genres. One of the fresh faces in the circle of live music promoters is Snowbird Productions, whose list of past events include the concerts of YouTube sensations like ‘Walk Off The Earth’ (five people, one guitar and that viral cover of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’) and the cute-as-a-button duo Jayesslee. Their roster of upcoming concerts is no less exciting, featuring the frontmen of Bayside and Saves the Day as well as a rescheduled date for punk-rock heroes The Ataris. Music Weekly chats with Shane Wang and Clement Dubberke, the folks behind Snowbird Productions to find out more about their whimsical moniker, their journey so far and their future plans.

Music Weekly: First things first – what is the story or the inspiration behind the name ‘Snowbird Productions’?

Snowbird Productions: After a long brainstorming session, we finally decided on the name of a song from one of our favourite bands. I guess that’s about it, and everyone agreed with it, plus it sounds nice and clean.

Who are the people behind Snowbird Productions and how did it come about?

4 life-long friends who have interest in music said one day, “Hey let’s start something and bring in great music into Singapore” cos we were going overseas to watch the musicians and bands we liked.

Your past events include concerts by Walk Off the Earth and Jayesslee. What were the most memorable moments that have occurred so far?

Creating a close friendship with them. We try our best to cater to their needs and show them around, and they really appreciate it, and they return the favor as well. We met Walk Off The Earth in UK weeks after their show in Singapore and they were really pleased with the way we handled our work, hospitality, as well as agreement. They did not have that over other countries that they played in. We hope to have this reputation for all artists and agents out there.

What are the challenges faced by a live music events promoter such as Snowbird Productions in Singapore or in the Southeast Asian region?

The ability to garner enough interest from the public. There is definitely competition, but we want to work together with all the great music concerts promoters in Singapore, rather than be their competitor. We believe that partnering with them will help both themselves and ourselves, and hence give our concert goers a fairer and more attractive ticket price.
The main concern is still being able to get people to go. We want to show the artist how great Singapore is and also show Singaporeans the talent these artists have, through their music. Not forgetting that we are trying to build up our local music scene as well. Giving local artists performance opportunities, and paying them accordingly for what they do.

How does Snowbird Productions aim to differentiate itself and stand out from other music promoters in the region?

We try our best to ensure the artist and the concert-goers have a great time and always try our best to ensure the fans get what they want. We have a strong link with local music as well, and we try our best to include it in our events.

What are your future shows and what else can we expect from Snowbird Productions in time to come?

More shows definitely, but for now, as they are all in the works, so we cannot really announce who they are. Be sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook to get first hand news on the latest events by us!

Get connected with Snowbird Productions: Official Website – Facebook – Twitter – YouTube
Early-bird tickets for Chris Conley/Anthony Raneri (available here) and The Ataris (available here) end in 2 days so grab them now!