I will always remember the time when I had one of the best ever concerts in my life in Singapore when Michael Jackson thrilled us with his hits at the National Stadium. He was young, he was hot and the world was at his feet just like many of us were. Were you there at MJ’s concert in Singapore National Stadium eons ago? What are your memories of that concert and of him? Michael Jackson’s touch and death will reverberate amongst his fans and while he might have had many many dodgy moments later on in life, his work and music stand the test of time. Michael Jackson is finally dead now but one can still enjoy his music and legacy with albums like the aforementioned “Thriller”, “Bad” and of course the notorious “Dangerous” which started to signal his decline.

The families of those kids who accused Michael Jackson of inappropriate behaviour might not be sorry for his passing, but Michael Jackson’s death will be significant for his fans. MJ was to hold his last final farewell tour in July 2009 in London this year and tickets were snapped up fast, selling out in a number of hours when they were released on sale in March. However, the concerts were later postponed till 2010 amidst rumours that the pop star was in poor health. Denials were issued. His death via cardiac arrest could just have been a sign of what he was going through that prompted that decision. How true, we will never know now as MJ is now dead and has left us and the music world.

If you are looking to spend less on Valentine’s Day flowers, why not take a walk through the many gardens and parks in Singapore, where you can actually sneak a stalk of flower or two and bundle them up into a bouquet for your other half? Of course, this is a little risky but if it is just a stalk or two of roses, it should not be too much of a problem. In any case, drop by any florist in Singapore and get your three rose bouquet, which is more than sufficient to let your significant other know that you love her.

Most Singaporeans love to eat, and it should not be a surprise that this is a common and popular choice for us to spend our Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, it also means that most restaurants and eating places would be fully booked, not to mention highly expensive if you decide to bring your date out for a romantic meal. On a budget, you could actually have a sumptuous meal in a coffeeshop where there are many zi char stalls (where you can order cooked dishes just like you do in a restaurant, but at a much lower price and equally good quality). Why not show your love and dedication by preparing a meal for your Valentine’s Day date, in the comfort of your own home? It would be even cheaper and the effort taken to prepare the meal would literally seal your Valentine’s Day night!

Personally, I always prefer to drop by a restaurant for a Valentine’s Day dinner date. The important thing is a place where they have a dish on the menu which my date loves. If it is crab, I make an advance booking for Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, where they have the famous chili crab and hot fried buns which you can dip into their delicious chili gravy. If it is steak that my date prefers, then off to Dan Ryan’s Steak and Grillhouse we will go. If it happens that she has a craving for sashimi, I would actually opt for a Japanese buffet where we can have our fill of the freshest and best sashimi on offer (a favourite of ours is the coffee house restaurant at Plaza Hotel along Beach Road). All these, of course, are costly, but it is only once a year and we then restrict our spending for the most part.

Do not forget the many parks in Singapore such as the Botanic Gardens, where you can enjoy a nice day out in a picnic or gentle stroll with your date on Valentine’s Day. There are a zillion ways in which you can spend Valentine’s Day on a shoestring budget in Singapore – you just need to use some imagination and a lot of heart. After all, that is what Valentine’s Day is all about!

In a statement issued by a deputy director of the MDA, a license had been issued to the choir to perform at the festival, but only with Singaporean citizens. The reason given was that the song contents touch on domestic issues and only Singapore citizens were allowed to participate in the public performances.

If you check out the lyrics of the song (included below), you would notice that they are part of the everyday grouses of people living and working in Singapore. I do not see the need to disallow foreigners who chose to spend their lives in Singapore from airing their grievances, since many of the complaints are shared by Singaporeans in the first place. In fact, it just shows how the authorities at the MDA are a bunch of old armchair fogeys who just cannot see the funny side in life and laugh at themselves.

The choir’s founders also posted a damning verdict of the restricted license issued by MDA:

“We see the symptoms of a neurotic society. We find it irritating that foreigners – people that built this city, nurse Singaporean kids and bring in their knowledge – are not allowed to complain.” Complaints Choirs of the World

While it must be said the above has been slightly exaggerated, it does highlight the prevalent contradictions in the image that Singapore has tried hard to change in recent years – that of a more open, transparent and modern society embracing change. How open can you be when you find it hard to swallow a few light hearted complaints from foreigners living in your country?

Watch the video clip of the performance below and tell me it is not tongue firmly in cheek. The melody is not that catchy and you might need the lyrics to know what they are singing about.

Lyrics:

THE COMPLAINTS CHOIR SINGAPORE LYRICS

We get fined for almost everything
Drivers won’t ‘give chance’ when you want to ‘change lane’
The indoors are cold, the outdoors are hot;
And the humid air, it wrecks my hair
Those answering machines always make you hold
Only to hang up on you

*chorus

One impending offer is from Zuji.com.sg. At midnight tonight Jan 26, they will be having specially priced tickets to Bangkok on Thai Airways, from $137 onwards. Now this is a great deal in my opinion, as ticket prices around this time of the year during Chinese New Year usually skyrocket and unless you booked months in advance, you would likely be charged premium ticket prices now.

If more deals are made known to me, they will be published here. Meanwhile, if you think the idea of spending your Chinese New Year with a couple of Thai girls appeal to you, be on standby for the online squeeze tonight at Zuji.com.sg.

Having a girlfriend who is a PR here, her friends naturally pop the same question, “Tell us a great place where we can have a date here in Singapore! We want to have fun!” Well, I firmly believe there are many places of interest here in our little tropical island country and to begin with, the Singapore Botanic Gardens should be one of the best settings for a fantastic date in Singapore. If you thought the streets of Singapore were already green enough, check out the 52-hectare multi-garden park that is the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a sunny day in the park with your date, have a picnic or simply admire the thousands of plant species that spring from the grassy carpet. The National Orchid Garden alone contains 20,000 orchid plants and there is the Symphony Lake where the two of you will be serenaded with beautiful live music from bands on a raised platform.

In fact, if you are new to Singapore, why not head down to the Botanic Gardens this weekend on 19 January for a free English tour of its National Orchid Garden? The guides will bring you on a journey that explores the impressive beauty and diversity of the many species of orchids. The tour times are at 9am, 10am, 11am and 4pm and last an hour each.

If you have had enough of frolicking on the grass, and the stomach calls for a refill, drop by the clean foodcourt and have a taste of the delicious chili crab that Class 95FM radio deejay The Flying Dutchman so recommends. Singapore’s weather can get a little hot and humid at times, and if that happens on the day you bring your date out to the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the city centre and main shopping district Orchard Road is just by the corner with its air-conditioned comforts.

I’ll crack my head for a few more great suggestions of dating places in Singapore in future posts, without being too touristy, even though the Singapore Botanic Gardens is a prime attraction. There might be other popular attractions like the Singapore Night Safari, which is perhaps more suited for married couples with children, or maybe couples from overseas who wish for a place that is more engaging. Certainly we can do better than just another day out at the cinemas or foodcourts – there’s certainly more to Singapore than just food and drinks!

I remember the first time I caught them live a few years ago in Seoul. It was my first trip to South Korea and made specially to see the band in action. My good Korean friend was kind enough to drive me to the stadium and unlike the concerts held in Singapore back then, the sound system was terrific, which was mighty important for a band like Dream Theater. John Petrucci and keyboardist Jordan Rudess were brilliant in their solo interplays and it was great fun interacting with the local fans as well despite the language barrier. South Korean music fans are friendly and the metal fans are spontaneous to say the least. Of course, Singapore has caught up sound-wise for concerts although that is generally restricted to the more expensive venues like the Esplanade and Indoor Stadium, while Fort Canning Park is an outdoor venue.

Hopefully LAMC Productions put on a great show tonight with the sound at Fort Canning Park. An outdoor venue like that always requires more logistics and there are some trade-offs. Atmosphere for the slightly inferior sound. Still, with all the great shows LAMC Productions have put up recently, this Dream Theater gig should go down a treat with fans again, much like how Slipknot went a few years back. Be sure to bring your insect repellent though – I have seen huge praying mantises in that place!

Again, Dream Theater is set to rock Singapore at Fort Canning Park tonight at 8pm! Tickets are on sale at $95 from Sistic outlets.