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| Signage on the facade of Big Box megamall. |
Zepp@BIGBOX Singapore live hall, the first Zepp-branded concert hall outside of Japan, has launched at Big Box megamall in Singapore. BIG BOX is in the heart of Jurong East district, a vibrant retail hub slated as Singapore's next central business district (CBD), and within walking distance from a mass rapid transit station.
Operated by Zepp@BIGBOX, a joint venture formed between Singapore-based Big Box Investment and Japan-based Zepp Hall Network, Zepp@BIGBOX Singapore is a mid-sized concert hall which
brings the best of sound and lighting for live music enthusiasts to listen to their favourite bands playing on stage. The space doubles up as an event venue.
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| The audience is meant to stand to watch performances. |
Teo Wee Kiang, Executive VP, Zepp@BIGBOX, said that the venue is envisioned as a hub for local and international music artistes."We are committed to building Zepp@BIGBOX as a place where all music lovers can spend time," he said, noting that the venue is unusual as the first standing concert hall in Singapore. "The usual concert hall is (one where you) sit down and watch the performance and then you go off; but for this you get the live experience, that's why it's called the live hall. You can grab your drinks and come in and enjoy the performance," he said.
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| From left: Zepp's interpreter, Satoshi Seno, President, Zepp Hall Network and Director of the board and Corporate Executive VP, SMEJ, and Sng Sze Hiang, MD, Zepp@BIGBOX answer questiosns at the media Q&A. |
Satoshi Seno, President, Zepp Hall Network and Director of the board and Corporate Executive VP, Sony Music Entertainment Japan (SMEJ), said Zepp halls are ideal for pop and rock performances. Pre-equipped with the same stage machinery, lighting and sound systems standardised for all Zepp concert halls throughout Japan, Zepp intends to make it easier for artistes both locally and internationally to stage concerts more easily, efficiently and affordably. Going on tour from one Zepp hall to another literally means entering and playing, as the audio and lighting conditions are handled by the crew for the hall, and would be the same across the board.
According to Zepp Hall Network company representatives, local musicians are typically limited to playing in a club environment. Zepp Hall represents a viable opportunity for them to get into the live performance business and acquire new fans. The space has a capacity of 2,333 persons, and if required, can be expanded to accommodate up to 4,032 persons by using the adjacent hall. Given that clubs may accommodate up to 300 people while other concert venues can take up to 10,000 people, Zepp@BIGBOX offers an in-between option.
"Compared with a stadium this live hall has a cosier feel," said Seno. "The performer can feel as one with the audience."
Big Box Investment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SGX-listed TT International and manages the Big Box mega warehouse retail mall in Jurong East. Big Box is an eight-storey one-stop complex housing a hypermarket, food and beverage outlets, electronic and furniture stores, and a children's play park. It contains ample parking facilities.
Zepp Hall Network is a SMEJ company. It currently manages six Zepp concert halls in the Japanese cities of Sapporo and Nagoya, and two each in the cities of Tokyo and Osaka. The company is opening new halls in Fukuoka and Yokohama in Japan, and expects to open halls of similar capacity in New Taipei City, Taiwan and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia all in or by the year 2020.
"Our mission is to foster the Singapore music market. Singapore is a hub of Southeast Asia. If we put a Zepp hall in here, Malaysia and Taiwan, it'll be a big Zepp hall network," said Shinichiro Honda, Hall Director, Zepp@BIGBOX; VP, Hall Ops, Zepp Hall Work, and VP, Asia Business Development, SMEJ.
"Our hope is that in the near future (this) will be one of the most famous venues in Singapore," Honda said, adding that the venue can be used to host receptions and corporate events as well. "We're open for you."
Teo added that Zepp@BIGBOX will look for new local talent and offer them a preferred rate. One possibility is to dedicate one weekday to local talent, for example.
Teo further said that a number of shows have already been booked for the venue pre-launch. Three shows were booked for May, with another three confirmed for June. "We are trying to fill up the calendar of this year. It is a very encouraging scenario, that before we start we have already got gigs," he said.
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| Poster for Sugizo vs Inoran presents Best Bout 2017, a concert by Japanese guitarists. The concert will be held at Zepp@BIGBOX on June 24. |
RedWimps played at Zepp@BIGBOX the day before.
Highlights of the backstage tour included:Went for RADWIMPS concert held there last night! Sound system was very well balanced and didn't leave me with ringing ears— Hong Yi (@asuna88) June 5, 2017
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| A look at the audio equipment, which is standard across Zepp halls. If a performance works well in one hall it will work well in all the other halls. |
A store for spares and alternative equipment
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| A permanent stage. |
Dedicated media room and dressing rooms
A loading bay outside the venue large enough to unloading heavy equipment
Venue: Zepp@BIGBOX Singapore live hall
Address: BIG BOX Singapore, Level 3, 1 Venture Avenue, Singapore 608521
Area: 3,500 sq m
Capacity: 2,333 (4,032 when combined with adjacent Event Hall B)
Nearest MRT: Jurong East station
Rents for the venue begin at S$16,800 for an event held on Mondays to Thursdays. Bookings may be made up to a year in advance.
Watch the Instavideos for the main hall and the loading bay
