The Gen XY Lifestyle
Esplanade Presents A Date With Friends
Running from 5 to 8 November, relive the good times with a line-up of free programmes and workshops at A Date With Friends, a festival that pays tribute to seniors.
If you’re wondering what to do for entertainment this week, the 12th edition of A Date With Friends is back this November and will feature popular music from the 1960s to 1990s. Presented by Esplanade – Theatres of the Bay, A Date With Friends is dedicated to seniors to bring back the good old times and sentimental favourites.
Here are some of the Free Programmes available at the festival:
JAMbalaya! by The UkeBoomers
When: 5 Nov 2015, Thursday; 6.30 – 7.15pm, 7.30 – 8.15pm, 8.30 – 9.30pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Hosted by the effervescent UkeBoomers, this ukulele jam promises some hip-swaying good fun that will transport you to the heydays of rock and roll, folk and country music and more. Bring your ukulele along and join in the fun as you strum, sing along or dance to songs from the ’60s to the present.
Timeless Melodies, by Wendy Chin & Friends
When: 6 Nov 2015, Friday; 7.15 – 8pm, 8.30 – 9.15pm, 9.45 – 10.15pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
A veteran performer in the Singapore music scene, Wendy has been singing at Acid Bar since 1988, as well as Where Else and Bar Stop. At this year’s A Date with Friends, be mesmerised by her renditions of ’60s & ’70s pop hits by John Denver, Joni Mitchell, Dan Hill and many more.
Golden Melodies by Rezonance Harmonica Ensemble
When: 7 Nov 2015, Saturday; 3 – 3.30pm, 4 – 4.30pm, 5 – 5.30pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Be enchanted by the rich and cheery sounds of the harmonica as the Rezonance Harmonica Ensemble performs evergreen classics of Eastern and Western music including Rhythm of the Rain, Apache, and Sweet Memories.
Louis on Nostalgia by Louis Soliano
When: 7 Nov 2015, Saturday; 7.15 – 8.15pm, 8.45 – 9.45pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Immerse in the vocal and percussive styles of Singapore musician Louis Soliano and friends – Karen De Silva (violin), Michele Yap (piano), Jon Saiman (keyboards), Fred Rivera (bass), and Niq Osman (percussion). They group will present a delightful evening of oldies and musical tunes, with songs such as Young at Heart, Love is a Many-Splendored Thing, Anak, Bengawan Solo, As Time Goes By and many more.
Country Roads by Dimension5
When: 8 Nov 2015, Sunday; 2.15 – 3pm, 3.15 – 4pm, 4.15 – 5pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Performing at A Date with Friends for the first time, Dimension5 will play a special country and western set featuring tunes from Faith Hill, John Denver, Emmylou Harris and other country pop stars.
Taiwan Evergreen Hits by Ding Hua
When: 8 Nov 2015, Sunday; 7.15 – 7.45pm, 8.15 – 8.45pm, 9.15 – 9.45pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Get ready to be transported back in time as Taiwan-born songstress Ding Hua and pianist Alvin Wong perform evergreen hits made popular by Taiwanese singers such as the late Teresa Teng’s The Moon Represents My Heart, Feng Fei Fei’s Cloud of Romance (我是一片云) and Tsai Chin’s Just Like Your Gentleness (恰似你的温柔), and many more.
Upcycling Craft Workshop by The Bunglin’ Tinker
When: 7 & 8 Nov 2015, Saturday & Sunday; 2 – 6pm
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
This weekend, learn how to transform old t-shirts into new functional items such as mug cozies or glass coasters. Pick up some simple craft techniques and give your old things a new lease of life!
When: 5 Nov 2015, Thursday (Lin Ruping & Sherraine Law) and 6 Nov 2015, Friday (Zhu Li Li & Baobei Sisters); 7 – 7.45pm, 8.15 – 9pm, 9.30 – 10.15pm
Venue: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre
Celebrate the good old times and sing along to your favourite Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese hits with popular getai artists, Lin Ruping, Zhu Li Li, Sherraine Law and the Baobei Sisters.
When: 7 Nov 2015, Saturday; 7 – 7.45pm (The Kalahari), 8.15 – 9pm (The Kalahari), 9.30 – 10.30pm (Crossroad Traffic)
Venue: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre
Let the featured bands entertain you with hit songs from well-known Malay and Hindi films from the ’50s till the ’80s and relive the nostalgia in this special presentation by the waterfront.
When: 8 Nov 2015, Sunday; 7 – 7.45pm (Transit), 8.15 – 9pm (The Dukes), 9.30 – 10.15pm (The Rendition)
Venue: Esplanade Outdoor Theatre
Sing and dance along with stars from the ‘60s tea dance era! Join Transit, The Dukes, and festival debutants The Rendition as they perform hits by The Beach Boys, The Platters, The Righteous Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Tom Jones and many more.
Line Dance Jam by Country Line Dance Association (Singapore)
When: 7 Nov 2015, Saturday; 6.30 – 10pm
Venue: Esplanade Forecourt Garden
What better way to spend the weekend than to dance the night away? From Electric Slide to The Bomp, boogie to your favourite oldies in this line dance jam. Even if you’re not a line dancer, you can always join in the fun by grooving to your own moves, or simply enjoy the music.
Tai Chi for Everyone by Jennifer Chung
When: 8 Nov 2015, Sunday; 6 – 7pm
Venue: Esplanade Forecourt Garden
Improve balance, circulation and relieve stress with this mass workout Tai Chi session led by master trainer Jennifer Chung. Participants of all ages will get a chance to try out the basic movements of Tai Chi and learn two different sets of Tai Chi forms.
Remembering Golden Venus by Joseph C. Pereira
When: 6 Nov 2015, Friday; 6 – 7pm
Venue: library@esplanade
For something a bit more educational, Singapore music historian Joseph C. Pereira will take participants back in time with a talk about the golden age of Singapore music. He will also share more about the venue that made it possible for many bands to flourish and gain fans week in and week out at The Golden Venus.
Walking Down Jalan Ampas by Yusnor Ef
When: 7 Nov 2015, Saturday; 4.30 – 5.30pm
Venue: library@esplanade
With an illustrious career spanning over decades writing lyrics for numerous songs for films, composers and singers, Yusnor Ef is no stranger in the Malay music community. Join Yusnor Ef as he talks about his musical journey and his iconic works from the golden era of Malay film in this intimate sharing session. The session will be conducted in Malay.
Gain Health with TCM by Physician Jiang Xue Feng
When: 8 Nov 2015, Sunday; 4.30 – 5.30pm
Venue: library@esplanade
As chronic diseases are closely linked with obesity, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial to prevent them. In this session, Senior Physician Jiang Xue Feng from Ma Kuang Healthcare Group will give advice on how to restore the right balance in your body for better health and weight loss through Traditional Chinese Medicine. The session will be conducted in Mandarin.
To watch a trailer of the festival, visit here.
