After a period of adjusting and resorting to anything virtual during the pandemic, music festival season is back in full swing.
Thousands of music enthusiasts gathered throughout the weekend to see the event unfold as they sang and danced their hearts out at Sunbear Music and Arts Festival 2022.
On December 9 and 10, the much-anticipated two-day music event made its debut at Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV).
Two days of great music and good vibes were packed with a diverse range of musical genres and over 43 performing acts separated between two stages — Sunbear Stage and Pink Stage.
The lineups included up-and-coming local indie band Midnight Fusic as part of the first wave of performers, as well as Malaysian acts Plague of Happiness, Lunadira, One Buck Short, Roses Are Black, and a few other performing acts, with Bunkface being the main headliner on Friday.
Ramengvrl, an Indonesian rapper, performed on the festival’s second day (Saturday), with a few other local performing acts of various genres such as SOG, Airliftz, No Good, Sweetass, Naratu, and a few others.
On Saturday, international bands such as Brighton’s FUR, Reality Club, an Indonesian indie band, and Thai’s “Lover Boy” Phum Viphurit headlined.
Alezxandria Kapple, 25, shared her own experience as one of Sunbear Festival’s Liaison Officer for No Good, Sweetass, and Naratu.
“My experience was great! Also, thanks to HAUS KCH, I got Sunbear tickets before I knew I had to work! When I found out, I had to give them away to friends who really wanted to go but couldn’t afford it. Thank you, HAUS KCH, for making it possible! Back to my experience as Liaison Officer for these bands: it was great! Working with the boys, and to quote Alang from Sweetass when we were going around Kuching, “We’re gonna follow you ‘cause you’re the leader of the pack!” Feminism at its best!’ That pretty much sums up my first day. Of course, I wasn’t familiar with many of the acts because there were 20 or more lineups for both stages.”
When asked about the situation with the stages, Alezxandria said, “To be honest, I wish the stages were side by side because I missed out on so many Pink Stage performances, including those of my friends! But, because there were so many lineups, they had to find a way to work around it. That way, it was easier for the crowd to take their pick!”
It started raining around 4pm on the first day but instead of putting a halt to all the ongoing fun, the circumstance rather lifted the spirits of festivalgoers at Sunbear Festival where everyone opted for raincoats.
The festivalgoers were spotted dancing, singing their hearts out under the rain, amidst the heavy downpour and artistes serenading on stage. It was a chaotic yet beautiful moment to witness.
Some arrived prepared, bringing raincoats from home, while the rest purchased them at the event.
“I was even happier when I saw the crowd wearing their raincoats when it was raining on the first day. Kuchingnites really know how to party! All in all, it was an amazing experience to witness such a festival,” Alezxandria said.
According to Christian Isaac Ningkan, 19, the Sunbear Festival still has room for improvements in terms of their management, but he was hoping they will consider turning it into an annual event and invite even bigger artistes on stage in Kuching.
“What an exciting and interesting experience! We don’t get a lot of music festivals in Kuching, so this does feel special. I was excited for it since they announced that Boy Pablo will be one of the headliners since July. It’s a rare occurrence to see so many well-known international artistes in Kuching at one time, in one place. I personally got crew passes so that made my experience even better! I got to talk and interact with most of the artistes performing; Ramengvrl, FUR, Phum and many more! I was obviously giddy and excited about it! Who wouldn’t be, right? I personally loved Ramen’s and Phum’s set the most. Their energy and vibe were unmatched!” he said.
A state of euphoria filled the air as the crowd chanted to the sound of “Ooohaa” and it echoed across the entire SCV area.
It was no surprise considering “Ooohaa” is a catchphrase that is synonymous with all Sarawakians.
Chanting “Ooohaa” while the band was in their instrumental solos “elevated the experience and solidified how ‘Sarawakian’ the event was,” Christian added.
Apart from being enthralled by endless live performances, other activities were also set to entertain the festivalgoers at Sunbear Festival, featuring cultural displays, crafts display, and a variety of food stalls to keep the festivalgoers from starving.
The exhibitions and displays include Showreel, Ruai Seni Kita, Culture City, ‘Vibin Session at Sunbear’, E-Sports Bay, Hungry Town, Yoga Bear, and Music Symposium.
Sunbear Music and Arts Festival 2022, being one of the highly anticipated events for Sarawakians, proved that Sarawak’s music scene is slowly thriving.
It simultaneously promotes the local culture through their featured art exhibitions which mostly centre around Borneo’s historical and cultures.
The highly anticipated music and arts festival has come to an end, making it a December to remember and music enthusiasts are looking forward to the next one with better management and lineups.
• This article was written by a student from the Strategic Communication Programme at the Faculty of Language and Communication, UNIMAS.
