Dumpling Festival II . 端午节

As per told by the organizer that there are a same event is running at my next another block, I just went to take a look. Ah! There are a ‘Getal’(歌台)(a singing performance stage) down here!“Getai” show usually only happened during Chinese seventh month or during some Chinese God’s birthday’s celebration, but nowadays, it became more popular in various type of celebrations and festivals in Singapore.
See! Everyone love to see Getai Show.Another beautiful singer was waiting foe her turn to present her songs.I found this ‘behind stage’ scene was very interesting!Hmmm…after I use “dramatically look” in my blog, I realised that many other blogger had copy this word in their blog as well, now I introduce “graphical look” to everyone, welcome t0 copy! Haahaa!

Getai, an entertainment during Chinese LUnar 7th month

Today, Chinese Lunar month’s last day of 7th month, you still able to see the Getai’ street concert show, not the last day of it nuy is second last day having chance to see it, maybe thet related organisation made it last day’s performance on Sunday, that’s why tomorrow we still got chance to see it.

The programme of the concert other than singer’s performance, it also having some jokes present by the emcee with the singers, this yest we also can see a ‘Chinese Opera Mask Changing’ “变脸” perfomance in some Getai, as long the organiser arranged the budget for it, because it is an expensive item to hire a Mask Changing Artist in an event. There only few Chinese Opera Mask Changing artist in Singapore, most of them are from china.
The attraction of the Getai is usually can see many singers in fancy costume especially the female singers, they apperaence are the main soul of the Getai show. The Getai ever getting ‘Old’ because after many years performance in chinese lunar 7th month, the song always old song, the singers mostly older age etc..May be due to the movie “881” and “12 Lotus” given a new life of the Getai, attracted much more youger group audiences. You also can see more younger singers in the Getai show now.I like ‘宝贝姐妹’(Bao Bei sisters, I just translated it direct, did not know their english team name) because they are sween and sexy! They even have fan to do make up and hleping them during the Getai show!

Getai - The Street Concert during ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’

Getai, is a Chinese term ‘歌台’ which mean street concert. That is one of the activities to entertain the god and related officer from hell and the people who donate the money for the ‘Hungry Ghost Festival’ celebration as in Chinese religion; it fall in Chinese lunar year’s 7th month.

Getai’s activities similar to street concert’s productions which having tentage, stage and backdrop set-up, live bands and the main soul of the event – the emcee and the singers. It’s crowd pulling events, because it’s entertaining, which attract many old folks; basically since is an religions related activities, it definitely lots senior people involved.

Hungry Ghost Festival celebration and the entertainment could be in traditional Chinese puppet show but getai is the most welcome event.

Nowadays, the singers whose sang the songs were came from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia & China etc. They might sing the song in varieties of dialects including Malay song, changing their flamboyant costumes a few times during their performance.
Xiaohei (real name is Raju Kumara) who came from Malaysia is one of the popular singer during the Getai event. Rawi Hamin also another popular singer, I met him few times in various events. Other famous local Getai artistes including Karen Lim, Nicole Lai...etc. Susie Wong should be also in the list if I am not wrong because I had came across Susie's pole dance performance photo in the Getai through the net. There also some young artistes which is polytechnic students, and 5-6 years old children appear in the Getai show.According the newspaper, their income was count in per song they sing, and they may be running around to many Getai in different places within one night; of course not everyday having that much of the street concert during the whole Chinese lunar 7th month; anywhere, seems their income not bad as well, but as an entertainer’s view, it is a seasonal jobs, hence nothing to be jealous about their income.

It does have 2 movies about the Getai story which is “881” and “12 Lotus” which produced by Singapore, directed by Director Royston Tan.That was very interesting infos and photos in the blog of the director Ryston Tan.
You still got time to catch the Getai Live show as per www.stomp.com.sg ‘s Getai A gogo schedule:
27 Aug Wednesday (Chinese lunar calander : 27th day of the 7th month)
Blk 602, Yishun Opposite Polyclinic
Geylang Lorong 1
Changi Beach
Near Queens Street (In front of OG)
Blk 3018 Bedok North Street 5, East Link Light Industrial Factory
(Starts at 7pm - 22 Singers)

28 Aug Thursday (Chinese lunar calander : 28th day of the 7th month)
Blk 171, Stirling Road
Red Hill Leng Kee Car Mart
Yishun 924 Central 1

29 Aug Friday (Chinese lunar calander : 29th day of the 7th month)
Blk 280, Yishun Avenue 7
Blk 1 Lor Liew Lian

30 Aug Saturday (Chinese lunar calander : 31st day of the no.7th month)
Blk 77, Whampoa Market
Blk 45, Owen Road

31 Aug Sunday (Chinese lunar calander : 1st day of the.8th month)
Blk 134, Jalan Bukit Merah
Blk 77, Whampoa Market