Review: Rock For Wayne DVD

By Jeremy Lua

After almost two years since the fateful gig to honour the demise of our local indie-rock legend, Wayne “Thunder” Seah, the DVD documenting the event is finally released. While the footage has been ready for quite a while prior to the release, legal issues appeared to have stalled the release, till late last year; whichever the case, it is one rockin’ DVD.

Featuring a collection of ‘live’ footage of the performing bands, the DVD is an MTV-inspired affair, complete with slick animated sequences, interviews and bonus tracks – a real bargain for $29.90.

Having watched the DVD several times (and hence the late review…), I must firstly commend the producers for their impressive work. Close attention was paid to detail was paid in its production – right down to the art-work in all of its glorious slick black and white themed splendour. In this, they did justice to the bands as well – by ensuring that sound and video quality were nothing but first-class.

Enlisting the help of Leonard Soosay was certainly a good move, as the producers have ensured that the DVD’s sound was nothing short of first-rate. It was certainly a joy to enjoy live performances of your favourite local bands on video, without having to settle for less in the form of compromised sound.

I liked the fact that RFW made use of video effects that matched the mood and energy of the songs tastefully. For example, I enjoyed the sepia tone on the video of Humpback Oak’s performance, which was a fitting match to the reflective and wistful mood of the song. However, in some instances the use of video effects bordered on being over-the-top, and that may have marred the quality of the performance. In general, Rock For Wayne achieved what many other previous attempts have failed – make the performing bands look good while they’re busy rocking their guts out.

However, the DVD did leave me wanting for more – for more songs and live footage! It was a great pity that it was limited to 2 songs per band, as it would have been awesome to see the stalwarts of our local music scene perform more of their popular anthems. Another gripe I have was the fact that the RFW may leave the uninitiated lost, as little detail was given about what RFW was all about in the DVD. Perhaps more about the life of the great man of whom the DVD is a tribute to would be a good idea.

The Rock For Wayne DVD is also a testament to how far the local music scene has come – and is indeed a fitting tribute to the man whom many in the scene held in high regard.

For fans of music made in da Singapura, this DVD is a definite must in any collection – if anything, if features live performances by the now-defunct Humpback Oak, and features certain line-ups in bands that no longer exist. In addition, Astroninja fans will probably remember this gig with fond memories – as this is also the first time Levan Wee unveiled his new band after infamously leaving Ronin. However, I am puzzled by that particular peformance – what is with the bizarre Halloween costumes?