Singapore’s alternative music festival returns this September for its 25th edition, bringing four days of heavy riffs, dreamy soundscapes, genre-bending experiments and some of the region’s most exciting independent acts to Esplanade.

From Japanese rock heavyweights and Korean indie favourites to homegrown underground stalwarts and a new generation of Baybeats Budding Bands, this year’s festival is less about sticking to one sound than following your curiosity. Across five stages, there is plenty to discover, whether you want to lose yourself in a mosh pit, stumble across your next favourite band or simply find somewhere to sit with an acoustic set and a drink. Here’s how to navigate the weekend:

THURSDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER: Start Loud

The festival opens with a particularly energetic Thursday, making the LiveWire Stage the place to be if your idea of a good night involves loud guitars and a crowd that refuses to stand still.

Kick things off with Macau metalcore outfit Cancer Game at 7.30pm, before China’s HYPER SLASH take over at 9pm with their self-described “dopamine rock” — a hyperactive collision of screamo, electronic-core, heavy metal, punk and 8-bit sounds.

Then, at 10.30pm, Austrian rock outfit Bilderbuch close out the stage with their flamboyant blend of rock, pop, disco, hip-hop and psychedelia. Expect an extravagant live show that is as playful and unpredictable as the music itself.

If you prefer something a little more atmospheric, the Arena offers a gentler route into the festival. Singapore indie-emo band Soggy Jeans open the stage at 7.15pm, followed by the long-awaited return of enec.e, who weave shoegaze, indie folk and dream pop into delicate, restless soundscapes. Bangkok’s Soft Pine round out the night at 10pm with psychedelic rock, indie pop and warm, analogue textures.

And for a quieter start, head to the Chillout Stage for Singapore pop-punk duo kin, whose stripped-back acoustic set promises songs about growing up, unforgettable nights and the people who stay with you.

FRIDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER: Go Deep

Friday is when Baybeats really starts showing its range. Over at Powerhouse², Japanese post-rock/math-rock trio the cabs make their long-awaited return to Singapore at 7.30pm. The reunited band sold out its Japan reunion tour, so this is one for fans of intricate rhythms and emotionally charged instrumental rock.

At 9.15pm, Singapore experimental institution The Observatory follows with its latest incarnation, exploring post-punk, free improvisation and experimental electronics. The night culminates at 11pm with Naedr & the Midheaven String Collective, a specially commissioned collaboration that pairs the Singapore screamo band’s visceral intensity with an eight-piece string ensemble. It promises to be one of the festival’s most ambitious performances.

For something closer to the ground, Annexe has a strong run of international and local discoveries. Singapore’s Pretty Girls Cry bring their explosive blend of garage rock, emo and math rock at 7.15pm, followed by South Korea’s Yangbans, who fuse rock with jazz, funk, hip-hop, R&B and gospel. At 10.30pm, Malaysian grindcore veterans TOOLS OF THE TRADE turn the volume and intensity all the way up.

Meanwhile, LiveWire serves up hardcore, alternative rock and shoegaze. Catch Singapore stalwarts FUSE at 7pm, Indonesian trio Perunggu at 8.45pm and Japanese cult favourites Coaltar of the Deepers at 10.30pm, whose three-decade career has taken them through shoegaze, rock, metal, techno and just about everything in between.

Need a breather? Kin Leonn returns to the Concourse at 6pm for a stripped-down ambient set, performing on the same Chillout stage where he made his solo debut in 2018. Later, South Korea’s HOA bring their soaring harmonies and nostalgic rock sound to the same space.

SATURDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER: The Big Festival Night

Saturday is arguably the day for serious festival-hopping. At Powerhouse², Hong Kong’s DAVID BORING follows with a visceral mix of punk urgency and controlled dissonance, before Singapore synth-pop quartet Disco Hue close the night with shimmering hooks, layered synths and infectious melodies.

Over at LiveWire, Malaysian fuzz-rockers Sweetass kick off the evening at 6.45pm with their “sweaty rite of passage”. Philippine rock veterans Typecast follow at 8.30pm, bringing the kind of emotional, sing-along alternative rock that has defined generations of Southeast Asian listeners.

Then at 10.15pm, Indonesian rock icons THE SIGIT take over. After returning from a pandemic-induced hiatus with a revamped line-up, the Bandung band promises the sweat-drenched live energy and riff-heavy sound that made them regional favourites.

For something completely different, make your way to Annexe for Taiwan’s Jhen Yue Tang, whose ritualistic performance combines Taiwanese folk beliefs, Beiguan music, rap, rock and electronic sounds — complete with deity-inspired makeup, embroidered skirts and an altar on stage.

Later, Vietnamese experimental collective Rắn Cạp Đuôi promises an hour of chaotic, constantly evolving sound, while Singapore instrumental trio T-REX bring their eccentric blend of math rock, jazz fusion, progressive rock and metal.

And if you want something you can actually dance to, the Arena has Singapore hip-hop trio Mediocre Haircut Crew at 7.15pm, followed by Taiwan’s electronic-infused post-rock outfit Bugs of Phonon.

Saturday is also when the festival’s G.A.S. Attack: Durian Edition gets underway at the Esplanade Black Room. Running from 3pm to 10pm on both Saturday and Sunday, the flea-market-style music gear bazaar is a chance to browse, buy, sell and trade pre-loved guitars, pedals, amplifiers, keyboards and other musical finds — or simply talk shop with fellow gear obsessives.

SUNDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER: End on a High

Sunday brings the festival to a suitably eclectic close. Start at Powerhouse² with Thailand’s Srirajah Rockers, whose roots reggae draws on lovers rock, mento ska, funk and soul. Singapore DIY-scene veterans Subsonic Eye follow at 7.30pm with their restless, guitar-driven indie rock, before Japanese experimental heavyweights Boris close the stage at 9.15pm.

If there is one set to earmark for maximum sonic impact, this may be it: Boris have spent decades exploring sludge, noise, shoegaze and psychedelia, united by a sound that can simply be described as heavy.

The LiveWire Stage offers another heavyweight finale. Indian metal veterans Bhayanak Maut bring two decades of crushing riffs and explosive live performances at 6.45pm, followed by South Korean math-rock quartet Dabda.

Then, at 10.15pm, Singapore indie institution Tiramisu close the stage with The Hype Goblins and a special guest. Expect art rock, theatricality, absurdity and the kind of performance that is impossible to fully predict.

Over at the Arena, Thailand’s Solitude Is Bliss offer a psychedelic, shoegaze-tinged alternative-rock set at 9pm, before French trio Treaks close the stage at 10.45pm with a volatile blend of techno, noise and post-punk.

And if four days of amplified sound have taken their toll, head to the Chillout Stage. Singapore producer T.HIRST gets two 30-minute slots at 6pm and 8pm, blending emo, punk and bass music into intense electronic soundscapes.

One of the pleasures of Baybeats is that the festival encourages you to wander. The Annexe offers an intimate setting for everything from dream pop and ambient music to screamo and experimental work, while Powerhouse² leans into instrumental rock, math rock and audiovisual experimentation. LiveWire is the obvious destination for heavier sounds; Arena brings together indie, hip-hop, funk rock and the festival’s Budding Bands; and Chillout gives audiences a place to slow down with acoustic and stripped-back sets.

There is also BACKLINES, a new series created with community spaces from Singapore’s music scene, taking the festival beyond conventional stage performances through intimate live sessions and conversations about the spaces and communities that support independent music.

And for those who prefer discovering music in virtual spaces, Baybeats’ 25th edition comes with Beatsverse, a Roblox experience inspired by the festival and Singapore’s alternative music scene.

Perhaps the best way to do Baybeats may be not to plan too much. Pick a few must-see acts, leave room to wander, and give yourself permission to walk into a venue because you heard something interesting coming through the doors. With emerging local artists sharing stages with acclaimed acts from across Asia and beyond, the festival is built around exactly that kind of discovery.

After all, Baybeats has spent 25 editions creating opportunities for artists to take risks, collaborate across genres and find audiences before they become tomorrow’s headliners. This September, the festival returns with four days of music, community and possibility — and somewhere in that packed programme could be the band you end up talking about long after the weekend is over.

Baybeats 2026 runs from 3rd to 6th September 2026 at the Esplanade. Full programme available here