Managed to catch a web telecast of this year’s national day parade 2009. This year’s one is impressive in my own opinion, despite usually being a sore thumb (hehe) and a big critique to all the previous NDPs. Surprisingly, gone are the trying to hard cheesy theme songs usually evident in NDP parades for years at a go. Commendable is the effort to go back to the NDP roots, using what worked. The performance did display a rather descent effort into using those old national days songs which I guess, for many of us grew up and are synomomous with- beats any new dinky NDP anytime. The stage and lighting are world class and those performances put up, particularly those by the touch community are rather pleasing as well.
And I guess my feedback to them last year for more home grown songs have nothing to do with it. All I believe the real heroes for this year’s NDP will be the creative directors, let be the music director for for the various back to back remixes of old NDP songs, wrapped up with a real nice new twist to the national anthem, as opposed to the rather stereotypical and conservative approach of previous NDPs.
The organisers did a good job by showcasing the performance in a group, not focus to any particular celebrity or “special guest” after all this is a celebration for the nation and not a publicity stunt. This reaffirms the theme “come together” as one people one nation, which should be the case.
Watching the NDP does bring back alot of memories, particularly myself as a performer myself in the 1997 NDP almost more than 10 years ago. Just as everyone enjoying their long holidays now, I guess it’s something more than deserving than a pat on the back well done.
Happy 44th Birthday Singapore!
