Avicii, Afrojack, The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim might have played in Singapore next weekend, but the reality of logistics suggests that the Future Music Festival Asia won't be happening this year, although organizers for the event are desperately striving to go forward with plans for the event (from Channel News Asia).
The Livescape Group has twice been rejected in its applications for proper licensure to host Future Music. Many believe that the police force, which turned down the applications filed during January and February, looked at last year's Malaysian event and its multiple deaths and have taken a hardline stance against the EDM festival. Organizers are appealing directly to Teo Chee Hean, the Minister for Home Affairs, to get the license pushed through, but even that's a long shot considering the event was scheduled to begin on March 13.
Livescape responded in a statement on the event's Facebook page that it couldn't be held responsible for the incidents at last year's event and that it actively promoted a drug-free environment.
"Isolated incidents which happened outside of Singapore cannot and do not carry any implication that FMFA is in any way linked to drug use nor is it any indication that there will be drug abuse at the event," it wrote. "FMFA firmly stands behind our goal of creating a drug-free event for our festival goers to enjoy, and we are working with the best international organisations in the world with a combined 50 years of experience working on similar events to ensure that this is the case."
Two things are working against Future: A) Singapore is notorious for enforcing and punishing minor felony laws more intensely than most. It doesn't want anything to do with anything that has a drug reputation. And B) according to Dancing Astronaut, there are still 5,000 tickets available for the event. If it's that far from a sellout, Singapore isn't necessarily concerned with losing tourist dollars as a result of cancellation.
