A Well Red Society

Surely the size of this show would put Singapore in the, er, red.

My friend Gary scored me an exclusive ticket to the Singapore National Day Parade 2010 final dress rehearsal.

Apparently locals join a ballot to be one of the 26,000 red and white dressed audience members of the rehearsal, final dress rehearsal or the real thing. It’s a big deal and each year many miss out on a coveted spot.

So I was tickled pink to be able to witness this astounding show live. It was over the top like a gay man’s dream concert come true, made up of equal parts Madonna, Kylie and Jackson (both Michael and Janet).

There were soldiers in tight white uniforms, gymnasts coiled around suspended rings, dancing girls in flowing neon gowns, the lesbian Lulu of Singapore with an entourage of Singapore Idols, and because we can’t get enough of them, more soldiers (real soldiers) in Tron inspired outfits gyrating in formation. Unsurprisingly, the show was entitled Red, Hot and WOW!

The NDP appeals to the innate marketer in me, I’ve never seen branding on this heightened level (everyone everywhere was branded in red and white). The quality of the show was also a phenomenon 15 months of preparation coming together like a well oiled machine that had been oiled to perfection by another well oiled machine whose sole purpose was to oil other machines.

I imagine visiting politicians from neighbouring Asian countries watching in envy. Here was the greatest and most entertaining propaganda show in the world. The neverending column of rolling tanks, armoured assault vehicles and aerial flybys of fighters, bombers and helicopters made a resounding statement - don’t mess with Singapore, bitch.