The Gashaus crew had a bit of a treat when we popped into Clarke Quay for a squizz at one of the most popular and established Mandarin / Cantonese bands in the regiond. We were somewhat piqued at being criticized for not covering the entertainment scene from a more multicultural perspective, so, saddling up, Darren Halls and myself went on a mission to immerse ourselves in some Asian flavor.

The venue's impressive top shelf collection was displayed within an intricate metallic grill/lattice visible from the entrance of the venue. I was impressed with the choice of beverages by the mostly refined clientele - Chivas, Martell, Remy Martin... even Darren suppressed his typical English beer fix to crack open a bottle of Glenlivet scotch whiskey that was most delightful with a touch of green tea.

We came just in time for the start of the first live act, "Fantasy" with a male and female vocalist, the latter being Candy, 24, a project superstar participant.

Next up were headliners "The Crystal" with a fresher sound. The lineup took up the already imposing stage with Kelvin, the front man, all 'blinged' up with hiphop accessories and flanked by a Vampy Karen (standing in for lead singer Xiao Xing) and Joanne (backup singer) in white. Bassist Steven and Kachi on guitar articulated numbers with masterful ease and Fatt Chai, the drummer was incredibly collected. I had a chance to speak with The Crystal after their friendly 'Yam-sengs' with members of the audience and a birthday song to a gleefully inebriated customer.

Formed in May 2005, The Crystal is in fact an amalgation of professional musicians that came from startlingly grand backgrounds; Kachi played for 3 years with Tanya Chua, while Kelvin has participated in TCS produced competitions including the Jacky Wu show, representing Singapore in Taiwan, and various competitions. Fatt Chai has performed regionally including stints with Jacky Cheung.

When questioned about his attire, Kelvin boldly stated "We all wear to attract chicks", to which Kachi retorted "where got enough?". The Crystal's focus is pop although they are trying "not to be so mainstream". The 6 piece have a 6 day residency at Este (minus Sunday weekly) and are currently working on their originals which are described as 'Heartfelt songs'. A release is expected at the end of the year.

The club's usual schedule involves 'Music Box' karaoke with singers put onto the main club P.A before the live shows and a resident DJ spinning top 40 tunes from the 80s onward. I distinctly caught Kylie Minogue and Petshop boys while watching the delicious pole dancers ascend the stage. Music policy became high bpm trance while the girls performed skillfully with their stilettos and hotpants. Light production was immaculate, pronouncing The Crystal and Fantasy's stage presence with warm fills and dynamic sweeps during fast numbers.