A unique collaboration between choreographers and a pioneering metal band came to life at Singapore’s Singtel Waterfront Theatre on October 17, presenting a performance that intertwined the art of rope bondage with live music. The production, titled *Still Lives*, was created by Daniel Kok, based between Singapore and Berlin, and Luke George from Australia, featuring Rudra, a Vedic metal band established in 1992.
The concept behind *Still Lives* emerged from a long-standing exploration into the traditional Japanese art of shibari—meaning "to bind"—which Kok and George began researching in 2014 during their earlier work on *Bunny*. For this iteration, the duo incorporated Rudra’s music to deepen the thematic investigation of trust, consent, and human connection.
During the performance, the stage was lit vividly, revealing musical instruments—drums, amplifiers, and microphones—suspended and bound by ropes, arranged as if scattered from an explosive event. Kok and George invited the audience to move freely around the space but asked that they refrain from crossing a designated boundary for safety.
As the performance commenced, the choreographers methodically tied the four band members using intricate rope harnesses. The process was carried out with deliberate care, marked by tender touches and quiet verbal reassurances. Lead singer and bassist Kathir was notably hoisted upside down with his arms secured behind his back, maintaining a composed demeanor throughout the physically demanding positioning.
Throughout the binding sequences, Australia-based composer Marco Cher-Gibard provided an evolving soundscape. At one point, he employed a device that caused a guitar to play autonomously, adding layers of texture to the performance. Once all band members were bound and connected to the rig, they were raised as high as 30 meters above the ground, suspended in stillness against a backdrop of flickering lights and rising smoke.
Rudra’s powerful music then surged through the theatre, introducing dynamic energy that contrasted with the frozen physical forms above. After the musical set, the band members were carefully lowered and gradually unbound by Kok, George, and Cher-Gibard. Their mutual support in the untying process highlighted camaraderie and a shared sense of relief, mirroring the emotional release embedded in their performance and music.
The production invited reflections on temporality, the aging body, and the collective desire to preserve memories amid a society defined by rapid transformation. The audience responded with sustained applause, acknowledging the performance’s layered exploration of physicality, vulnerability, and artistic expression.