Saigon’s indie scene has a habit of erupting in the most unexpected corners of the city. On the night of November 15th, Alibi became the convergence point for four acts shaping the city’s night sound: Sugary Serial, 7/4 Surfers, Navy and Con Cá Điện.
Sugary Serial – Dream Pop on the Edge of Country
The night opened with Sugary Serial, a three-man band whose music floats between Indie Dream Pop and something warmer. Their sound feels a little like the countryside, even when we’re in District 1 of the big city, Saigon.
Their music carried a softness that brushed up against the country genre, not in structure but in the feeling of an open sky above our heads.
Trix, a member of a band and also the producer of the entire event. Alongside his companions, Sugary Serial set the tone gently: glowing synths, drifting vocals, and an atmosphere that eased the room into the evening like a collective exhale.
7/4 Surfers – Duet, Two Instruments, and a Room Full of Tension
If Sugary Serial was the breath, 7/4 Surfers were the sudden acceleration.
This duet – drummer and bassist, no vocalist, walked onstage with the assurance of a full ensemble. Their set began with the drummer’s sticks. “Clack, clack”. A signal. A spark began.
Mish, the bassist, lowered his head, pushing through his pedalboards, and kicked off, sculpting a towering mass of sound. Pushing, twisting, and stacking effects until the bass sound took off on a raw, “screamy” edge that cut straight through the eardrums of everyone.
They built up their momentum purely through the interplay. Tight, popping drum hits locked into Mish’s slapping and tapping, a mixed technique that turned the bass into both rhythm and melody.
The energy they summoned, with two players on the set, was delivered purely.
The room leaned in with them, pulse-first, as they drove the space toward a post-rock vibe.
Navy – The Dream Turns Moody
Navy shifted the night’s temperature the moment she stepped on stage. A solo artist drifting between dream pop and indie rock, she carried a quiet gravity. Her voice was soft yet anchoring. The guitar lines shimmered like rolling off a still lake.
When she performed a song called “Một vòng hồ Tây”, the atmosphere became a blend of nostalgia, tenderness, and a late-night calm. The audience moved with her as if she had drawn an invisible connection with the audience in the room.
Presence, not volume, was her voice.
Con Cá Điện – When Chaos Becomes Art
Then came the final play of the night, Con Cá Điện.
A quick interview with Ms. Han, the vocalist of Con Cá Điện, revealed what their music genre is like a grocery store. A fitting metaphor for a group composed of members with wildly different musical backgrounds.
Their set plunged instantly because of how their band’s name is spelled. Điên, Nặng, Điện – Crazy, Heavy, Electric.
Rapid-fire drumming. Synths sparking like exposed wires. Guitars roaring with joy. The band pushed forward without hesitation, and the room followed. By the final stretch, the crowd was completely carried by the storm that rode every chaotic, thunderous beat to the end.
Color, Light, and the Shape of the Night
Alibi played a defining role in how the evening unfolded. Its walls, painted in deep yellow and green, held warmth even in low light. Purple and red stage lighting washed over the performers, giving the room a moody hue. Hanging light bulbs cast a soft glow, creating a vibing room where people can settle in, connect, and flow within the beating sound.
Shaping the vibe and sound of the city during the nightfall, a perfect match for the energy that pulsed through each set. And with that, Alibi remembered what live music can do to a room.
Words & Images: Hohish Ho
