SINGAPORE: They are mostly guys in their late 20s and early 30s, have loads of disposable income and think nothing about spending S$900 or more on a bottle at a nightspot to impress friends and clients.

The modus operandi is simple: Go to a club, order a bottle of Cordon Bleu, and pour.

Some refer to them as the nouveau riche. The industry has a different term for them: The contemporary Chinese crowd. Meet the nouveau beng.

They don't loiter around HDB void decks drinking bottles of e-33 from the local convenience store anymore. These days, they have plenty of cash and aren't afraid to flaunt it. They are dressed in swanky label threads and drink from jeroboam (3-litre) and rehoboam (4.5-litre) bottles of Martell and Hennessy at Mandarin-themed clubs such as Lunar (located at Clarke Quay) and Dragonfly (St James Power Station).

At these clubs, it's cool to be beng. Excuse me, contemporary Chinese.

The jeroboam bottles are very intimidating, not to mention expensive. A jeroboam bottle of Martell VSOP at Dragonfly costs more than S$900 for non-members. Hennessy VSOP is priced slightly lower, at S$850.

At clubs like Lunar and Dragonfly, they cheer on the performers, sometimes even singing along with them. These clubs are packed on a nightly basis and are never dull.

Sounds unbelievable in this current economic climate? Well, believe it.

Canto Rules

While some other entertainment outlets have seen less traffic passing through their doors, the Mandarin-themed outlets seem to be the least affected.

When TODAY visited Clarke Quay last Thursday, the only two nightspots that were packed were Le Noir and Lunar. The former was popular that day thanks to its weekly champagne promotion, while the latter was simply popular. When we revisited Clarke Quay on Saturday, the area was more crowded, although only Attica and Lunar were packed to the rafters. The former was full of expatriates, while the latter was full of Singaporean men and women, mostly in their early 30s, entranced by the band and backup performers.

At Dragonfly's second anniversary last Tuesday, William Scorpion and Sylvester Sim entertained to a full floor, with queues still going strong late into the night. The floundering financial market didn’t seem to bother anyone. If it did, they weren't showing it.

Lunar brings in big acts from time to time, as well. Famous Mandarin singers such as Eason Chan, William So and F.I.R have graced its stage.

According to Daren Ong, 30, Brand Manager of Martell at Pernod-Ricard Singapore, the contemporary Chinese market accounts for a "substantial portion of the company's profits. While we are unable to provide alcohol sales figures for outlets, (the contemporary Chinese) is a very distinct market that is visible in Singapore".

Showing Face

The Chinese mentality of "keeping up with the Joneses" has raked in the dollars for the entertainment industry - the money just doesn't stop flowing at these Mandarin-themed clubs.

Michael Chong, 32, manages his family business, which caters for company functions and events across the board. He visits Dragonfly religiously every week "because it feels like I'm watching a concert everytime".

"The performers are so dramatic," he said. "Plus, I get to hang out with my friends. Also I have to entertain my clients, and a lot of them like the place."

He reckons that he spends between S$1,000 to S$2,000 a month on drinks, but he isn't worried about the financial downturn. "No matter what, companies will still hold functions and people still have to eat. I'm not that worried because there's enough cashflow in the company."

He pays for drinks in cash, he said - he doesn't like credit cards "because I feel like I'm spending beyond my limit when I use a card".

Another regular at Lunar told TODAY he buys a bottle of Martell without fail, each week.

The Contemporary Profile

Many of these contemporary Chinese are reasonably well-educated, and mostly Mandarin-speaking. Some hold sales positions within their companies, while others are business owners or are self-employed. Most have no problems paying for their drinks in cash. They don't think twice about buying bottles of Chivas or JW Black, and have no qualms about partying into the week hours of the night, every night. Many of them drive high-end cars and earn five-figure salaries.

These guys could care less about being labelled as tacky and cheesy. They are there every night to socialise and spend time with their friends.

Even club owners have admitted that the Mandarin-themed clubs are the most profitable clubs in their portfolio. Dennis Foo, CEO of St James Power Station, told TODAY that Dragonfly accounts for 30 per cent of the entire complex's turnover. On an average weekend, as many as 2,000 to 3,000 people pack the club.

"It's one of the few entertainment outlets that operates nightly, and has seen a consistent crowd every night for the last two years," said Foo.

Bernard Lim, executive vice-president of Lifebrandz Limited, which owns Lunar and high-end karaoke club yue (Mandarin for "moon"), told us that Lunar is the most profitable club in the Lifebrandz group, especially after Ministry of Sound's closure. According to Lim, Lunar contributes about 30 per cent to the overall company's takings.

The Chinese Revolution

It may explain why some club owners are expanding resources in the Chinese direction. Recently, Lifebrandz Limited renovated the Barfly restaurant/bar and turned it into yue. With plush leather couches and expansive private rooms where one can sing, wine, dine and play pool, it's the crème de la crème of Singapore's karaoke scene today.

At the main room, there is a music coach to guide you on your five minutes of stage fame. Similar to the karaoke bar Mono at St James Power Station, which has attracted wealthy Chinese who enjoy karaoke, yue looks set to do well.

Riding on the success of Dragonfly, and the previous success of Canto, St James Power Station has turned the former Bellini Room (since relocated to Bellini Grande at Clarke Quay) into Firefly, a live Canto music bar that brings in musicians from Hong Kong and Singapore. Catering to a crowd that prefers Beyond to Bon Jovi, it will definitely take the place of Devil's Bar, Foo's previous venture which is now also defunct.

Each of these outlets appeal to a different crowd. Lunar attracts a slightly older demographic compared with Dragonfly, where many youngsters abound. Firefly and yue will also draw in a different audience.

Why does the contemporary Chinese crowd remain so immune to the financial markets?

A quick survey of the clientele of these clubs revealed that some were successful small business owners, such as mobile phone shop owners, while others included car salesmen. Most avoided investing in the blue-chip markets while others had chosen to put their money in other countries that were taking less of a battering from the crisis. Others had simply hoarded their capital in the bank and, as a result, did not lose out in investments. And some are just really good at mahjong.

How long can the contemporaries keep spending like there's no tomorrow? Ask the dude with the big smile and even bigger bottle of Martell calling for William Scorpion to belt out a Grasshopper hit ... - TODAY/fa