Spikes 2013: Bacchanalian buses, babes and beer: Spikes after sundown

After the brain work comes the booze fest: Yesterday's packed schedule of seminars and forums by some of the industry's leading lights left enlightened delegates panting for a cold one (or five), and Spikes After Dark didn't disappoint.

The year's standout was the Bates Party Bus, ferrying partygoers from party to party (and not wandering off into the night) and keeping them well lubricated between gigs with Smirnoff-laced drinks.

While not quite the glamorous, Hugh Hefner-worthy affair this reporter was expecting (where were the ice sculptures and leopard-print lounges, I ask you?) it was all good fun, with Bates' Benny Cai doing a formidable job of keeping everyone on the open-air roof of the rented tourist bus (as opposed to tumbling off it).

Bus or no bus, Vivaki wasn't taking any chances with the delegates and threw its Networking After Dark party at its usual dive, the Paulaner Brauhaus right across from the convention centre. Can't go wrong with that. The atmosphere was relaxed as delegates unwound and got ready for their night of fun.

JWT's hunk studded shindig

JWT, Lowe and McCann too stuck to tried and tested venues. JWT (and XM) embraced its prime rooftop location on Scotts Road with a 'Cafe del Sky' theme. The dry ice fog gave the impression of life among the clouds—until it was blown away and the white-clad babes and studs comforted those who missed last year's Angels and Devils shindig. Despite the fog, no one fell into the infamous pool this year, but the cops made their usual appearance to shut down the fun at half-past midnight. See a gallery of pictures from JWT's party.

Lowe's three-bar electro-themed street party lit up the junction between Ann Siang Hill and Club Street with glow sticks and neon-painted delegates. If you'd been to the Lowe party, everyone knew. Unfortunately the brilliantly coloured rave had run out of free booze by the time Campaign's intrepid reporters showed up around 11 pm, so things were already winding down. Here's a gallery from when things were still hopping.

McCann's kebab-fueled massive event

Which left McCann's Massive Music party on the roof of Macdonald House the last party standing. The packed venue's stamina was largely contributed to by the 600 kebabs made on the spot by Shiraz, served alongside countless drinks. The bar never ran dry and the music had delegates dancing past midnight. Great do McCann, pity it wasn't themed 'Dumb Ways to Die' though—that would have really delighted the Singaporean police force.

The article first appeared on campaignasia.com