The Weeks My Blog Missed
If popular and highly sought after socialites were defined by the number of concerts and similarly theme-d events they attend, I must surely be the crème de la crème amongst chichi young debutantes this July season. Being dizzily charming and the occasional ditz win me huge favours.
Manhattan Transfer had one of the most understated stage-ings. Show production was very simple, stripped to the minimal possible. But the night was pleasantly spent, possibly because Mr Dimples was my companion, and that despite knowing less than 2% of the songs, I was quite enthralled by the singing gusto of the group, as well as the appreciative applause (damn loud and I feared for some of the audience, whose faces might split apart from the wide grinning). As I whispered to Mr Dimples, this is the dream response one always hopes for an event. Genuine fans, people on and off stage enjoying themselves, talented artistes who interact with the crowd and so on.
While I’m grateful for the exclusive invites to a sellout performance, Coldplay was dreadfully dull. And did I mention rabid fans actually bought $168 tickets to stand throughout the concert – okay if you are right in front of the stage but if you are at the most back? As in most back of the indoor stadium. The other end. That was how far the $168 standing area stretched – bizarre I tell you. I give the concert a close to perfect score for inventive lighting and show production though. It may have cost a million? My ears were far from impressed but my eyes were adoring and admiring throughout. 职业病, sigh.
Zpop 2006 came across more as a PR exercise for Jolin Tsai and the concert sponsors than a charity event (ostentatiously and obscenely so). She was the most insincere artiste, singing only songs from her latest album when she was already meant to be in Singapore for a separate promo tour. My wrath would have no limits had I actually paid to watch. Like c’mon, I do expect familiar songs: It’s a concert after all and I paid concert prices. Whereas Fish Leong is the kind of performer who is never stunning or surprising. Quietly elegant, her strength lies in transforming sheer schmaltz to acceptable sentimentality with minimal kitsch through her soothing vocals. Watching her perform earlier and latest hits, I conclude sadly that she is, even when at her peak, distressingly mediocre, cramped by her signature style. This is especially so when I compare her to 张信哲. While they are both famed for their ballads, 张信哲, just completely swept me away by his pristine singing. I have always known that he is an excellent singer, but goodness, to listen to him live, to hear him emote, what a fantastic treat!!! He totally, totally elevated the material (ie songs) to another level altogether, and I was in love. It was a KTV session participated by the masses as he sang 太想爱你、宽容、过火、从开始到现在 (my personal favourite of all time) and so on. He has the most stage presence and charisma of all four performers that night. Harlem Yu sang too few songs and I’m still trying to figure out why. And I have to say Zpop 2006 concert title reminds me of a porn flick: 熟男劲女 -_-"
Cabaret was surprising good, much, much better than a lot of the other musicals I had put myself insufferably through (Think West Side Story). It actually had a decent plot in the bigger schemata of things while being entertaining at the same time. People who came expecting the romp and risqué sort of things may scream foul. There were still sex, flesh and an unrecognizable Fei Xiang, but they may not suffice for people who had bought tickets for more. But who cares. I like it. Told Beatrice to her face that she had come a long way from her Shopping and Fucking days. And she has! The directing has become more subtle (Shopping and Fucking, her first directing debut, was pretentious and gave out inexplicable smug vibes of “whee, I’m out to shock! See me taking off my pants and jerking off!”. Which was what Chua Enlai did in front of me in 1999) and thus powerful. She’s able to bring out the best of a very able cast. Got her to autograph my program.
Finally, I thank Beautante for asking me to Hard Candy. All guys should watch it. 小心女人。
So ends a remarkable July season.
Manhattan Transfer had one of the most understated stage-ings. Show production was very simple, stripped to the minimal possible. But the night was pleasantly spent, possibly because Mr Dimples was my companion, and that despite knowing less than 2% of the songs, I was quite enthralled by the singing gusto of the group, as well as the appreciative applause (damn loud and I feared for some of the audience, whose faces might split apart from the wide grinning). As I whispered to Mr Dimples, this is the dream response one always hopes for an event. Genuine fans, people on and off stage enjoying themselves, talented artistes who interact with the crowd and so on.
While I’m grateful for the exclusive invites to a sellout performance, Coldplay was dreadfully dull. And did I mention rabid fans actually bought $168 tickets to stand throughout the concert – okay if you are right in front of the stage but if you are at the most back? As in most back of the indoor stadium. The other end. That was how far the $168 standing area stretched – bizarre I tell you. I give the concert a close to perfect score for inventive lighting and show production though. It may have cost a million? My ears were far from impressed but my eyes were adoring and admiring throughout. 职业病, sigh.
Zpop 2006 came across more as a PR exercise for Jolin Tsai and the concert sponsors than a charity event (ostentatiously and obscenely so). She was the most insincere artiste, singing only songs from her latest album when she was already meant to be in Singapore for a separate promo tour. My wrath would have no limits had I actually paid to watch. Like c’mon, I do expect familiar songs: It’s a concert after all and I paid concert prices. Whereas Fish Leong is the kind of performer who is never stunning or surprising. Quietly elegant, her strength lies in transforming sheer schmaltz to acceptable sentimentality with minimal kitsch through her soothing vocals. Watching her perform earlier and latest hits, I conclude sadly that she is, even when at her peak, distressingly mediocre, cramped by her signature style. This is especially so when I compare her to 张信哲. While they are both famed for their ballads, 张信哲, just completely swept me away by his pristine singing. I have always known that he is an excellent singer, but goodness, to listen to him live, to hear him emote, what a fantastic treat!!! He totally, totally elevated the material (ie songs) to another level altogether, and I was in love. It was a KTV session participated by the masses as he sang 太想爱你、宽容、过火、从开始到现在 (my personal favourite of all time) and so on. He has the most stage presence and charisma of all four performers that night. Harlem Yu sang too few songs and I’m still trying to figure out why. And I have to say Zpop 2006 concert title reminds me of a porn flick: 熟男劲女 -_-"
Cabaret was surprising good, much, much better than a lot of the other musicals I had put myself insufferably through (Think West Side Story). It actually had a decent plot in the bigger schemata of things while being entertaining at the same time. People who came expecting the romp and risqué sort of things may scream foul. There were still sex, flesh and an unrecognizable Fei Xiang, but they may not suffice for people who had bought tickets for more. But who cares. I like it. Told Beatrice to her face that she had come a long way from her Shopping and Fucking days. And she has! The directing has become more subtle (Shopping and Fucking, her first directing debut, was pretentious and gave out inexplicable smug vibes of “whee, I’m out to shock! See me taking off my pants and jerking off!”. Which was what Chua Enlai did in front of me in 1999) and thus powerful. She’s able to bring out the best of a very able cast. Got her to autograph my program.
Finally, I thank Beautante for asking me to Hard Candy. All guys should watch it. 小心女人。
So ends a remarkable July season.