The Eric Moo Singapore Concert 2007
Max Pavilion, Singapore Expo
In his third concert here in five years, Malaysia-born, Singapore-bred singer Eric Moo came up with a nifty way to sum up his performances here.
Speaking to the crowd of about 6,000, the 44-year-old singer said: “I don’t hold a personal concert. Rather, it’s an unspoken pact of meeting every two years and you are the true masters of this concert.”
Indeed, the audience, made up of people in their 30s and older, had grown up listening to Moo since his debut in 1983. Some of the nostalgia-seekers even had their kids in tow.
The straight-talking singer, who is now based in Beijing, added: “Every time I come back to hold a concert, I’m asked if it’s the same as last time. Is there dancing? A moving platform? Fireworks? No, because you are not here to see that. I know you are here for me.”
The crowd responded with cheers and he made good on his promise of delivering “good music, good songs and good memories”.
Dressed in a black suit over a white shirt and sporting a shock of blond hair, he delivered the goods.
His powerful voice could still thrill and he seemed less prone to oversinging now. Age and maturity have taken the place of youthful brashness, and this made hits such as Too Foolish and the Hokkien track, Call My Name, more moving.
He also had an acoustic segment featuring his xinyao (Chinese folk-pop songs) pieces.When his fans sang along, he quipped: “The fact that everyone can sing these songs means that you’re not young either.”
Still, he did a great job in turning back the clock. He was aided by the multi-coloured lighting, so reminiscent of variety shows of the 1980s, and retro stage effects including the use of a bubble machine.
His guest stars were Fang Wen-lin and Chiu Hai-cheng, his 1980s label-mates who sang in the group Fei Ying. The three shared an easy rapport as they reminisced about their salad days.
But the night belonged to Moo. He raised his arm in triumph at the end of the show and made a pact with the audience to see them again in two years, declaring: “It’s a great thing for friends to meet up.”
The crowd couldn’t agree with him more.
(ST)