Mayday Nowhere World Tour 2013
Singapore Indoor Stadium/Last Friday

Every single member of the audience was part of the performance at Mayday’s gig.
Thanks to the specially designed lightsticks which were programmed to sync with the songs, the stadium transformed from one colour to the next in striking unison as fans waved them about fervently.
After rising Taiwanese newcomer Bai An warmed up the crowd with two songs, the Taiwanese band held the near- capacity audience of 8,000 in thrall for three hours.
Mandopop’s biggest group also sold out a second show on Saturday.
Vocalist Ashin promised, though: “We want to use up our energy tonight.”
Their latest tour revolved around the concept of Noah’s Ark, a track found on their end-of-the-world-inspired album, Second Round (2011).
Doomsday is not exactly the most uplifting idea but the band have seized upon it to deliver a message of being in the here and now. Do not wait to live your life is the exhortation on songs such as the title track Second Round.
Dressed in white tops and black pants, Ashin, guitarists Monster and Stone, bassist Masa and drummer Guan You emerged in a cloak of smoke and kicked things off with a string of rousing rockers including DNA.
The tight-knit band could get your pulse racing one minute and then your heart stirring the next on sensitive ballads such as Starry Night.
When they performed You Are Not Really Happy, the lightsticks were all dramatically extinguished before Ashin sang the final line: “Begin to live again.”
The thumping track Jump! The World had fans on their feet dancing and singing along loudly: “I won’t let myself feel wronged one second more.”
The concert’s sense of drama was heightened by the visually arresting video projections. Even the platforms which could be raised and lowered were made of screens so the band members would stand on top of a shifting landscape of images.
And during costume changes and short technical breaks, there was a concert- themed idol drama starring Jerry Yan and Ariel Lin about the end of the world to keep fans entertained.
We also got to see the lighter side of the band as they joked about onstage. Guan came in for some good-natured ribbing and Ashin and gang pretended to forget about him during the thank-yous.
To the amusement of the crowd, Guan also told a joke about doors which hinged on a slightly saucy pun.
The evening ended with the ballad Onion and a cheekily titled new number Sad People Don’t Listen To Fast Songs.
Ashin said at one point that he hoped that their songs would always be around. He also sang on OAOA: “I believe rock ’n’ roll can live forever.”
On a night like this, we could all believe it too.
(ST)