Best & Worst of 2014 Asian gigs
Best
EASON’S LIFE IN SINGAPORE
Singapore Indoor Stadium, March 1
The best reason to catch Hong Kong singer Eason Chan live is his voice. Wonderfully rich and beautifully emotive, this is a brew to get drunk on when he performs hits such as Under Mount Fuji and Tourbillon. His exuberance on stage suggests that even he himself gets intoxicated as well.
If you need more reasons, how about the playful outfits and the thoughtful staging? The most indelible image of the night was a man defying gravity by walking on the underside of a cloud while Chan was dressed like a beekeeper on his way to a funeral.

STEFANIE SUN 2014 KEPLER WORLD TOUR
Taipei Arena, Feb 15, and National Stadium, July 5
Singapore’s favourite home-grown pop star wife and mother staged a triumphant comeback at the new National Stadium in July. And Stefanie Sun goes down in the history books as the first pop act to perform at the venue. Unfortunately, it was not quite the perfect gig as she lost her voice as a result of the flu. Still, her fans rallied around her and kept spirits high.
Her Taipei concert in February showed what she was capable of when she was in top form. She was relaxed and happy on stage and even pulled off some slinky dance moves. And best of all, her powerful and distinctive pipes rang out strong and clear.

Worst
2014 SPRING WAVE MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL
The Meadow, Gardens by the Bay, June 7
The festival made news overseas when Taiwanese diva A-mei was prohibited from singing her ballad Rainbow as authorities deemed that it was used to promote an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) agenda when she performed it here previously.
Reports said she was perplexed as the lyrics and mood of the track are very gentle.
Crowd control was also messy as the event tried to be both a sit-down concert as well as a do-as-you-please festival. Security personnel could be heard shouting at fans to return to their seats and disgruntled people yelling at others to not block their view.
(ST)