Concert frenzy is on the rise. In Singapore, the Taylor Swift concert tickets were sold out on release dates — and that’s not just one but her entire concert series.
Perhaps, it’s the pent-up demand after a few years of COVID-19. Or what some have dubbed as FOMO (fear of missing out). And concert prices are not cheap either. In fact, they are really expensive. Yet, people are prepared to pay big bucks to watch their favourites stars.
OK, OK, I admit. I was one of them. I was thrilled to be able to catch my favourites in action — even doing the unimaginable (for me at least) of flying to another country to attend a concert.
Since last August, I’ve attended three Mandopop concerts — Hebe Tien in Taipei and Mayday and Fish Leong in Singapore. Three concerts in three different venues. And each experience was different.
Arrival experience: We arrived early for all three concerts simply because all were sold out. Early birds were either waiting for the door to open or buying merchandise. At all three concerts, the doors opened just a little after the stated times, which was fine.
Navigating the venues: The concerts were held in large stadia. Hebe’s was in Taipei Arena, MayDay at National Stadium, and Fish’s at Singapore Indoor Stadium. We had to go through security, had our tickets checked and walked to our seats. While we had among the most expensive seats for each concent, we had to go up and down stairs to reach our seats in Singapore. Taipei Arena was easier to navigate as the entrance was at ground level. Plus, it had set up backdrops alond the walkway for photo opportunties — that’s one up over the other two concerts.
Casual dress code: Swifties are known to attend in cocktail or well-sequinned dresses. But for the concerts we attended, we went in T-shirts/polo shirts and jeans/bermudas, which were what the majority of attendees wore.
Premium but not necessarily most comfortable seats: We splurged on premium seats to enjoy a better experience and for a closer feel. Taipei Arena’s seats were slightly better and more comfortable than the Singapore venues. In Singapore, the seats for the Mayday concert at National Stadium were cable-tied to one another. Even an average-sized person will brush against the next person. At National Stadium, the less expensive seats are the fixed seats, which offer more elbow and leg room. It almost made us envy the comfort of those seated above us.
Wave the light sticks: Light sticks have become part of the concert paraphenalia. And for most concerts, they come bundled with the tickets. That’s not the case with the Mayday concert, which charged an additional S$40 for a light stick (below).
Crowd behaviour: The Mayday concert stood out in — to me — a most disruptive way. When the band come on stage, those seated in front of us stood up. The guy next to me asked his partner, “Huh? Does this mean that we have to stand throughout the concert?” While I can understand that it’s part of the concert experience, it negated the value of the seat and as I could see only their backs when seated down (below), and even the screen was blocked by their constant photo and video taking. The worst was that they stood for most of the concert. In the end, I stood up from time to time or risked missing out of the concert. Thankfully, the audience at the other two concerts were more considerate.
Audience engagement: The singers were truly superstars. They engaged well with the audience. All had segments where they got the audience to sing to their signature hits. Hebe and Fish spent time in telling their stories while the Mayday guys chatted with the audience. These attempts to connect brought the concert experience to another level. I must say that the best concert I’ve attended in terms of engagement was by The Osmonds during their 50th anniversary concert in 2008.
Overall experience: I thoroughly enjoyed all three concerts. Each was different yet each left a lasting impression on me. A good lasting impression.
Concert tips
- Go early. Make it a day to enjoy. Being early lets you soak in the concert atmosphere, take photos and mingle with fellow concert goers. Also, it lets you get a bite and buy the merchandise before they’re sold out.
- Dress appropriately: It’s fine to dress up but do bear in mind the weather and whether the venue is air-conditioned.
- Buy tickets according to preference, not price: Paying top prices does not equate to best views, seat comfort and experiences.
- Get the light stick: Even if it doesn’t come free with the ticket, it’s worth paying for it to enjoy a better concert experience.
- Go for it: If your pocket allows and time permits, attend the concert because you never know whether you’ll get another opportunity to catch that artiste again.
It’s not a case of FOMO but attending a live concert is a truly enjoyable experience (blockers notwithstanding). I thank God for the opportunity to catch three over the past eight months. Looking forward to more in the days ahead.
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