Last year, we met up with the IT Family for dinner before the attending
Mayday's JUMP! 离开地球表面 concert at the Max Pavillion. This year, when Mayday announced that they'd be finally bringing us back down to Earth with their 2008 回到地球表面 concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, we hurriedly booked our tickets on the very first day of launch. Just as we did last year, the four of us arranged to have pre-concert dinner (but made it a point not to over eat to the extent that we might throw up or get stitches when doing all the inevitable jumping during the concert).
The girls were quite kiasu indeed. They made plans to meet up at 5:30pm for dinner (the concert is scheduled to commence at 8pm!) but both families eventually arrived at the Singapore Indoor Stadium before 5:15pm. We found out however that our originally planned dinner spot, Jumbo Seafood Restaurant, wouldn't be opened until 6pm, so we decided to have Jap food across the road at Kallang Leisure Park instead.
At 7:08pm, we were back at the stadium, to soak up the atmosphere and t countdown to the concert commencement. After having this pic taken (with the assistance of a friendly SISTIC staff), we split ways with the IT Family heading for the East Entrance and us entering from the Premier Entrance. The dress code for this year's concert was to be of a B&W theme. So, Irwin...eh, your 'black' T-shirt a bit the faded, hor?
These were the "1-hour-early" crowd, many of them snapping up Mayday T-shorts and collectibles at the souvenior counter. By this time at 7pm, ALL the carpark lots at the SIS carpark had been taken (there were staff that ensured only concert ticket holders could enter the carpark). Those that came later had to be directed to the adjacent car parks.
Once inside the stadium, besides that very huge curtain that concealed the stage area prior to the start of the concert (which we realised later also served as a projection screen for the opening video sequence), the most eye-catching setup would have to be this enormous suspended bridge. When lowered, Mayday would be able to get onto it via the 2 runways and be right in the middle of the stadium, bringing them maximum proximity with their fans!
Idy and Irwin waving at us from their seats near the LHS runway. We snapped this pic from our stage-facing seats at the stadium centre. Hmm....stadium quite empty at 7:41pm.
At this time, they were screening MTVs of songs from Rock Music artistes e.g. 叮当, 品冠, 五月天. This one being screened on the screen here was their new "小太阳" MV. Perhaps it'd take some time for the song to grow on me, but I didn't feel it "connecting" with me the first time I heard this piece leh.
Ah...can see that most of the seats are occupied now, at 8:03pm. Here we were keenly anticipating the concert to begin.
It didn't, until another 20 minutes time, when the lights dimmed at 8:23pm, and a wave of excited screams and shouts flooded the SIS! You see all the blue lights? Besides the B&W dress code for this concert, there was also a "Blue Lightstick Iniative" that was going on. Pretty cool~
Mayday, finally! They started the concert on the high-energy number "抓狂". All 5 of them were dressed fully in smart white suits (no, definitely not like Singapore's other Men In White), with illuminated light beads on their jackets. 怪兽 (Monster) and 石头 (Stone) "轧" it out on their guitars!
It didn't take long for the temperature in the stadium to rise, nor for Monster to remove his jacket, revealing the tattoo "新加坡" on his right bicep. This attracted more screams when a close up of the tattoo was splashed on the gigantic projection screen.
Change of suits - from white to black. Flares did a great job fueling the mood, too!
阿信 (Ashin), now in casuals, went onto the runway, and up close with very elated fans. Try counting the number of raised, flashing cameras...
A very happy Monster, on our side of the runway! The advantage of seating in our cluster was that lots of mobility was possible. Hardly anybody were stuck to their assigned seats. We were all moving left, right, front and back, to wherever the action was.
Stone also came over. I liked this set of costumes best. Very classy. And colorful! Monster was dressed in purple, Stone in green, Ashin in red, Ming in black and Masa in brown. Wah....macam Power Rangers!
Another change of costume, and Ashin came over. He was belting out "终结孤单" literally a few metres away from us. Wow!
The stage setup and lightings were very elaborate. Just fantastic!
Mayday performing the last number of the concert "人生海海".
The 10-second bow. As soon as the lights dimmed, shouts of "encore!" filled the stadium.
Amidst the chants of "五月天，五月天, a short video was screened. Mayday then reappeared on the suspened bridge and belted out "天使" and "知足". In the closure of the final number, Ashin promised the crowd "明年见".
Before they left the stage, Mayday and the support musicians started flinging their towels into the crowd. I wondered if each end of a towel ended in different hands, whether a tug of war would ensue.
Alright. It was an excellent performance. Felt extra special since Singapore was the first stop in this Down To Earth concert tour. Thanks, Mayday for the wonderful concert last night, from which I'd collected the souveniors of a hoarse voice and aching calves. You guys really are 第一名！
See you all next year!
P/S: Also posted a couple of video clips
here. Check them out!
PP/S: Why oh why, didn't they sing "志明与春娇" ??!
