Concert review: 20 years on, Sodagreen still charms with variety show-standard banter

Sodagreen 20th Anniversary Concert Tour – Singapore

Singapore Indoor Stadium
March 8

For an indie band, it does not get more successful than this. Sodagreen filled the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which is no mean feat.

The packed stadium at the Taiwanese group’s 20th anniversary gig was testament to their popularity.

The show on March 8 marked the six-member outfit’s first and only stop in South-east Asia on their current tour, which kicked off in Hong Kong in March 2024. They are slated to travel to cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, London, Berlin and Tokyo.

They previously performed at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2014, during their 10th anniversary, as well as locations including Republic Polytechnic and Max Pavilion @ Expo.

Most recently, Sodagreen took the stage during the One Love Asia Festival Singapore 2022 at the Bayfront Event Space, where they did a 40-minute set under the name Oaeen.

From 2020 to 2022, they performed under the name because of a trademark dispute with their former boss and producer Lin Wei-che. However, Lin relinquished the trademark rights to “Sodagreen” in 2022.

This time, their gig lasted almost 200 minutes, five times as long as their 2022 performance, allowing them to dig much deeper into their discography. One number, Frequency, came from their first album, Sodagreen (2005).

A darling of the Golden Melody Awards, Taiwan’s equivalent of the Grammys, the group made sure their crowning achievements were on show. There was Little Love Song that got vocalist Wu Ching-feng named Best Composer in 2007; Incomparable Beauty, the album that netted them the Best Band accolade in 2008; and Everyone, whose album was lauded Best Mandarin Album in 2016.

But despite these musical victories, the true takeaway from any Sodagreen concert is the easy chemistry and playful repartee among its members, aged 42 to 45, who have remained unchanged since its formation.

During the Singapore show, they seemed to be constantly having fun and taking jabs at one another.

The most talkative and recognisable member was Wu. Among the most talented songwriters in the Mandopop world, he is also known for his sardonic wit and merciless comebacks.

Any opportunity to toss in a wry comment, and you can be sure Wu will run with it.

For example, when another member commented that the audience could stand up and dance, Wu admitted: “We actually don’t have a lot of dance numbers this time. When preparing the set list, we considered how our audience, like us, is now older.”

And when electric guitarist Kay Liu hinted that his good looks might distract Wu and cause him to sing out of tune, Wu retorted: “It is because you go out of tune, so I have to praise your looks.” Savage.

Still, he was capable of poking fun at himself, too. At one point, he shared he was also at the mercy of time, with his weight rising from 45kg in 2014 to 55kg now.

With Wu ever ready with punchlines, the other members did not have to do much to keep the banter lively and of variety-show standard.

Acoustic guitarist Ho Ching-yang said: “It has been 20 years, but it also feels like we are back for the first time.” When he commented about Singapore’s perpetual summer weather, Wu quipped: “But indoors, it is always winter.”

Drummer Shih Chun-wei said he likes the bak kut teh here, which he also enjoyed on this trip. Keyboardist Kung Yu-chi revealed he has always loved the Singapore Flyer, which he once visited, and sees every time he is driven to and from the airport.

Bassist Claire Hsieh summed up the band’s sentiments when she said: “Thanks for walking with us all this while.”

With such entertaining banter along the way, it was an easy ride.