Concert review: Aaron Kwok is Cantopop’s Peter Pan

Hong Kong singer Aaron Kwok donned a figure-hugging reflective outfit during his concert in Singapore on June 4. PHOTO: CATHERINE LOH

Aaron Kwok Amazing Kode World Tour 2023

Resorts World Ballroom
Sunday

It has been eight years since Hong Kong singer Aaron Kwok last performed in Singapore, but it is as if not a day has passed. The songs and moves are mostly the same – and the star is ageless.

On the second evening of his two-night sold-out gigs here, he brought the 6,000-strong audience back in time to the 1990s as if he were Cantopop’s Peter Pan during an almost 2½-hour-long show.

At 57, Kwok is the second-youngest of the Four Heavenly Kings, who saw the height of their fame in the 1990s. The others are Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau, both 61, and Leon Lai, 56.

But when the clean-shaven, seemingly wrinkle-free Kwok rose from a platform beneath the stage to the energetic beats of the opening number The Wild City (1994), it was clear the decades had not marred his energy and drive.

Dressed in a figure-hugging reflective outfit with sunglasses and strawberry blond-coloured hair, he oozed Gen X cool.

The show was part of his Amazing Kode World Tour, which started in Las Vegas in March and will continue to Genting Highlands later this month.

Here are three highlights from his Singapore show.

1. Beautiful ballads

Kwok is not known for his skills as a balladeer. But on Sunday, he showcased several lovelorn songs often neglected in his previous shows. There was When I Found Out That You Are In Love (1995), which expresses the hurt when one’s partner is enamoured with someone else; and Who On Earth Can Tell Me? (1991) that reminisces on good times with a lost love.

Hong Kong Heavenly King Aaron Kwok performed several ballads at his Sunday show, such as When I Found Out That You Are In Love (1995). PHOTO: CATHERINE LOH

On Should I Walk Away Quietly? (1991), he held the microphone with both hands, his elbows bent at a 90-degree angle, and conveyed the tortured anguish of a lover deliberating whether to stay or go.

He turned the ballroom into a giant karaoke hall with the Cantonese number You Are My Everything (1995), waving along to the audience against a backdrop of constellations and flowers, and belting out the high note at the bridge of Listen (1996). These sentimental numbers showed off Kwok’s softer, more personable side, proving he can carry off intense emotions too.

2. Nifty dance moves

Among the Heavenly Kings, Kwok built his reputation as the God of Dance. Although his shows had moved away from the crazy headstands and acrobatic balancing acts of yore, he could still dial up the excitement.

Aaron Kwok oozed Gen X cool during his concert on Sunday. PHOTO: CATHERINE LOH

On Generation Next (1997), his claps, spins and shoulder taps had a military precision in which he executed a powerful high kick, karate-style, mid-song and closed the number with his arms outstretched in a V-shaped victory pose.

Long-time fans would recognise the iconic finger-flip gesture of Loving You Forever (1990) and the hip-thrusts of Valid Date (1994), where he rode the microphone stand as if it were a horse. On Dark Side Temps (1994), he wowed with his marches and salutes and, at one point, was lifted onto the shoulders of his backup dancers in a striking formation.

3. Fun throwback costumes

The former heart-throb was known for his chameleon-like qualities, portraying different personas from boy-next-door to party animal to hunky sex symbol.

Audiences had a taste of that when Kwok entertained with his many sprightly outfits – from a frilly cowboy ensemble during Para Para Sakura (2001) to a sporty pink and white baseball uniform during Fascinating (2000).

Aaron Kwok carried off a sporty pink and white baseball uniform during his performance of the song Fascinating (2000). PHOTO: CATHERINE LOH

His dancing style is said to have been influenced by the late American superstar Michael Jackson, and he leaned into serious Jackson vibes when he donned a mobster get-up complete with a white hat, yellow suit and tie, reminiscent of the King of Pop’s Smooth Criminal days.

It was a colourful and comforting blast from the past.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.