Veteran acts in concert: Nostalgia-fuelled demand is strong and evergreen

SINGAPORE – Ms Michelle Yong, 61, has seen Frances Yip in concert in Singapore at least four times and is excited to catch the Cantopop star again at the Esplanade Concert Hall on May 25.

In the 1980s, the singer’s melodious voice on many theme songs of Hong Kong dramas, such as The Bund (1980) and The Legend Of Wonder Lady (1981), was an inspiration to Ms Yong. But the then accounts manager was busy working and raising two children during those years and did not have the time to attend concerts.

Now, the Singaporean, who works part-time, tries to catch all of Yip’s shows.

She says: “They are wonderful experiences and give me very sweet memories. I will catch every show because I never know if it might be the final time Yip performs or the last time I am physically well enough to attend a concert.”

Making up for lost time, reminiscing about the past and organising outings among family and old friends are commonly cited reasons why some are fans of live concerts of veteran stars.

Apart from Yip, many – including Taiwan’s Wu Bai, Power Station and Zhao Chuan, as well as Hong Kong’s Alan Tam and William So – have performances scheduled here in the coming months.

A number of Western groups, such as Australian soft-rock duo Air Supply and Danish rock band Michael Learns To Rock, also regularly hold concerts in Singapore, but it is the regional stars who return frequently.

Some acts are so popular that tickets sell out time and again.

For example, Power Station’s Because Of Love concert tour stopped at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in 2022 and 2024, with both shows selling out. Their tour will stop in Singapore a third time at the 6,000-seat Resorts World Ballroom on April 19 and all tickets were snatched up within a week.

In an e-mail, the rock duo, both 56, said they were happy to be able to perform in Singapore so frequently.

Yen Chih-lin, one half of the duo, added: “I am very touched and grateful. Thank you to the fans for their support and willingness to spend money and time to attend our concert.”

The other member, Yu Chiu-hsin, said: “Every concert is a happy and enjoyable time to sing along with everyone in the audience.”

Asked if they ever tire of singing the same songs over and over again, Yu replied: “Our songs have been with our fans for a long time and have accompanied them through different periods. Therefore, if we can sing the songs so that everyone can feel moved and connected, then we won’t get sick of singing them.”

Yen added: “The point is that fans don’t get tired of hearing them.”

Indeed, fans of veteran acts are happy to listen to the same songs again and again.

Singaporean hairstylist Freddy Tay, in his 70s, will be attending So’s concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall on June 22. He does not mind that the star last released a studio album in 2017.

He has caught So’s 2023 show at Resorts World Ballroom, 2022 gig at the Sands Theatre and a 2014 group concert at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, where he snagged a photo of himself with the star.

Mr Tay said: “I can never tire of his song To Love Someone Is Hard (1999). For songs that touched me, I will carry them with me forever. When I heard it in my late 40s, I was in a difficult relationship and the lyrics really spoke to me. It reminds me of how far I have come and to treasure what I have in the present.”

Whenever concerts by veteran acts are announced, he will organise outings with his friends. He has a WhatsApp group with about 10 buddies who love Hong Kong dramas, and they have gone together for gigs in Singapore by Cantopop group Grasshopper as well as singer-actresses Maria Cordero and Nancy Sit.

They will also attend So’s concert as a group, as well as Hong Kong diva Liza Wang’s gig this weekend.

Mr Tay said: “I have known some of these friends for 40 years and a few also take their children to see the concerts. Before the shows, we would eat a meal together and catch up.”

Attending Wu Bai’s Singapore Indoor Stadium gig on April 19 is property agent Gina Yeo, 64, and her daughter Gladys Ho, 30.

After watching the Taiwanese drama series Someday Or One Day (2019), which prominently featured the song Last Dance (1996) by Wu Bai, Ms Ho fell in love with his music and learnt he was from her mother’s “era”.

Ms Ho, an accountant, will be watching Wu Bai in concert for the third time.

She said: “Whenever I hear the first note of Last Dance, I will immediately think of the drama’s scenes and how I felt when watching them. His live performance is also top-notch. He is known as the ‘king’ of live performances, a title he deserves.” 

Whenever Ms Ho tells her friends about Wu Bai though, they usually look puzzled, as they do not know who he is.

“Most people my age are more familiar with Western artistes such as Ed Sheeran and Coldplay. But I do not mind. Listening to Wu Bai’s songs is a bonding activity for me and my mother.”

She said she introduced her mum to songs such as Tear Bridge (2003) and White Dove (1999), covered on Chinese singing programmes in recent years. In return, her mother recommended numbers which were popular when they were released, like Love You Ten Thousand Years (1995) and No. 1 In The World (1997).

Once, they were in the car listening to the radio when a Wu Bai song came on and Ms Yeo, who will be watching her fourth Wu Bai concert, could immediately identify it as Norwegian Forest (1996).

She said: “These songs are from my generation. I was in my mid-30s when they came out and everyone around me then could sing them. During the concerts, everyone will start singing these songs again and it feels great. It is as if we are back in the late 1990s again.”

Many veteran acts have taken the stage here so often that concert promoters have lost count of how many gigs they have done in the Lion City. Yet, they acknowledge that these acts return time and again because there is a market for it.

Mr Kelvin Goh, director of Red Spade Entertainment, which is among the organisers of Tam’s concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on June 14, was confident about the size of the artiste’s fan base here.

He noted that Tam’s last solo concert here in 2016, for example, was well received. The star’s performance as part of the Hong Kong band The Wynners in 2023 also attracted strong attendance, demonstrating that his appeal has not waned.

Mr Goh said: “Alan Tam’s fans keep returning to his concerts because of the deep emotional connection they have with his music. They associate it with their youth, first love and significant life moments, making his concerts a sentimental journey. Numbers such as Love Trap (1985) and Friend (1985) are anthems of past generations.

“Ultimately, fans do not just return for the music. They return for the emotions, memories and the experience of reliving golden moments with an artiste who has been part of their lives for decades.”

A Resorts World Sentosa spokesman said the veteran acts invited to perform at its venues bring with them an enduring appeal that crosses generations.

“Their music evokes a sense of nostalgia and their loyal fan base brings an electrifying energy each time. For example, Power Station’s music resonates deeply with audiences who grew up with their hits, while younger fans continue to discover their music through social media and streaming services.”

Mr Keith Sim, director of show promoter Biz Trends Media, said: “Many veteran acts that come back are very recognisable and representative of their ‘era’. They have strong fan bases that long to hear them multiple times and this passion shows in the ticket sales.”

Over the years, his company has organised performances for many veteran artistes, such as Taiwan’s Fei Yu-ching up to his retirement in 2020, and Taiwanese singer-television presenter Frankie Kao until his death from leukaemia in 2014. Along the way, Mr Sim has encountered many touching stories.

He said Kao chose to perform here in 2013 even when he was very sick, because he felt that performing gave him strength. Fei’s last concert tour was supposed to stop in Singapore only in March 2019, but the crooner returned in October that year because his fans kept asking for an encore show.

Mr Sim, who is in his late 40s, said: “For veteran performers, there is a strong bond between the performer and fans, because they have known one another for so long. The stars know their fans have emotional connections to certain songs, and will always make it a point to perform these hits at every show because they do not want to disappoint fans.”

And among fans, many have found love and friendship through their shared love for certain artistes.

Mr Sim has encountered younger audience members who buy concert tickets to acts they are not fans of, as they want to take their parents to watch the show. Some also attend concerts of stars once appreciated by their late loved ones, as a way to remember the deceased.

He said: “Music has a very powerful ability to stir up emotions and memories. And in many ways, music also brings people together.”

Many in the music industry noted that despite a relative absence of new material, veteran acts remain a powerful force in the local concert scene.

Guo Xian, 51, a DJ from Mandarin radio station 96.3 Hao FM, said: “For some of the veterans, their songs are being shared on social media or covered in singing competitions and variety shows. So, this has boosted their fan base and allowed them to have a second wave of popularity without them actually having to release anything new.”

Fellow station DJ De Ming, 52, added: “For veterans, there is a concern that their voices may not sound the way they used to in their younger days, but I don’t think the fans mind very much. For them, it is the emotional attachment to the artiste and songs which keeps them coming back.”

Mr Ngiam Kwang Hwa, 64, a director at record label Rock Records, said: “Many people pick up music very easily in their teens and 20s. But in the decades after, they are likely busy with their careers and families. Now, they are in their 50s and older, their kids are likely grown up and most would be financially stable and have more money to spend on concerts. It is now time for them to enjoy.”