REVIEW / CONCERT

DUET WITH POWER STATION "20" WORLD TOUR IN SINGAPORE

The Star Theatre

Last Saturday

Taiwanese rock duo Power Station are known for their electrifying, fist-pumping rock anthems and big, bold ballads belted out with their hearts on their sleeves.

But at their 20th anniversary sold-out concert, before a 5,000strong crowd, what stood out was a glimpse into the musicians' lives.

The two-hour and 45-minute show at times revealed a softer, more sentimental side to the pair - made up of Yu Chiu-hsin and Yen Chih-lin - which was touching in its own quiet way.

Opening with the fast-paced track Next Station, amid a dazzling blaze of lights and raining confetti, the duo kicked off the show with a bang and kept the energy high with hits such as Spinning and I Can Take Hardships.

Despite messing up some of the lyrics from the number Say It Out, they brushed it off and later jokingly blamed the boo-boo on excitement and nerves.

No matter, if the singers miss the words, the audience will make up for it. At times, the show felt like a massive karaoke session, with fans singing every word to the songs First Tear and Rainbow.

Known for their heavy, intense interpretations of existing songs, they did not disappoint, with covers of Loneliness Terminator, by Taiwanese rock band Mayday, and Green Light, by Singaporean singer Stefanie Sun.

The audience were also treated to new tracks Safe And Sound and Dynamite from their 2016 compilation album Power Station 20th.

One of the show's most touching segments was when the duo spoke about their lives and families in a series of video interviews projected on-screen.

While talking about feelings can be hard for tough men like Yu and Yen, presenting these emotions through videos was an excellent way for fans to look beneath the rugged masculinity they often present.

The videos let fans see the long-haired Yen hold back tears while reading a letter from his wife and recalling how he had to be overseas for work and away from her when she was pregnant.

They also showed Yu recounting an incident from his younger days when he pressured his father to buy him a keyboard even though they had no money and how he always looked back on the episode with guilt and regret.

These stories offered a glimpse into the lives from which the duo probably drew inspiration when writing their hits.

Instead of merely marvelling at their energy and gusto, fans finally got to see the real emotions that power the Power Station.