Alan Tam rocked Genting’s Arena of Stars

A big hit with fans

By SETO KIT YAN
source: the star online
august 26th 2008

Alan Tam thrilled fans with over 40 of his hit songs at the Alan Tam 2008 Concert Live in Malaysia.
Alan Tam rocked Genting’s Arena of Stars, with ecstatic Malaysian fans celebrating his birthday during his concert on Friday night.

It was the first of Tam’s two-day concert at Genting’s Arena of Stars. The veteran entertainer’s birthday was on the following day. Watching him perform for almost four hours, who could believe that he would be turning 58 the following day? The ever youthful man was so full of energy that he was still jumping up and down without missing a beat towards the tail-end of the concert.

Being a founding member and captain of the Hong Kong All-Stars Soccer Team, Tam has successfully kept himself fit by continuing to play soccer four times a week. Tam even said he shed some wieght in preparation for the concert.

Malaysian violinist Joanne Yeoh opened the concert with a violin solo accompanied by music director Richard Yuen on keyboards. Tam began with Cantopop tunes and thrilled fans throughout the night with most of his 80s Cantonese golden hits. Excited fans sang along to smash hits like Yat Sang Joong Jui Ngoi (Most Beloved), Ngoi Joi Sam Chau (Autumn Love) and Pang Yau (Friends).

The singer also delighted fans with classics like Feelings and She’s Always a Woman to Me, 70s English hit songs he used to sing with his Wynners band members when they were playing the clubs some 30 years ago.

He paid tribute to Malaysia’s Independence Day with shouts of Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka and Malaysia Boleh, followed by a rendering of Selamat Hari Jadi (Happy Birthday in Malay) with the audience singing along.
He also sang To Be Number One in conjunction with the Beijing 2008 Olympics, which came to a close on Sunday night.

Tam also rendered Mandarin tunes from his latest album Zui Ai Xiao De Ren (Be Joyous Man): Ai Shi Wei Yi Yao Qiu (Love is the Only Request), Yeh Wan De Cai Hong (Evening Rainbow), Yi Lu Dao Tian Ya (All the Way to the Heavens), Zui Ai Xiao De Ren (The One Who Loves to Laugh).

Following the theme of his latest album, his accompanying band was a fusion of East and West with instruments like violin, keyboard, drums, guitar, bass and classical Chinese stringed instruments like the erhu and pipa as well as woodwind instruments like the xiao and di.

The pyrotechnics-free concert was by far the most environmentally friendly show I’d been to this year. There were no fireworks, colourful confetti or glittery streamers littering the concert venue. The only place where glitter could be found was on Tam’s ever-dazzling outfits. The singer made about a dozen costume changes, several of them on stage.
The CG-savvy entertainer made clever use of the half a dozen LCD screen panels in the background, easily evoking twinkly starlight, flaming hot fires, swirling red wine, vast green fields and even the Olympics sports logos.

At the stroke of midnight, fans sang Happy Birthday and showered him with gifts.
Tam performed about 40 songs in the almost four-hour long concert. Amazingly, he did it all without a guest performer.

Outside the stadium, his new albums and hit compilations made brisk sales. Like the “forever 25-year-old singer” said, he’s not ready to retire yet because there are still lots of fans who cannot help but join him in song.

Alan Tam 2008 Concert Live in Malaysia was organised by Star Planet.