Here's the chat conversation I had with Kate, from comGateway's help desk.
I just find that she was just so overly formal with every word she used, I suspected she was probably a chat bot, or someone who just reads and clicks on template response sentences. What do you think?
Kate: Hello, welcome to comGateway's help desk. How may I assist you?
Me: Hi, I would like to purchase the following item from Amazon.com: Olympus 202172 PT-043 Stylus 1030SW Underwater Housing However, I am unable to proceed because it is slightly over the USD 195 limit. Would it be possible to put USD 195 for the price first and then have the actual amount charged to my account through you? Please advise if this is possible, thanks.
Kate: Kindly be informed that this is not possible.
Me: btw, which courier service do you use for the delivery?
Kate: May I ask you that you are referring to merchant to US office?
Me: No, I am asking about the delivery from US to Singapore. Sorry I didn't make it clearer.
Kate: We regret to inform you that we are unable to advise
Me: Thanks for replying, though I can't say your answers have been helpful.
Kate: I apologize for this
Kate: May I know whether you require further assistance?
Me: Nope.
Kate: You are most welcome. We wish you a pleasant day and thank you for using comGateway. Goodbye.
So that was a few days ago. The good news: Just an hour earlier I received a phone call from comGateway regarding my spree box and the USD 195 limit problem. And they were able to work around the limit problem. Yay!
And this marks my first online shopping transaction. I think "gratifying" is an apt word to describe it. :)
It's amazing how someone half a century old remains so relevant in this day. I quote a friend: "She seems to get better with age." Even more amazingly, what he said over ten years ago stays true even today. No, I am not talking about wine here. It's Madonna, and she's looking better than ever on here new album cover.
Unfortunately, the iconic artist herself did not grace the event to launch her new album, Hard Candy held at Zouk. Oh well, it would be a miserable party by her cultural icon stature to attend anyway.
But still, credits to Zouk for throwing the party with all the bell and whistles paying tribute to Madonna and her new album. Snippets of Madonna trivia adorned the walls all over as I entered the main area. Models distributed various candy treats and over-sized lollipops with sticker of her latest album cover. The whole setting was awfully fun, in a cheesy kind of way.
The music for the night was all Madonna's music new and old. All were great, just that you probably couldn't tell which one came from the new album that the event was supposed to promote. In between songs, the large screen aired excerpts of interviews with Madonna sharing about her music.
At the central dance floor, a boxing ring was erected for the main event of the party, Muay Thai. According to the host of the night, MTV VJ Taya, Madonna keeps in shape with this rigorous sport. Her well-toned arms are definitely testaments of the tough training associated with this martial art.
MTV VJ Taya
Anyway, there would be two matches for that night between 4 ladies. I was darn suspicious that the matches would probably be intentionally staged a-la WWE. I mean, Girl-versus-Girl Muay Thai reeks of more of cat-fight than the esteemed sport. It didn't help that Taya added that the fights would be given a "fun" twist.
The first fighter was introduced to the audience when her prancing around with a fencing sabre, clumsily poking an imaginary target. Then it got worse with the second fighter appearing in the ring looking like a geisha. Oh yah, both of them had video clips aired before their appearances exaggerating how bad-ass they are in the ring and how they kick serious butt with less than a total 18 months' of training between them. Riiight...
So the fight went underway both fighters went head on and unleashed endless flurry of merciless punches and kicks against each other that would make bouncers look like wimps. Each blow emitted shockwaves that could be felt by the audience. No, wait, I was kidding. Actually, they pranced around each other and daintily kitty-scratched, er, I mean punched each other, and occasionally delivering surprise but off target tickles, er I mean, kicks.
As the rounds came to an end, rather buff topless guys stepped on to stage with a placard to signal the next round, just like real boxing matches except with the roles reversed. They definitely earned plenty of wolf-whistles from the crowds.
Then something interesting happened, one of the fighters adopted a awesome strategy of attacking the opponent's fists with her face! It was so effective that her adversary relented with apprehension when blood trickled from her nose! The crowds approved with louder cheers in sadistic ecstasy to drum up the aggression in the fighters. Screams of approval for more blood were everywhere. "More! More! More!" they cheered.
When the match was over, the referee announced both fighters as winners. "Kelong!" the crowds booed and jeered in good fun. Obviously, the results was staged. But there would be a prize for the favourite fighter that would be decided by the audiences' cheers, the fighter with the louder support walks away with a brand new Samsung MP3 player.
Next up would probably be one of the most embarrassing moments ever. Taya introduced a British lady kick boxer who has won 7 consecutive British Championships and a European Championship. She was invited to Singapore for the event, but there wasn't anyone locally who would step into the ring with her. A challenge was then issued to the audience for anyone, male or female, who would spar with her. As you might have guessed, nobody took up the challenge, and the 7-time British Champion and European Champion was all alone doing her kick boxing display thing in the ring until her time was up and left.
The crowd was expecting a more exciting second match following the blood from the first match and the display by the British champion. Their cheers significantly louder as the fighters of the second match arrived on stage.
Unfortunately, the fight turned out to be a less eventful one, with one fighter carelessly tripping over her opponents foot in the first round. The fighters were considerably less aggressive compared to those in the first match and it definitely look a lot more like an actual cat-fight with plenty of rather comical kitty-punches. But everyone there was still well-entertained by the fight. The presence of ample alcohol definitely helped to keep everyone happy.
Predictably, both fighters were announced as winners but they got into a tie with both garnering equally strong support from the crowd. The host eventually awarded both fighters with an MP3 player each.
Oh, and if you didn't notice, the best thing to happen for this whole event was that I still have no idea how Madonna's new album sounds like. So now I probably have to buy, beg, borrow or steal to satisfy my curiosity.
After a scorching weekend of confined dive practice, we are finally at Pulau Dayang for our actual dives.
But before that, we had the causeway jam to contend with. Then a 2 or 3-hour ride to Mersing to board a 4-hour boat ride to the destination. We arrived at the island well before dawn on 1 May and consequently knocked out in our room.
By the time I got up, the beach kitchen was almost done with the breakfast. So went about the area for some photos. The water was inviting and I stepped in. Clear to the bottom where the seabed was teeming with life.
Once the rest got up, we proceeded to the breakfast buffet waiting for us. I was pretty impressed. They had plenty of good stuff for breakfast, not to mention the charcoal grill for making the perfect toast.
Once we were done with breakfast, it was a pre-dive brief conducted my Desmond, one of the dive instructors from Scuba-Oasis.
We would be tested on a set of fundamental diving skills that would ensure our safety while having good fun underwater.
Amidst the glossy and fickle Chinese music industry, a few truly talented and well-marketed artists stand out, one of them is David Tao. His well-known signature R & B tunes have come to be the genre in the Mandopop industry. Well, he is also one my favourite singers, so called me biased if you want. :)
The Capacity Crowd
Towards show time, the capacity crowd streamed into the venue almost like those time lapse videos. Like all concerts outside Esplanade, this concert didn't start punctually. But the waiting definitely helped to build up the anticipation. As soon as the light dimmed to signal the start of the concert, the crowds were already all well warmed up and cheering for David Tao to appear.
The overture started with chants of "1, 2, 3" in Mandarin and then in various languages which pleasantly amused the audience. Then David Tao rose from below the stage to appear before the excited audience.
David with the quintessential guitar
Within the first 3 up tempo songs, he had already had the extremely responsive crowd standing and waving their arms to the rhythm of the music.
After the fourth song, David took time to interact with the audience. Momentarily, it seemed rather awkward that he conversed predominantly in English for a concert consisting of Mandarin songs. It was later that I realised that there would be a number of band members as well as audiences that only understood English or not as familiar with Mandarin.
One of the main visual surprises at this concert has got to be the use of laser lights for the heavier up-tempo numbers. The first time it came on for the song "鬼", plenty of oohs, aahs and howls complimented the stunning effects. It was clear that plenty of effort and heart was put in for this concert.
It seems that there has been a trend of Easternisation in Mandarin pop. First there was Jay Chou's "千里之外", soon there would one from Jeff Chang's new album. Under David's belt would be "Susan 说". This live version was preluded with a pipa recital accompanied by a modernised opera dance, giving it a very strong Chinese flavour.
Before his next song, "爱我还是他", David took time to introduce one of the many local talents in his crew. On the keyboards was Goh Kheng Loong, the music director whom he has worked with for 8 years. More amazingly, there had never been any arguments between them, something he attributed to God. That got a rather muted applause from the audience. If you didn't know, David Tao is very upfront about his Christian faith and is unapologetic about sharing it with the audience at his concert.
Next was the jazzed up version of Teresa Teng's "月亮代表我的心" which I felt was a little over-sang. He then followed up with "10:30的飞机场". For "今天要回家" "今天没回家", David got the audience to sing-along for the easier parts of the song. But when he challenged them to sing the following faster stanza, the audience stumbled. Nonetheless, the crowd enjoyed every moment of it.
"小镇姑娘" was definitely one of the more refreshingly rearranged songs. Originally a very light, country and folk sounding number, this live version was heavier and really rocked the house and had the audience on their feet and arms in the air.
A significantly slower "寂寞的季节" was then performed to lead up to his unplugged number, "普通朋友" which he shared the stage with his guitarist on tour, Jamie Wilson who surprised the audience when he replied to David's questions in Mandarin. This would be just one of the numerous occasions in the concert where he showcases his band of talented musicians.
One of the things that set David Tao apart is how he uses his music for positive change in the world. The next song "Dear God" was one he wrote in response to the tragedies that had happened around the world in recent times as a cry out for change. It had a video prelude with the accompanying crew introducing themselves, their role in the band, their different nationalities and racial diversity. Then they introduced themselves in common as human to drive the point that the fighting that is happening around the world needs to stop and that we should recognise that our most effective weapon is love instead.
"今天你要嫁给我" is a duet which he wrote and sang with Jolin Tsai. Of course Jolin wasn't around. So Singapore's very own Tay Kewei sang her part as David flirted with her on stage as always in every of his concert. It is a pity her talent is not as recognised locally, judging from the somewhat awkward audience response when David referred her as the pride of Singapore. But hey, it's just a few more songs before her debut album rocks our air waves, but if you are curious, visit her blog for her demo tracks and support local talent!
Producing a concert is always a team effort, so David took ample time after the song to introduce everyone that made this concert possible, on and off stage. Notably, there were many musicians that hail from Singapore and Malaysia. I was darn impressed that every musician on stage could sing and play at least one instrument! A special mention for Alisa Elisa, the multi-talented Taiwanese back up vocal who can also play the flute, trombone and violin. Not to mention that she quite gorgeous as well.
David then shared a little secret - he is a closet dancer, but a bad one at it. That's why he remains a closet dancer. But still he wanted the audience to have some fun, he included a dance medley so that everyone can get on their feet to shake it up little. Interestingly, during the dance medley, David took the role of the back up vocals for John Tan David Tan (back up vocals and guitar) to take centre stage.
Halfway through "就是爱你", David decided to get off the stage and get cozy with the audience. The ladies screamed with delight as they flooded towards the barrier for a hug, handshake or even just a touch of their idol. The fans loved it tremendously. Due to the local concert regulations, he could only access a limited area of the crowd. Returning to stage at the end of the song, David even thanked the security for their hard work in making that up-close and personal experience possible and safe for everyone.
The lady in red gets her tickets' worth with a full embrace
Near the end of the concert he shared that he was considering a move to Singapore, because it was one of the few places where there is racial and religious tolerance. On a lighter note, he said that said that contrary to what people said, Singapore is actually a fun place, with the latest attraction being the Singapore Flyer, which is really slow and expensive.
For those who remembered his comments on desperately anxiously seeking a life partner at his press conference, David picked out a lady in the audience to serenade with the song "沙滩", on stage. Darn lucky girl. Hmm... Isn't he awfully transparent laying out plans to get a Singapore PR, don't you think? I could almost hear some of the audience chanting, "PR! PR! PR!" Or maybe David's already aiming for Singapore citizenship?
For the last song of the night, David sang his break out hit, "爱很简单". With it he thanked the audience, the crew and especially God, sharing his testimony of miracle healing of tonsillitis on the morning of the concert. Yup, that too got a rather awkward reaction from the audience. But that didn't affect the concert experience one bit. It was undoubtedly a great concert that would be remembered for a long time.
I am finally off to get my PADI Open Water Diver and Adventure Diver Certifications this holiday weekend. Hurray!
However, I am foreseeing a more prominent bald patch after this trip. Thanks to all the wonderful sun, sand and sea. Sigh... Premature balding. I am getting old before my time.
Took a long walk from Tanjong Pagar to Outram Park to look for possible places for an outdoor shoot. Places covered: Ann Siang Hill, Neil Road, Keong Saik Street
Update: ended up doing the shoot indoors only because there wasn't enough time for the outdoor shoot. Oh well, it was a good walk and good exercise.
Some time back I joined some newfound Thai friends to visit the zoo. And this little fellow was immensely curious of my camera and started scrutinizing it.
Also, have a look at this picture if you want to know why the term "hung like a horse" came about.
A glimpse of how rich Indians celebrate their 21st birthday - by holding a banquet along with plenty of song and dance and fashion show.
A few of the photographers I met there were rather pissed that we got duped into this fashion show where the runway wasn't even elevated, and the lighting miserable. I figured that the coordinator must have "made use" of our equipment to provide an additional gloss to the "fashion show".
Still it was nice that the models played along for us to take a few shots.
Note:I am not the official photographer for this wedding.
Congratulations to Haji Sulaiman and Wartinah!
Malay weddings are really nice, fun and warm because of the location and setting, usually a HDB void deck that is elaborately decorated and sometimes lasts for a few days to cater to literally the whole kampung or nearly the whole neighbourhood. Yup, it is a community event with a very unique kampung-spirit.
The life of these parties are almost always the parents and relatives that congregate at these momentous occasions to shower their blessings on the couple. Their expressions are of pride and joy and absolutely infectious.
Negotiations
Alright, get in and have a look at more pictures from the event!
Note:I am not the official photographer for this wedding.
KAPOW! Every one of us who attended were as pleasantly bewildered as you are!
Kevin and Shan Shan held the wackiest wedding ever, first with some mad antics at their Tea Ceremony, then their singing during their first march in, live band performances, magic show, juggling. The best part had to be them breaking into a dance to Doncha wish your girlfriend was hot like me during their second march in.
They said it best, "We can't take gorgeous wedding photos, so we might as well be totally wacky, lor!"
So anybody else want to have a wacky wedding? Let me know! I want to cover! I might even consider doing it for free!
(Ok, this shot was photoshopped to death, but you get the idea...)
Some time back I visited this quaint little restaurant (less than 10 tables inside and 4 outside) in Bussorah Street which is within the Arab Street network for a friend's birthday dinner. The food was pretty decent and I liked the fact that the owners took effort to ask for the group's (10 of us) food order in advance so that they can handle the orders, as well as providing a non-public menu for our selection. Not too sure if this menu is now printed, so when you do go, ask the staff about it.
The food was served rather quickly thanks to good planning by the restaurant even for such a small group. These are what I managed to try.
Grilled Vegetables & Hummus Platter - $5
A very interesting starter. Deceptively simple in preparation. All the vegetables used were grilled just right for that soft mashable texture. Though some of the vegetables were quite badly charred, like the onion on the 9 o'clock position. But still worth the mention was its surprising sweetness and the absence of spiciness. The hummus in the middle was great with the default basket of bread. A colourful, cheerful, healthy appetiser. I do wish that the portion would be larger. But at $5, maybe I will order 2.
Water Melon, Feta Cheese & Rocket Salad - $5
I almost forgotten about photographing this! Nevertheless, I must say is is a wonderful salad that cleverly combined watermelon with feta cheese. The strong taste of the former was nicely complimented by the refreshing crunch and sweetness of the latter. Both together made the salad eating extra enjoyable and fun. Clearly another happy and comforting dish.
What's this thing about braised lamb shank that every restaurant seems to be serving? Not that I am complaining, though. Anyway, the one here tasted pretty much like every other decent braised lamb shank with exception to the wine sauce which tasted sharper and might take a little getting used to. The fibres of meat could have been more tender and moist, but if the texture is your thing, it was done just right. I do wish the lamb shank had a little bit more of the tendons though.
Salmon papilote (oven baked in paper), vegetables, capers - $18
The salmon was nice, moist and flaky thanks to the way it was prepared. Unfortunately, zesty sauce used was not necessarily the best thing to go along with it, in my opinion. The saltiness from the pickled capers masked taste the fish by a bit too.
As for ambience, I like it for being small, quiet and personal. Perhaps the name, B Bakery also wanted to suggest its humility.
Lastly, the recommendation is to make reservations and order in advance as their inventory for dinner is quite limited. Also note that they are open for dinner from Thursdays to Saturdays, 6pm - 10pm only.
Thanks to the good folks at HGW, the girlfriend and I managed to give Absolute Haven a try. I was expecting something refreshing, cheerful and something close to "fireworks-on-the-palate" after so many positive reviews.
The menu of the day was a revamped one, so in a way we were all guinea pigs sent into an experiment. Which is actually more fun actually, as there would not be any references. Best of all, we get to dine at a fraction of the usual price. (Yes, I am plugging for the next HGW outing, check this forum thread)
Anyway, on with the food review and photos.
Soup - Cream of Rocket
We started off with cream of rocket which was quite nicely done. The soup was not overly smooth so that bits of its potato base (my assumption) could be felt. It is a nice thoughtful touch to have added that dimension in the texture. For me, perhaps lacking was a tinge of the rocket's bitterness to authenticate the dish itself. Maybe a bit of minced or chopped rocket might have added a little character to the soup?
Starter - I tried Panchetta Ham & Smoked Salmon Roll
I like the combination of the smoky panchetta ham and salmon with the greens wrapped in them. The textures of the meat and leafy greens stood out for themselves with every bite and distinctive flavours complimented each other really well. The smoky meats provided the punch while the greens cleared the palate for the next piece. My only grouse is the saltiness from the ham, but I am sure it can be easily neutralised with more of the salad greens.
Starter - The Girlfriend tried Duck Breast Salad with Berry Sauce
I liked the sweet and tangy taste, but foresee it may be too overpowering as one progresses to consume more of this salad. This is perhaps catered to those with a sweet tooth.
Main Course - I tried the Pan-seared Seabass with Poached Egg, Miso Braised Daikon and Olive Pilaf Rice, served with Lemon Cream Sauce
High scores on the presentation, but average in taste. The fish wasn't exactly fresh and was over-cooked with edges totally burnt and bitter. Rest of the fish was tough and dry by my standards. Taste-wise, the fish was very plain with the minuscule amount of lemon cream sauce. Overall, it felt like the dish was conjured by a randomised process where you pick cards for every accompanying item and a poor excuse for a fusion dish. Every item did nothing to each other or for each other in terms of taste.
Main Course - The Girlfriend tried the Oven-Roasted Yorkshire Pork Rack with Herb Potato, Vegetables Ratatouille, Fresh Mesclum Salad, served with Coffee Chocolate Sauce
The pork rack was nicely done with a tinge of pink in the centre and tender to the bite. The marinate was done just right to allow the freshness of the pork to be tasted. However, the coffee chocolate sauce with meat combination reminded me too much about the coffee ribs available from the tze char stalls. The girlfriend mentioned that the pork could have been better used, i.e. prepared in better ways. The ratatouille seemed out of place because of its "heavy" flavour was more of a clash with the pork and it just felt additionally pretentious thanks to the movie. The use of fresh cut fruits like lychees, longans, dragonfruits, pears would have provided a refreshing edge and balance to the dish.
Dessert - I tried Victorian Creme Brulee
I liken this to the Hong Kong steamed egg pudding, but mushier. Well done for that important crusty top layer of caramelised sugar. Unfortunately it tasted pretty plain for a place where I expected more of. No exciting layers of surprised or infused floral scents. Or perhaps that was what the "Victorian" stood for - old, traditional and outdated.
Dessert - The Girlfriend tried Passionfruit Panna Cotta
Here at Absolute Haven, Panna Cotta has a texture of curdled cheese and plenty of zesty punch from passionfruit, orange peel and berries. I can't be sure if I like this dessert as it didn't taste bad, but neither did it taste fantastic.
Overall, the food just didn't wow me as I had expected more thoughtful, cleverer, refreshing combinations in ingredients.
Service
The staff was friendly but rather slow with service and response and lacking in initiative. However the worst part has to be their failure to prioritise. The girlfriend and I had to run off for another appointment, so we asked for the food to be served slightly faster. Our expectation was only to be served with the first batch of the dish we ordered, but they weren't even able to do that. Worst, for a group of over 20 people, they failed badly at coordinating for the food to be served together, making patrons without their food stare blankly at those who do. Some had even finished their food before their partner's had arrived. That is totally unacceptable.
I like indie (independent) music. It is always effortlessly refreshing. Here is a genre where there are no rules and no restrictions, just the love of making music. Other descriptive terms include experimental, unconventional, quirky, fun, original. Well, you get the idea.
But with major record companies hogging the frequencies, it is rare that we hear music from indie artists, unless they were signed and groomed for stardom by the record labels. Which is why it is great that Heineken Green Room have started bringing in refreshing indie gigs to their parties. This time, Heineken Green Room literally flew The Rakes over from half-way across the globe for a one-night-only gig at Zouk.
The signature green ambience of Heineken Green Room
I arrived at about 10.30pm and was quite relieved that the gig hadn't started. So when was it going to start? Then a assistant stepped on to the stage numerous times to fiddle with the instruments and stretching the audiences' patience.
The band finally appeared from the back of the stage just before midnight, delighting eager party-goers and probably appeasing disgruntled ones. The band quickly got the crowd psyched up with plenty of their energetic and quirky original music.
Known for being well-dressed, they seem somewhat more casual at this gig in comparison. Must have been the the weather. Nonetheless, the group rocked hard for the audience in their signature geeky, unfazed in the chaos style, much like the title of their song, The World Was A Mess But His Hair Was Perfect.
The first few songs had the lead vocal, Alan furiously signalling to the sound controls to tweak the volumes of the various instruments and vocals. Once that was finally fixed, he proceeded with his infectious signature quirky dance moves while singing that got the crowds rocking.
It was obvious that everybody on stage and off were enjoying themselves. The crowd seemed to have forgotten how long they had waited for them. Perhaps it is a similar attitude of patience that we should adopt for indie music as we trawl through the internet to find our own favourite brand of tunes.
Back on stage the guitarist played so hard his top ripped at the back! Ventilation is definitely helpful in our tropical climates.
And between songs, there would be the endorsement actions by members of the band. I am definitely going to show my appreciation to Heineken Green Room in the same way!
I have to say that I am really impressed by the Lasse's relentless energy on drums in particular. Being positioned right at the back of stage never obscured the intensity of his craft. In his frenzied performance, he exuded his own kind of charisma on stage.
Drumming - a great work out
And just as everyone was high with all the great music, The Rakes left the stage. It took a long time of cheering from the floor before they returned to stage for an encore performance much to the appreciative crowd's delight.
The Rakes would then stay on to spin for Zouk for the night, but many who attended have proceeded towards the exit, including myself. And by the time I got out, my ears were ringing, but I was humming the their infectious and catchy tunes.
Jeff Chang possesses one of the most distinctive and unmistakable voices in the Chinese music industry that can achieve keys few would venture to. His pristine vocals delivered those familiar gentle soothing ballads that he has come to be known for. Attending this concert was likened to artistic appreciation and tasting of fine wine.
It has been a while since Jeff Chang performed in Singapore. Like many veterans in the music industry, Jeff has also somewhat slowed his pace of producing records, choosing to take time to produce quality albums and going on world tours. On top of that, his record company had also chosen to reduce promotional efforts in Singapore. While his albums are still available here, local fans got to see less of their idol. But like all good things worth waiting for, appreciative fans of Jeff Chang filled the Max Pavilion to the brim.
As it approached show time, crowd warm-up came in the form of die-hard Jeff Chang fans with their blinding props. At the same time, I spotted some familiar faces...
Say, isn't that a mini-star?
Unlike his previous concerts, this one was drastically different. Jeff was accompanied by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Orchestra to provide an element of classical grandeur as well as additional dimensions in the music. The concert started with the orchestra performing an overture of Jeff's signature songs.
At the same time, the giant frames at the back ran a slideshow, showcasing art works by masters from various eras. Suffice to say the stage and lighting design was quite spectacular that it looked convincingly lush and Victorian, yet modern.
His entrance on to the stage was surprisingly low key in relation to the whole set up on stage, but it was very much congruent with his refined mannerism. Jeff proceeded to deliver 3 of his most well-known hits, 宽容 (Tolerance), 信仰 (Belief), 不要对他说 (Don't Tell Him) to warm up the crowd. His costume was elaborate with plenty of glitter and lush detail. Personally, his new hair style which some had described as a pile of instant noodles, took a bit of getting used to. Of course, the fans loved it no matter what, instantly noodles or not, and screamed, "阿哲! 你好帅!" (Jeff, you are sooo suave!)
Taking a break from the singing, Jeff explained the art works that would be displayed during his performance and the connection between the style of art works and his set of songs.
With another song, he exited the stage. The orchestra then performed a classical piece while Jeff did his costume change. I thought it was a pretty clever arrangement that added to this music connoisseur atmosphere. However, unlike an actual classical performance, the audience used this musical interlude as a time for chit chat, thereby probably ruining the whole intention of classical music appreciation.
Jeff then returns to stage to deliver more songs, some that I was not too familiar with. It somehow got a little difficult to feel connected with the songs and the lyrics. The orchestra also sounded like it was competing with Jeff's vocals and the problem seemed to be made worse probably because the acoustics set up at Expo wasn't exactly suitable for an orchestra. The audiences' reaction also seemed restrained. For me, I was a little disappointed. I looked through the song list provided for the media to look for familiar songs in a bid to do a litmus test of sorts upon myself, to find something that can redeem the concert, to see if it was just me less familiar with the songs or if the performance really lacked the emotional connection. And the next song was one I was familiar with...
I knew I needed to be biased towards the performance and even hummed along, but it still didn't seem right. Technically, the song was delivered flawlessly, but the emotional ride was monotonous and it didn't feel satisfying. It wasn't the gut wrenching melancholic feel that I remember which girls would swoon at.
Then came a pleasant surprise came in the form of a new song in his upcoming album to be released in April. The song was introduced by a Chinese opera hua dan who performed a graceful solo as Jeff looked on and later joined in. After Jeff's first part was sung, it was followed by a Chinese opera xiao sheng's operatic singing. The collaboration has undoubtedly visually and aurally refreshing and perhaps a one-up against Jay Chou!
The element of audience engagement was sorely missed in this concert. Perhaps it was Jeff's reserved nature as well as the classical music interludes and the fine art display that restrained the audiences' emotions and reactions. There was probably also a little too much explanation about the slide show displaying the art works which served more as a distraction between the audience and the star of the show.
In the following segment which was complimented by impressionism paintings, a few of his songs were rearranged and given an up-tempo twist in line with the idea of impressionism. They were as refreshing as they were a little awkward, especially when he swayed clumsily to the upbeat renditions.
It seemed that it was only in the final segment of the concert did Jeff finally get comfortable enough to interact with the audience, making suggestions that he would be dispensing relationship advice through his songs. It was a much needed break from the emotionally monotonous concert thanks to the consistent melancholic melodies and lyrics. Even he was joking that the audience might have been falling asleep listening to all the slower songs. Finally to end the concert, Jeff sang his break out hit, 爱如潮水, which had the audience screaming in approval and singing along. Jeff jokingly lamented that they should have been in this state earlier and not towards the end of the concert.
Of course, concert going in Singapore is never a complete experience if there wasn't the demand for an encore. With the audience starting to rush forward and the intensity of the applause building up, Jeff gamely returned to the stage to show his appreciation for the audience and joked that since he's already back on stage, might as well carry on singing. So he belted out a medley of his songs to officially end his concert.
Perhaps there was also a good side for the shortcomings I experienced. I'm sure it made the fans want more.
Link: 
