MENTION the word Cantotainment (Cantonese music and film), and the name Andy Lau Tak Wah should come to mind. Lau is one of Asia’s biggest and most recognisable entertainers, active in showbiz since 1981. He has starred in 172 films and 28 television series and has won more than 300 music and film awards.
One of Hong Kong’s hardest working singer-actors, the 58-year-old legend of screen and song perfectly fits the title King of Cantotainment today. He proved to some 14,000 Malaysian fans in the packed Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Sept 13 that he was just that, in his non-stop, 150-minute concert titled My Love Andy Lau World Tour 2019.
Lau, who has been singing and acting since the 1980s and has 62 studio albums to his credit, performed 22 songs in the power-packed concert, which also marked his return to the Malaysian stage after 14 years.
Never one to let fans down, the Hong Kong superstar made sure they had a feast for their ears and eyes. A never-before-seen performer flying system and the largest projection-mapping sky screen for indoor concerts made their debut here in Lau’s show, which started at 8.30pm that September evening. It ran for three days.
These stage gimmicks took months of meticulous planning, as did the installation of over 60 sets of lifting points for the giant sky screen. In addition, 20 laser projectors were used to construct 360-degree interactive projection effects, and the 50-metre sky screen became the sky and earth, presenting audiences with a dazzling visual feast.
Throughout the concert, Lau not only showcased his rich baritone voice; the extravaganza took fans, especially those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, down memory lane. And even though he admitted to being “59 going on 60”, it was evident that he was as fit as a fiddle looking as if he had not aged at all. Lau’s passion for singing has not waned, he put his heart and soul into every note.
Twenty-six dancers filled the stage, and donned various costumes, ranging from Mad Max-style dystopianism to burlesque, traditional Chinese and 1980s retro pop.
“I love Malaysia, since it’s my second home, and it’s always great to sing in Kuala Lumpur, for here are some of my strongest fans.”
Lau emerged from behind gigantic black curtains which surrounded the circular stage and stood on an elevated cylindrical platform as he sang his first song for the evening, Conspire.
Wearing a white jacket a la Wong Fei Hung (the legendary Chinese kung fu master), he was accompanied by 24 dancers and 10 drummers.
And when he belted out his second song Chinese, Lau took off his jacket to reveal his well-formed muscles, before pounding a gigantic drum flawlessly centrestage. Fans, especially the women, cheered enthusiastically as his hits reverberated throughout the arena. He then declared “I’ll be back” and disappeared beneath the stage on a moving contraption.
Lau then reappeared in a pink suit and sang Stupid Kid, a funky pop number. He said: “I came here 14 years ago, and you guys and girls were probably still small back then. Thank you all for being here tonight, I miss all of you.”
The audience started to wave their light sticks all over the hall when Lau performed the jazzy Thank You For Your Love. “Yes, thank you for your love, folks!” he said at the end of the song. For his next number, Self Happy, Lau went up in the air and around the circular stage, standing on a small platform and harnessed to steel cables.
He called on the audience to clap along to this catchy song, and they dutifully followed. “Even when I’m not singing or acting, I love visiting Kuala Lumpur to catch up with my in-laws here. I’ve met some of you, and I definitely want to meet more. You always make my day!” he said, flashing a schoolboyish smile.
The revolutionary performer flying system was amazing. It allowed Lau to be lifted up in the air and moved around above the stage. The loop track used in the concert was the longest track in the history of Malaysian concert performances. When Lau reached the ground level, he belted out the sentimental If One Day, before disappearing for another costume change.
For his next song Pretend, the sky screen showed several whirling helicopters fired at each other, with explosions. Lau’s dancers re-emerged on stage as “barbarians” from a dystopian future, capturing four helpless females, before Lau emerged to release them from their shackles with the “force” emanating from his bare hands. His mini drama bore an uncanny resemblance to the Mad Max film series, which made Australian actor Mel Gibson a star, and Lau’s black leather jacket and jeans were a clear-cut tribute to Gibson’s iconic anti-hero, with a touch of Keanu Reeves’ Neo in The Matrix films.
The next song Ice Rain bore an uncanny similarity to The Bee Gees’ hit song Massachusetts. Here, several blue roses emerged on the sky screen and snow fell from them. They grew and shrunk with Lau’s high and low notes, and eventually transformed into beautiful blue butterflies.
Lau then moved to a ballad called Ageless Love, where his dancers wore luminous costumes. He was dressed in a silver suit, and got the audience to sing along to this touching tune which sounded like the lesser known Latin American humanitarian song Cantare Cantara (that was overshadowed by We Are The World and Do They Know It’s Christmas? back in 1985).
“You are doing great, guys and girls,” said Lau as he took off his jacket. “Love you all. Now I want to hear you clap and tap your feet to this next song.”
After a brief sip from his giant flask, Lau belted out the jazzy Affection, to the audience’s claps and foot taps, with purple bubbles emanating from machines on two sides of the stage.
In his next song Practice, he encouraged everyone to sing along, and then, for his next song, Lau challenged fans to say “leng chai kor” (handsome boys’ song) several times. As they chanted repeatedly, he sang the funny yet poignant 17; with the sky screen showing cute caricatures in black and white — the journey of a mischievous teenager into adulthood. The character bore an uncanny resemblance to Lau himself.
“I first sang when I was 17, and now more than 40 years later I’m still singing. And I want to thank all of you for this,” he said.
Lau then introduced his musicians and five back-up singers all dressed in electric blue suits.
As the dancers, now dressed in burlesque costumes emerged on stage, Lau, dressed in a long, black coat like Hugh Jackman in The Greatest Showman, sang the jazzy You Are My Dream.
For his next song Crying Man, Lau turned conductor and directed his musicians who then formed a giant circle around him. Fans sang along to this motivational number which reminded men that it was okay to shed tears once in a while.
“That was for the gentlemen, now this next song is for the ladies,” said Lau, who re-emerged on stage dressed in a smart white suit. He belted out You Are My Woman, and reminded fans that “the best of men treat women right”.
Paying tribute to one of his idols, the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng, Lau then sang her famous song The Moon Represents My Heart, but gave it a jazzy twist courtesy of his saxophonist. “I first sang this song in 2004, and this is specially for the Mooncake Festival tonight. Happy Mooncake Festival everyone,” he said.
Fans were once again told to chant a mantra, this time “123 My Love”. When they did as they were told, Lau burst into his energetic pop song My Love, dressed in a denim jacket and jeans.
Cuban musician Perez Prado’s famous song Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White was partly incorporated into My Love. Lau then invited the audience to sing Today with him, before bringing his dancers back on stage for a medley of Joan Jett’s I Hate Myself and his own songs — Pass Water, Kiss Me Again, Infernal Affairs, No Need Love, Angel, No One Like You, and Endless Love.
Two of the dancers donned big-headed Lau cartoon figure costumes, and as he greeted them after the medley ended, the 400 confetti blasters around the stage opened fire, raining down coloured paper amidst the clapping and cheering of the crowd. Lau then delivered the sentimental Two For The Road, which was accompanied by a poignant erhu sound. Here, he stood on the central platform which turned bright orange-yellow like a full moon.
After the less known song Message, he took his final drink for the night, and when he stepped back on the platform to sing If I Have Problems, it changed colour into a peachy pink.
Lau’s final song for the night was Eternity, in which his dancers dressed in black moved their arms to form waves on either side of him. Taking a bow with all of them, he bade everyone farewell. “I’ve had such a great time. Thank you so much, I’ll be back for sure,” he said.
Lau’s concerts were part of his ongoing World Tour which kicked off at the 12,500-capacity Hong Kong Coliseum from Dec 15 last year, before moving on to Mainland China. His Malaysian concerts were the tour’s first shows outside of Hong Kong and China.
It is presented by Alliance Malaysia and SP Setia, and organised by Star Planet, Entertainment Impact (Hong Kong) and Focus Entertainment.