Almost two- thirds of 2018 has slipped away and we’ve seen the likes of Celine Dion, Daughtry, Tokimonsta, Odesza, Ash and Bob Dylon grace our shores so far. While those and other upcoming Western gigs are fine and dandy, the remaining months of this year will see a number of high-profile Asian gigs and festivals take place as well, offering various music genres ranging from Kpop to Mandopop. Here are the concerts and festivals you can look forward to.
JJ Lin (Aug 15-19)
Photo credit: JJ Lin Facebook Page
Finally, we got our “walking CD” back with us again. If you’ve been tracking him, you will probably know that it has already been three years since Lin held his last world tour back in 2015. This August, the local Mandopop singer-songwriter is set return to Singapore as part of his Sanctuary World Tour. The concert, taking place over four nights from Aug 15-19 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, will undoubtedly feature both familiar melodies like “A Thousand Years Later” as well as tracks from his newer albums like Message in a Bottle. Also expect a full-on experience from elaborate stage effects to impeccable acoustics thanks to a collaboration with famed music producers David Foster and Hans Zimmer. Tickets, from $148 to $348, are available via Sports Hub Tix.
Dick Lee (Aug 25)
Photo credit: DIck Lee Facebook Page
Here comes another local artist. Dick Lee is bringing back some of the greatest hits he’s ever produced, including scores from Beauty World, Fried Rice Paradise and Forbidden City, amongst many others, via a two-night concert titled Singapopera happening from Aug 25-26 at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Returning from its 2007 debut, this new version is intended to be a much grander edition. You can expect a greater emphasis on the music and the stories behind them for this year’s event, with many other local performers the likes of Sebastian Tan, Denise Tan, Dwayne Lau, Frances Lee, Benjamin Chow, Cheryl Tan and Alemay Fernandez to grace the stage as well. Tickets range from $58 to $118 and are available via Sistic.
Hacken Lee (Sep 1)
Photo credit: Hecken Lee Facebook Page
Cantopop has always been about the classics and influences over the many generations. If you’re a Cantopop fan, Hacken Lee is easily one of the most recognizable names, being one of the few Hong Kong singers who has remained active from the 1980s till today. The well-known hits throughout his career include favorites like “Red Sun”, “Eternal Love” and “Love Sick”. Two years since his concert with Joey Yung here in Singapore, Lee will be back in September in celebration of 30 years since his music debut. Tickets range from $108 to $268 and are available through Sistic. The concert will be held at the Resorts World Ballroom.
HallyuPopFest (Sep 7-9)
Photo credit: HallyuPopFest Facebook Page
The biggest gathering of Kpop stars in Southeast Asia, this year’s HallyuPopFest is set to welcome over 100 artists from Sep 7-9 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. The three-day festival will feature some of the scene’s hottest idols such as Apink (Sep 7), EXID (Sep 8) and the goddess Taeyeon (Sep 9). Good news for Wannables too, as your oppas from Wanna One will be back again just as they promised during their concert here earlier in July. On top of that, they’ll be performing for two nights (Sep 8 and 9) at the festival, so get ready your light sticks for both evenings. Tickets are available via Sports Hub Tix and are priced form $148 to $498.
Jay Chou (Sep 14)
Photo credit: Jay Chou Facebook Page
Mandopop king Jay Chou is set to be the only Asian artist at the Singapore F1 concerts and his legions of fans will undoubtedly flood the grounds just as they do at every one of his performances. He is set to serenade us with songs from his newly released album Bed Time Stories, as well as belting out old-school fan favorites for a great sing-along sesh. This year, Chou will also be sharing the stage with local darling Joanna Dong, who is actually one of his mentees in reality music show Sing! China. Tickets for Jay Chou’s concert are available via Stub Hub as part of various F1 packages. The concerts will take place on the Padang grounds within the Marina Bay Circuit.
Seventeen (Sep 21)
Photo credit: Seventeen Facebook Page
A relatively young South Korean band formed only in 2015, this fresh group of boys may be young but are in no way tender when it comes to delivering a great performance. Taking an active part in the composition and production of their own discography and choreography has garnered them plenty of fans, all without being part of the three biggest Kpop entertainment companies in South Korea (namely SM, YG and JYP). After gaining huge success since their Diamond Edge concert held last year here in Singapore (where tickets were quickly sold out), they’ll be back for their Ideal Cut tour on Sep 21 to be held in a much larger venue at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Tickets are available via Sports Hub Tix with prices ranging from $98 to $288.
Zhu Mi Mi (Oct 8)
Photo credit: Resort Woeld Sentosa
Probably being one of the most all-rounded artist from TVB, Zhu came into the public’s view in Hong Kong for her participation in several comedic movies like Stephan Chow’s Flirting Scholar and Forbidden City Cop. But not many know that she was originally a singer before becoming an actress. Her low, charming voice has left people with deep impression and her songs like “Today of Me” and “Helpless” were popular in the 1970s. She also gained additional points for wowing her audiences not just with her singing, but with her jokes and impersonations too. Tickets to her Resorts World Theatre show in October are available via Sistic, with prices ranging from $98 to $288.
Winner (Nov 3) & iKON (Nov 4)
Photo credit: Winner’s Facebook Page
If you’re somehow a fan of both these Kpop groups, you’re in for a treat as Winner and iKON are coming together at The Max Pavilion at the Singapore Expo for a back-to-back, two-night performance happening on Saturday and Sunday respectively. You can get tickets for both concerts in an affordable package, or individually if you’re a fan of just one of the bands. The tickets are available via Sistic with individual concert ticket prices ranging from $148 to $268 and the package prices ranging from $198 to $388.
