Viet Nam News
HCM CITY— Big stadiums are no longer the best place for music performances as pop stars and singers are now holding live mini shows to cut expenses this season.
"The more we invested in big shows at stadiums, the more we lost,” said pop idol Dam Vinh Hung. “We have to calculate carefully before launching a live show this time when audiences, particularly youth, prefer better music but want to pay less money,"
“Attracting a few hundred people a night isn’t difficult. A mini live show will help singers introduce their new projects and meet fans, too,” he added.
Hung plans to organise a mini live show, Diamond Show- Dam Vinh Hung, in Da Nang after staging it in HCM City and Ha Noi last month.
Live music is still alive and well however many fans are showing a preference for the more intimate ambience of smaller venues such as bars and night clubs over big events.
Pop stars such as Ho Ngoc Ha and Uyen Linh have attracted fans by offering mini live shows of musical styles and quality decorations.
In Ha’s concert, Ho Ngoc Ha Private Show, at the Gem Centre in HCM City two months ago, her fans could relax in a cosy atmosphere in a luxury venue while listening to their idol.
The singer performed new songs and remixed top hits such as What’s Love and Gui Nguoi Yeu Cu (For My Ex-Boyfriend). She also introduced her latest album, Love Song 3, and sold out more than 1,000 copies at the event.
“I wanted to be a close friend and share my music with fans instead off standing on stage as a queen,” said Ha, who organised four mini shows in Ha Noi, HCM City and Da Nang this year.
Mini concerts are also goals for younger singers in the fiercely competitive industry.
Giang Hong Ngoc and Bao Anh both won the hearts of fans at their shows last month.
"My first live show aimed to celebrate my 10 years of singing. I decided to sing on a small stage because I believe that no place is too small for singing,” said Ngoc, adding that she had invested in light and sound effects instead of renting a big venue.
Ngoc performed more than 20 songs in different styles of pop, dance and blues written by talented composers Chau Dang Khoa, Phuong Uyen and Do Hieu. Her show attracted nearly 300 people, many of them students.
She invited young singers Bui Anh Tuan and Minh Nhu to perform along with her.
If Ngoc’s show aimed to say thanks to her fans, her competitor Anh has worked to introduce new songs.
At her show, Yeu Mot Nguoi (Love Someone), the 24-year-old singer introduced her new album before only 150 fans, but many of her admirers have followed her career since 2009.
Anh, with a sweet voice and exciting stage presence, staged her two hour show singing and dancing new songs, including Yeu Mot Nguoi Vo Tam (Love Someone) and Trai Tim Em Cung Biet Dau (My Heart is Broken), written by young rapper and musician Mr.Siro.
"This was a great show. My crew and I worked hard the whole year to win over fans,” said Anh, adding that she felt nervous but believed in her ability.
“I think young singers have less experience and money to organise a big concert. For them, a mini show is a good choice to promote themselves,” said film actress and singer Phan Le Ai Phuong, who staged a mini show called Neu Anh Yeu Em (If You Love Me) at the nightclub We in District 1 last week. — VNS