RAIN, SWEAT AND TEARS
King-of-Pop moves, flowers for a chosen fan, broken hears and around and a ballad for his late mum – the guy sure can sell a show
South Korean superstar Rain left a flood of freshly drenched Thai fans behind after a pair of sold-out shows at Impact Arena last weekend.
Well before the pop sensation emerged from behind a huge veil covering the stage with the message “It’s a Rainy Day”, his compatriot named Star opened the show with “I Think I”, and showed she was a little more conversant in the local lingo than Rain.
“Do you remember?” she said in Thai. “‘I Think I’ will sing that song again, and I want every body to sing along.”
As she did, the massive stage screens showed scenes from the place, the Korean hit TV show “Full House”, in which Rain had a role.
Star disappeared behind the veil, and drifting clouds – white but slowly darkening – filled it. Then, with the arena shimmering with glow sticks, came the deluge.
A huge roll of thunder echoed through the place, the curtain came down, and there was Rain, in white gloves and white jacket over a ragged, green, long-sleeved T-shirt and blue jeans.
A blast of fire works introduced “Na”, with dancers cavorting around the pop star and the big screens playing gritty scenes from a video.
The more than 10,000 fans erupted in screams when Rain peeled of his jacket, displaying a muscled torso beneath the tight-fitting T.
More fireworks as Rain kicked into “Na Pen Nam Ja”, similarly muscled with heavy rhythms, his singing and dancing reminiscent of Michael Jackson. By the song’s end he could be heard panting into the microphone.
“Ak Soo” featured some compelling, sexually-charged dancing, and the inevitable roar when Rain yanked off his sleeves. “Sawasdee khrub, phom rak khun!” he called out before switching to hesitant English to say, “Welcome to Rainy Day!”, then “It’s my pleasure!” and then “Are you ready?”
He and the fans counted out one, two, three, four to begin “Nan Ddo Ni Ga Joen Geya”, a tune full of American hip-hop influence, during which the screams where deafening when three sexy female dancers helped him off with the rest of that tattered shirt and his body glistened with sweat.
After disappearing backstage for a few moments, Rain re-emerged wearing black gloves and a black overcoat over a black sleeveless shirt. He descended into the hubbub to greet the fans who’d paid Bt6,000 to stand up front, then abruptly announced, “I’m lonely!”
That was the introduction to the jazzy “Quiz”.
“I need a girlfriend,” Rain said, and brought a young lady onstage from the audience, handing her a teddy bear and a bouquet of flowers before giving her a hug.
It was a chaste hug, but envy can be a powerful emotion when it comes all at once from thousands of breaking hearts, and it tinged the screams as Rain made someone else’s dream come true.
“I Do” was played as hundreds of white balloons fell from the roof and the screens glowed with red hearts. A sweet guitar opened “Al Myun Seo”, and the singer mimicked the King of Pop some more, complete with slouch hat. He’s a fine dancer and a passable singer, attempting Jackson’s tense demeanor but soon smiling again.
He took another break, during which meal and female breakdancers entertained, then returned in a dazzle of fireworks and some poignant piano and strings to sing “Can’t Get Used to It”.
“I loved a woman,” he said, “but she passed away and was looking down at me from Heaven. I love you mom.” The ballad was for his late mother, and the tears weren’t far behind as the lyrics were translated into Thai on the screens. Many in the crowd called out, urging him to “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
He surprised the audience by hanging sideways in the air from a stage strut during “It’s Raining”, which he gave a hip-hop feel with Indian flavor.
Next was “An Nyung E Ran Mal Dae Sin”, during which he promised to return to Bangkok. “To You” was the show closer, but he was soon back with an encore – “I Do” again, with more sad piano.
The fans went home happy, if just a little heartbroken that they too hadn’t been summoned onstage. Many clutched small white towels that Rain and his dancers had tossed into the crowd as they threw water around. A thoughtful souvenir, good for wiping away tears too.
Source: The Nation: Thursday 2 March, 2006
Credit: janejz@Bi's kingdom @ popcornfor2.com / Jungjihoonthailand.com
South Korean superstar Rain left a flood of freshly drenched Thai fans behind after a pair of sold-out shows at Impact Arena last weekend.
Well before the pop sensation emerged from behind a huge veil covering the stage with the message “It’s a Rainy Day”, his compatriot named Star opened the show with “I Think I”, and showed she was a little more conversant in the local lingo than Rain.
“Do you remember?” she said in Thai. “‘I Think I’ will sing that song again, and I want every body to sing along.”
As she did, the massive stage screens showed scenes from the place, the Korean hit TV show “Full House”, in which Rain had a role.
Star disappeared behind the veil, and drifting clouds – white but slowly darkening – filled it. Then, with the arena shimmering with glow sticks, came the deluge.
A huge roll of thunder echoed through the place, the curtain came down, and there was Rain, in white gloves and white jacket over a ragged, green, long-sleeved T-shirt and blue jeans.
A blast of fire works introduced “Na”, with dancers cavorting around the pop star and the big screens playing gritty scenes from a video.
The more than 10,000 fans erupted in screams when Rain peeled of his jacket, displaying a muscled torso beneath the tight-fitting T.
More fireworks as Rain kicked into “Na Pen Nam Ja”, similarly muscled with heavy rhythms, his singing and dancing reminiscent of Michael Jackson. By the song’s end he could be heard panting into the microphone.
“Ak Soo” featured some compelling, sexually-charged dancing, and the inevitable roar when Rain yanked off his sleeves. “Sawasdee khrub, phom rak khun!” he called out before switching to hesitant English to say, “Welcome to Rainy Day!”, then “It’s my pleasure!” and then “Are you ready?”
He and the fans counted out one, two, three, four to begin “Nan Ddo Ni Ga Joen Geya”, a tune full of American hip-hop influence, during which the screams where deafening when three sexy female dancers helped him off with the rest of that tattered shirt and his body glistened with sweat.
After disappearing backstage for a few moments, Rain re-emerged wearing black gloves and a black overcoat over a black sleeveless shirt. He descended into the hubbub to greet the fans who’d paid Bt6,000 to stand up front, then abruptly announced, “I’m lonely!”
That was the introduction to the jazzy “Quiz”.
“I need a girlfriend,” Rain said, and brought a young lady onstage from the audience, handing her a teddy bear and a bouquet of flowers before giving her a hug.
It was a chaste hug, but envy can be a powerful emotion when it comes all at once from thousands of breaking hearts, and it tinged the screams as Rain made someone else’s dream come true.
“I Do” was played as hundreds of white balloons fell from the roof and the screens glowed with red hearts. A sweet guitar opened “Al Myun Seo”, and the singer mimicked the King of Pop some more, complete with slouch hat. He’s a fine dancer and a passable singer, attempting Jackson’s tense demeanor but soon smiling again.
He took another break, during which meal and female breakdancers entertained, then returned in a dazzle of fireworks and some poignant piano and strings to sing “Can’t Get Used to It”.
“I loved a woman,” he said, “but she passed away and was looking down at me from Heaven. I love you mom.” The ballad was for his late mother, and the tears weren’t far behind as the lyrics were translated into Thai on the screens. Many in the crowd called out, urging him to “Fight! Fight! Fight!”
He surprised the audience by hanging sideways in the air from a stage strut during “It’s Raining”, which he gave a hip-hop feel with Indian flavor.
Next was “An Nyung E Ran Mal Dae Sin”, during which he promised to return to Bangkok. “To You” was the show closer, but he was soon back with an encore – “I Do” again, with more sad piano.
The fans went home happy, if just a little heartbroken that they too hadn’t been summoned onstage. Many clutched small white towels that Rain and his dancers had tossed into the crowd as they threw water around. A thoughtful souvenir, good for wiping away tears too.
Source: The Nation: Thursday 2 March, 2006
Credit: janejz@Bi's kingdom @ popcornfor2.com / Jungjihoonthailand.com
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