Canadian singer-songwriter Henry Lau apologised to fans during his recent concert at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), after realising he could not see sections of the audience due to the venue set-up.
Multiple fans such as TikToker @mcfleryee posted videos of the apology, showing Lau walking across the stage with a violin in hand as he addressed the audience at Sands & Expo Convention Centre on Jan 3.
“There’s a big problem. I can’t see any of you,” the 36-year-old said of the venue, which combined Halls D, E, and F on level B2.
“If I’m standing here, they can’t see me, nobody can see me,” he added, pointing to a section of the audience.
“I apologise for this situation. I hope that after today, no other singer, no other performer, will perform in this place again,” he said in Mandarin, explaining that this was out of respect for fans and artistes. The crowd cheered in response.
Lau also thanked MBS and Singland Festival for organising the event, adding that “it’s not anyone’s fault”.
Another dissatisfied fan, @itsyixin4, posted a video of the concert, noting that a pillar was “right smack in the centre”, adding that the “incredibly long stage” was “perfect for a soloist to get his daily steps in”.
Lau was one of the performers at a three-day music festival held at MBS to celebrate the new year. The event also featured global artistes such as K-pop star Rain and Taiwanese singer Terry Lin. Concertgoers paid between S$98 and S$328 for tickets.
In a promotional video posted on Jan 3, festival organisers highlighted a “360-degree stage, closer views and immersive moments designed to bring artistes and fans closer than ever”.
The event also made headlines earlier when Rain was criticised for “lecturing” a New Year’s Eve audience he felt was too quiet.
Terry Lin’s performance, which took place on Jan 2 at the same venue as Lau’s, also had fans complaining about poor crowd management and obstructed views.
In response to queries from Stomp, a spokesperson for Singland Festival apologised to audiences, artistes and partners for logistical issues, adding that the company would review the planning and execution of the event.
Singland Festival did not respond to queries on the rationale behind choosing Sands & Expo Convention Centre as the festival venue.
In a similar post by TikToker @ernestfung73 on Jan 4 which garnered over 91,800 views, netizens agreed that they were “deeply disappointed” at how the evening played out.
“The issue isn’t the location or how famous the performers are – it’s whether the venue is fit for the performance. Responsible organisers must get this right,” one user said, adding that anything less is “clear disrespect” to performers and the audience.
“It’s not a theatre, it’s only an exhibition hall,” another netizen noted. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
