March Part 1 - OneRepublic!!!

 

The 3 exclamation points are warranted. 😊

( FYI: There are 5 original members - Ryan Tedder, Drew Brown, Zach Filkins, Eddie Fisher and Brent Kutzle.

Brian Willett has toured with them since 2012, but became the official 6th member in 2019. )

I first heard of 1R in early 2008, and still vividly recall their maiden performance in Singapore at Fort Canning Park, as part of the SingFest lineup on 3 August 2008.

Ryan was only 29 years old at the time.

Since the band was new and still relatively unknown, they were given a late afternoon time slot. Unfortunately, the event was completely outdoors, and the sun blazed down upon the stage.

Ryan was literally dripping sweat but sang his guts out, note perfect.

That's how they got my attention. I remember thinking "Wow, I can't believe he still sounds amazing even though he's suffering so much!"

Fast forward to 18 years later - 1R has performed 7 times in Singapore, and I've been to 6 of their shows, including 2 Grand Prix concerts which are really no joke ( standing at the Padang with 60,000 people, also getting caught in a storm at the end of their 2024 gig ).

They became my favourite band in 2013, after the release of Native, which spawned global hits like Counting Stars, If I Lose Myself and I Lived.

The band continues to soar with each new album, as Ryan's incredible songwriting skills show no signs of slowing down.

However, it's interesting that this year was the first time their show was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium ( previous non-F1 concerts were at the much smaller Star Theatre ).

I'm happy to report that the SIS gig sold out. 😊

Setlist-wise, there were the usual favourites like Apologize, Stop and Stare, and Secrets.

But this round included less well-known songs such as Light It Up, Life In Color and Nobody.

We were also blessed with the very first stage performance of Choke, thanks to an Indonesian fan ( whom I know personally! ) whose placard was selected by Ryan.

She added a fun element in the form of 3 hidden options. When Ryan selected option B - Choke - he initially said he couldn't remember the lyrics and moved on to option A ( Can't Stop ).

But he eventually returned to Choke, doing a beautiful solo acoustic version with Brian on the piano. 😍

My personal faves from this show were Life In Color, Nobody and upcoming new single Need Your Love. 

The latter is another example of Ryan's genius. The track is an anthemic earworm!

A few of my friends were in the standing zone, while another friend and I were in the first row of the tiered seats close to the stage. 

Special mention goes to a boy just behind us, who looked about 11 or 12 years old.

He sang along for 2 whole hours, and knew every single lyric.

I approve! 😁

Next, the meet and greet!

Back in April 2018, I won 2 M&G passes through an online contest, and brought my mum along.

There were only 12 fans in total, and we met the band in groups of two, which made it very exclusive.

This year, 30 of us attended the M&G by using Krisflyer miles via Krisflyer Experience, so it was no longer free of charge, but at least it meant a guaranteed spot for the event if you redeemed it early.

The wait was long but the band's management team was very friendly.

As we lined up outside the M&G room, one American fellow joked, "Remember, no direct eye contact!" When I laughed, he glanced at me and winked. 😄

When 1R later strolled past us, Zach looked at me and said hi. 😊

We were then given the go-ahead to enter, and I have to say it was quite chaotic.

A major surprise was how warm all 6 of them were. They actually stretched out their hands to shake ours! ( This didn't happen in 2018. )

Brent reached out to a female fan next to me, but she was distracted by someone so he stood there looking a bit lost.

I quickly stepped forward and shook his hand, giving him a big smile and addressing him by name. He beamed at me and returned the greeting.

Next was Brian, whom I started liking immensely after seeing him in the 2022 music video for West Coast.

There's a moment where he does a little walk around his keyboard, which for some reason I find super cool haha.

Back in 2024, I also narrowly missed him at a coffee stand at Orchard Road - he posted an Instagram story with a photo of the location about 15 minutes before I got to the same spot. ( Total coincidence as I was in town for an appointment in the same building. ) I asked the guy at the stand if a Caucasian man was there a short while ago - he said yes, but sadly, Brian didn't hang around after buying his drink. Argh!

So you can imagine how elated I was when I finally came face to face with him 2.5 years later, and shook his hand! 😍

I also exchanged handshakes with Drew and Ryan, but the organizers rushed us to pose for the group pic, so I didn't get to say hi to Zach and Eddie.

Thankfully, the photo turned out great. A memory I will always treasure!

I brought gifts for the band - specially commissioned posters created by my friend's very talented daughter, incorporating the image and theme of their Asian tour ( altered to From Singapore, With Love ), with our country's famous landmarks in the background, and all 7 dates of their concerts here.

Hope they like them. 😊

A bonus from this event - I made a new friend ( and future concert kaki ) at the M&G.

We started talking after her friend ran late and missed the session, discovering how similar our musical tastes are. At the end of everything, we exchanged numbers and started following each other on social media.

It's really true that women can make new friends in any situation. 😄

I also found another new concert kaki - my junior college pal who recently became a fan of stage shows, who was at the 1R gig. We've known each other for 33 years but haven't hung out together after graduation. However, we've been meeting at our civics tutor's home during Chinese New Year for at least a decade, so we're definitely not strangers.

Looking forward to an opportunity to spend time with both of them one day soon!

FYI, 1R loves Singapore so much, they included an instrumental track named after our country in their 2024 album, Artificial Paradise.

In a recent Instagram story, Ryan showed off his new Merlion tattoo, with the caption "Singapore, you've been added." 😊

Since 2023, they've been coming here every 18 months, so let's hope they'll be back in September 2027. 

In the fan letter I enclosed with the posters, I mentioned they're my favourite band, that I've been a fan since 2008, and what a privilege it's been to join them on this 18-year journey.

It's always wonderful to find artistes whose music moves us so profoundly, but it's even more wonderful when they love us back. We consider it a huge honour. 💗

Thanks for reading! More entries coming later this month. 

February Part 4 - Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2

 

The 2nd batch of 4 episodes was released yesterday, and I was so excited I binge watched all of them. 😄

However, my aging brain now has difficulty absorbing information during marathon viewings, so I will give a general impression first and maybe add on more details at a later time after I rewatch the Benophie scenes.

I also borrowed a copy of An Offer From A Gentleman to refresh my memory regarding key moments in the novel.

First off, I need to complain about the excessive focus on peripheral characters this year - much more compared to the previous 3 seasons.

While I understand that the creative team did this out of concern about audiences losing interest, I also found it extremely annoying at times.

One major pet peeve is the Francesca / John Stirling storyline, which received far too much screen time, with John's death taking up a lot of space in episodes 7 and 8. 

Then there're the subplots involving Lady Violet and Lord Anderson, and Queen Charlotte, which added to the distraction.

Benophie scenes-wise, the writers also took considerable liberties, changing not only locations but event sequences as well.

The bathtub segment, for example, was right at the end of the novel after all conflicts were neatly resolved. But in the show, it appeared much earlier.

Another problem with screen adaptations is the lack of descriptive narratives.

Books include lengthy expositions and in-depth analyses of characters' thoughts and actions, but these are almost always condensed into mere minutes ( sometimes seconds ) on screen. 

Romance novels, in particular, fare much better in written form, because there's always a lot of yearning which can go on for pages at a time. Not to mention the ahem-you-know-what scenes, which are the main draw for fans haha.

For these reasons, I highly recommend reading the book for a much more fulfilling experience. 

Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha continue to have electrifying chemistry.

Every time they look at each other, I get goosebumps. 😊

In my previous post, I mentioned Benedict's my favourite because of his immense kindness.

This is further demonstrated in Part 2, as his love for Sophie prevails despite the odds stacked against them, and he eventually finds a way to marry her.

If you haven't watched the final episode yet, make sure to stay till the end credits for a bonus scene which is absolutely worth it. 

This will be the last entry for the month. I'm looking forward to March - a few interesting events coming up, so there may be multiple entries again. 😏

February Part 3 - Wuthering Heights

 

I just watched this yesterday.

And it required significant effort as the movie wasn't screening at the neighbourhood cineplex.

As I drove downtown, I wondered along the way if I'd regret it.

I'm happy to report that the exertion paid off handsomely. 😊

Despite not reading the novel - I tried once in my teens but lost interest - I'm familiar with an earlier film adaptation starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.

However, Wuthering Heights isn't high on my list of literary classic favourites - I prefer Thomas Hardy, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Alexandre Dumas.

This iteration was released last week and immediately received mixed reviews from critics.

I seemed to see mostly negative ones and was contemplating skipping a cinema visit entirely.

What changed my mind was a stellar review from Straits Times Life! section's entertainment correspondent, John Lui, whose opinion I respect. 

This film is intoxicating - from the eye-popping sets and locations, to the cinematography and soundtrack.

Watching it on the big screen ( though it was one of the smaller theatres ) was marvelous.

The casting is on point, with Owen Cooper a standout as young Heathcliff.

I saw him in Adolescence and wasn't that impressed, but he's fantastic here.

Margot Robbie is luminous as Catherine, but Jacob Elordi steals the show with a performance that's best described as astonishing.

I've followed his evolution from teen heartthrob ( he was 20 in The Kissing Booth ) to full-fledged Hollywood star - his career really took off from 2023 onwards, with Saltburn, Priscilla and Frankenstein, culminating in his first Oscar nomination for the last one ).

As Heathcliff, he veers effortlessly from lovelorn farmhand to proud and cruel magnate, scorching the screen in every scene.

While the halfway mark gets a bit monotonous with too many sex scenes ( I think I nodded off at one point haha ), things thankfully get back on track after Heathcliff marries Isabella out of spite after finding out Catherine's pregnant.

To be honest, I think I never liked Wuthering Heights because the plot is too simplistic - i.e. a toxic romance and not much else.

But I found the movie highly enjoyable as a whole - a truly cinematic experience.

And for that, director Emerald Fennell deserves high praise.

I've seen 2 of her other films - Promising Young Woman and Saltburn - and loved them both.

She specializes in very dark stories, but as someone who's always had an inclination towards the morbid ( don't ask me why haha ), I'm a huge fan of her work, which highlights the depravity of the human race in a satirical manner. 

Wuthering Heights is doing very well at the box office, and I'm elated about its success.

I give it an 8/10. Go see it if you can.

Before ending this post, there's something interesting I'd like to mention.

I recently had an epiphany about someone whom I've known for decades. 

I've always been very fond of him, though fully aware of his reputation and our unbalanced dynamic.

It never bothered me until these past few months, when our communication further amplified this one-sidedness.

And I finally realized there was no genuine friendship, just breadcrumbing tactics.

The thing is, my tolerance for BS plunged when I turned 40.

That's when multiple life events converged - church, family, work - and I eventually cut ties with many people whom I found toxic.

Now that I'm 50, lead my own department and have complete freedom in my personal life, my no-nonsense approach has become more pronounced.

And since he's my age, the lack of positive evolution in his behaviour is even more disappointing.

He may or may not know about my blog. But if he does read this, I hope he'll have some insight and reflect on what he did. 

Whether he decides to contact me again will be a good indication of his character, or lack thereof.

On a happier note, I reconnected with an old friend a few months ago, and he's the opposite of the abovementioned person. 

No online presence, reads voraciously, even remembers things I said 25 years ago.

Our first meetup in more than a decade lasted a whopping 4 hours, and I admired his openness, which illustrated how much he still likes and trusts me.

In our 20s, I had a personal nickname for him - Jesse, after a James Dean type character in Gilmore Girls. 

Good people are hard to find these days.

I plan to spend more time with him next month when my schedule finally slows down. 😊

February Part 2 - Westlife, Josh Groban and Take That

I'm only halfway through the month and so much has happened. Feeling very exhausted. 😅

Watched my favourite Irish boy band, Westlife, at the Singapore EXPO on 3rd February.

This concert was different from their usual shows because of the "gala evening" format, which included a small orchestra, a more formal musical arrangement, and the guys decked out in suits.

The result was absolutely wonderful!

While the EXPO isn't a good concert venue - bad location and acoustics, ugly ( exposed pipes on the ceiling ), dining chairs for seats - the event still attracted 6,000 fans with an equal mix of men and women, and everyone knew the lyrics and sang their hearts out.

The lads performed for about 1hr 45 min, and I counted approximately 20-22 hits in the setlist, mostly from their early albums. 

I've been a fan for 25 years and seen them on stage at least 5 times, but it never ever gets old.

Although I flew solo for this one, I didn't feel lonely at all. We were on our feet for most of the show and the mass karaoke made it a communal experience. I guess being squashed together like sardines in a can also helped - it's tough to feel isolated when you don't have any personal space. 😄

This was the first time Mark wasn't around, but Shane, Kian and Nicky were more than capable of whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Plus, they still look boyishly handsome despite being in their mid-40s. 

They mentioned a 25th anniversary world tour lined up next year. I'll definitely be going! 😁

Last night, I saw Josh Groban at the Star Theatre.

It's been 7 years since he last performed in Singapore. During that time, he released another album ( Harmony ) and received his 2nd Tony nomination for his lead performance in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd.

The ticket prices this round were positively eye-watering, even with my high threshold.

But I went ahead and splurged on the VIP soundcheck experience because it was the first time this was offered, and included not only an acoustic performance but also a Q&A session and group photo.

The experience was totally worth it. Josh was extremely friendly and answered lots of questions. I tried to ask one but sadly, the guy next to me raised his hand at the same time and I think Josh got distracted, 'cos he didn't circle back to me after that, and moved to the other side of the stage instead.

But I'm surprisingly zen about it haha. Sticking to my 2026 mantra: go with the flow. 😎

The concert itself was mind-blowing!

Like Westlife's, Josh ramped things up with a small orchestra and a choir, both of which were absent in 2019.

His voice has also gotten even better, and I kept having goosebumps every time he sang.

The setlist was significantly different, with fewer selections from his early albums. 

There were, of course, fan favourites like To Where You Are, You Raise Me Up and Alejate.

But I welcomed newer additions such as Bridge Over Troubled Water ( from his Bridges album ), Pure Imagination and Over The Rainbow ( from Stages, which I love so much ), as well as The World We Knew and Angels ( from Harmony ).

But there were 2 major highlights for me:

First, Nathan Hartono's guest appearance for a duet with Josh on What I Did For Love ( from A Chorus Line ).

I literally felt my adrenaline level surge because (a) I've been such a huge fan of Nathan's since I saw him in Pangdemonium's fantastic 2012 production of Spring Awakening, (b) Nathan is sooo handsome, and (c) the duet blew my mind into another galaxy!

I have no idea if Josh has dueted with anyone on this song for his other shows, but this particular combination was so perfect, I think I stopped breathing a few times.

Thank you so much for the beautiful memory. 💕

Second, Josh's medley of 2 songs from an upcoming movie music album.

One was a Sicilian version of The Godfather's Speak Softly Love, and the other, a cover of the title song from Skyfall.

The latter is best described as astounding, with the trademark James Bond theme's dramatic arrangement, numerous glory notes and kickass backup from his band, the orchestra and choir.

I can't wait to get my hands on his next album aaaahhhh!

Like Westlife, I've also been a fan of Josh's for 25 years. Way before he came to Singapore, I was so desperate to see him that I flew to Sydney twice just to watch his shows.

It's been a privilege to follow his journey from a shy teenager to consummate performer. 

Please come back soon.

Last but not least, a short review of this documentary, featuring my favourite boy band of all time, Take That.

With never-seen-before footage and in-depth interviews with all its members, it was a very enlightening - and moving - experience for me.

All these years, I think many of us were under the impression that Robbie Williams was the bad guy, that he made the first move to leave because he was arrogant, egoistic, etc.

But Gary Barlow openly admitted that he was equally to blame for being selfish, for not allowing other members to contribute or give input, which also stemmed from his youthful ignorance and pride.

Although I knew the story ended happily, it was heartwarming to see the group heal and reunite after a period of personal struggles. Watching them triumph again with hugely successful albums and world tours was immensely rewarding.

That's it for February blog entry part 2.

Not sure if there'll be a part 3 - maybe... if another exciting incident occurs haha.

Coming up: the second installment of Bridgerton season 4, and 2 more concerts, including OneRepublic's first gig at the Indoor Stadium ( plus a meet and greet! ).

There's also a great book I'd like to review once I finish it.

Thanks for reading! Till next time. 😊

February Part 1 - Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1

 

Part 1 was released in late January and I binged all 4 episodes the same day, but didn't have time to write about it until now.

I've watched the series since it began in 2020, but have only read 2 books so far - Romancing Mr. Bridgerton ( Colin and Penelope's story ), and An Offer From A Gentleman ( Benedict and Sophie's story ).

Benedict quickly became my favourite early in season 1, even though I had no background information about the character.

Wonderfully portrayed by Luke Thompson, he radiates warmth and playfulness, in contrast to the intense Anthony and introspective Colin, and was the main reason I read An Offer From A Gentleman.

While it's true that Julia Quinn models it after Cinderella, there're enough additional elements to make it unique. Her skill as a writer made me swoon from beginning to end. 😊

A few features make Benedict and Sophie's story stand out from the rest:

He falls in love with someone whose identity he doesn't know.

The bulk of their romance takes place away from the glare of society, allowing it to develop much more naturally.

There's a significant class disparity, which makes the offer of marriage ( initially ) impossible.

Of course, we know there will be a happy ending, and I can attest that it is also a very satisfying one.

Moving on to the series adaptation - how faithful is it to the source material?

I would say that it follows the book quite closely, with a few tweaks here and there.

I recall that Benedict rescued Sophie from being almost raped by a group of drunken noblemen, but the sexual assault part was absent from the show.

Benedict also developed a fever due to influenza, but this was changed to an infected wound which was inflicted when he went to Sophie's aid.

The countryside portion is substantial and, in my opinion, the most enjoyable part of the story, because it offers the couple complete privacy and time to have meaningful interactions without external interference.

The novel is also especially revealing about Benedict's immense kindness and chivalry, which is much better appreciated on the page ( more descriptive ) compared to the screen.

I read it 2 years ago so my memory's a bit hazy. But I'm planning to read it again soon.

Next, the lead actors.

I was so pleased when Korean-Australian Yerin Ha was announced for Sophie's role, and she has proven to be an excellent choice.

She has incredible on-screen chemistry with Luke, and I've been rewatching key moments multiple times because they're really quite magical.

Right now, the lake scene is my favourite. 

To be honest, I don't recall reading this in the novel ( my brain isn't what it used to be ) so I can't comment on its accuracy. But it's a lovely, cheeky ( pun intended ) interlude, and that kiss is spec-ta-cu-lar. 😍

There's currently a lot of heated online debate over Benedict's "Be my mistress" offer, which to me, is ludicrous since it was in the book and isn't unreasonable considering societal expectations at the time.

However, as I said, rest assured that things will end well. 

Yes, Benedict will marry Sophie. Everyone, please relax!

For the first time, the season is being released in 2 parts, and fan anticipation has hit fever pitch.

The latest teaser shows a famous bathtub scene, which I also don't remember haha. What's going on with my brain cells... 😅

Anyway, I will post about Part 2 in early March. Stay tuned!

January

I'm trying to resume more regular blogging this year, so here's the first entry for 2026. 😊

People You Meet On Vacation ( Netflix )

I didn't know about the novel this movie is based on, and watched it because I found the trailer appealing.

So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Instead of spoiling things with a detailed description, I'll just summarize it as a lovely slow burn romance.

What this has going for it are 2 immensely likeable leads - Emily Bader ( adorably goofy ) and Tom Blyth ( uptight in a hot way, if that makes sense haha ).

Major credit goes to whoever cast them, because the on-screen chemistry is off the charts, which is always essential for this genre since we're rooting for the couple to get together.

From a personal perspective - call me old school, but I have zero interest in dating sites / apps / blind dates due to a high index of suspicion towards strangers ( not to mention all the extra effort needed to get to know someone from square one ).

I'm a firm believer that a strong friendship is the best foundation for any successful relationship. There's significantly more mutual understanding, tolerance, trust and respect. 

I've seen a lot of relationships implode, so I don't believe in drama or changing someone to fit my expectations, or vice versa. 

For fellow fans of slow burns, I also recommend the swoony Netflix series, One Day. 😊

The Pitt season 2

After season 1 swept fistfuls of major awards these past few months, I was very excited about its return.

3 episodes in, I am happy to report that it is surpassing S1 in many ways, and is on its way to becoming my 2nd favourite TV series ( after Succession - its fellow HBO MAX gem ).

Aside from the constant flow of interesting cases and hyper-realistic moulage and props, the humour really stands out, especially in episode 2.

I found myself chuckling frequently, especially during a heated scene between overachieving medical students Victoria and Ogilvie while assisting with a DKA resus.

It's quite a departure from the mostly sombre tone of season 1, but greatly welcomed to offset the constant stress of the ED environment.

During my stint in the public sector, my colleagues and I also used jokes to get through our shifts. Those were good memories. 😄 

Episode 3 ended on a cliffhanger, indicating the impending crisis coming next week. More thoughts on The Pitt will follow soon.

How To Train Your Dragon In Concert - 17 January, Esplanade Concert Hall

This was my first show for 2026, and it was marvelous!

I was already ecstatic about the venue, and the acoustics ( the best in the country, IMO ) made the experience truly amazing.

The highlight was Test Drive, my favourite piece from the film which I'd never heard performed live. 

Hearing it in person gave me goosebumps! 

Special mention goes to the conductor ( didn't catch his name ) who got the audience revved up by encouraging us to clap and cheer anytime we felt like it ( and the fans delivered! ) and the cosplayers who contributed to the festive atmosphere.

But the true star of the evening was, of course, John Powell's beloved score, which has become synonymous with the franchise ( the same way John Williams' music is tied to Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Superman ).

As a lifelong fan of movie music - whether classical, pop or rock - this was a dream come true ( the first HTTYD was released in 2010, so it was a 15-year wait ).

A pity Mr. Powell himself couldn't come to Singapore to conduct ( like Justin Hurwitz did for the La La Land in Concert shows ), but I'm happy enough with what we had. 😊

And a big thank you to my young doctor friend and ardent HTTYD fan for joining me.

We had a great catchup during the pre-show dinner, and it looks like we first met the same year HTTYD came out? 

Time is passing too quickly. Making me antsy haha.

In other news, work has been busy but generally tolerable. 

I'm sticking to my 2026 mantra - go with the flow - and so far it's worked pretty well. ( I think the large number of concerts makes a difference haha. )

Am also in the process of planning a trip for Q3 ( first one will be in April ). 

And trying to meet up with friends, whose great company I always appreciate.

It's a bit difficult at the moment due to my packed schedule, but I will try to see you all from March onwards after things settle down. Thank you for your patience!