Hooked on Jay

In the Malaysian leg of the Jay Chou World Tour 2008, the inimitable star demonstrated why his elaborate performances have swept Asia by storm.

ASIAN POP phenomenon Jay Chou blew the audience away at Stadium Merdeka last Saturday night. The jam-packed stadium was awash with thousands colourful glowsticks and deafening cheers from a 20,000-strong crowd.

Just three years after his Incomparable to Jay World Tour in Kuala Lumpur sold-out concert held at the very same venue, Chou kept his audience enthralled for every bit of the show.

Jay Chou in concert at Stadium Merdeka last Saturday night. – Pictures by GLENN GUAN / The Star

With smash hits and movie soundtracks, Chou re-enacted scenes from the award-winning films he has starred in – complete with multiple costume changes – while he showed off his fancy footwork, as well as some hot salsa dancing skills accompanied by a bevy of captivating dancers.

His guest artiste of the night was the equally entertaining Taiwanese group Nan Quan Mama – comprising Lara, Devon, Chase and Yu Hao – and together they rocked the concert venue with more than 30 songs in the three-hour show with spectacular pyrotechnics.

Fondly dubbed Zhou Dong (President Chou) by the Chinese press due to his influence on Asian music, Chou was said to have flown in from Taiwan with an 80-member entourage.

Opening his show with a rousing rendition of Huang Jin Jia (Golden Armour) from Zhang Yimou-helmed Curse of the Golden Flowers (2006), Chou was resplendent in his warrior prince outfit.

He again mesmerised his audience with Bu Neng Shuo De Mi Mi (Secret) and was later joined by Yu Hao (from Nan Quan Mama) in a spectacular two-way piano battle inspired by his directorial debut Secret (2007), which won him Best Original Film Song, Best Visual Effects and Outstanding Taiwanese Film of the Year at the 44th Golden Horse Award last year.

The 29-year-old sang more than half of the songs from his eighth and latest album Wo Hen Mang (On the Run) including the cowboy-themed Niu Zai Hen Mang (Cowboy on the Run) and zhongguofeng (ethnic Chinese) flavoured Qing Hua Ci (Blue and White Porcelain).

Jay Chou rocked the house for three hours, and his fans lapped it all up.
Fans were also treated to his newest hip-hop number Zhou Da Xia (Hero Chou), the theme song he wrote for his fourth and latest film, the basketball-themed action flick Kung Fu Dunk, which is currently enjoying a excellent run in Asian cinemas now.

Clad in a golden traditional quilted Chinese jacket, Chou furiously rapped Huo Yuan Jia which he composed for Fearless (2006) starring Jet Li, who once remarked that, “Jay can sing faster than I can throw punches.”

Chou serenaded concert-goers while playing an assortment of instruments: guitar, drums, crystal piano specially flown in from Taiwan, guzheng (traditional Chinese zither), and cheling (Chinese yo-yo type instrument literally known as pulled bells).

His adoring fans lapped it all up – when he emerged raised on a platform playing the crystal piano while singing Hei Se You Mo (Black Humour) from his debut album Jay (2000) and as he sat plucking the stringed guzheng during the lilting melody of Ju Hua Tai (Chrysanthemum Terrace) from Curse of the Golden Flowers.

He outdid himself further by showcasing yet another skill at Nan Quan Mama’s prompting. “Usually, it’s done by folks who don’t play musical instruments,” quipped Chou who charmed fans with a round of rarely-heard beatboxing.

During an acoustic jam session with Nan Quan Mama, he rendered unplugged and fresh versions of his early smash hits like Ren Zhe (Ninja) and Shuang Jie Gun (Nunchucks) from his second album Fantasy (2001).

Chou, a strong advocate of the Chinese virtue of filial piety, also sang Ting Mama De Hua (Listen to Mama), a song he wrote for his mother, which has been incorporated into Chinese school syllabus to inspire motivational and filial attitudes. During the chorus, a video clip of Hong Kong God of Song Jacky Cheung played singing the words, “Listen to Mama, Don’t break her heart, Grow up fast, Then you can protect her.” Chou also surprised fans by crooning legendary Taiwanese diva Teresa Teng’s Ni Zhen Me Shuo (How Would You Explain), which he dedicated to all parents among the concert-goers.

After he withdrew backstage, excited fans clamoured for more and chanted his name in time with drumbeats. The Taiwanese prince of pop gladly obliged with a succession of crowd favourites during two rounds of encores.