Sands Live: Hacken Lee Live at Marina Bay Sands Sands Grand Ballroom Last Friday

Can anything faze Hong Kong singer Hacken Lee? Not likely, judging from his two-hour concert hosted by Marina Bay Sands as part of its Sands Live concert series.

Some 6,000 fans who packed the Sands Grand Ballroom had the pleasure of catching his cool demeanour from the get-go.

The 55-year-old took the stage to loud cheers and held up his microphone, only to realise that it had gone kaput.

The hiccup might have left some performers stunned and embarrassed, but not Lee. He is, after all, a veteran with more than 35 years of show business experience under his belt.

He calmly walked to a darkened corner of the stage to get a replacement, then greeted the audience. “Life is like that… full of surprises,” he said in Cantonese to roaring laughter. “Let’s pretend that you didn’t see me earlier and start all over, shall we?”

Just like that, the lights went down. He reappeared on stage to kick-start the show with his award-winning ballads Fei Hua (Flying Flower, 2001), Lan Yue Liang (Blue Moon, 1989) and Yi Sheng Xiang Ni (Miss You Forever, 1993).

“If you didn’t know those three songs, you must be at the wrong show,” the vocal powerhouse quipped.

Lee last performed in Singapore five years ago, so Friday’s show felt like a long overdue catch-up with his fans.

The production was kept simple, sans dancers, and he changed his outfit only once.

Every two songs or so, he would banter with the appreciative audience, who were mostly in their 50s and above.

When their applause was not as enthusiastic at one point, he teased: “Has your energy level waned with age? You can do better.”

He revealed that his wife and two sons had joined him on this trip to Singapore, to which ...