LIVE REPORT: MAN WITH A MISSION @ MILLIAN SINGAPORE

The wolves MAN WITH A MISSION have finally made their appearance in Singapore to play for their eagerly waiting fans. Singapore will be the band’s first stop for their Asia Tour, before they head off to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Long queue of fans awaiting entry

In case if you are unfamiliar with them, MAN WITH A MISSION are a 5-man Japanese rock band consisting of Tokyo Tanaka as the lead vocals, Jean-Ken Johnny as the backup vocals and guitarist, Kamikaze Boy as the bassist, DJ Santa Monica as the DJ, and Spear Rib as the drummer.

One by one, each member gets into position alongside a melodic tune. The band then greeted the crowd with immense hype before rocking the stage with their first number, "database"! It was a very powerful song to kick off the night to prepare the crowd for the concert.

Without delay, they followed up with their next number, "Dive". I personally think they could have swapped this out for a heavier song as this seemed to ruin the great opening by quieting the crowd. The band greeted the crowd once again, and I have to say it’s a definite plus for bands with members that can speak English exceptionally well. It breaks the language barrier and it makes the whole concert more enjoyable if the crowd can understand them. Jean-Ken Johnny expressed his utmost appreciation to be back in Singapore. There was a quick moment of silence before "Take What you Want" started rolling and the crowd was led together to the rhythm of the song with claps.

Being somebody who isn't an avid follower of MAN WITH A MISSION , I feel that I have totally embraced this band. I have to admit that this is the first band that ever gave me this feeling. Another point worth mentioning is how fitting the stage design was for them. The amount of strobe lights that accompanied their music was eye-catching. I am actually more surprised I was able to the guess the next song ("distance") correctly, as I have only listened to this song twice before. It goes to show how much their songs can etch into one's mind.

Up next was "Seven deadly sins". This was immediately followed up with some crowd interaction, describing Singapore as an amazing country with great delicacies. Jean-Ken Johnny also tried to mimic the catchphrase of the recent local movie "Mr. Unbelievable", which led to an uproar from the crowd. It was then explained how happy they are right now as they didn't play the previous time they came to Singapore, and that being able to do a proper concert now was their honour. Assured that the crowd was ready for more, they then moved on to "Give it away"! Another point I found aesthetically amazing was that their wolf eyes are actually with light emitting diodes (LEDs), which the band members took turns turning on through the night. Next up was "Out of control".

As soon as the song ended, the band members cleared off the stage, leaving the crowd bewildered as to what would happen next. Suddenly, the main screen started playing fuzzy portions of their various lives and activities, before showing the main topic, which was a tutorial to everyone for how to dance to the songs "FLY AGAIN" and "GET OFF OF MY WAY". It was an enjoyable moment for everyone as the footage itself was comedic in nature when explaining the dos and don'ts.

The video ended and the band made their reentry with the next number "Smells like Team Spirit". Then, the time came for the crowd to put what they had learned from the tutorial to use as "FLY AGAIN" began to play! Moments before the chorus, Spear Rib left his spot to ensure the crowd was ready to dance along. I watched in awe as the audience as moved completely in sync with each other throughout the dance. It was a beautiful scene.

(L:R) Jean-Ken Johnny, Tokyo Tanaka

Mentioning that this was their first time doing a Asia tour, the band said they felt that Singapore was the perfect location to start it off. They also further added that the fans who had constantly tweeted them to come were part of why they decided on Singapore. Jean-Ken Johnny continued on with their tour plans and more importantly, the mention of the recent world events, especially in Europe where terrorism persists. We each have a role to make the world the better place, as none of us are perfect. It was definitely a clear hint as to what song was up next: none other than "World's on Fire"! The wolves showed no signs of slowing down as they then played "Emotions" and "Welcome to the New World" back to back.

A cake specially for the wolves

The band expressed their thanks to everyone who came to their show and said they hope that they will be able to perform for Singapore again soon. The final number was then declared: "GET OFF OF MY WAY"! As the chorus plays, everyone in the crowd was able to pull off the moves accurately, which was simply amazing. Just as the last member moved to the backstage, cries of encore could immediately be heard. This went on for a good 3 minutes or so before they came back. Jean-Ken Johnny then mentioned that they would be playing another 2 songs, which were "Dance Everybody" and "Raise your Flag". The wolves then requested a group photo with the audience, which certainly brought the night to a perfect end.

A final we-fie with the fans!

I highly recommend seeing MAN WITH A MISSION live. Their style and aesthetics were amazing and of course, without such great audience, there was no way this show could have been as fulfilling as it was. Fret not if you are not living in Asia, as they will be making their way to Europe before moving on to America. If you are still unconvinced about their capabilities, why not take some time to check out one of their most renowned songs, "FLY AGAIN"!

SETLIST

1. database

2. Dive

3. Take what you want

4. distance

5. Seven Deadly Sins

6. Give it away

7. Out of Control

8. Smells like Team Spirit

9. FLY AGAIN

10. World's On Fire
11. Emotion
12. Welcome to the New World
13. GET OFF OF MY WAY

EN1. Dance Everybody

EN2. Raise Your Flag

Source: crownrecord @ YouTube
Photo Credits:KA2@A.D.P...(A.D.P... ALLSTARS)

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