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SINGAPORE : She’s no longer ‘complicated’ like when she first hit the music scene six years ago. On Sunday, a more grown-up, less angsty Avril Lavigne took centre stage at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for “The Best Damn Tour”. This is the 23-year-old Canadian pop-rock princess’ second concert in Singapore, her first was the “Under My Skin” tour in 2005.
To spot a fan is not rocket science. Thousands of teenyboppers were universally clad in their skinny ties, plaid mini-skirts, knee-high socks and pink skull T-shirts direct from the merchandise stall. Interestingly, Lavigne’s fans seem to be getting younger with each album, and many arrived for the concert with a chaperone in tow.
After an excruciating 80-minute wait and a couple of unimpressive opening acts, the lights dimmed out. Finally! The fans went wild. Glo-sticks were hoisted and waved like light-sabers, while cameras and mobile phones were set on standby and focused on the stage.
Lavigne burst onto the freshly unveiled hot pink punk-inspired stage with her catchy, upbeat hit “Girlfriend”, leading dancers through a military-style dance, complete with pink flags waving and marching. She kept energy levels high with another dynamic piece, “I Can Do Better” which ended with an impromptu cartwheel.
To prove that she’s not just a manufactured pop starlet, Lavigne hit the electric guitar, piano and drums that night, much to the fans’ delight.
One of the highlights of the show was when Lavigne interacted with the crowd. In cheerleader fashion, she directed the crowd to spell her name - Avril - which her fans happily participated during her rendition of “The Best Damn Thing”. It would be a bigger blast if she had connected more with the audience.
The fans seated around me kept me amused and entertained throughout the show. In front of me was a highly enthusiastic Caucasian dad who was constantly on his feet, waving his hands in the air while on my right, three teenage boys, yes boys, were head-banging to “I Always Get What I Want”. And to my left, a group of pre-teen girls who deafened me with their shrill screams and high-pitched singing. Talk about diversity.
Lavigne performed songs mostly from her latest album, “The Best Damn Thing” and her chart-toppers such as “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi”. When Lavigne boldly claimed, “I’m the best damn thing your eyes have ever seen”, I expected to be wowed by her. Sadly, I was more drawn to her pink diamond-encrusted microphone.
This may be “The Best Damn Tour” for Lavigne’s die-hard teenybopper fans but it failed to hit the high note for me.
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