S.H.E's everything the fans want

SINGAPORE - There's no subject too private for Taiwanese all-girl trio S.H.E to discuss - even in front of a full-house audience of 8,000.

At the group's concert on Saturday, banter flowed easily between members Selina Jen, 31, Ella Chen, 32, and Hebe Tien, 30.

They unabashedly joked, for instance, about the size of each other's assets, and even about each other's, ahem, toilet habits.

It was this easy chemistry that kept adoring fans, who seemed like they just could not get enough of the trio, riveted throughout the three-hour concert.

The group was last here for a full-length concert in April 2010, just months before Jen was badly burnt in a filming mishap in October that year.

Now, the name of their latest tour, S.H.E 2Gether 4Ever World Tour 2013, may sound a little cheesy to some, but it is certainly apt considering the inextricable bond so evidently shared by the lasses.

Plus, the group has been together for 12 years, which can be considered almost an eternity, given the cut-throat music industry.

At this point in their career, the ladies of S.H.E may not have youth on their side when compared to newer, more nubile girl groups, and they don't have slick dance moves.

But if their confident performance on Saturday is anything to go by, they seem unfazed by the deluge of rookie girl groups from South Korea, Taiwan and China.

The veterans proved they can still deliver solid, live entertainment with strong vocals, spot-on harmonisation, and, most of all, spontaneity.

The trio - even Jen, who said that she caught only three hours of sleep the night before - kept the energy level high throughout the fun-filled show.

Nearing the halfway point of the 34-piece setlist, the group took their audience down memory lane, performing yesteryear hits like Remember and Tropical Rainforest.

Each member showed off her distinct personality and vocals with solo performances - Chen coming across as sexy, Tien as whimsical and Jen as girly.

There were also some poignant moments to the show, such as when an emotional Jen - who wore off-shoulder and sleeveless outfits, revealing the burn scars on her arms - thanked the audience for supporting her through tough times.

Judging by the overwhelming response from the crowd, it was clear that the fans love S.H.E - scars and all.

nggwen@sph.com.sg

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