The Strokes at MBS Singapore

Caught the The Strokes at the show at MBS Expo and Convention Center. This was a sold-out show on Aug 2. However, at the last minute, they added on a second show on Aug 3 at the same venue because their Malaysia set was canceled. (No thanks to The 1975's fiasco.) 

The band came on pretty punctually at 8.18pm. They opened with 'Barely Legal' (2011), 'Bad Decisions' (The New Abnormal in 2020), and 'Call It Fate, Call It Karma' (Come Down Machine, 2013). Before the encore, they did 'Life Is Simple In The Moonlight' (Angles, 2011). They went off tangent into an impromptu jam halfway. Quite fun. 

It's a standing-only show. I found a nice space behind the sound booth/stage. I could see the huge video screens, but not exactly the band on stage. I didn't mind. I'm not tall but I'll take breathing space over a good view any day. Hello, claustrophobic me. Few people bothered to hang out here precisely because of that. Perfect! 

Then some drunk people came along to flail around like they were dancing. The first batch of drunk people got hauled away by security. Towards the end of the night, along came another couple who were tipsy. The man was pissed drunk and couldn't even stand straight. The woman was slightly better and tried to hold him. I didn't notice them till they passed by me and the man lurched and elbowed me. 

Although my arm blocked that elbow, I was caught by surprise and instinctively retaliated with a very sharp elbow of my own straight out at half strength into his ribs. He stumbled away. I felt the impact and and knew I caught the right soft spot under the ribs. Ha! That's going to leave a nasty bruise tomorrow. His girlfriend/date apologized for knocking into me. He kept stumbling around. Utterly embarrassing. By the time security came again to this area, it was already the encore. I wouldn't say drunk dude marred the show. I wouldn't let him do that. I had already jabbed him. (Do not throw a punch in front of so many witnesses. Go stealthy.) I'd take it up with him if he had an issue with me. But he was too far gone to realize that I jabbed him. LOLOL I'm quite sanguine about people like this at gigs.

It was a good show! I had a tiny cup of G&T which tasted exactly like the $5 crap it was. Then I stuck to a bottle of water for the rest of the night. Although MBS parking charges were expectedly high at $18.50 for the two hours parked. The band did three encore songs from everyone's favorite years — 'Hard to Explain' (Is This It, 2001), 'You Only Live Once' (First Impressions of Earth, 2005), and ending the night with 'Last Nite' (Is This It, 2001).