Mayday Live In The Sky Report: A Night of Firsts

What’s May without a performance from Taiwanese rock band Mayday? It’s a yearly tradition for the quintet to hold shows every May, since making a promise to fans in 2006.

The pandemic has led to live concert cancellations. Fans didn't have high hopes of watching the rock band's concert this May.

But Mayday didn't disappoint. On the last day of May, lead vocalist Ashin, guitarists Monster and Stone, bassist Masha and drummer Ming banded together to put up a live concert online

Mayday began with a mellow ballad An Apple (2012) in what seems like a recording studio. No, they did not appear with roaring pyrotechnics coupled with stage lifts. This is a first.

Just when fans thought they were holding the show in a studio, they made a suave entrance into the gargantuan Taipei Municipal Stadium, the exact location they used to film a music video a decade ago for This Is Love (2012).

One would usually expect a full-house attendance in their usual shows. This time, they are surrounded by no one, really, except several crew members and numerous cameras. This is another first for them.

The stadium may have been empty but Mayday was joined by hordes of fans around the world. Titled Mayday Live In The Sky, the one-hour show was viewed 42.44 million times.

Together with them are more than 500 thousand fans on their YouTube live stream. “It is an unfamiliar feeling since we don't have physical fans here with us”, said lead vocalist Ashin. “Although we are distant from each other physically, I feel that our hearts are at its closest now”, added Stone.

Another familiar highlight of a Mayday show is the light-hearted talk sets.

Bassist Masha started off by telling us he’s someone who needs applause from fans. “This time, don’t clap for me. Instead, direct your applause to the medical frontline workers in these tough times”.

Another first for the band would be sitting in the spectator stand to perform This is Love (2012) and Love-ing (2012). This is something they definitely can’t experience in a typical show setting. “From where we are seated, the singers on stage really look minuscule”, guitarist Monster said.

Perhaps they thought just the band performing alone might be mundane, though fans would oppose that saying. They got their showbiz pals Jams Hsiao, Mao Bu-yi and Li Rong-hao to perform Suddenly missing you so bad (2013).

Inviting special guests on stage to perform isn't new. But what's a first is getting guests to perform with them virtually.

The spectacular show was replete with our favourite earworms, humorous banter and some reminiscence of our childhood memories.

Ending off, a string of Mandarin words came on to the screen “等待你：回来填满这里”, which translates to “we’re waiting for you, to fill up these seats again”.

As usual, Mayday did not fail at creating a tear-jerking moment. “As long as we get through these tough times, we can use a bigger venue and get louder cheers from fans”, Masha reassured.