A simple stage setup, musical instruments and a house of enthusiastic fans was all that was needed for SCANDAL to rock the house down at *SCAPE last night

Text: Joanna Goh
Photos: Sozo
Videos: Fiona Lin

With their willowy lithe frames, gamine good looks and wispy long locks, one would expect the quartet from SCANDAL to be just another singing and dancing Japanese pop group. But manufactured idols these girls are not.

Armed with their electric guitars and drums, these girls pack a punch with their electrifying pop-rock tunes and funky riffs on the stage. Put together Rina’s maniac drumming, bassist Tomomi’s child-like vocals, lead singer Haruna’s deep and husky-esque voice, and Mami’s steady strumming and you get a one of a kind all-female Japanese rock band – a rarity in today’s music industry.

Having been in the industry for close to six years (they officially debuted in 2008), the girls’ steady ascend can be seen by their 2012 – and first – Tokyo Budokan performance, which is also the dream stage of many aspiring singers and bands. With a refreshed image and newer songs to showcase, SCANDAL returned to Singapore – after their last visit in 2011 – for a two-night only showcase at *SCAPE this weekend.

When the lights at *SCAPE’s warehouse dimmed and the band hit the stage, the crowd of 800 fans broke out in wild cheers, waving their lightsticks with unison fervour. The entire ‘LIVE’ experience was further magnified with flashing strobe lights and the band’s bass-thumping beats.

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