Jay Chou concert-goers petition for refund due to poor sound quality
Jay Chou at the opening of his clothing store PHANTACi Singapore. (Photo: Elizabeth Tong/Yahoo Singapore)
[UPDATE on Tuesday, 6 Sept, 3:29pm: The Singapore Sports Hub has noted feedback from some concert-goers]
More than 1,000 people have signed an online petition as of Tuesday (6 Sept) to demand for a refund for Saturday’s Jay Chou concert at the National Stadium.
The petition, which was posted on GoPetition on Sunday (4 Sept), stated “unacceptable standards” of the concert’s audio quality as one of its reasons for the refund. The tickets for the concert were priced between $118 and $338.
“For the whole concert, audience who were not seated in line with the speakers or leveled with the stage only heard muffled sound and strong bass throughout. NONE of what Jay Chou was singing or talking could be heard sharply and clearly,” stated the petition posted by a Goh Ying Sheng.
The site has since garnered 2,500 Facebook likes.
This is not the first time that Jay fans have had to experience such a poor audio quality, it seems. According to Goh, the same situation occurred during Chou’s concert at the same venue two years ago. Despite having given feedback to the Singapore Sports Hub then, “no improvements” were seen on that night, he said.
Goh also said that fans were promised speakers to be allocated around the stadium. However, none were seen during the concert.
“We as consumers should not just keep quiet about this. Obviously, feedback was given but fallen on deaf ears… we request Multimedia Entertainment, organizer of Jay Chou ‘The Invincible’ 2016 concert, Singapore leg, to make refunds to affected audience, and Singapore Sports Hub to give answers for repeated poor standards of concerts held at the National Stadium,” Goh said.
This is not the first time that concert goers have complained about the poor sound quality of concerts held at the National Stadium. During Madonna’s first concert in Singapore earlier in February, fans had also complained about the poor audio quality of her show, which was also held at the same venue.
In an email reply to Yahoo Singapore on Tuesday, the Singapore Sports Hub said that it has noted the feedback from some concert-goers regarding the sound quality at the National Stadium.
The Sports Hub claimed that compared to Chou’s concert in Singapore as part of his Opus 2 World Tour two years ago, the sound quality during Saturday’s performance had improved.
This was after organisers engaged sound engineers from abroad “to provide advice on the sound system and set-up”.
“Based on this, the quality of speakers was improved from Opus 2 and some of the speaker locations were changed (which minimised obstruction of seat views). Please know that we take all feedback seriously, and continue to work towards improving patron experience,” the Sports Hub said.
There was no mention of refunds.
About 40,000 people attended last Saturday’s concert. The National Stadium is by far the largest event venue in the country, with a seating capacity of 55,000.
