Rock band Mayday will stage Nowhere concert at Beijing National Stadium. Provided to China Daily

In 2012, Taiwan rock band Mayday sold out two shows at the 80,000-seat Beijing National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in less than a day.

During the Beijing shows, which had over 200,000 fans, Mayday gave an electrifying performance, showcasing their mastery of the power ballad and their ability to connect with a live audience.

A year later, they are coming back to the same venue and having their Nowhere concert.

"Archimedes said, 'Give me a fulcrum, and I shall move the world'. In our case, we say, 'Give me a guitar and I shall move the world'," says Ashin, 38, the leading vocalist of the band.

"Ever since we came together as a band, we are a band that loves dreaming. We are glad that more and more fans have joined our dreams.

"The main attraction of our concerts is not the five of us, but the people who come to watch," adds Ashin. "Without their participation, our concerts wouldn't be as amazing as they are now."

The band's current line-up comprises Ashin on vocal, Monster and Stone on guitars, Masa on bass and Guan You on drums. Since their first public appearance 13 years ago, Mayday have released eight studio albums, earning themselves a place in the heart of Asian music fans all over the world for their explosive and highly energetic live performances.

The band, which was started by Ashin and Monster in high school, used to sing in pubs, clubs, and even on the streets under the name of So Band.

After signing with Rock Records in 1998, Mayday released their debut album in 1999 and the band shot to fame with their single hit Peter and Mary. This song also received critical acclaim and garnered a large group of followers among the youths in Taiwan.

In August, 1998, they held their first large-scale performance called The 168th Performance, marking their position as one of the most popular bands in Taiwan.

"We had no idea how many people would come to watch our show. But when we saw the crowds at the show, we felt so encouraged and made us determine to stick to our dreams," Ashin says.

The band won six awards at Taiwan's 2012 Golden Melody Awards, including the best song, best album and best band. But the band believes that these aren't the most important elements of their experience.

"If the only standard is award, then Mayday wouldn't exist," says Ashin. "I still remember that our shows in the beginning days were not well received. But we continue writing the songs we love then.

"In the past, we worried about how many people would come to our shows but now we focus on how to make our shows memorable for the audiences," he adds.

The band also released Mayday: 3DNA in 2011, a 3-D movie of their live show and set to continue to push the boundaries of technology with the release of their second 3-D movie Mayday: Noah's Ark 3D, which is due for release in September.

They will also kick off their shows in London, Paris and Amsterdam from September.

From songs celebrating youth to songs revolving around world peace and human beings, the band has matured in their 16 years of music journey.

"If we are 60 and still playing together as a band, that will be the day we smile and tell ourselves we have made it," Ashin says.

chennan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 08/04/2013 page15)