HCM CITY— Big stadiums are no longer the best place for music performances as pop stars and singers are now holding live mini shows to cut expenses this season.

"The more we invested in big shows at stadiums, the more we lost,” said pop idol Đàm Vĩnh Hưng. “We have to calculate carefully before launching a live show this time when audiences, particularly youth, prefer better music but want to pay less money,"

“Attracting a few hundred people a night isn’t difficult. A mini live show will help singers introduce their new projects and meet fans, too,” he added.   

Hưng plans to organise a mini live show, Diamond Show- Đàm Vĩnh Hưng, in Đà Nẵng after staging it in HCM City and Hà Nội last month.  

Live music is still alive and well however many fans are showing a preference for the more intimate ambience of smaller venues such as bars and night clubs over big events.

Pop stars such as Hồ Ngọc Hà and Uyên Linh have attracted fans by offering mini live shows of musical styles and quality decorations.  

In Hà’s concert, Hồ Ngọc Hà Private Show, at the Gem Centre in HCM City two months ago, her fans could relax in a cosy atmosphere in a luxury venue while listening to their idol.

The singer performed new songs and remixed top hits such as What’s Love and Gửi Người Yêu Cũ (For My Ex-Boyfriend). She also introduced her latest album, Love Song 3, and sold out more than 1,000 copies at the event. 

“I wanted to be a close friend and share my music with fans instead off standing on stage as a queen,” said Hà, who organised four mini shows in Hà Nội, HCM City and Đà Nẵng this year.

Mini concerts are also goals for younger singers in the fiercely competitive industry.

Giang Hồng Ngọc and Bảo Anh both won the hearts of fans at their shows last month.  

"My first live show aimed to celebrate my 10 years of singing. I decided to sing on a small stage because I believe that no place is too small for singing,” said Ngọc, adding that she had invested in light and sound effects instead of renting a big venue.

Ngọc performed more than 20 songs in different styles of pop, dance and blues written by talented composers Châu Đăng Khoa, Phương Uyên and Đỗ Hiếu. Her show attracted nearly 300 people, many of them students.

She invited young singers Bùi Anh Tuấn and Minh Như to perform along with her.

If Ngọc’s show aimed to say thanks to her fans, her competitor Anh has worked to introduce new songs.

At her show, Yêu Một Người (Love Someone), the 24-year-old singer introduced her new album before only 150 fans, but many of her admirers have followed her career since 2009. 

Anh, with a sweet voice and exciting stage presence, staged her two hour show singing and dancing new songs, including Yêu Một Người Vô Tâm (Love Someone) and Trái Tim Em Cũng Biết Đau (My Heart is Broken), written by young rapper and musician Mr.Siro.

"This was a great show. My crew and I worked hard the whole year to win over fans,” said Anh, adding that she felt nervous but believed in her ability.

“I think young singers have less experience and money to organise a big concert. For them, a mini show is a good choice to promote themselves,” said film actress and singer Phan Lê Ái Phương, who staged a mini show called Nếu Anh Yêu Em (If You Love Me) at the nightclub We in District 1 last week. — VNS