How’s this for being observant and sweet? Half of indie pop twins Tegan and Sara Quin, Tegan knelt to touch a pregnant fan’s belly after noticing her sign announcing that she’s going to name her child “Tegan”.

The Canadian-born singer then left the stage briefly to collect her camera with which she proceeded taking photos of them with the crowd.

It may be 14 years after they made their debut in the music scene, but they’ve finally performed live in Singapore for the first time on 13 May this year.

With a Billboard chart-topping 7th album “Heartthrob”, it is no wonder that the duo has had several nominations under their belt with one in the acclaimed Grammy Awards this year for “Best Long Form Music Video”, and an almost yearly nomination in the various categories of the Juno Awards.

The announcement of their imminent arrival was met with much excitement and enthusiasm from the many fans in this country. A fan in her mid-twenties at the concert was overheard saying, “I grew up with their music; I feel like I’m going to explode just waiting for them (to perform).”

Armed with a looper and keyboard, local singer Weish opened the concert with her own compositions. The petite student with her hair tied back looked like she still couldn’t believe that the duo has chosen her to be their curtain raiser. the crowd was treated with a half-hour long set of her eclectic mix of a cappella sounds, complementing the instruments she had with, and velvety vocals.

It was 40 minutes later that Tegan and Sara fans finally appeared on stage. The anticipation and excitement was palpable as fans were more than ready to bolt out of their seats to the front to get as close as they could to the twins.

When the lights at the Esplanade Concert Hall dimmed, a deafening scream resonated around the concert hall. Indulging the crowd with a number from their latest album, Heartthrob, “Drove Me Wild” did exactly what it said it would, with just about everyone constantly jumping, singing along, with fists pumping in the air.

The crowd and the twins seem to feeding off each other’s energy, making it quite difficult to remain seated in the concert hall. The twins constantly proclaimed their love for Singapore with Tegan announcing, “You guys are probably the most exciting crowd we’ve ever played to.”

To make up for lost time, the duo promised to and did play songs from their previous albums, much to the happiness of the crowd (judging by the constantly increasing volume of screaming and cheering). After “I’m Not Your Hero”, “Goodbye, Goodbye” and “I’m Not Your Friend” from Heartthrob, the twins drove the crowd to ecstasy by playing a single from their 2007 album, The Con.

“Back In Your Head”, the first single off The Con was greeted with a generous outpouring of love. That coupled with psychedelic lights, ground-shaking bass and the twin’s impeccable showmanship and vocals, raised the crowd’s energy to an all-time high with everyone singing along to that hit.
 

Their interactions definitely endeared the crowd; especially Tegan’s aforementioned exchange with the pregnant fan.

The duo also regaled the audience with tales of their first time in Singapore. Relating their experience with a “crazy cab driver” while on their way to the Marine Life Park (where Sara also found her spirit animal, a shark), the twins had the crowd in stitches as they recounted the cab driver’s ability to drive and read out their Wikipedia page to them. Of course, the twins also made a few light-hearted jokes about our chewing gum ban, and that made them all the more endearing to the audience.

Ending their set on a high with “Closer” from their latest album, it looked like it was the end with the crew packing up their instruments had it not been the fact that Tegan comforted the audience by saying “Don’t worry we have a crazy long encore”.

It was a 4 song long encore (but perhaps not long enough) with the twins performing “Call It Off” from The Con and a medley of their older materials including “Superstar” a song released in 1999 and “We Didn’t Do It” from their 2004 album, So Jealous.

“Feel It In My Bones”, a number recorded by Dutch trance artist Tiësto, marked the ultimate end of their first gig here in Singapore with both parties reluctant to say goodbye. Sara even confessed how sometimes they’d be so tired after a show they didn’t mind leaving the stage, but she felt like she could go on the entire night, her face showing just how immensely sincere she was when she made that confession.

However, for those who missed the concert, or are already suffering Tegan and Sara withdrawal, Sara declared at the show, “I’m making a public promise to you that we will come back… In one year from now.”

 

Set list:

Drove Me Wild

I’m Not Your Hero

Goodbye, Goodbye

I Couldn’t Be Your Friend

Back in your Head

The Con

Living Room

Arrow

I Was A Fool

Shock To Your System

How Come You Don’t Want Me

Love They Say

Alligator

Walking With A Ghost

Where Does The Good Go

Hop A Plane

Now I’m All Messed Up

Closer

 

Encore:

Call It Off

Nineteen

Medley

Feel It In My Bones