It took Mötley Crüe nearly 3 long decades to hold a performance on our shores, with Singapore being the only Asian stop they’ve played at besides Japan.

But with just minutes ticking away until the curtain is drawn for singer Vince Neil, guitarist Mick Mars, bassist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee to stage a show befitting their legendary status, the crowds at Fort Canning Park on Oct 16 obviously couldn’t bear to wait a moment longer.

They let out an audible groan of annoyance when the opening act Bad Obsession performed their fifth song on stage. To be honest, this Singaporean band didn’t really deserve to be treated as a bane; they did spew out some rockin’ tunes to try and get the crowds going. It’s just unfortunate that the audience were only craving for Mötley Crüe.

After another half hour of excruciating wait, the crowds then persisted to chant “Crüe! Crüe! Crüe!” when the curtain closed for Mötley Crüe to prepare their equipment on stage.

“Be prepared to go deaf, man,” said someone in the crowd.

That definitely proved to be an understatement; after the curtain fell, Neil screamed into the microphone and the guitarists rocked on the strings to Lee’s intense drumming.

Not that anyone would complain about the aural assault. With their enthusiasm and remarkably energetic musicianship, these legendary individuals truly showed the audience what they had waited for, and possibly even more.

Sure, they belted out customary hits such as “Saints of Los Angeles”, “Live Wire”, “Sick Love Song”, “Louder than Hell”, “Primal Scream” and “Same ol’ Situation” at maximum volume. Neil was pitch perfect in his screams and Mars was spot on with his mad guitar skills.

But that’s expected of great musicians. What wasn’t expected of them was their display of great humility.

For most rock bands, it’s acceptable for just the lead vocalist to thank the audience while other members simply stand around and fiddle with their instruments. Instead, each member of the Mötley Crüe showed his appreciation by personally greeting and thanking the fans.

And they were certainly more than half-hearted shout-outs. Garbed in just his usual bermudas to show off the many tattoos all over his body, Lee even leaped off the stage and shook hands with some lucky audience members, while thanking them over and over again. That earned the respect of this UrbanWire reviewer who now sees him as more than just “the talented guy who married Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson”.

They could have acted like the typical divas. Heck, their illustrious status would definitely have allowed them to pull it off. Instead, they thanked their fans profusely, sang with the crowds excitedly and interacted with the audience as much as they could.

That’s not to say that they acted as complete saints. Swear words still littered in every sentence but they, surprisingly, didn’t make any degrading remarks about women.

It’s no wonder that when the night ended fittingly with the song “Home Sweet Home”, many found it hard to leave their spot in front of the stage. One hour of Mötley Crüe at Fort Canning Park wasn’t enough to quench their 27-year-long wait.

It was an exhilarating experience to hear Neil’s screams on the microphone and see Mars’ trademark hat, Sixx’s signature goatee and Lee’s electric performance on the drums.

This reviewer, who wasn’t quite a Mötley Crüe fan before, has now become a believer.

Photos by Jeremy Wong