Show's over, folks

Published on November 8, 2007

 After bringing joy to an audience full of teenyboppers with their three-hour "Freedom Around The World" concert at Impact last Saturday, singing duo Dan and Beam left their fans in tears by confirming rumours that they were breaking up.

The whispers had it that Dan in particular had been in touch with Sony-BMG Entertainment and GMM Grammy regarding a solo album.

Saturday's show piled on the cover songs, the lack of original material prompting the crowd to gossip about the likelihood of a split. Perhaps their rendition of Tata Young's "Dhoom Dhoom" was a coded message. Among other covers they performed were Jennifer Lopez's "Let's Get Loud" and Shakira's "Whenever Wherever".

The concert opened with a showcase of drumming from Morocco, Peru and Japan. The thumping beats were the prelude to a spectacular entrance from the two heartthrobs, who kicked off with "Kid Tueng" amid deafening screams from the audience.

Hits such as "Now" and "Pai Narak Klai Klai Noi" followed, then the audience was taken on a tour, through images on the big screens, of the countries represented in the drumming introduction. This was the cue for guest appearances from MTV VJs Pitta and Woonsen, who turned up in traditional Peruvian costumes, and veteran singers Byrd and Heart, who donned Moroccan gear for a rendition of Dan and Beam's "Sod".

The young duo disappeared backstage, then Dan emerged on his own to thrill the audience with K-pop star Se7en's hit "Come Back To Me". He stepped behind the piano to deliver Brian McKnight's "Back at One": "One, you're like a dream come true/ Two, just wanna be with you/Three, girl it's plain to see that you're the only one for me/ Four, repeat steps one to three/ Five, make you fall in love with me/ If ever I believe our work is done, then I start Back at One." Predictably, the audience went wild.

Beam went solo too, singing covers of Michael Buble's "Love" and performing a duet with actress Wisa Sarasas for "Way Back Into Love", which appears on the soundtrack of the romantic-comedy film "Music and Lyrics".

The pair got back together for the emotionally charged "Yoo Khon Diew Mai Pen" and "Gam Gueng" before giving fans all the excuse they needed to get up and dance with "Chae Waeb", from the soundtrack for Thai movie "Saeb Sanit Sai Na". Toes kept tapping as they swung through "Tai Mon" and a second helping of "Now", this one the "3-cha version".

As an encore, the duo sang "Mai Mee Wan Nai Mai Kid Tueng", before moving their fans to tears with the announcement that after five years together it was time to split up.

Though they're no longer a team, Dan and Beam are sure to remain in the spotlight. And time will tell whether Dan will stay at RS or move to Sony-BMG.

Kitchana Lersakvanitchakul

 The Nation