HK band The Wynners is ready to bid goodbye after its Farewell With Love Tour ends. Photo: Glenn Guan/The Star
After an impressive five-decade run in the music industry, popular Hong Kong band The Wynners is preparing to bid goodbye with its final concert tour, Farewell With Love.
The gig, which kicked off at the Hong Kong Coliseum in August, will be making its way to the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on Nov 4.
Organised by Star Planet, this concert will be the group’s first in Malaysia since 2007.
Combining the talents of Alan Tam, Kenny Bee, Anthony Chan, Danny Yip and Bennett Pang, the five-piece pop band collectively shaped the popular Cantopop genre.
At a press conference in Kuala Lumpur, the members expressed delight at coming here once again for a concert.
Vocalist Bee, 70, said: “The (fans in Malaysia) are very passionate, and it’s easy to communicate with them as a lot of them understand Cantonese.”
The Wynners' last concert in Malaysia was in 2007. Photo: Chan Tak Kong/The Star
But it wasn’t just reconnecting with fans that had the members excited. The prospect of savouring the delicious cuisines here was just as enticing too.
Drummer Chan, 71, said that he was especially eager to try the char kuey teow here.
“I really miss the char kuey teow in Malaysia. I first tried it back in the 1970s. It was packed in a newspaper and it tasted amazing,” he reminisced.
Meanwhile, lead guitarist Pang, 74, said that he wants to indulge in his bak kut teh and durian cravings during his time here.
A 50-year journey
Formed in 1973, The Wynners is one of Hong Kong’s oldest boy bands.
Known as the “Five Tigers”, the remarkable quintet has staged seven sold-out shows at the prestigious Hong Kong Coliseum – the most for any music band.
Among its timeless hits include Sha-La-La-La-La, By His Side, Let’s Have Fun and Not In A Thousand Years.
Although the group went on hiatus in 1978, with Tam and Bee embarking on highly successful solo careers, it never officially disbanded and would reunite every five years for concerts.
As the sands of time swept through their lives, the members believe that it’s now time to draw the curtains as they “can’t promise” another concert in the next five years.
Reflecting on the 50 years he spent with The Wynners, vocalist Tam admitted that he never expected the group to stay together for so long.
“It has always been in the plans for the members to get together every five years to stage a performance,” said the 73-year-old.
The last time the band planned the five-year mark performance, it ran into a spot of trouble due to the pandemic. The Wynners was even set to stage a concert in Malaysia in Feb 2020, only to be postponed to Dec 2020 and later cancelled.
“Since this year marks our 50th anniversary, we decided it’s best to hold our concert now. This show will be a party to thank fans for all their support and fun memories over the years.”
Echoing Tam’s response, Pang added: “We started the band for fun when we were younger. Who would’ve thought we would still be together, now that we’re in our 70s.”
While Tam confirmed that The Wynners’ current tour will be its last, he clarified that the group will continue participating in charity gigs. The band recently performed at the Uniting Hearts 2023 Charity TV Show in Singapore, which aims to raise funds for various social programmes.
“We hope to continue contributing to society. For example, funding for schools, orphanages, hospitals and so on,” Tam said.
Fantastic five
The Wynners’ decision to disband bears a bittersweet tone. In fact, Chan and Bee were initially reluctant with the idea.
Although it may appear heartbreaking on the surface, Chan assured fans that the members have all made peace with the decision and that their joy now overrides the sadness.
He even promised to spread only positive energy to fans during the upcoming concert in Kuala Lumpur, where The Wynners will serenade fans with a mix of golden oldies and fresh numbers.
“I’m grateful because (The Wynners) is still able to celebrate its 50th anniversary with fans,” he said.
When asked if the members were planning on making a documentary, they answered no as it would be a tall order to condense their entire journey into a single film.
“It will also be hard to find five actors who resemble us when we were young,” joked Bee.
Together forever
The secret to The Wynners’ enduring legacy may just lie in its rock-solid chemistry. On the unbreakable bond they share, Chan said that the five of them have been buddies since childhood and have a “deep understanding” of one another.
“We would play marbles, engage in play fights... we basically grew up together,” he reminisced with a smile.
'Five Black-haired Boys' sees The Wynners embarking on various fun-filled adventures. Photo: Screengrab from HK Music Talk/YouTube
This profound chemistry is clearly showcased in HK Music Talk’s YouTube programme, Five Black-haired Boys. In the show, the five pals can be seen embarking on various adventures together – from camping trips to theme park escapades and other fun activities.
During the press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Pang said that they would go for a short getaway after each concert to wind down from their hectic schedule.
According to him, these trips allow them to enjoy meaningful conversations without the constant presence of cameras.
“We can talk about anything and eat whatever we want without any cameras following us. Our conversations are more (heartfelt) too,” he added.
Of course, the varying dynamics within any band can give rise to conflicts. But what truly keeps the quintet in check is each member’s ability to swiftly resolve their differences.
“Even if we have professional disagreements, we will look at the big picture. The smaller details are not important,” Bee said at a media conference in Singapore.
The Wynners’ journey may be reaching its conclusion, but 73-year-old bassist Yip said that everything will be fine as long as the five of them have each other.
Chan also told the Malaysian press that he intends to spend time with the members even after the group disbands.
“We will share our stories, cook and eat together. We are just so happy to have one another,” he said.
Tickets to The Wynners’ concert in Kuala Lumpur are priced from RM288 to RM958 and can be purchased at www.starplanet.com.my.
