Dam Vinh Hung – Gio H

If Dam Vinh Hung’s second live show, Gio H, is not as exciting as his first, Trai Tim Hat, that is because he is not new anymore and we know how his strategy works. Despite his poor judgment on the outfits and his rhythmless dance steps, his vocal wizardry is still the whole show. His strong voice allows him to performance twenty songs live, no lip-sync required.

Hung covers many popular songs from his last three albums including Nguyen Nhat Huy’s “Neu Co Yeu Toi,” Trinh Cong Son’s “Ben Doi Hiu Quanh,” Duy Manh’s “Giay Phut Chia Xa,” and Truong Le Son’s “Chen Dang.” Like the first concert, he invites guest singers to join him. Aside from the returning of My Tam (she looks so sensual in that white Vietnamese long dress) and Hong Ngoc, the special appearance of his mentor Thanh Lam is the best part of the show. Their duet performance on Thanh Tung’s “Giot Nang Ben Them” is breathtaking, and Lam’s vocal manipulation is amazing. Supplemented by Le Minh Son’s intricate finger-picking guitar, both Lam and Hung are remarkable on Thuan Yen’s “Chia Tay Hoang Hon.” Another beautiful collaboration is Tuong Van’s “Tieng Gio Xon Xao.” Backed up by AC&M, Hung gives a fantastic a cappella presentation.

Hung hits the mark on most of his performances except for a few. Despite the contemporary jazz arrangement, the remix version of Tran Quang Nam’s “Muoi Nam Tinh Cu” doesn’t sound fresh at all. Hung doesn’t seem to float with the beat. His duet with Nhu Y on Nguyen Nhat Huy’s “Dem Co Don” is a mismatch. When they sing the chorus, her voice is nowhere to be heard. The show is closed with “Feliz Navidad,” which becomes an incredibly annoying song, and Hung’s imperfect English only makes it worse. No one is perfect, but at least Hung gives a hundred percent of his effort on Gio H. Even though his style is not surprising anymore, the concert is still enjoyable.