HONG KONG — Mirror member Ian Chan kicked off his nine-concert “GROWTH: LIVE 2026” residency at the Kai Tak Sports Park venue on Wednesday night, delivering a two-hour performance that blended high-tech stagecraft, choreographed intimacy and a rare backstage strip tease that sent fans into a frenzy.
The 31-year-old singer-songwriter opened the show on a massive T-shaped stage equipped with a rotating lift that elevated him above the audience as he played guitar and sang “Named After Solitude,” offering a 360-degree visual experience. The stage design, featuring multiple moving platforms and hidden trapdoors, allowed Chan to move seamlessly between moments of vulnerability and explosive dance numbers.
Backstage Cameras Capture Unexpected Reveal
The evening’s most talked-about moment came after Chan performed “Lace Cells.” A live camera followed him beneath the stage as he rode a rail cart at high speed, winking at the lens. The feed continued into his dressing room, where he changed shirts on camera, briefly exposing his bare torso and toned chest muscles. The reveal triggered deafening screams from the audience.
Minutes later, still in a white tank top, Chan was interrupted by a female dancer who tied his necktie and led him back to the main stage for “Sleep Delay.” The duo performed a sensual dance routine that included embraces, chest touches and the dancer sliding between Chan’s legs. He lightly cupped her chin in return, drawing another roar from the crowd. While Chan never performed fully shirtless on stage, he shed his jacket during “Night Vision Goggles,” leaving his muscular arms on display in the white tank top.
Wedding Fantasy and a Meditation on Change
For the song “Ring Finger,” the stage transformed into a dreamlike chapel. Chan and the same female dancer appeared in a tuxedo and wedding gown respectively, performing a mock ceremony that included lifting the veil and holding hands. The romantic sequence set the tone for a rare moment of introspection.
“Adults often ask whether the people and feelings we meet can last forever,” Chan told the audience. “But as we grow older, we realize that obsession is just an illusion. Everything is subject to change.” He added: “The only constant in the world is change itself. So change is eternal. Eternity is this moment in front of you. If you treasure what’s happening and keep it in your heart, that is eternity.”
Chan also played a pre-recorded message thanking fans for their support, urging them to “take care of your health—it’s more important than queuing all night to see me.” He then launched into a string of high-energy tracks including “Lost at First Sight,” “NPC’s Accident,” “That Soft Light, Named You” and “Growth!”
Double Encore Closes the Night
Near the end of the show, Chan jokingly asked for the time. Fans shouted “8:23 p.m.” He laughed and replied, “So I have to start the concert all over again?” Although he said he would not fake an exit, after finishing “Still” and descending below the stage, he reappeared in orange pajamas.
“Why are you still here?” he teased. “Don’t you have work tomorrow? I have to work tomorrow!” He then announced that the second show’s theme would be “Gloomy Night.” Relenting to fan demands, he performed an unexpected second encore, singing “Back Companion” and blowing repeated kisses before finally exiting.
The concert series continues through July 31, with each night reportedly featuring a different thematic set list. The residency marks Chan’s first major solo stadium show since Mirror’s 2022 Hong Kong Coliseum performances, signalling his continued evolution as a solo artist within the city’s pop landscape.
