Danish pop/soft rock band Michael Learns to Rock (MLTR) will give a show April 30 at the Shenzhen Poly Theater.

    MLTR is comprised of Jascha Richter, Mikkel Lentz, and Kare Wanscher. The band was formed in 1988 and has sold over 11 million records over the course of their career, with the majority sold in Asia. Despite being Danish, the band performs songs in English. The band has attributed its success in Asia to their clean-living image and to singing in English as a second language.

    MLTR has earned gold and platinum status for records in many countries and won many awards, including the Gold Preis Award from RSH, Germany and “The Best Performing Act of the Year” at the SEA Grammy Awards in Singapore. In addition, their song “Take Me to Your Heart” was awarded “most downloaded single of the year 2006” after 6 million or more paid downloads. The band has recorded eight studio albums as well as a number of live and greatest hits albums.

    During the peak of their popularity in the mid-1990s, MLTR was described by critics as being “as good (if not better) a band as any current big name group out of America or the U.K.” According to the band’s record label releases, their sound is “the perfect balance of a Scandinavian glow and the international pop song that has been instrumental in forming the compelling sound of the band,” although the lead singer and songwriter, Richter, disagrees with this, maintaining that the music defies geographical categorization.

    MLTR has cited their influences as Supertramp, Elton John, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, the Eagles, Billy Joel, ABBA and Bee Gees. Despite being branded simplistic, easy listening and sometimes, downright cheesy, banal or even naive by many, MLTR is adamant that these are the very qualities of their lyrics and music which have found favor with Asian music listeners.

    Time: 7:30 p.m., April 30

    Tickets: 280-1,080 yuan

    Reservations:

    400-610-3721

    Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, intersection of Wenxin Road 5 and Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District (南山区后海滨路与文心五路交界处深圳保利剧院)

    Metro: Shekou Line, Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E

    (SD News)