Sounding off in 30 Seconds

He’s already a talented musician and actor and frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars Jared Leto can add charmer to his list of attributes, winning the hearts of some 3,000 cheering fans at Bitec Bang Na’s Hall 106 last Saturday by demonstrating his love for all things Thai.

Leto, who last month won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the transsexual Rayon in the 2013 Aids drama “Dallas Buyers Club, told the rapt audience that he thought Thailand was an amazing country with kind people and tasty food. He even went as far as to ask the two lucky Thai girls he’s brought on to the stage what Bangkok was called in Thai before launching into an acoustic version of “City of Angels”, commenting that the song referred to any place where a person goes to fulfil his own dreams.

Leto made the Thai fans proud as he waved a giant Thai flag before singing “Kings and Queens”, whose lyrics explore the triumphant feeling of human possibilities. He also mentioned the anti-government protest in Thailand and praised His Majesty the King.

Thirty Seconds to Mars is currently on a world tour to promote its latest album, “Love Lust Faith + Dreams” though the lads happily played plenty of tracks from 2009’s “This Is War”.

The crowd, most of them dressed in black, poured into the hall and were delighted when the concert finally got underway at 8.30 – just 30 minutes late.

Leto, his brother, drummer Shannon Leto and guitarist and keyboardist Tomo Milicevic opened the show with “Birth” as an energetic Leto ran back and forth between stage and catwalk.

“I believe in you, Thailand,” he said, telling the audience to put their hands in the air and clap in “Night of the Hunter” and “Search and Destroy” as giant balloons filled the air and Shannon and Milicevic impressed the audience with their solid sound.

Screams were loud as Thirty Seconds launched into “This Is War” with fans singing along word for word and chanting “fight, fight, fight” with the singer.

The band also presented with three new songs from its latest album including“Conquistador”. On “Do or Die” Leto taught the crowd to sing the epic “oh, oh, ohhhhh” parts, and on “City of Angels”, he told fans to get out their cell phones.

Leto remained on the stage with an acoustic guitar for a solo set, while the other members took a break. “Do you guy have any requests?” he asked and the audience responded by shouting out random song. He went on to play his biggest hit, “The Kill”, “Hurricane”, “Closer to the Edge” and a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay” with the audience happily singing along to each,

The band then delighted the crowd by donning muay thai shorts and Leto again called out for crazy people to join him. He helped pull the fans up to the stage where they danced, enjoyed and interacted with him in the one and only encore  “Up in the Air”.

On that note, they left the stage and while they made no promises to come back, fans will be hoping they will – and soon.