Can I just say, I am 22 and never have I thought that I’d ever act like a total fangirl. EVER. But The Maine Live in Manila happened.
I have never watched a concert before so I don’t really have any inkling what goes on in concerts. I just feel that spending heaps amount of money for a certain artist’s concert whom you just like but not love enough is not worth it. I promised myself that if ever I will watch a concert I will only settle for the VIP section and that it has to be an artist/band that is really special to me. Last year, when The Maine came over to Manila for Liv3. My friend and I decided we’d come even though it was finals week. We were on our final year in college so exams were earlier than usual. Unfortunately though, exam schedule was the exact week of the Liv3 shows. Nonetheless, despite being studious, it was The Maine were’re talking about here so we’ll just have to sacrifice sleep for our finals to watch The Maine. Everything’s planned already until we got our thesis draft. Our final thesis defense was already fast approaching and we have to do the final edits of our thesis. So, goodbye The Maine. It’s been pretty much a shitty week since I haven’t been sleeping enough or at all during the finals week and what makes everything worse is that my friend and I had to let go of the opportunity to watch The Maine.
I first discovered The Maine around 2007 when I was just 17 in Myspace while I was searching for Boys Like Girls. I stumbled upon Kennedy and John’s personal Myspace page. It was really their good looks that drew me in to them at first then when I checked their profile I found out that they were a part of the band The Maine. So I checked out the band’s Myspace profile and songs and thought that they’re good!!! I have become a fangirl of this band since then. I only get to watch and listen to The Maine via Myspace then eventually I turned to YouTube to satisfy my The Maine fixation. Since 17 I was only depending on the internet to watch The Maine’s performances abroad hoping that one day they come over and perform. That time I thought it was never going to happen. The Maine is not a huge act and thinking about it breaks my heart because I really want to see them perform live badly. Then, came Liv3. When I first heard that they were coming over, I was so ecstatic but in the end I was not able to go and for the entire week I cannot get over the fact that everyone’s out there watching the band and I’m right here sitting in the pantry of our dorm editing my thesis and preparing for my finals. It was such a bad time!!!
Around early February 2012 I checked out The Maine updates and found out that they were coming back for a solo concert. I can’t express how happy I was to find out that they were coming over. Good thing I’m now working and earning my own dough which means I can buy my own concert ticket. I knew right away that I had to get a Platinum ticket. It may cost alot but I don’t mind. It’s The Maine and I have been waiting for so long to see them live. So Fatima (the same friend I was referring to in the Liv3 story) and I bought concert tickets right away thankfully it wasn’t sold out yet when we reserved tickets. A few days after we got the tickets, Platinum was already sold out. Whew Thank you God we made it this time without any unnecessary problemos.
A few weeks before the concert, Fatima slipped and broke one of her toes in her left foot so she had to go to the concert with a cast and a crutch. On the other hand, I was wearing ultra high heels that everyone disagreed with when I told them I’ve made up my mind that it was what I am going to wear to the show. I don’t want anyone to block my view. I know it’ll be hard to get to the front row so even if that was the goal I had to have a back-up plan thus, the high heels. I have to be taller than everyone so even if I have to wait in line for hours in high heels, I am more than willing to do so.
For weeks, I was so giddy for the show. Every morning I’d check Twitter and Tumblr for The Maine show updates. I have never been so excited to wake up so early in the morning on a weekday during that time. Come concert day, Fatima and I arrived at around twelve something in the afternoon and my goodness there was already a line!!! We didn’t want to take the risk of going somewhere else first before falling in line thinking it’s still too early so we joined the line. Fatima had to go to the comfort room in the late afternoon which left me alone in the line. The Pulp royalties were already inside for their Meet and Greet and Soundcheck Party so the security already divided the people by their sections. I was starting to worry about Fatima until I saw her right in the front most part of the long line waiving at me. At first I thought “What the hell is she doing there in front waiving at me?” I decided to leave the line when I realized she was calling me to come over to the front. I found out that a bouncer saw her struggling and let her stay in the front away from the line to wait for her safety. So basically, the whole time, the two of us were waiting literally outside the line. Just me and Fatima. That injury caused her so much hell for the past few weeks but has suddenly become a blessing that day. The organizers noticed her condition and initially told her to just seat on the bleachers so she’d be safe since the Platinum area is so jampacked and it’ll be dangerous for her to join the pack there. Obviously, she did not want to trade in her Platinum ticket for her safety and said that she can survive the mosh pit. We had to sign a waiver that whatever happens to her the organizer will not be liable. Both of us were not expecting to get any special treatment and that letting us stay outside the line was the final stretch. We just waited patiently to be instructed on when we can finally start going in to the venue.
The organizers were more than caring to all of the people in line which is great. For me a good show organizer is not someone who can bring in a great artist who can put on a really good show. A good organizer is someone who can assure every attendee that it’ll be fun, exciting, safe and can make everyone feel like they’re a one big happy family. While waiting, one of the organizers decided to talk to us and ask which band we want to see next. Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Parachute, Marina and The Diamonds, Matt & Kim and the list goes on. This guy loved our suggestions and said that we have such great taste in music. Throughout the entire day of being surrounded by super hyper teenagers, it felt good to be able to talk to an adult even just for a short while.
When the staffs were already preparing everyone to enter the venue, one of the organizers (the one in red shirt and brown pants) approached Fatima and I and asked us to move beside the Platinum section’s entrance. We were so shocked when we were the first ones to be permitted to enter the venue. I had to support Fatima since she was still having quite a hard time walking. I don’t know what to feel, if I should be excited that we got in first or to feel conscious because everyone was literally looking at both of us while we were on our way inside the venue.
Itchyworms opened the concert. It’s been a while the last time I saw them and they remain really good except that the audio sucked. Seems that The Maine loved them too especially Pat. When The Maine came out all I can think about was “Oh my gosh this is surreal!!! I never thought I’d see these guys in flesh”. Can I just say, they all look really fine. It’s really nice to see them so overwhelmed with the massive response of the audience to their show. This is the first concert I have ever attended but I can easily say that this is probably going to be the best too. The show was pretty intimate in a way. I’d rather come to a show that has a smaller venue because in that way you get to be more closer to the artist. You don’t go to a concert, pay a ticket worth a thousand bucks to see an artist perform live ant-sized. If that’s the case I’d rather choose Youtube instead.
Of so many live performances of The Maine that I’ve seen on YouTube their performance in the Manila leg was one of the best. To be honest, I wasn’t event expecting too much from John Ohhh because I’ve seen alot of live performance videos wherein his performance is just lacking. But this time it was anything but perfect. The band was really caring too. I can’t even count anymore how many water bottles he threw to the crowd who were all begging for water. The whole venue was jampacked and everyone’s sweating from all the singing and jumping it was so humid yet everybody was still having so much fun.
The concert ran for two hours and the band performed nineteen songs from their various albums yet it felt like the show was too short. The audience kept shouting “More More More…” after the band left the stage. It was a show worth all the pain at least for the front row people who had to suffer the most after the people from the back kept pushing and pushing like it’s as if their pushing will take them to the front.
Some of the highlights of the entire show for me would probably be when the band sang “While Listening to Rock & Roll”, their addictive semi-ballad ‘Into Your Arms” of which the whole crowd went crazy when the band performed it, “Misery” the first single from their latest album, Pioneer. Not only did “Misery” send the crowd screaming of excitement but the whole performance turned out to be really flawless. Simply one of the performances in the concert that stood out. Then who can forget the very first live performance of the Pioneer B-Side “Take Me Dancing”? John Ohh nailed it! Plus the soft lighting during this song made the performance more dramatic which drove lots of fans to tears. Lastly, the finale song which is “Don’t Give Up On Us”. People were just going crazy singing along with probably the most popular song of the band yet. I was so impressed with the whole crowd who all sang their hearts out from the beginning to the finale. Not even one moment did the energy fell a bit. The fans were all squealing of excitement all throughout the set. You can really see that The Maine was at awe and more than thankful the entire time.
I say, after this concert I don’t regret a bit spending a hefty amount of money for this show. It was worth it. I don’t think I’d ever get this kind of experience with any other artist who I’m going to watch ever again. After the show, my love and loyalty to The Maine just went a notch higher. I love this guys not because they are good-looking-well, when I was younger maybe- but because I’ve seen them grow as individuals through the years and saw how much they have improved artistically but remain grounded. Next year, I am fervently hoping that they come back and do another show in Manila and I’ll make sure I’ll be one of those people in the front row again just like in their Pioneer show this year.
*04/01/12 entry
I have never watched a concert before so I don’t really have any inkling what goes on in concerts. I just feel that spending heaps amount of money for a certain artist’s concert whom you just like but not love enough is not worth it. I promised myself that if ever I will watch a concert I will only settle for the VIP section and that it has to be an artist/band that is really special to me. Last year, when The Maine came over to Manila for Liv3. My friend and I decided we’d come even though it was finals week. We were on our final year in college so exams were earlier than usual. Unfortunately though, exam schedule was the exact week of the Liv3 shows. Nonetheless, despite being studious, it was The Maine were’re talking about here so we’ll just have to sacrifice sleep for our finals to watch The Maine. Everything’s planned already until we got our thesis draft. Our final thesis defense was already fast approaching and we have to do the final edits of our thesis. So, goodbye The Maine. It’s been pretty much a shitty week since I haven’t been sleeping enough or at all during the finals week and what makes everything worse is that my friend and I had to let go of the opportunity to watch The Maine.
I first discovered The Maine around 2007 when I was just 17 in Myspace while I was searching for Boys Like Girls. I stumbled upon Kennedy and John’s personal Myspace page. It was really their good looks that drew me in to them at first then when I checked their profile I found out that they were a part of the band The Maine. So I checked out the band’s Myspace profile and songs and thought that they’re good!!! I have become a fangirl of this band since then. I only get to watch and listen to The Maine via Myspace then eventually I turned to YouTube to satisfy my The Maine fixation. Since 17 I was only depending on the internet to watch The Maine’s performances abroad hoping that one day they come over and perform. That time I thought it was never going to happen. The Maine is not a huge act and thinking about it breaks my heart because I really want to see them perform live badly. Then, came Liv3. When I first heard that they were coming over, I was so ecstatic but in the end I was not able to go and for the entire week I cannot get over the fact that everyone’s out there watching the band and I’m right here sitting in the pantry of our dorm editing my thesis and preparing for my finals. It was such a bad time!!!
Around early February 2012 I checked out The Maine updates and found out that they were coming back for a solo concert. I can’t express how happy I was to find out that they were coming over. Good thing I’m now working and earning my own dough which means I can buy my own concert ticket. I knew right away that I had to get a Platinum ticket. It may cost alot but I don’t mind. It’s The Maine and I have been waiting for so long to see them live. So Fatima (the same friend I was referring to in the Liv3 story) and I bought concert tickets right away thankfully it wasn’t sold out yet when we reserved tickets. A few days after we got the tickets, Platinum was already sold out. Whew Thank you God we made it this time without any unnecessary problemos.
A few weeks before the concert, Fatima slipped and broke one of her toes in her left foot so she had to go to the concert with a cast and a crutch. On the other hand, I was wearing ultra high heels that everyone disagreed with when I told them I’ve made up my mind that it was what I am going to wear to the show. I don’t want anyone to block my view. I know it’ll be hard to get to the front row so even if that was the goal I had to have a back-up plan thus, the high heels. I have to be taller than everyone so even if I have to wait in line for hours in high heels, I am more than willing to do so.
For weeks, I was so giddy for the show. Every morning I’d check Twitter and Tumblr for The Maine show updates. I have never been so excited to wake up so early in the morning on a weekday during that time. Come concert day, Fatima and I arrived at around twelve something in the afternoon and my goodness there was already a line!!! We didn’t want to take the risk of going somewhere else first before falling in line thinking it’s still too early so we joined the line. Fatima had to go to the comfort room in the late afternoon which left me alone in the line. The Pulp royalties were already inside for their Meet and Greet and Soundcheck Party so the security already divided the people by their sections. I was starting to worry about Fatima until I saw her right in the front most part of the long line waiving at me. At first I thought “What the hell is she doing there in front waiving at me?” I decided to leave the line when I realized she was calling me to come over to the front. I found out that a bouncer saw her struggling and let her stay in the front away from the line to wait for her safety. So basically, the whole time, the two of us were waiting literally outside the line. Just me and Fatima. That injury caused her so much hell for the past few weeks but has suddenly become a blessing that day. The organizers noticed her condition and initially told her to just seat on the bleachers so she’d be safe since the Platinum area is so jampacked and it’ll be dangerous for her to join the pack there. Obviously, she did not want to trade in her Platinum ticket for her safety and said that she can survive the mosh pit. We had to sign a waiver that whatever happens to her the organizer will not be liable. Both of us were not expecting to get any special treatment and that letting us stay outside the line was the final stretch. We just waited patiently to be instructed on when we can finally start going in to the venue.
The organizers were more than caring to all of the people in line which is great. For me a good show organizer is not someone who can bring in a great artist who can put on a really good show. A good organizer is someone who can assure every attendee that it’ll be fun, exciting, safe and can make everyone feel like they’re a one big happy family. While waiting, one of the organizers decided to talk to us and ask which band we want to see next. Phoenix, Two Door Cinema Club, Parachute, Marina and The Diamonds, Matt & Kim and the list goes on. This guy loved our suggestions and said that we have such great taste in music. Throughout the entire day of being surrounded by super hyper teenagers, it felt good to be able to talk to an adult even just for a short while.
When the staffs were already preparing everyone to enter the venue, one of the organizers (the one in red shirt and brown pants) approached Fatima and I and asked us to move beside the Platinum section’s entrance. We were so shocked when we were the first ones to be permitted to enter the venue. I had to support Fatima since she was still having quite a hard time walking. I don’t know what to feel, if I should be excited that we got in first or to feel conscious because everyone was literally looking at both of us while we were on our way inside the venue.
Itchyworms opened the concert. It’s been a while the last time I saw them and they remain really good except that the audio sucked. Seems that The Maine loved them too especially Pat. When The Maine came out all I can think about was “Oh my gosh this is surreal!!! I never thought I’d see these guys in flesh”. Can I just say, they all look really fine. It’s really nice to see them so overwhelmed with the massive response of the audience to their show. This is the first concert I have ever attended but I can easily say that this is probably going to be the best too. The show was pretty intimate in a way. I’d rather come to a show that has a smaller venue because in that way you get to be more closer to the artist. You don’t go to a concert, pay a ticket worth a thousand bucks to see an artist perform live ant-sized. If that’s the case I’d rather choose Youtube instead.
Of so many live performances of The Maine that I’ve seen on YouTube their performance in the Manila leg was one of the best. To be honest, I wasn’t event expecting too much from John Ohhh because I’ve seen alot of live performance videos wherein his performance is just lacking. But this time it was anything but perfect. The band was really caring too. I can’t even count anymore how many water bottles he threw to the crowd who were all begging for water. The whole venue was jampacked and everyone’s sweating from all the singing and jumping it was so humid yet everybody was still having so much fun.
The concert ran for two hours and the band performed nineteen songs from their various albums yet it felt like the show was too short. The audience kept shouting “More More More…” after the band left the stage. It was a show worth all the pain at least for the front row people who had to suffer the most after the people from the back kept pushing and pushing like it’s as if their pushing will take them to the front.
Some of the highlights of the entire show for me would probably be when the band sang “While Listening to Rock & Roll”, their addictive semi-ballad ‘Into Your Arms” of which the whole crowd went crazy when the band performed it, “Misery” the first single from their latest album, Pioneer. Not only did “Misery” send the crowd screaming of excitement but the whole performance turned out to be really flawless. Simply one of the performances in the concert that stood out. Then who can forget the very first live performance of the Pioneer B-Side “Take Me Dancing”? John Ohh nailed it! Plus the soft lighting during this song made the performance more dramatic which drove lots of fans to tears. Lastly, the finale song which is “Don’t Give Up On Us”. People were just going crazy singing along with probably the most popular song of the band yet. I was so impressed with the whole crowd who all sang their hearts out from the beginning to the finale. Not even one moment did the energy fell a bit. The fans were all squealing of excitement all throughout the set. You can really see that The Maine was at awe and more than thankful the entire time.
I say, after this concert I don’t regret a bit spending a hefty amount of money for this show. It was worth it. I don’t think I’d ever get this kind of experience with any other artist who I’m going to watch ever again. After the show, my love and loyalty to The Maine just went a notch higher. I love this guys not because they are good-looking-well, when I was younger maybe- but because I’ve seen them grow as individuals through the years and saw how much they have improved artistically but remain grounded. Next year, I am fervently hoping that they come back and do another show in Manila and I’ll make sure I’ll be one of those people in the front row again just like in their Pioneer show this year.
*04/01/12 entry
0 comments:
Post a Comment