Credit: http://liezle.blogspot.com/
I still feel so sleepy... yawn....
I actually woke up 30 minutes past 12nn and I'm feel like I'm a walking zombie. I would have wanted to sleep more but I decided to drag myself out of bed to be a little productive. ^_^
Alright, what should I be blogging now... oh yeah the concert.
Before I write anything about the concert, let me first say a HUGE HUGE thanks to SOMEONE for giving me a complimentary patron ticket for last night's concert. This is again one of those unexpected luck. Honestly, until last Thursday I was undecided whether to watch or not. I'm ready though to buy ticket but not in a hurry to buy. I actually had another offer for ticket with fan meet but decided not to get it because I just feel that someone else needs to be there other than me.
Yesterday, I only had an hour sleep. I was up early to pick up some fans at the hotel where they're staying to have breakfast with them in a hotel near bay area. I had a good time with them and we had pretty happy tummies after filling them up with many stuff. After breakfast I dropped them off in shopping mall to shop then I went back home to prepare for tonight's concert.
I was at the venue early because I had to meet with some fans who ordered Destination. Then few of my friends also had to meet with their friends. Though early, had a great chance talking to some old and new friends. Also, was able to seat in one table friends from ABS-CBN and GMA networks. ^^
My friends and I were at the coffee shop. Just at the back where we are seated we could see queuing at the ticket booth of Araneta is non stop. So we're kinda happy that many people are buying tickets. As fans started to flock if I'm not mistaken I think that at around 6pm Araneta started to open its gate. Then my foreign friends started to arrive too in batches.
As my foreign friends arrived they immediately proceeded to enter the Big Dome but they were stopped because of the professional camera that they had. So I've to find a way how to make them enter again without the guards noticing. We then decided to let them enter another gate and put their camera under their stuff or place in their body. Yeah having loose shirt big bag helped. At the other entrance I escorted them and they were able to get in without any any problems. Whew! That's only down. ^^
A little past 7:30PM, 30 minutes before the supposedly start of the concert my friends and I decided to enter the venue. Just as we are about the enter a Korean fan tapped me and said in Korean that 'You're a SS501 fan?' Then I said 'Yes, how did you know?'. She said in Korean again that she saw me in Seoul last week. ^_^ Hee, find this encounter a bit funny and amazing because someone recognized me. ^^ It's just probably a proof that when we were in Seoul we're all over the place where SS501 is and that people start to recognize me as a fan tailing them. ^_^
Anyway, I so glad that she recognized me and that we talked because when we were inside the Big Dome I happen to see another group of friends and told me that a group of Korean fans weren't allowed to go inside because of the professional camera that they have with them. Only one of them was able to enter because she has not camera with her. Since they do not speak English and can only understand a little English with the use of sign language I tried to explain to here what her friends are supposed to do. On the other hand, her friends who are outside are being helped by my other friends. Via phone convo I told them the same thing what my I did with my other friends earlier who had problem to entering and use the other entrance. A few minutes later, we picked them up at the other entrance and they're able to get in. Whew! Finally. ^^
After having fixed that my friend and I then went to where we are supposed to seat. When ushered in we were told that our seat was taken out by the organizer because the production has to put a crane and they told us to transfer to a seat several rows away from where we are seated. When I learned about this, I argued with the usher and told him that we will not transfer to any seat that is far than what was originally given to us. He tried explaining but I didn't listen but instead sat at the front row on the left side facing the stage to cool down and didn't leave that seat.
The complimentary tickets given to us actually are good seats on the side but since they removed the seat and transferring us I have to explain and tell him that I can only transfer if he gives me seat that is not far from my original seat. Then end of explanation and don't want to hear anything from him. So I took we took our seat on the first row.
It's already past 8:30PM and the show hasn't started when it's suppose to start at 8. The venue is not full. The VIP section i think is only 3/4 filled up. The other section even the cheapest one have many vacant seats.
The stage look so simple though I was told that it's the same stage that was used by GMA Network on it's 60th Anniversary show that was held the night before the concert.
I've lost track of time and as the show started I didn't even bother to know what time it was.
Before the show started I actually wasn't expecting much. I'm just happy that I'm able to in this concert with a complimentary ticket and with the company of good friends.
The show started with laser shows and voice over. Then Pop Girls came out rendering I think 4 songs if I'm not mistaken. They were followed by Beast.
[Talk about Beast and XLR8 performance]
Once XLR8 is finished with their performance, VO introduced Kim Hyun Joong. Really I do not like how he did it. And I don't even want to recall how he did it. Maybe you guys can just read other fan account or check YT channels that captured it.
Despite the VO, I feel that my adrenalin is pumping up. Actually, I was seating before Leader came out and when I stood up I think blood rushed to my head and my vision got very blurry and my head was spinning. I calmed myself and closed my eyes for a few seconds until everything is normal again.
As I open my eyes, I see Leader being lifted from the lift on the 2nd floor of the stage. He's wearing white and soooooo handsome. The amount of positive adjectives I know is not enough how to picture Leader. He's just everything a handsome and appealing man can be described by his appearance on stage.
His first song is 'Happiness' and all his fans were lifted to cloud 9. After 'Happiness' he went down to the lower stage and he serenaded us with 'Thank You'. He went to the right side of the stage of quite a while to I think sing that song to the representative of 'Abierta' who is seated at the upperbox on the right side of the stage.
After 2 songs, the guy host came in again with yet another interview. He introduced Leader again and called in Laura the very not so helpful interpreter. Several questions were thrown which I will try to recall if I can but really I don't like this portion and like I said this can be done in VTR and just let the artist perform on stage.
Alright, Leader was asked if he know that BOF is very popular here in the country. If he knows that he has many Filipino fans. If he knows that there is a BOF fanclub here. If he'd consider having a Filipina girlfriend. What else... sorry can't remember all. Anyway, here's the interview portion again courtesy of kairu3's YT channel [ I just posted this fancam already, find it in my blog.]
After the interview he was presented a cake by Gelli de Belen and Candy Pangalinan (sigh...). Can't find video for this yet. Anwayw, after Leader blew the candle from his cake he picked up again a bottle of water which I think the host, Gelli and Candy thought that he's ending the interview which I think is not. Check Laura, she doesn't even know what to do when they saw the other retrieving and Leader preparing himself to sing.
This interview portion is something I really think could have been planned better. Like I said they could have just used VTR for this or better yet, gotten Grace Lee as the host and interpreter too. She GMA talent and she would have done a much better emceeing if she's the one on stage. Geez... really geez...
For his final song, Leader did 'Please Be Good to Me' on the 2nd level of the stage. I already knew that there'll be no jjitjong and honestly, I didn't even crossed my mind at all. When his pefr is over, he was taken down by the lift. Then fans started chantting his name to no avail.
A VTR was show about 'Abierta' with a kid narrating something. Then a few minutes later all the artists and kids are coming out of the stage singing 'Heal the World'. Leader I think has two solo portions of the song.
I took a few number of photos of Leader and will be sharing some. They're not really not good shots but for the purpose of this blog post will be sharing them for you. Here goes...
The concert ended many local fans of Leader who saw him for the first time are very very happy. The foreign fans thinks it's too short but still they're happy to see him. As for me, I'm okay with it except on how the flow of the program was done. They really could have done better that what we saw.
So after the concert, I then went to the area where the foreign fans are to check them out. I first saw the Thai group and I was greeted by Mel and she said that they've taken thousands of photos! So better wait for that, k? Then, I was told about the interview in MYX which I've to ask to my Korean friends which they said they do not believe that Leader will be saying such thing.
We then all decided to go back to the hotel. Once there we saw many fans at the lobby. Leader's police escorts were already at the hotel which only goes to say that he's back. Actually I was told that after the concert he and his group headed right away to the hotel. And fans were speculating that they're partying because they saw cases of beers being brought up which I cannot vouch. ^^
I also stayed in the lobby with my Thai and some local friends because I've a mission to accomplish to my Korean friends which I was able to do so after having talked to Laura, the interpreter, at the lobby and asked her to bring something to Leader. ^^ After which I went to bid my farewell to my Thai and local friends and went home.
As I was leaving there are still fans waiting at the lobby hoping to see a glimpse of Leader because they think that he's going out again just like what he did last Thursday and Friday. Hee, I think Leader is enjoy his night out in Manila. He must have gotten tips from his good friend who studied here for a while. Darn! He should have been here. I could have talked to him if he's here, right happiebb? ^^ Ahh, if he's been here I guess that I'll be more busier that ever. ^^ Imagine running into him wherever Leader is around. ^^ Hee, can't help imagining how the encounter with him could be. ^_^
My Korean friends are probably back in Korean right now. I hope they enjoyed their stay here despite the hot weather. Hee, funny that I just remember now that Leader said that he likes the fresh air when one of them said that how did he know when he's not even going out. True! And they really think that Laura is not doing a really good job in the interpretation.
As for my Thai friends, I believe that their airborne now. I know that they so much enjoy their encounters with Leader especially Mel. Now, I'm looking forward to the photos that Hyuniversal gals will be sharing with all of us. Watch out for that.
Hope to see you all again guys pretty soon.