It's a night we all want to live in forever. ✨
Ultralife World Tour at Samsung Hall, Taguig City
July 21, 2017
The line-up which caters mostly to synth-based pop music took off in full blast mode with several international acts from the west to headline their first ever music festival.
Passion Pit, whose concert in August 2015 got cancelled, finally landed in Philippine soil and many fans were pleased to finally see Michael Angelakos perform. Chvrches returns after a successful concert in Samsung Hall, Taguig last November 2014 with the same passion and generosity for their fans while elevating their energy and craft.
The two biggest indie acts were joined by up-and-coming London-based duo, Oh Wonder, whose music has been known through the internet and Stars, a Canadian-based band returning after a wild performance last 2013.
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| Stars with a 60-minute set and tons of energy. |
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| I must admit I do not know Stars or their music but they got me at Amy's "I hope it all ends up in sex." |
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| The only song I know was Your Ex-Lover Is Dead, apparently I am not the only one. |
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| My favorite performance was Oh Wonder's, simply because I am a huge fan of their music. I came in the concert prepared to cry because of these guys. Josephine and Anthony looked so perfect together #relationshipgoals. |
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| The closest we got to Anthony who took a sign from a fan that says Loving you is not hard. This was before they performed Drive. |
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| The couple ended their set with Technicolour Beat (so sad they did not perform Plans). I hope they come back for a solo concert soon. |
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| The crew was preparing the stage for Chvrches when they put this one up but took it down right before the band performed. Why? |
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| The definition of perfect. |
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| Lauren owned the stage during their set. She was everywhere! I heard a guy said Ang likot niya! |
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| I was so amazed when Lauren played the drums during Empty Threat. We were really looking forward to this song but still got so surprised with her talent. |
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| Again, perfection. |
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| Highlight of the day was our meet and greet sesh with Chvrches! |
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| Eugene and his friends adopted us and shared with us their space near the barricades! |
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| Went to the fest with these guys. |
A video posted by C. (@thetenthofseptember) on
For a first, I think Vybe Productions delivered. It wasn't their fault PayMaya wasn't working the entire fest. We ran out of cash because we decided to load it all up in a card. Good thing there was refund. I wasn't able to watch Passion Pit up close. We had to leave our spot because we got so thirsty and hungry after five hours of standing.
Also, I wasn't able to watch local acts because we were busy preparing for the Chvrches meet and greet.
Looking forward to next year's Goodvybes Fest because I know this is the only way I can watch my favorite indie alternative bands.
:)
A week after winning our 20th UAAP Championship title, I am still lost for words. I was waiting for the whole thing to sink in and maybe it will happen tomorrow night at the 20@15: The FEU Tamaraws Victory Party.
For someone who have
witnessed the ten-year drought (I came in 2006, right after the Fab 5 won the
3-peat), the feeling of winning is so foreign, numbing to me to say the least.
Season 78 was a rollercoaster ride, but I had the feeling it
was going to be us from the start. This is our year and I am so happy I was
never wrong.
December 2, 2015
I saw UST coming when no one did. I remember telling my
friends in a group chat that it was UST I fear the most because like us, they
have a veteran core. I was right. They were this season’s Cinderella Story while we were, what the media think, the team to beat. It was no surprise
both teams faced off in the finals.
The Finals was a close call that no one from the sports
world had the audacity to claim a team to win it all. There was a lack of
forecasts to say the least which left me really wondering how it will all play
out. True enough, the Last Dance reached its third game.
Game 3 was what most spectators expect, a rollercoaster. And
it’s so fitting that the championship was determined by the last few
possessions. Both teams deserve to win as their graduating players gun for a
fitting end to a colorful UAAP career. But we can only have one winner.
Down by 6 midway fourth quarter, the media-proclaimed big three showed up. Mac Belo, RR Pogoy,
and Mike Tolomia played the game of their lives and it all ended with medals on
their chest.
Expectedly, the news were all about the three of them: how
Mac Belo fought cramps twice to ensure we’re going home with the gold, RR Pogoy
making the big shots when you need it, and Mike Tolomia swinging big after a
dismal performance in Game 2.
But what’s so great about the whole championship coverage
was how the media highlighted the team’s system. How role players like Achie Iñigo,
Russell Escoto, Francis Tamsi, and Raymar Jose embraced the system, no
questions asked, and it paid off.
We are so far from that team that depends on a player or two
to carry us to the Finals. We are so far from the team that only knew meltdowns
when the crucial time comes. We are so far from the team that only knew dying
in do or die games.
We have come a long way and I am so happy I was there to
witness it. I was there when Mac Belo was carried off the court because he
reached his limit. He gave it his all. I was there the moment the buzzer
sounded and the confetti was everywhere. I was there when the kids (I feel so
old by this but that’s what I truly felt during that moment) around me were
screaming and crying with joy. I was there when our drummers blasted a Go Uste beat and everyone with green bandana
cheered.
I was there.
#BeBrave16
They were like a well-oiled machine. They are more than just
a roster. They are a band of brothers.
The championship isn’t the only thing that sets the
#BeBrave16 apart from the previous rosters that have seen the Finals.
Looking back at our previous back to back Finals
appearances, I can only remember the heartbreak we have suffered after a
meltdown against the eventual 5-peat champions, Ateneo Blue Eagles. Yes, that
era that saw Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia having a healthy competition on the court and all we have hoped for was for
it to flourish in a good way.
Those were back to back seasons that made us believe our
time has come, only to fall short in the end and hope the next seasons will be
different.
Both rosters have a lot in common—outstanding performances
in the eliminations, veteran core, same thirst for glory, and same charge
motivated by heartbreaks. The similarity is so appalling that it made me feel
like the Season 77 loss was a repeat.
But the difference the #BeBrave16 is donning this season
made their attitude towards the game so glaring that fans couldn’t help but
feel this is it. It’s now or never.
What makes this team special, what makes them deserve to be
on the pedestal was their brave attitude.
Staying true to the dying words of our founder, Nicanor Reyes, the Be Brave 16
made every game not a battle against the league’s talented teams, but a battle
against their fears.
What’s even more amazing is seeing them embrace a system so
rare in Philippine basketball, a system that requires each and every player to
sacrifice individual recognitions for the sake of achieving the ultimate goal
which is not an easy thing to do if you’re aiming to join the pros.
With them, it was so easy to look past the clichés of
basketball: The Big Three, The Backcourt
Duo, The Lethal Weapon, The Scottie to our Michael. We’d rather be known
for as a team with a deep lineup than have a lone name that represents us all. With
them, there was never an I, only a We.
The “team first” attitude they have in them paid off so much
that we didn’t bother about not having anyone from the team get a spot in the
Mythical Five. We didn’t bother asking someone to drop 40 points in a game that
won’t even matter in the long run. We didn’t expect an individual to grace
every headline.
We all have our eyes on the prize, the bigger picture, the
end game. We have Coach Nash Racela to thank for as he revolutionized FEU’s basketball
program, teaching humility, hard work, and patience, which all the 16 King
Tamaraws have embodied so well this season.
The Glaring Moments
of Season 78
I will never forget Season 78, not only because we won the
championship this year. But because of small, meaningful moments that made me
brave too.
This season’s most shining moments weren’t just about the
glory—the come from behind wins, the domination all throughout the four
quarters, the wins off a buzzer-beater, or my favorite Sige na nga,
game na moments—but it is also about bouncing back, recovering from losses,
and never losing the mindset.
The Game 2 loss against the UST Tigers were so disappointing
that it made us feel the déjà vu of last season’s meltdown against the NU
Bulldogs. We find ourselves in a pool of doubts. I remember being ready to
claim the crown that day in Araneta but something in me felt it may not be that
time and I won’t be surprised if it wasn’t.
The Tigers bounced back, hard. Thanks to Kevin Ferrer who
went berserk in the third quarter, looking as if Steph Curry should worry he’s
not the only one capable of raining threes. We lost and were worried during the
postgame dinner which we only had when we lost a game.
Our usual group would do postgame analyses like we were some
kind of a pro when it comes to dissecting the game. I won’t deny the worry in
our faces until Kuya Ian, Advocate’s Chief, dropped by. He was in a good mood,
donning his New York Mets shirt and cap, welcoming us with a smile we usually
see in him after a satisfying win.
He doesn’t look bothered with the loss or maybe he was just
good at playing it down. We just lost and he doesn’t look bothered. As a matter
of fact, he was on his way to the team dinner.
He told us that the team still has the same ego, pride, and
confidence they had when they started Game 1. That the team still has the same
mindset in the dugout after the loss.
Wala pang champion!
I think it was the team’s composure and graceful accept of
the defeat that suddenly made everything felt fine. Knowing the team still
believes restored the hope. I think this is where their true character showed.
Their never say die spirit and the
promise of coming back even stronger in Game 3 is all we need to feel fine.
It was in that moment I realized I have never believed in a
team so much the way I believed in them now.
My Test of Character
My own test of character came in December 2. After UST won
Game 2 convincingly, I would be inhuman if I didn’t feel a tinge of doubt that
this season might just end in a meltdown. But the character came out the moment
a guard from the MRT asked me if I had felt us winning the championship
tonight. I answered with yes convincingly
that the guard laughed at the bravery I have shown.
The test didn’t end there. When I hailed a cab, the driver
asked me which team I was rooting for (as if the name of my school wasn’t all
over my shirt), I answered with FEU. He suddenly felt nostalgic and asked me
about players which I assume played before the Final Four era started. He told
me he thinks UST will win the game, I let him be.
When we arrived in MOA, I paid him a hundred bucks when
the meter only billed Php 75.00. He asked if he should still give me a change
and I told him ‘Wag na Kuya.
Magchachampion naman kami! to which he replied with a resounding laugh that
I can still hear after I closed his car door. Manood ka ng balita mamayang gabi, Kuya is what I told him after he
rolled down his window to see if I was mad or something. I was in a good mood,
really.
Thank God we won that night because the cab driver’s laughter
would probably be the only thing I would remember had we lost.
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| #BraggingRights |
Ending the quest for our next championship is truly a one of
a kind experience. Hats off to UST for one hell of a game. Despite the off
court issues we have encountered (some were really below the belt I couldn’t
keep mum about it), I know that one Tiger could not speak for all. I have a lot
of friends from the other side (Hello, Adele) and it would be unfair to think
of them all the way I thought of that lone Tiger in my timeline who could have
dragged the name of her school down for the sake of bashing.
At the end of the day, the UAAP is founded to promote
respect, camaraderie, and sportsmanship among member schools. Let’s stay true
to the goal.
Thank you to everyone who shared the experience with me: my
FEU batchmates, my friends and co-writers from the FEU Advocate, and FEU
Tambayan friends. Thank you to Kuya Ian Evasco for the inside scoops, the
stories in the dugout, the heart to heart talk after the game, and the best
seats to witness history unfold. Thank you to everyone from FEU Marketplace, Tamaraw
Squad, FEU Portraits, @FEUTamz, @OneFEU, @TagaFEUKaKung for info on tickets and events.
Thank you to the FEU Boosters (and to ate, na
sobrang supportive I feared for her life when she stood on top of an
Upperbox seat in MOA just to pump up the crowd) for relentlessly cheering for
the team.
Thank you Coach Nash Racela and the entire coaching staff.
Lastly, thank you to the FEU Men’s Basketball Team a.k.a.
The Be Brave 16 for giving us our 20th title!
The long wait is truly over!
Header photo by The FEU Advocate
Header photo by The FEU Advocate
When you have the chance to see one of your favourite musicians perform live, you grab it. That’s what I did months ago when I impulsively decided on purchasing tickets to Ed Sheeran’s Multiply Tour here in Manila. After getting a yes from two of my good friends, Lala and Khre, I immediately went to buy the tickets online. Unfortunately, Khre wasn't able to join us due to work, so she sent her boyfie along.
British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran serenaded the entire Mall of Asia Arena come March 12, 2015 on a one-night-only concert which immediately went sold out hours after its ticket release. Every fanboy and fangirl went in line outside the arena eager to see him perform his hits from his latest album, Multiply and of course, show their love for the artist. I know little about his background, how he strived to become the artist he is right now, and how he have lived his life before the fame. So like everyone else, I was in awe when I realized he was performing all his hits alone. Definitely a one-man band. No backup performers, second vocals, and stuff like that. One of my friends told me it’s how he performs.
There were so many highlights during the concert. The crowd really did an amazing job singing along to his hits even if it was entirely impossible to rap with him *I know he pointed out he’s not a rapper, but he sings super fast!*. My favourite part of the night was his mash up of Don’t/No Diggity/Nina. Don't is my personal favorite and I've been singing along to Nina, plus No Diggity is a classic. How could I say no? Ed also performed some of his old hits such as Lego House, The A Team, Drunk, Give Me Love, and You Need Me But I Don’t Need You.
Couples and lovers had their chance to be all lovey-dovey when Ed performed All of the Stars in a truly romantic fashion *lights totally went out and the crowd brought out their phones to light up the arena* and of course during Thinking Out Loud where every couple around me and my friends kind of felt the need to be sweet and showy. Lol.
I didn’t expect the concert to be so amazing. Hell I wasn't even that excited. I've been too stressed lately that excitement didn't find a way to surface. However, the crowd was definitely amazing that it made Ed say, “This is honestly, hands on my heart, the best reception I've ever received,” and it definitely sent the entire arena to screamville. The funniest part was when he ended the night with Sing and left us all hanging, singing to the song’s Oh part and wishing he would come back again, but then he wouldn’t. We called it a night then.
I only had one decent photo of him performing because we were seated at the farthest section and were too busy singing along to his songs.
A photo posted by Criz Tan (@thetenthofseptember) on
So I gathered a few photo from the internet so I would get to remember how this night went even if it was too good to be blurry in my mind.
One-man band @edsheeran captivating thousands of Sheerios at a soldout #EdSheeranMNL pic.twitter.com/1l9Hx2kLKs
— MALL OF ASIA ARENA (@MOAArena) March 12, 2015
A photo posted by Music Management Intl (@mmilive) on
Ed posted a photo of the crowd on his Instagram. It was wild. Good job, Manila!
X-Tour Setlist:
- I'm A Mess
- Lego House
- Don't / No Diggity / Nina
- Drunk
- Take It Back / Superstition
- Photograph
- All of the Stars
- Bloodstream
- Kiss Me / Tenerife Sea
- Thinking Out Loud
- I See Fire
- The A Team
- Give Me Love
Encore:
- You Need Me / In Da Club / Fancy
- Sing
It could have been a massive throwback. With explosive processed beats, gorgeous synths, and heaven-sent vocals, it was something reminiscent of the 80s. But the loud screams and cheers from the crowd standing in front of this Scottish trio kept us all in touch with the present. We could all think they're born a little late, but no, seeing how awesome they are live meant that they belong here. In this moment, in this time. It is their time.
As part of their Asian tour for The Bones Of What You Believe, CHVRCHES finally visited the Philippines last November 26, 2014 for a one night only concert at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura, Taguig care of Vybe Productions.
One of the many things to be proud of about being a fan of Chvrches is the fact that this band is as good as they can be. Watching them perform live is like listening to their own CD, natural but more fun (not to mention the fact that you can actually dance with strangers and no one else would even care). I've loved them from the start, I'm a fan of electronic pop.
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| The band started their set with We Sink |
I admit I was never a big fan of Lauren Mayberry because something about female-led bands screams so much about Hayley Williams that it makes you think you can no longer find someone better after her. But seeing Lauren perform live? Oh boy, I am faced by the fact that it was possible for Hayley and Lauren to exist together in my world. She was amazing, a bit shy and reserved on stage, but you'll love her when you see her perform.
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| Lauren's signature "Thanks guys!" makes the crowd cheer loud every damn time |
And Martin, my dear Martin. I have always loved the energy he brings on stage. To be honest, I am more of a Doherty fan than a Mayberry. I have seen a lot of their live performances on YouTube and I cannot help but to admire Doko. We were used to guys who play samplers like they're corpses. Nothing much going on. But Martin? He sucks the energy out of the crowd in front of him and transform it to something magical, and surreal. So is Iain who exemplifies versatility by switching from guitars, to keyboards, and bass at some point. I wish he did a few of the vocals too.
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| The crowd went wild with performances of Gun, Recover, and The Mother We Share |
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| CHVRCHES also performed Dead Air from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 soundtrack |
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| CHVRCHES' set list |
Thank the heavens someone actually have a decent video of Gun.
A video posted by Criz Tan (@thetenthofseptember) on
Highlights of the night:
- Actually being meters away from Martin Doherty. We didn't win any meet and greet but seeing him so close was just enough to send me to fangirlville.
- Beers actually cost P100 per cup, and I found out they were just San Mig Light. Pero okay lang, it pretty much helped me overcome pre-concert jitters. Beer on pre-everything is the best (considering I took a bottle once before a UAAP Finals game hindi naman ako player)
- Get Away is my cue to magwala na sa stairs.
- Dancing. Dancing. Dancing!
Backstory
I'm not the kind who spends so much on concerts and all. In fact, I haven't been to a decent one ever. I've been to a lot of music events, but not concerts.. not like this. So when Vybe Production announced the concert in July, I couldn't be more excited. I bought my early bird ticket a day before the promo ended and I was just lucky to have enough money to buy it. |
| My early bird ticket which I sold later on to another soul because I won FHM's free tickets. *it is also my first time to win in an online contest. hihi* |
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| "You put your hand in my hand.. it's a souvenir for when you go-oh-oh-oh" |
One of the most amazing nights of my life ended on a high note with us strolling around BGC trying to look for a place to eat dinner (because 3 hours of falling in line have kept our stomachs empty).
Thank you to Vybe Productions for bringing Chvrches here! Glad to know a production like yours have given attention to indie acts. You have a long list of fandoms to satisfy.. *HAIM HAIM HAIM*
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| Hide, hide I have burned your bridges |
