Month: May 2023

A solid band, a solid setlist, and a solid crowd. The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila was truly what its name was — the very best.

The 1975 has made several appearances in the Philippine concert scene since they made their debut in a series of mall performances in 2014. The band, which consists of Matty Healy on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Adam Hann on lead guitar, Ross MacDonald on bass, and George Daniel on drums, will then return to the nation to perform their first arena show in 2015, headline an indoor music festival in 2016, and play a second arena show in 2019.

The band has developed a close bond with concertgoers in the Philippines for almost ten years, and each time, that bond has grown and deepened. Matty expressed his gratitude for Manila’s outstanding support over the years. The thing is with Manila, you guys kind of have dibs on The 1975 cause you were the first ones to like us. We were bigger in Manila before we were bigger in the UK,” he said. And it was very clear during their recently ended back-to-back performances on May 3 and 4 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

A sold-out MOA Arena welcomed the band on May 3 as they kicked off the first of two nights of The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila concerts. The band’s current tour, which began in North America in November 2022 and then traveled to Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania, included a stop in the Philippines. Manila was the final stop on the fourth leg of the tour, which will take them back to Europe, Asia, and North America from June to September.

Wallice, an American singer-songwriter, opened for The 1975, delivering songs such as “90s American Superstar,” “Listen Here,” “Hey Michael,” “Punching Bag,” “John Wayne,” her most recent tune “Best Friend,” her personal favorite “Funeral,” and “23.” The musician thanked the group for letting her join them on tour in a heartfelt statement. “It’s been a dream come true,” she remarked, “Thank you, The 1975!”

Manila you were amazing ❤️

— Wallice (@wallice) May 5, 2023

Minutes later, A Theatrical Performance of an Intimate Moment commenced with Matty, Adam, Ross, and George, appearing on screen while riding animal toys — the most unserious entrance we witnessed and an entrance we won’t have any other way.

The stage setup was straightforward. The camera work was stunning, dramatic, and entrancing. The setlist was a beautiful surprise.

The band opened the May 3 show with “Looking for Somebody (to Love)” and “Happiness” off their 2022 studio album Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Then they played “Ugh!” from 2015, which was followed by “Oh Caroline” from Being Funny in a Foreign Language. Moving forward, the band performed “Me & You Together Song” and “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” from the Notes on a Conditional Form album. And Manila was all for it, demonstrating once more the astounding enthusiasm of the Philippine concertgoers as they euphorically greet every beat and sing along to every word at the top of their lungs. The song “I’m In Love With You” from the album Being Funny in a Foreign Language was also performed live in Manila.

Matty paused to officially welcome the crowd to The 1975. “We are! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The 1975! Thank you so much for coming. We are very happy to be here,” he said, pointing out that coming to Manila is always a great experience. “We are kinda ten times bigger than we should be.”

The 1975 performed “fallingforyou” from their 2013 extended play IV, paying tribute to the band’s almost decade-long relationship with the Philippines. And the bliss persisted with back-to-back “About You,” the synth-goodness of “An Encounter,” “Robbers,” and “Somebody Else.” They also played “Pressure” and “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)”. Matty briefly sampled “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson before switching to “Paris,” “Me,” and “Love It If We Made It.”

The audience’s voices reverberated loudly and clearly as they sang along to The 1975’s “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)” in exquisite harmony. After an emotive performance of “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes),” “The Sound,” “Sex,” and the evening’s closing song, “Give Yourself A Try,” brought back the party vibe. Everyone allowed themselves to become lost in the moment, be on their feet, and raise their voices to every word, causing the arena to shake with the intensity of the jumping and the echoing of everyone’s voices. These are the moments. This is the memory—an encounter we will choose to have every time.

The 1975 At Their Very Best in Manila was everything its name suggests — the very best. It was euphoric. It was Happiness.

THE 1975 AT THEIR VERY BEST IN MANILA was presented by PULP Live World. Special thanks to PULP Live World for the invitation.

The article contains events that transpired on Day 1 of the two-day concert of the band in the country.

The comeback of NCT DREAM created magnificent and lasting memories for the boy group and NCTzens who flooded the SM Mall of Asia Arena with an infectious love and passion that is comforting and beautiful.

Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Jisung took over the Philippine concert stage with their first concert tour since the pandemic, the NCT DREAM TOUR ‘THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM’, performing in over 20 cities around Asia, North America, and Europe. The sold-out Philippine stop at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on April 29 and 30 marked the start of leg four of the concert tour, which saw them return to Asia after a successful North American leg. Due to health issues, Chenle had to skip the stops in Manila and Singapore.

A passionate full audience saw THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM in Manila which crafted a concert of outstanding performances, astonishing stage design and production, and endearing fan interactions.

NCT DREAM kicked off the concert with a captivating opening in which the members surfaced sequentially on the main stage and in an aquarium-like enclosure on the extended stage. Over the course of the performances, the boy group made the most of the setting and the entire stage design. The lighting was another feat to behold, adding impacts to an already spectacular start. The excitement increased twofold when “Glitch Mode” played. The concert that has been dreamed of for so long has finally become a reality.

The Philippine concert scene was no stranger to NCT DREAM. Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Chenle, and Jisung made their first appearance in Manila in 2019 when they headlined the 2019 K-Pop Friendship Concert in Manila. Before borders closed and live performances and concerts came to a complete halt, the boy group, sans Mark, was the last K-Pop group to give a concert in the country in 2020. When the borders opened and concerts resumed in 2022, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Chenle, and Jisung were among the first K-Pop acts to perform in the country, in a joint concert with Alice, WEi, and SHINee’s Key. In October of the same year, NCT DREAM, without Mark and Haechan, came back for another joint concert with Alice, Xdinary Heroes, Golden Child, and fellow NCT sub-unit, WayV.

Last year, Mark and Haechan performed on the Philippine concert stage with NCT 127. It marked NCT 127’s first solo performance in the nation and their second visit; they had previously visited the nation in 2018 for a collaborative concert.

THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM in Manila was even more memorable because it was their first concert with Mark in the Philippines. Although there is no denying NCT DREAM’s incredible growth over the past seven years, it is worth noting that the boy group’s first solo concert was held at the New Frontier Theater, which has a capacity of 2,385. Even then, it was a tremendous achievement because all tickets were sold.

NCT DREAM confirmed their standing as one of the leading boy groups of this generation again this year, when they returned with another solo concert. All tickets for the two-day concert were sold out on the first day of sales, and NCT DREAM was greeted by almost 30,000 NCTzens at the MOA Arena on April 29 and 30. Haechan stated at the press conference for THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM in Manila on April 30 that their return to the Philippine concert stage this time offered a bigger production and afforded them more space to explore and present their creative sides than their 2020 concert.

Every stage during the concert featured greater creativity and production values. After an elaborate and jaw-dropping start with “Glitch Mode,” the boys immediately followed it up with “Countdown (3, 2, 1)” and “Stronger.” Then, they officially welcomed NCTzens to THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM in Manila with their signature greeting and personalized messages that included the Filipino phrases “magandang gabi” and “mahal ko kayo“—words they kindly relayed to their fans throughout the concert as they were continually showered with the loudest cheers. And the boy group truly appreciated the warm and enthusiastic welcome they received from the audience. The phrase “mahal ko kayo” stood out in Renjun’s memory among the Filipino terms because he adores his Filipino supporters, he said during the press conference.

Then they performed “Dreaming” and “Déjà Vu” on the subsequent stage. NCT DREAM’s performance of “My First and Last” brought everyone back to The First. And with songs like “Bye My First,” “Love Again,” and “To My First, the romantic feelings still ruled the stage, reminding everyone of the sweetness and bitterness of first love. Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Jisung enlivened the stages with their endearing interactions, entertaining dances, and impromptu remarks, such as Mark and Renjun’s exchange of “Mark, tell me what is love” and “Love is Manila,” and Jisung’s “I love you.”

A heartfelt performance of “Sorry, Heart” by Haechan and Renjun once more brought warmth to the arena. But when Chenle appeared on the screens to sing his parts in the song and form a lovely harmony with Haechan and Renjun, emotions undoubtedly overcame everyone. Throughout the performance, the members gave Chenle heartfelt shoutouts and gave fans assurances that they would make sure to realize 7DREAM’s Manila dream in the future. During the press conference, the members reaffirmed this commitment. Jaemin expressed regret that they were once more lacking a member in their Manila performance, recalling how Mark was absent from their first solo concert and how Chenle was absent from this one. Nevertheless, Nana interpreted this as motivation for the entire group—all seven—to head back to the country.

NCT DREAM TOUR ‘THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM’ is the first concert tour of the NCT sub-unit to include all seven members. Jeno stated during the press conference that they were delighted to travel and tour together. Like Jaemin, he expressed a desire to go back to the country and have another performance in which they will all participate. “However, it’s a pity that for the Manila stop, Chenle is unable to join us. But that gives us another reason to come back to the Philippines with all seven members,” he said.

Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Jisung then returned on stage coming closer to fans through the extended stage in a medley of “Puzzle Piece”, “Chewing Gum”, “ANL”, “Dive Into You”, and “Irreplaceable”.

The hard-hitting “Saturday Drip” by Mark, Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung pumped up the crowd next. Quietude was no longer an option when Renjun and Haechan entered the aquarium-like enclosures and joined Mark, Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung on stage for “Quiet Down”. It became a party with “Better than Gold” which preceded the parade of performances of “Diggity,” “Ridin’,” and “BOOM”. “Trigger the Fever”, the song recorded by the boy group for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup and later added as a bonus track in the We Young EP, got everyone on their feet to jump and dance along. During the press conference, Renjun also cited the song’s upbeat and uplifting energy as a reason to listen. The energy was amazing, constant, and still going strong as “Hot Sauce”.

Loud cheers for Chenle resounded across the arena as people seized the break as an opportunity to express their support for him. NCTzens also used the occasion to wish Jeno, who became one year older on April 23, a happy birthday in the form of the phrases “Birthday na ni Jeno” and “Happy birthday, Jeno.” The crowd agreed to take on the task of building a stunning wave for NCT DREAM, practicing it with eagerness before the boys’ return.

Mark then appeared on stage while beatboxing, readying the audience for the commencement of the encore. The boys had wide grins on their faces while NCTzens enthusiastically sang along to “Beatbox.” And when Renjun’s “지금처럼 서로의 음을 맞춰/ 우리가 함께 만들 음악/ Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox” and Haechan’s “꿈꿔왔던 순간이 여기 있어/ We won’t stop for a moment, oh/ Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox” came on, the boys grinned proudly and with approval as the crowd sang along at the top of their voices.

The overwhelming love and support they received from the audience, along with how much fun the concert was, left Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, and Jisung feeling extremely grateful. “Salamat po,” remarked Renjun. “Sobrang saya namin ngayong gabi.”

They also took notice of the large banner project that read, “7DREAM FOREVER”. (The second day of the concert featured another banner that read “CZENNIES + 7DREAM = BEST FRIEND EVER”). On the first day of the concert, individual banners with the inscriptions “7DREAM is placed in my heart like a bookmark” and “Let’s meet again in the next dream, just like when it was 8:25” were also hoisted by the fans.

The members pledged to go back to Manila and fulfill the dream of 7DREAM. “It’s a shame Chenle wasn’t with us. But I promise you, Chenle will be with us the next time. We will be complete. Stay healthy till the next time we meet. Get home safely. Take some good rest. And this is the most important, don’t skip a meal. Manila, I love you so much,” Jaemin said.

Mark echoed the promises of his members, “Just like what all the other guys said, the next time we come here we will be with Chenle. We will complete the 7DREAM here. The next time we meet maybe we can stay even for a longer time. Thank you so much for today.”

NCTzens sent Jeno yet another song for his birthday. He thanked everyone for remembering his special day with a wide smile. The crowd then demonstrated the wave they had been practicing, getting admiring nods and applause from the boys for being unique in form. Mark thought of the wave as a remarkable concert memory during the press conference. “The wave from the first day left quite an impression. It kinda stayed on my mind for some reason,” he shared.

The encore performances concluded with NCT DREAM’s “My Youth” and “Walk You Home.” But the show wasn’t over yet; they later returned for the lively, energizing “Candy” stage. NCT DREAM and NCTzens gave it their all to create a memorable final act that served as a fitting end to a beautiful memory. With a final bow and individual sentiments of thank you, I love you, a cartwheel from Renjun, a reminder from Jaemin not to skip meals, and promises to see each other again as 7DREAM, the members exited the stage one by one.

The NCT DREAM TOUR ‘THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM’ showcased the group’s unrelenting growth, driving them to greater heights and the fulfillment of greater aspirations. Seeing Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, Chenle, and Jisung conquer bigger stages, win deserving accolades, and break record after record gave rise to strong feelings of joy and pride. In seven years, the sub-unit demonstrated an amazing and successful career.

The boy group has received countless accolades, and they have developed a loyal fan base over the years, yet they still maintain their humility. Mark thought the term “success” was quite ambiguous and subject to many different interpretations. He remarked, “I think we can all be successful if we just put our minds to it. We can all be currently successful in a way.” And for NCT DREAM, Mark characterized their achievement in terms of the joy they bring to their supporters. “For NCT DREAM, from the beginning of our debut, we always want to spread happiness to people who listen to our music and see our stages. In that sense, I feel like, in a way, we did succeed and are succeeding. It is our job to continue on that and to spread happiness as much as we can in the future.”

NCT DREAM TOUR ‘THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM’ also reflected the fervor and affection of NCTzens by flaring up with incredible energy. Mark said, “I know you will be amazing!” and the audience did not disappoint. Thanks to the unwavering passion and energy of the fans, who were always prepared to give it their all, the concert was even more breathtaking and beautiful.

Even though 7DREAM’s dream did not come true that weekend, NCT DREAM and NCTzens both share the desire to fulfill the shared dream. Considering the promises made by Mark, Renjun, Jaemin, Jeno, Haechan, Chenle (who greeted the fans alongside the other members through Instagram Live), and Jisung, it is clear that the dream will become a reality because 7DREAM is forever, and as Mark promised, “We will complete the 7DREAM here.” Let’s meet again in the next dream, just like when it was on April 29 and 30.

The NCT DREAM TOUR ‘THE DREAM SHOW2: IN A DREAM’ in Manila was presented by PULP Live World and Happee Hour. Special thanks to PULP Live World and Happee Hour for the invitation to the concert and the press conference.

The article contains events that transpired during the first day of the concert and during the press conference.