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British pop band, The Vamps took the lead in the second leg of British Invasion in Manila last February 1 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Massive fans outside the venue lined up to see James, Connor, Tristan and Bradley for the first time. The entire arena was packed and the atmosphere was unbelievable. In a short period of time, The Vamps have built a strong and devoted fan base, judging by the ecstatic reception they received during their show in Manila.

When The Vamps stepped onto the stage, the crowd went wild! The lights flashed and everyone screamed. They started their set with one of their first hits, “Wild Heart” as thousands of screaming girls hyperventilated upon seeing these lads in flesh for the first time. Then they performed “Girls on TV”, their second song of the night. They kept up the excitement throughout the set, even throwing in a cover of Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven”, Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Can’t Hold Us”. It was a sing along moment when they performed “Somebody To You” and “Oh Cecilia”, both songs reached the top spot in our country for weeks.

The Vamps proved how talented they are with their stage presence, but also switching instruments to cover punk rock songs such as “Teenager” and “Dear Maria, Count Me In”. We also enjoyed Brad on drums at some point during the show. The Vamps were just entertaining throughout their set with unstoppable energy. All members of The Vamps had their own moment by going solo, they all stepped out and did their own thing.

After the 12-song set, the lights on stage went out and The Vampettes were chanting for more. The energy of the audience was just as electric as it was when they played the first chord of their first song. It was another deafening moment when they came back to perform “Risk It All” with the Philippine flag on the huge screen. The Vamps saved the best for last with one of the songs that made them popular worldwide, “Can We Dance”. I saw a few ones crying while singing out this song. They knew that would be the final song of the night and it was really hard to say their goodbyes. The Vamps thanked all the supporters and looking forward to see the same reception for their return next year.

What I like about this band is they co-write their songs with pop rock vibe, stories about teens plus easy to relate lyrics and catchy melodies, such an incredible talent for a young band. The Vamps’ tracks are so upbeat and you can dance along to their music and you wouldn’t even be scared to dance at all even if you’re on your seat or up on your feet.

Their world tour “Meet The Vamps” lived it up to its title as these lads took all the ways to meet their fans. The band grabbed the chance to go outside MOA Arena to meet their fans before taking the stage. The boys had a coffee, meet and greet in Starbucks. They also went to Glorietta for a CD signing session and explored our capital city. I’m looking forward that The Vamps will make a move to reinvent their music, but their energy, hormone-driven appeal, passion and cute faces make them a professional band that every generation deserves.

More Photos at The Vamps Live in Manila Photo Gallery

Written by Frances Ayala
Photos by Glenn Michael Tan

Special thanks to Viva Live, Ovation Productions and MMI Live

The Vamps Live in Manila Setlist
1. Wild Heart
2. Girls on TV
3. Locked Out of Heaven/ I knew You Were Trouble/ Can't Hold Us
4. She Was The One
5. Somebody To You
6. Last Night
7. Dear Maria, Count Me In
8. Move My Way
9. Shout About It
10. High Hope
11. Teenagers
12. Oh Cecilia
13. Risk It All
14. Can We Dance