…And time seemed to say. Forget the world and its weight, And here I just want to stay. Amazing day amazing day!!!

This pretty much summed up how I felt when the Coldplay concert in Manila ended. It’s ironic because they didn’t sing this song (one of my favorites in the AHFOD album) but in one way or another, I think a lot of people in the audience can agree that this experience was indeed an Amazing Day!

I’m not a regular concert goer because I thought I can spend my money somewhere else and I’m not a big fan of big crowds and parties either.

If I will list down the concerts that I’ve watched in the Philippines, it’s really not a lot and I can only count 5 (foreign acts only) prior to Coldplay.

1. Backstreetboys
2. Idina Menzel (just because Globe gave 2 complimentary tickets)
3. Maroon 5 (the most recent one) – given to me as birthday gift
4. Bruno Mars
5. Keane – just because my friend had one extra ticket and no one else is available
6. David Cook – because I was a really big fan back then

If there’s one thing in common in all those previous concerts, none of those were in the VIP section or even Platinum (just to prove my point that I’m not really fond of spending my hard-earned money for concerts :).

Then came the exception. When we found out last year that there’s a good chance of Coldplay stopping by in Manila for their A Head Full of Dreams Asian tour; my friend and I aimed for a VIP ticket and we told ourselves that we won’t settle for anything less.

That’s even before we found out how much would that cost us. All we know is it can be as high as $1000+ (Php50,000+) (basing from Madonna or J-Lo I think) and cannot be lower than Php20,000. We literally set aside and saved up money like 6 months prior just to get a VIP ticket.

The actual ticket price for a VIP ticket is Php22,500 and yes, it’s really expensive. We were expecting this much and in fact felt relieved because it’s half the price of what we really planned for. A lot of people can quickly judge that only fools will pay that much for a 2-hour event, line up and be with a very huge crowd and brave the heavy traffic; instead of relaxing comfortable at home; and that money we spent could have been spent elsewhere.

Yes, you are entitled to your own opinion but let me sum up the 10 reasons why it’s all worth it from my own perspective.

1. It’s a 17-year wait.

From it’s 1st album “Parachutes” in 2000 where the song Yellow became a hit; fans in the Philippines have been waiting for this tour. It finally came along in a sold-out concert held in Mall of Asia Concert Grounds on April 4, 2017 (Tuesday). 

We lined up early and we were already inside at around 5PM or 3 hours before the front act. The concert started past 9PM already. What’s a 4-hour wait compared to 17 years? Haha.

2. Because they have more than enough good songs.

When Chris Martin answered the question on why it took them so long to come to the Philippines; he added that “we’ve been waiting, so we would have enough good songs“.  From the 23 songs (plus one bonus song) they’ve played that night; they really have more than enough good songs. They played all of my favorites except one (Amazing Day).

Below is the setlist given by the cameraman to my lucky friend right after the concert.

3. Their songs appeal to all ages and life status.

From the audience, I’ve seen people of different ages from teens to mature ones. I guess unlike other bands that cater to a specific group (e.g. teenagers, women etc.); Coldplay’s songs can appeal to a lot of people because it really varies. Whether you are heartbroken, or you need something to cheer you up, or a good song to listen to upon waking up or while bored or even before going to sleep, Coldplay’s music is really addicting. Some people say it’s overrated but I beg to disagree!

4. The band is awesome and totally talented

While Chris Martin is the most popular because he’s the lead singer, Coldplay won’t reach Superstar status without the support of Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman. They play their instruments really well. The studio recordings are really good but watching and seeing them play live are beyond awesome!

5. Because It’s More Fun in the Philippines

After buying the ticket from the Globe Pre-Sale, I had second thoughts of watching it here in Manila primarily because of the venue and I can buy cheaper VIP tickets abroad. I searched for a ticket either in Singapore or Seoul (I will actually be there on a scheduled vacation when they hold the tour there).

Good thing I chose to watch in Manila. Filipino fans can party like no other and of course we can sing really good! Every time the band lowers the volume to let the audience sing along, it’s always a pleasure in the ears.

6. The stage and light effects are world class! And oh yeah the fireworks!

Yeah, I initially didn’t like the venue since it’s an open concert ground (parking lot). However, due to the open venue, they managed to put up a huge stage with 3 giant screens (not including the ones in the other sections). The light effects totally exceeded my expectations. Last but not the least, they managed to have fireworks (I don’t think they’ll be able to do it inside MOA arena). I counted at least 3 (during the opening, in the middle and towards the end) and the songs were made extra wonderful as if all the lights up in the air were dancing with the tune. Please watch the video embedded at the end of this post for you to see what I’m talking about.

P.S. All members of the audience received Xylobands that light up with different colors based from the music and radio frequencies. It’s so fascinating to see every time we raise our hands. I’ve never been to a concert with Xylobands honestly so I don’t know if it’s been out there for a long time now or just recently (really clueless).

7. Because we don’t know for sure if they are coming back again.

Chris Martin promised that this won’t be the first and last time that they will hold a concert in Manila but you can never know for sure, right?

8. They sang a special song dedicated to the Filipino fans.

Yes, it appears like an impromptu song. They might have done it elsewhere with varying lyrics and tunes but I don’t care. It’s still touching to hear it. 🙂

Here’s the lyrics of the song taken from the Coldplay Philippines Facebook page. If you wanna hear it, check out the Youtube link below. 🙂

9. Because of Chris’ Dance Moves

I didn’t realize that Chris is a good dancer. Please watch the video at the end of this post to have a glimpse of his moves and all that jumping and running. I had the privilege of being right at the side of the stage so I got really good views.

10. Because the experience is surreal!

I won’t be able to describe the experience in full but I hope this video will make you regret not watching the show; only if you’re a fan. It’s been 3 days since the concert and I still feel exhilarated every time I remember the whole experience. Definitely the best concert ever.

And for those saying it’s not practical to spend over Php20,000 for a concert and making a big fuss about it in social media; I didn’t post this blog to convince you otherwise. All I can say is on that night, I didn’t buy the cheap drink (1 stub only per person) or the parking lot venue; nor the souvenirs (lanyard and poster). I went there for the experience and with the 10 reasons I’ve mentioned and probably more; I can say that it’s definitely worth it! 🙂