SING! LOUDER! (Ed Sheeran in Manila 2015 Review)
Attending a really great concert could leave you with either no words (speechless) or full of words (as you would want to share it to the world). Let it be known that I am past the no words stage. And this is where I will tell you that words may never be enough to describe that night but I will try to put my feels into words in hopes that you will get to relive/ experience it with me.
Dear Ed,
You are "The Man", with reference to one of your songs off the X (Multiply) album, no wonder the tickets got sold out the same day it was up for release last year. Luckily for us, we got the chance to acquire our slots albeit far up which to me does not really matter because this is an I-came-for-the-music kind of situation and being there is all I cared about in the world.
There are songs that you love because you like the artists who sang it. Then there are some who gets to cut you real deep even without fully knowing the person behind it.
The latter is my case with you, Ed Sheeran. I even joked one time that I only ever am interested because I wanted to compare your singing style with the legendary Jason Mraz of whom I have also seen in concert for the first time a few months back. You are almost of the same genre and it would be nice to experience seeing you both (separately but who knows what would happen someday), eh? I have seen some of your live performance videos before and to be honest (avid fans will disagree but don't throw stones at me) I do not find you that good. Overrated, I then thought, just like some mainstream pop artists that are apparently everywhere.
And you have proven that night that I am wrong. You are more than just the ugly redhead guy (as one infamously commented on Twitter). You are a pure gold. You are a lot more.
If there's a thing called man of few words, attending your concert I realised that you are a musician of few banters. You are not even chatty onstage and you just go through singing songs after songs. What is totally admirable is that everytime you open your mouth to speak and as much as I could comprehend and hear given your fast-speaking nature (well, hello, rapper), you could not help but blurt out how loved you have felt here in the Philippines and how the Manila show has the best reception you has ever received. You could not fathom how your music has reached heights in this place that is definitely and geographically far from your homeland. You even told the overeager crowd in your adorable British accent that it may be your first trip to the country but most definitely not going to be the last.
What you lacked in banters, though, you have made up with the passion that radiated as you performed your hits and a couple lot more single-handedly, if I may add.
There is no band backing you up. When you started the show with I'm A Mess, I was looking for the band and thought maybe they are hidden at the back? But heck. Here is when you showed your brilliancy with the music equipment that you would tap here and there, and right then I understood the complicated setup (with at least three microphone stands and amplifiers and other loop equipment I do not even recognize) for what I thought would be an all-acoustic set.
There are no special effects and massive production, not even fountains and confetti towards the end. There is not even anyone to pick your guitar up that one time when something snapped and it kind of fell to the ground in the middle of a song. There may be is only a tech who hands you your guitar as you transitioned from electric to acoustic, but everything is all you, along with the ginormous crowd whom you have made like an orchestral backup, singing with you all throughout the night.
I only took two videos for personal consumption (Lego House because of Rupert Grint and Photograph because it is my favourite) and surprisingly, knowing how chill some of your songs are, I was standing the whole time, happily obliging to your every "Say yeah!" and singalong fest, dancing to the upbeat ones and trying to rap along (and end up failing miserably).
Being an observant in nature, we cannot help but comment on every detail that we see. It is always entertaining to see fangirls of the same intensity and of varying levels unite. Some shriek like there is no tomorrow and then there are some who listen intently. Some sing along wildly and then there are some who calmly try to process everything that a certain redhead guy is serenading them. Who needs a boyfriend (yet) when you have your friends you could fangirl/boy with? But certainly, the love birds did enjoy the love vibe from you, Ed and the heartfelt rendition of your own songs.
You may or may not be aware that Thinking Out Loud is of national anthem level in here or you would have mentioned it before you started singing and strumming your electric guitar that almost took everyone by surprise. But I am ever glad.
Unexpectedly and much to my delight, the major highlight of the show went to Tenerife Sea, I See Fire (of which I have learned from the background video is a soundtrack off a film) and to the last song for the first part of the night, Give Me Love. The crowd lighting up their phones even added up to the beauty of the songs. You singing All Of The Stars is also a major treat to the soldout arena crowd.
Lastly, seeing you all smiles as your songs are being sang back to you....this photograph may have said it all.
"I don't wanna leave." - Ed Sheeran *sigh*
As the show is about to start, the VIP flocked (as expected) near the stage leaving the back patron part almost empty. Those felt like a whole lot of slots that could have been available to those who were not able to grab their tickets early on if the section have been made into SRO. It would have been better than best, it could also mean more money to the prod. But then I guess we are all about each and everyone's safety and enjoyment more than anything else so it is all good.
While I understand that the backdrop video is needed, the filter effects became problematic at some point that it has prevented people from the upper sections to see the artist clearly. If I may reiterate, Ed, you do not need any of those spectacles. Hand you a microphone and a guitar and that will do the trick; you are at your best, you are in your comfort zone -- all laid bare. You are a musician we don't wanna see shirtless, or so one of your songs has stated, anyway. (But really, your talent speaks volumes.)
Despite these minor issues, it did not stop the crowd from enjoying the show. One could really care less, why? Because the fact that they were there, living to tell the Ed magic to the world...that might have to be more than enough.
THE HASHTAG NO CLOSURE HUGOT EXIT
The crowd started shouting "We want more! We want more!" prompting an encore that I swear topped everything/every song that you have previously performed that night. From the cover mashups to Sing, one could not have asked for a better ending. Not having watched any of your other tour videos, I am not really sure if you have done it previously but what you just did towards the end is bordering from irksome to pure genius.
How dare you, Ed? Leading the crowd into a singing spree, clapping to Sing's beat, as you exited the stage with no proper goodbye. What the actual heck, yes? There is no closure (for all the feels) and what is even amusing is that the crowd kept on singing the "oh wohooh woah" part in Sing even when you have long left the stage. I bet they are all stuck in the Sing trance that nobody moved even when the lights on the arena are all turned back on. I swear it has left me LSS-ing even as I head home, too. Most if not all are half-hoping you would pull off a The Script, doing an encore after an encore. But thinking about it, the night has already been great and I am just grateful to have been there.
IN A TRANCE
You have done your magic and even expresses you desire to come back (You, producers, are not going to deny him of that, right?) Life goes back on but March 12 is forever etched in our hearts as the night a certain British guy has taken parts of our hearts back in England with him.
And we will claim it back when you get back, Ed. No matter how long we'll have to *again* wait.
Love, April x
"Should this be the last thing I see, I want you to know it's enough for me....'cause all that you are is all that I'll ever need..." - Tenerife Sea
*****
X (Multiply) Tour Manila 2015
THE SETLIST
*****
Agree or disagree? Thoughts? Feel free to hit me up!
Many thanks to MMI Live, Ms. Rhiza Pascua and to the sponsors for making this magical night happen. To my supportive bosses and colleagues at work for backing me up with the workloads to be able to attend this concert (that actually coincides with my item structure deadline). To my concert buddies Maanne and Milky (til the next concert, girls!) and to my friend Jovelyn Lao for the photos that I have used in this post. I own nothing but my words.
0 comments: