P!ATD Pray for the Wicked Tour MNL

Thou shalt repent in Manila, Philippines
10:20

This is by far the greatest concert I have ever been to. Well, okay. Probably tied with my 2013 Fall Out Boy concert. I just can't choose between the two.

The concert was held at SM Moa Arena, and I can't help but include this rant on this post. On the day of the ticket release, I immediately went online and tried to buy a ticket. Unfortunately, it says SOLD OUT. I knew it was SM's style to have it sold out immediately, and then open slots a week before the concert. As expected, they did. I wanted to get better seats. We initially wanted VIP Seating, but I've already had the tickets with me. I didn't want to take the risk of not buying immediately and then somehow regretting not getting the VIP seat. Regardless, my seat was great.

Rab and I originally bought the tickets thinking he was gonna be here during the concert. When Rab received his Sept-Dec 2018 calendar, we realized he wasn't gonna be here and it was yet another slap in the face. We decided to sell the ticket to one of my best friends, Patrisha, who was also a huge fan of the band. No regrets here; she's a great concert buddy.

A week before the concert, I couldn't stop thinking about Brendon and how I've been overly obsessed with him since 2006. I was really really excited. It was gonna be my first time to see him perform live and I honestly didn't know what to expect. Days before 10:20, I've been binge watching live performances of the band from everywhere. I mostly had to brag to myself about how Manila was going to be louder than all of the videos online. And well, I think we did not disappoint.

Come concert night, I had yet another disappointment. I brought the wrong lens. As my best friend, Pat told me it could have been a sign that I shouldn't just peep through my camera's viewfinder and focus on capturing good headshots. Rather, I should be jumping and dancing and singing to all the songs, and so that's what I did. I can't thank my stupidity enough for having such a great time not being pressured to record IG stories and capturing good photos. I really danced the fuck away! Literally. I lost my voice halfway through the concert, and I wasn't regretting anything.

Panic! At the Disco was a very good performer. The whole band was great. More to the point, I realized I would never enjoy pop/party/edm concerts more than I'll enjoy rock concerts. It's just more genuine and lively. Being a huge Brendon fan, I can't help but reiterate how much of a good showman he was. I love how great his voice is, and I love how he grinds and smiles and jumps and everything else in between. It was magical.

The setlist was perfect, and if I may add, though Queen will never be replaced, P!ATD's cover is the best cover for Bohemian Rhapsody. Nobody could have done better.

This is gospel for the fallen ones

Locked away in permanent slumber

Assembling their philosophies

From pieces of broken memories

But they haven't seen the best of us yet

All you sinners, stand up sing hallelujah.

In a golden cathedral, I'll be praying for the faithless.

It hurts until it stops, we will love until it's not

There's nothing else left for me at my door

All the people I know aren't who they used to be

And every morning when I wake up,

I wanna be who I couldn't say I'd ever been

..and being blue is better than being over it