Bastille: Live in Manila

Happy new year! And what a way to start the year with Bastille. Yes, Bastille! Those four English lads that sing about the ruins of Pompeii and a (fictitious) dead girl called Laura Palmer. It is one of the best concerts I have attended, definitely Top 5 material (knocking FTP down to number 6, soz). It is one of those nights that I wish would go on longer, no matter how tired my legs would be afterwards. It's the best feeling in the world to see one of your favorite bands, to be amidst their music, the energy, the people. And that's why I always choose to watch my favorite acts even though it leaves me being broke in the end.

Oh, and I met (and hugged!!!!!) all of Bastille.

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"Summer" of Dreams

Where do I even begin?

How about we set the vibe first. It starts out with a some Chet Faker, FKA Twigs, SOHN, and then a little bit of James Bay and George Ezra. Oh, and throw in some Hozier in the mix too. Mmm, yeah. That feels just about right.

Now, where were we? Oh, yeah. Apparently I'm bad at blogging. But that's about to change now. And I am serious this time like, I-want-to plan-an-elaborate-wedding-proposal-to-you-that-would-soon-go-viral-once-I-upload-a-video-of-it-on-YouTube-because-it-was-ridiculously-grandiose kind of serious. But, enough with the promises and on with the agendas.

The past few months have been so different compared to what I was doing a year ago... and I kind of love it. Aside from the uncertainty of where I'd be a year from now and the worries and anxieties that come along with it, it's that same uncertainty that brings excitement to my life. If you told a year ago that I'd be brushing shoulders with Matty (of The 1975) and Thomas Mars (of Phoenix), I would've told you you're crazy because those sorts of things do not happen to me. I'm the type of person who'd buy a Killers concert ticket only to find out they'd soon be disbanding/taking a break and cancel the whole tour (circa 2011). But I guess things finally took a turn for the best because not only have I watched a few of my favorite bands live but I've also found myself to be a certified yoga teacher now. A year ago, I wrote this letter and briefly mentioned how I wanted to pursue my certification and now I actually am. I can't believe that was just a year ago.

For someone who doesn't do much, a lot has happened.

Now, what exactly have I been up to in the months that I've missed blogging?

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Tegan and Sara: Live in Manila

November 25, 2013 - 7PM

NBC Tent, Fort Bonifacio, Global City

If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I love music. 

So obviously, I must love concerts and I do. I always jump on the chance to see an artist perform whenever I can, especially if I really, really like them. The plan was to watch TDCC on the 26th but then sadly they had to cancel a few shows and Manila was one of them. Truthfully, it was a little bit of a sigh of relief because, being the huge fan that I am, I was planning on purchasing tickets for the concert the day before and also, I didn't have the money yet for said tickets so it was somewhat okay for me. I know, it's a self-centered reason but hey, I'm staying positive that they will come back. If I learned anything from previous cancelled shows, I'm guessing they will be back in 3 years, just like The Killers. 

The next best thing to that debacle was to see Tegan and Sara. I knew my friend, Yana, had free tickets from her company and I basically begged her to take me. It wasn't a sure thing until the morning of the concert and that sheer good news was enough to take me to my happy (and weird) place. I was listening to their songs all afternoon and every time their song Closer came on play, I got even more excited. 

Up Dharma Down was their opening act and they were amazing. I had seen them before at Wanderland but only from a distance but then seeing them at this show was so much better. I felt their music and I have grown to appreciate more of their music. 

Then Tegan and Sara came on stage and everything was amazing.

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Wanderland Festival 2013

I love music festivals. 

Coachella, Roo, Lolla, Glasto, SXSW, etc. I love it all. More like, I'd love to attend it all. I die a little every time a festival passes by and I'm miles away, probably watching the livestream if it's available. I've had a taste of it earlier this year but that just made me want it more. The day I finally get to be at either one of these festivals will be the pinnacle of my existence. 

So, generally, when I found out about Wanderland Festival, I got really excited. Nada Surf, Neon Trees, and The Temper Trap. These are bands that I listened to... about 3 years ago. That meant I was bound to be a bit rusty with the singing along. Being the cheapskates that we are, we opted on buying Gold tickets from groupon. Maybe next year if the line-up is better, then we might upgrade to the VIP section.

This festival wouldn't have been that much fun if it weren't for the great friends I was with. Well, that goes for everything else in life, I guess. But, I loved the vibes all through out the day. Chill with an inkling of a thrill. Also scorching hot and very clammy. Nonetheless, it was a great music-filled day. I really enjoyed Avalanche City's folk sound. Definitely going to be listening to more of their music, that's for sure. As for the "headliners", Neon Trees was absolutely amazing. The band was able to get the audience dancing to their tunes and @tylerinacoma is oozing with energy! But The Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition was a great way to end the night. [I couldn't help but find their music similar to Local Natives. Please tell me I'm not the only one. Speaking of Local Natives... That's a band I'm dying to watch live.]

Some thoughts on the festival:

• VIP and GA sections should've been separated at the middle or not at all, especially since it's a relatively small festival
• Start on time next time, not 2 hours later
• And more food choices/stalls please
• And if better bands will be in attendance next year, do not increase ticket prices (it already is a wee bit expensive)

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Vampire Weekend in Singapore

This was the day I have been waiting for... for four years. I was finally going to see Vampire Weekend perform live. It felt so surreal. I still can't believe it. I've been anticipating this moment ever since me and my friends arrived at Singapore and it was finally happening. It was incredible. I felt so happy to be alive. To see your favorite band play live is the best feeling ever. And to be in front and center of the crowd made it even more epic. For years, these guys have only ever been on my laptop and on my iPod. And then to see them there, in front of me, is truly unbelievable. I just wish I had the chance to meet them personally. Maybe next time. Hopefully...

Big Night Out featured Band of Horses, Vampire Weekend, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Unfortunately for us, we had to miss Yeah Yeah Yeahs to catch our midnight flight but I was more than fine with it because Vampire Weekend already made me the happiest girl that night. But yeah, nbd. C'est la vie... [It might have something to do with Ezra locking eyes with me for a second too.]

Here are some pictures. 

Disclaimer: It's a lot of Ezra and no Rostam because all my pictures of him turned out blurry. :(

More pictures below.

Laneway Festival Singapore 2013 Pt. 2

KINGS OF CONVENIENCE

POLIÇA

OF MONSTERS AND MEN

More photos below of Kimbra, Gotye, and more.

Laneway Festival Singapore 2013

It's my first music festival and my spirits are soaring!

    I flew to Singapore along with two of my friends on the 25th of January, just a day before Laneway Festival. It was our first Laneway and we were extremely excited. We took the train to Marina Bay and when we stepped out of the station, it was scorching hot. The sun was literally burning us. We did not expect the heat to be that scalding. Mental note #1: Bikini tops should've been worn instead. There was a long line to enter the festival grounds but it didn't really take too long to get inside. When we eventually made our way in, Kings of Convenience was already on stage. There were already people settled down on their mats and enjoying the music. Mental note #2: Bring a mat/towel or something to lay on the grass for you to sit on (if you don't want to sit on the grass itself). Since the sun decided to stay out until 7pm, there's always a long queue for refreshments. This brings me to my mental note #3: Buy water outside of the festival because they only serve Fiji water which costs 5 SGD. Nobody should be paying that much for a 500ml bottle of water. But you're left paying for it anyway because the heat is dehydrating you quickly. Don't let the heat get to you, you'll miss all the fun. One thing we were right in doing was taking note of set times of bands we wanted to see, thus sort of scheduling when we'll eat and when we'll head to the crowd for a good view. Which reminds me, mental note #4: Once you're in a good spot, if someone's trying to squeeze in to get in front of you, don't play nice next time. You were there first. And lastly, mental note #5: Sing and dance like nobody's watching. 

    I had favorites that I was eager to watch which included Of Monsters and Men, Kimbra, Tame Impala, and Gotye. But I was really looking forward to seeing Alt-J (∆). They're my current band crush and to see them perform live would be absolutely amazing. 

    Photographs of the performances will be on the next blog post. 

Always ready with my Lomokino.

Our little spot at the shaded area by the curbside.

$40 for these bands shirts. No, thank you. Although I really wanted to buy Alt-J's shirt (not pictured above).

Listen to Money by The Drums.

   

How do I move on? (Thoughts After Laneway Festival and Big Night Out)

          It's been two days since I got back from Singapore a.k.a. my personal trip to indie music haven and I don't know how I could even move on from such a euphoric experience.

          From the moment I found out that Vampire Weekend are going to play at Fort Canning Park on January 30, without a shadow of a doubt, I said to myself that I am going to this concert. I've never felt so certain and so sure of anything. You have to know, Vampire Weekend is my favorite band, ever! I mean, I do love a lot of bands and artists but nothing else compares to my love for Vampire Weekend. I love their music. I love their sound. I love them as a band. And I love them individually. This band just means a lot to me. My blog's namesake is actually from one of their first songs. My point here is: I cannot for the life of me miss this concert.

          I don't know how but somehow, everything fell into place. I went with two of my friends to Singapore solely for the purpose of attending Laneway Festival 2013 and Big Night Out, which was the concert Vampire Weekend was going to play. It was just our luck that Laneway Festival was 4 days before the Vampire Weekend concert so we took advantage of it and decided to go to both. We flew on the 25th and left midnight of the 31st of January. In that span of six days, I've seen my favorite band play live, seen my current band crushes, and discovered amazing talents. I was on a high. I never thought I would actually be able to experience what I've been through in these past few days. I've always dreamt of going to music festivals and see great bands play live. To finally fulfill this longing is quite unbelievably wonderful. It's the best feeling ever. I remembering uttering, "I belong here. I love this scene!" What a cliche, I know. But 100% true. It was 12 hours of live music from 14 bands for Laneway Festival and 3 big bands for Big Night Out. It was so surreal. I'm glad nobody pinched me in case it was all but a dream.

          I can't stress enough about how incredible the trip was. I repeatedly said, "I'm so happy! I'm so happy!" and jumping up and down like a little girl whose been fed a ton of chocolates. I was elated. I was blissful. I was flying. At this point, I've reached my highest of highs. So how do I go on from being extremely ecstatic to an incredibly dull life the next day? Should I simply pretend that it was just a typical thing to do and really not that exciting as I make it to be when in reality, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me? Life's quite cruel sometimes. But I'm not complaining. I get life. Sometimes it's awesome. Sometimes it's difficult. But most of the time it's dull, repetitive, and mundane.

          Now that I'm back home, I'm still hungover and I feel like I will never recover. Is that bad or just completely childish? I have never been in a situation like this before and I'm stuck. Will this feeling go away in a couple of days? I guess sooner or later it will. But right now, I'm not ready to move on just yet. Let me sulk for a while because I know it will be quite a long time before something as marvelous as this comes along my way again.

Listen to Walcott by Vampire Weekend.

Foster the People: Live in Manila

For the love of music, thank you for Foster the People. 

This fangirl side of me gets obsessive at times, it gets quite unhealthy. So imagine my surprise when I heard they were legitimately performing here in Manila. It also came as a surprise that a band this big would play here with just their debut album out. But nonetheless, I'm glad they came here. A few months back when I was in Seattle, I was super bummed that I was missing Foster the People play WaMu Theatre by 20 days. I was 20 days short! I was determined to extend my trip just for that but I couldn't afford to miss school. Fast forward 4 months and I'm jumping to the sight of Mark Foster in a white blazer.

It's unreal. For a moment, you forget you're cramped beside a mob of people all wanting to get a better view, then you snap out of it and it all gets too real. That band's music you've been blasting in your room is playing in front of you. They're a few feet away from you. And that damn security is telling you to go back to your seat. Ugh, moment ruined.

Despite the bouncer debacle, it was still the best concert of my life! Definitely my top 1. 2nd place goes to Maroon 5 (circa March 5, 2007) and 3rd goes to The Black Keys + Arctic Monkeys. I'm always at my happiest disposition when I'm at concerts. That's why someone needs to take me to Coachella next year. I already missed out a great lineup from this year and, my personal favorite, from 2010.

Be patient. That's what I always tell myself. Everything will fall to place in due time.

A very blurry photo of Cubbie + Andy Barron creeping at the back

Here is Mark busting out the moves

Smims and Belle, emphasis on Southernbelleee ♡

Sophia Bush. What! Sophia Bush was behind us and all I got was this lousy photo. 

I apologize for the lack of Mark Pontius and Mago photos, mostly apologizing to myself :(

APOCALYPTOUR

StarKid live in Neptune Theatre Seattle, WA (May 28, 2012)

We just arrived and there walks out their tour bus is Brian Rosenthal who was super sweet and nice. 

Met these lovely Starkids

Opening act: Charlene Kaye

Listen to her new stuff. It's amazing! But this is still my favorite.

Clark ♥

And now the show starts!

I die now. Bye.