How often do you go to concerts? What shows do you love going to?
In my case, I live far from the concert venues here in my country and not to mention tickets are expensive af which is why I carefully choose which shows to only attend. One of them which I will always love to watch is the band One Ok Rock, a Japanese rock band.
If you are not familiar of this band, they've done songs for all the Rurouni Kenshin live action film series and collaborated with some international artist like Avril Lavigne, Kiiara, Kellin Quinn, 5 Seconds of Summer and even Ed Sheeran. The band vocalist was also invited to sing at the Linkin Park's tribute show for Chester last 2017. Their recent three albums also comes with English and Japanese versions.
After three years of postponement due to corona virus, One Ok Rock's third Asia Tour has finally pushed through last September 26 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. But instead of their Eye of The Storm album tour which was the current album back in 2020, they changed it to Luxury Disease because it's their present album. Basically, Asia didn't get the Eye of The Storm show. I was also quite disappointed at first that they weren't performing at MOA Arena but I'll tell you later why I changed my mind.
At the main gate of the coliseum night of September 25.
Freshly printed ticket!
Oh, and also to have our tickets printed because we found out that they no longer print tickets on the concert day. And aside from getting some rest and printing tickets, one of my reasons was to have more time to check out Araneta City for some food trip. There's a variety of restaurants to choose from, 3 days isn't enough. The restaurants I'm eyeing on at Gateway 2, a newly opened mall in Araneta City, were still under construction.
And speaking of Gateway 2 mall, the coliseum is connected to this mall and when you walk from the coliseum going to the mall, you'll see this huge LED screen displaying the events happening at the coliseum. We waited a few minutes just to for One Ok Rock's poster to flash on the screen. Lol.
September 26, Concert Day!!!
We went around 10 in the morning at the venue to check if there are already people giving out freebies and banner to write on. Lol. Our main agenda that morning was to be able to write our messages on the banner because we weren't able to do that back in 2018. But we're also looking out for some freebies because there were lots of fans posting in the fan group weeks and days prior to the big day.
There were few people gathered in front of the venue when we got there but the banner was still not in sight. We even stayed a few minutes looking at people whether someone was giving away some goods. Haha! After waiting for nothing, we crossed the road and ate breakfast at Shopwise Arcade instead. Most restaurants were still closed (surprisingly) and we ended up eating at Bon Chon. After eating breakfast, we went back to the venue and stood there about half an hour.
While waiting I can't help but compare the concert banners of Smart Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena. As can be seen on the photos above, the show's banner is tarpaulin whereas in Mall of Asia Arena, they have a huge LED screen where the poster of the current event is flashed. Promotional and video greetings were also being played on the LED. The printed tarpaulin felt like a downgrade. Anyway, Araneta Coliseum has an LED too but it's hidden.
And voila! The banner has arrived but people immediately swarmed around the banner as soon as it was laid on the floor.
We tried to wait for our turn but people were taking a long time writing their messages so we went back first to our hotel to get our things as it was almost time for check-out. I booked two different hotels for day 1 and day 2 which I realized was a big hustle (lol). Our original plan was to travel on the concert day and the hotel I booked for the 26th was a bit expensive so I have to book a cheaper hotel for the 25th to fit on the budget.
We arrived back to the venue with our backpacks and there were still lots of people writing on the banner. There was almost no space to write on but at least we were able to send our most heartfelt message to the band:
My brain stopped working. Sorry.
Can you find mine in this see of messages? Clue. It's in black ink. Lol.
I think it was Leann who requested that she takes a photo of my tablet. The stickers right there were made and drawn by her. Cool, right? She actually gave lots of stickers last year but I'm too sentimental that I don't want to use them yet. I was only able to use two so far, these ones you can on the photo. The two people on the sticker are Taka and Toru, the vocalist and guitarist of One Ok Rock. I also inserted my ticket inside the case so I don't lose it.
More people were arriving and the merch area was being set up. As we can't see people giving out freebies, we decided to go to Gateway to eat our lunch at Mary Grace. When we went back to the venue, we were able to get red stickers for our phone's flashlight to be switched on on certain songs during the show. It was then almost time for our check-in on our next hotel so we gave up looking out for freebies and walked to the hotel.
View from the hotel while waiting for the elevator. You can literally see the coliseum's main gate from here.
After resting for about three hours, we went down at 5 to check the situation outside the venue. As expected, more people have arrived. Some were waiting on the sides and some were already lining up. The weather was nice, kind of windy as well. As this trip was a concert/food trip, I asked Leann that we go eat something first before lining up. So we went back to Gateway and ate gelato for some sugar rush.
The crowd situation was still the same when we went back. The lines were confusing too and most of us didn't know where to line up so we stood first behind the crowd waiting for the lines to get organized.
Ambulance and medics on standby.
It was already getting dark when the doors of the venue were opened with the crowd still disorganized. Rain was already beginning to drizzle so most of us had no choice but to squeeze ourselves into the crowd. Bouncers were more concerned of the driveway getting blocked by people than setting up the line.
After passing through security check. Almost at the door!
But finally after a couple of minutes we heard them shouting and instructing where people should line up. Ugh. They should've done this earlier, now they're rushing people to line up.
A free photocard from the show promoter. Cool!
We were finally able to get in and I almost forgot to get the free photocard at the entrance. Good thing I saw Leann holding hers and I went back to get mine. Lol. Finally getting to our seats, we rested for a few minutes before going to the restroom because nobody wants to miss a part of the show just to pee.
Crowd situation around 7 PM. Most people are just beginning to arrive.
The show was initially sold out and we were just lucky enough to secure Box B (upper box) tickets. My initial target tier was Patron A, which I guess is equivalent to lower box but my goodness! I wasn't expecting more people during the ticketing day last June. Most tier were already sold out in less than 10 minutes. We're just really lucky to secure tickets that day. I didn't give up and kept reloading the ticketing site! With still a high demand for tickets despite being sold out, the promoters and band's management decided to add more seats and open the general Admission tier a couple of weeks before the show.
As time nears, the fog machine was switched on and the band's technicians checked the instruments for the last time. The technicians received a huge cheer every time they play the instruments especially when the microphone was being checked.
It's showtime!
Finally, it was 8 PM and the venue went completely black for a second before mulitple colors of light bursted inside the coliseum. Again, just like my first One Ok Rock concert back in 2018, the crowd was screaming wild as the band came out the stage. I haven't watched they're Japan tours for Luxury Disease but I've read comments that the set up and visual graphics was also the same as what they had in Japan. Nice!
One thing I noticed though when the show began was that most people remained seated which left me confused because back in 2018 we all stood up as soon as the show started. I was so ready to stand but I sat again confused of the people around me. What is up with these people?
But Leann was unfazed by the NPC people and stood up, already jumping and headbanging. Lol. She was pulling me to stand. I really wanted to stand as soon as the show began, however, I was worried of blocking the people's view behind me. I was waiting for them to stand but thank God on the third song, Taka shouted at the crowd to jump. I stood and jump along with Leann and didn't bother whether I was obstructing the view of others behind me. Do they think only the platinum and gold tiers should be jumping? No way! We're jumping no matter what tier we're in!
We should've all stood up from the beginning, what were they doing! Lol. The song being played by then was Taking Off. Yeah, time to take off from my seat! Ciao!
Finally saw the synchronized dance of Taka, Toru, and Ryota for the song Wonder!
The first song played was Wonder followed by Save Yourself. Manila was their second stop for their Asia Tour so we were lucky enough to be able to have the cheat sheet of setlist prior to the show. They played Let Me Let You Go next. The song is nice but not much of a favorite of mine.
Taka screaming the long high note during Clockstrikes.
I was really delighted that Clock Strikes was again included on the setlist. My ears has been blessed again. Taka holding a high note for about 30 seconds is always among the highlights on their concerts. That night I think he was able to do it for 25 seconds.
Drum intro for I Was King a.k.a. "The Tomoya Moment"
They also included I Was King again which I really love because the intro of this song sounds very cool. The sound of drums live really rocks!
I also love this part of the lyrics. I was literally singing my heart out at this part!
"If I go down, I'll go down fighting!
I'll go down, down like lightning!"
- I Was King (One Ok Rock)
I can't believe I was able to sing the high notes on this song just because I love I Was King a lot.
Tomoya always have the cutest accent among the band when they try to speak Filipino!
After playing six songs, they took a break from playing to greet the crowd. Ryota (bassist) and Tomoya (drummer) were getting better at pronouncing Filipino words. Ryota asked the crowd if they have heard their Luxury Disease album while Tomoya made it known to the Filipino fans that he loves adobo and sisig. He also posted on his Instagram later on how much he loves Philippine mango.
Toru with a fan, literally.
Toru (guitarist), as usual, was greeted with the loudest squeal from his fan girls (lol) even if we was just walking towards the microphone. He was holding a colorful abaniko (a Filipino weaved hand fan) which I find hilarious. He was fanning himself while sitting and waiting for his turn to talk.
Meanwhile, I can't even remember if Taka (vocalist) was on the stage that time. He was the only one who didn't greet in Filipino. He probably chose not to because he mentioned back in 2018 that Filipino words were very difficult to pronounce.
Instrumental portion.
After their short greetings, they proceeded with the instrumental showdown then smoothly shifted to the next song.
Next song they played was my favorite song from the Luxury Disease album, Neon! The graphics on the huge LEDs showed the bright streets and buildings of Shibuya while the song was being played. However, some technical issue happened somewhere in the middle of their performance. Some say it was the microphone, others say it was the in-ear monitor, some also said Taka simply forgot the lyrics. The band managed to finish the song but then Taka apologized to the crowd and requested the band and crew to repeat the song. Yes, please! Who wouldn't want a repeat performance! I felt lucky because I got to enjoy my favorite song twice!
We were now halfway through the setlist and next song they played was Vandalize which was used as soundtrack for the Sonic The Hedgehog film. I believe it was also among Leann's favorite song on the album.
The song they played next was Make It Out Alive, the soundtrack for the game Monster Hunter. This song was released a few weeks before the Asia Tour so I consider us lucky to be among the first to hear this song live. I love how this song rocks! I jumped a lot to this song!
Taka pointing at the the LED screen behind him where the lyrics to the next song will appear.
After a series of rock songs, the band went acoustic with the song Your Tears Are Mine. Toru was seated near the drums holding an acoustic guitar while Taka was instructing us to sing along if we know the song because the lyrics will be displayed on the LED. This really helped me to sing along because I don't know the entire lyrics of the song.
The whole crowd sang along and on the last chorus, Taka stopped singing and gave the moment for the crowd to sing.
Taka singing the last word of the song.
Honestly, this song was my least favorite from the album but then the live acoustic version of this song plus singing along with it had changed my view on it. It was sooo beautiful! I almost felt like we're a choir. We weren't screaming. We were singing it loud but softly. And most importantly, we were in tune! I could almost cry. The sea of lights was also gorgeous, I bet it looked more wonderful from the stage! We sat during this song, by the way. Time to rest our feet for a while as well!
I guess it was after this song when the crowd did the stomping. I heard this was something crowds would do when in Araneta Coliseum? What this means, I'm not exactly sure but it's probably the crowd's way of relaying their delight to the performer/s. I was scared and worried at first that this might cause accident because the floor was literally vibrating! Gosh! The stomping sounded like thunder but it was fun and the band was also surprised and amazed by it. As a result, Taka then promised that they are definitely coming back in three years. He also mimicked the stomping which was funny.
The band went on with the next song, Change. This song was released few years ago but it was only their first time playing it in Manila. I love this song because aside from its catchy melody, it encourages you to keep going and to improve ourselves for the better.
We all went screaming when they started playing The Beginning. This song is among One Ok Rock's ultimate songs and the one which pulled me into the fandom.
The Stand Out Fit In was played next. The dark horse of the setlist along with Your Tears Are Mine. I love this song because aside from the inspirational lyrics, it has a chill vibe. But heck, I didn't know that the live version would make me feel like I'm in a marathon! Taka kept instructing us to jump and of course, the obedient person that I am jumped on every part of the song that felt I should be jumping. Lol. I was already losing my breath and on the brink of fainting but thank God I survived. I was also holding on to Leann's shoulder to keep my balance. It was fun seeing the whole crowd, from VIP to Gen Ad, jumping!
Taka announced that they are playing their last song but of course, we all know there's still an encore! Duh! They played Wasted Nights. Hearing this song that night made me happy and sad at the same time because it talks about cherishing the present moment. And yes, I was cherishing the memory that night and literally thought of nothing for two hours except to only enjoy every moment.
The band went backstage after playing their "last" song and while waiting for them to come out again, we started chanting "We Are" repeatedly in unison. It's one of their songs and we were hoping and requesting that they play it for the encore. The chant eventually faded but some people behind us we're not giving up easily. We could clearly hear their hoarse voices and I can't help but laugh. They almost sounded like souls screaming for help. Sorry. Lol.
They finally returned to the stage wearing the official shirts for the tour. Taka did some speech including a promise that they will be back as they were really happy and amazed by the crowd's energy. He then said that they are playing their last song for the night. The crowd felt sad and Taka had to console us again by promising they are returning soon. Haha. The last song was Wherever You Are, a very beautiful slow rock love song and another popular One Ok Rock song.
Taka telling there's another last song.
The crowd didn't give up and began chanting We Are after they played Wherever You Are. Everyone thought it was over but maybe the band was moved by how great the Manila crowd was that night. Taka then said they are doing one more song just for us, probably the effect of the stomping. Lol.
The happy Manila crowd! Because they're getting another song. Haha.
We were all taken to a surprise and excitement when Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer started to play. We were expecting for We Are to be played because the crowd has been screaming for it but anyway, Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer is definitely a crowd favorite! I have always thought this song is the perfect song to end a One Ok Rock show. It's full of energy and just keeps you jumping to this rock n' roll from beginning to end.
Screenshot from the short video I took at the intro of Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer. I was jumping and this was the clearest frame I could get.
The band started throwing their guitar picks and drum sticks to the crowd signaling that the show was really over. Taka and Toru also threw their shirts (the merch shirts) wherein an elder woman was the lucky fan to catch Taka's shirt. They then took their usual group photo with the crowd. As they were sitting in front of the banner, Taka laid on the banner and kissed the Philippine flag multiple times. Lol. He probably didn't expect the crowd to be full of energy. While I appreciate that act, I was also worried because the banner was definitely dirty. It was laid on floor for several hours.
The band taking a photo together with the crowd and banner after singing the last song.
The camera zoomed in at Taka and he did a rock sign with gritting teeth, even giving a flying kiss which made the whole coliseum roar. He never did that back in 2018. He obviously had fun with the Manila crowd.
Some people were still shouting We Are. They never gave up. Lol. Everything felt so fast, the band started to exit the stage one after the other. Toru was the last to leave the stage and he gave his final short message before disappearing. The stage lights turned off and the lights of the Coliseum went back while the Luxury Disease logo flashed on the LEDs on the sides. We took some photos with it before leaving the venue.
I loved the 2018 Ambitions Asia Tour and felt it was the best but then I would definitely say Luxury Disease Asia Tour is now my favorite One Ok Rock show I've been to. It feels very special not just because of the additional song at the end but also because of the crowd. Honestly, it feels like the crowd this time was more attentive and much much more brimming with energy. We were literally at full energy and it never faded from the start 'till the end of the show. It was crazy and surreal. The stomping was also iconic! The band would keep that in their memories for sure! Taka was also so much in the mood that night compared to their Ambitions show. He was smiling a lot and interacting more to the crowd. Also, the venue was full compared to their previous Manila shows. More people went to see One Ok Rock this time!
I must say One Ok Rock is still the band everyone used to love. There were rants that they've changed to pop and blah blah blah but witnessing the Luxury Disease tour felt as fun as before. It still rocks and as spectacular as their previous shows. Sure the songs weren't as heavy as their old songs but the new songs also rocks! Just a different kind of rock though.
We walked back to our hotel after the show to rest for a few minutes then went out again to buy some food to replenish our energy.
Concerts, live music, and emersing yourself with a crowd who shares the same interest as yours will always be a favorite place for me to go to. It gives me a huge burst of motivation and a feeling like I can conquer whatever is holding me back even for just a few hours.
Things like this makes me feel that it's great to be alive; that we should keep going; that we should not stop chasing for our dreams. that there are good things in life we can cherish forever;
Here's a short recap of the show:
And here's one of the interviews they had in the Philippines a few moments before the show began:
"These moments remind us why
We're here, we're so alive
Let's live like we're immortal
Maybe just for tonight
We'll think about tomorrow (yeah) when the sun comes up
'Cause by this time tomorrow
We'll be talking 'bout tonight
Keep doing what we want, we want, we want
No more wasted nights"
- Wasted Nights (One Ok Rock)
See you again next time, One Ok Rock! ❤️🖤