Do you get déjà vu when she's with you?
Guess you didn’t cheat, but you’re still a traitor.
Do these lines ring a bell? Well, they're just some of the unforgettable lyrics from Olivia Rodrigo's songs.
When I heard about the news about her very first concert in the Philippines, I knew I had to be there. Especially since all the proceeds from the concert in Manila were going to charity. I mean, seeing and hearing Olivia live while contributing to a great cause? That's a win-win combo!
💜 How I Secured My Tickets 💜
I marked my calendar for the ticket-selling date. The ticket-buying process was a challenge. It was September 14 when I entered the queue, with my two laptops and my phone. Unfortunately, my laptops got high queue numbers, meaning my chances of getting a ticket weren't great. I was anxious. Thankfully, my phone had a much lower queue number.
After an hour of waiting, using my phone's queue number, I was able to click the tickets but just as I was about to pay, the screen displayed "Loading something exciting!". My heart dropped. It could either lead me to the payment section or throw me back to the queue. And guess what? The latter happened and my frustration was off the charts!
When my first laptop's turn came, the same thing happened. At that point, I was ready to give up. I left everything on my desk and started organizing my bedroom. It wasn't messy, but cleaning is my go-to therapy when I'm frustrated. As I tidied up, I convinced myself that maybe I wasn't meant to attend the concert.
After finishing my impromptu cleaning spree, I looked at my desk and noticed it was finally my second laptop's turn. I took a deep breath and told myself that if this doesn't work, it's not meant to be.
To my amazement, the transaction went smoothly and I secured four tickets to the Guts Tour!! At that time, I was thinking that maybe the universe wanted me to clean my room first 😂
💜 Weeks Before the Concert 💜
Weeks before the concert, I planned my outfit and played her songs on repeat. I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but for this concert, we purchased tickets without knowing our seats, but given the price, only Php 1,500 or $25.66, it wasn't bad at all.
It was September 28 when we finally got to see if we were in the VIP section or the topmost of Philippine Arena. Sadly, if you purchased multiple tickets, there was no guarantee you'd be seated together. That was my worry, though. When I opened my account, I saw three tickets seated together and one a few seats away. Luckily, our friend was okay with the setup and volunteered to sit separately.
💜 The Day Before The Event 💜
The concert was held at the Philippine Arena, 37km away from home. Going to the Philippine Arena is a hassle, especially for a concert. You need to leave early or risk being late. Knowing how chaotic concert traffic can be, my friends and I decided to book an accommodation nearby. We don't want to be late in this once in a lifetime event.
On the night before the concert, we traveled to SM Marilao where our friend fetched us before heading to our accommodation. That night, we hyped ourselves up by blasting the Guts album on repeat.
💜 Concert Day! 💜
We left our accommodation at exactly 1PM with our tickets, snacks, and extra cash. Rita drove while we kept an eye out for a convenience store to stock up on supplies we might need. We ended up at SM Hypermarket, where we spotted teenage girls in black outfits. It's funny how you can easily spot fellow concert-goers just by their outfits 😂
On our way to the arena, we listened to Olivia's setlist and snacked on our goodies. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the number of people already lining up. Thankfully, we found a parking spot near the exit and we had enough time to take photos outside the arena. It felt surreal to be there.
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When we entered the arena, we grabbed some snacks (again!) and made our way to our seats. We had heard the food inside the arena was pricey, but honestly, it wasn't as bad as others said.
After climbing what felt like a million stairs, we reached our seats in the Upper Box section. The Upper Box section gave us a fantastic view, right in the middle of the arena. Lucky us! Not bad for randomly assigned seats! I even recorded a video of the view as a reference for future concerts. I mentally claimed that I'd attend more concerts in the future!
Speaking of capturing moments, I brought a phone lace with me! It's like an ID lace attached to my phone so I could take videos without worrying about dropping it while jumping or dancing. Highly recommend for those who are planning to attend concerts!
As I settled in, I couldn't help but think about whether upgrading to a Samsung S24 Ultra would have been worth it for better concert footage. But then again, I reminded myself I came for the experience, not for the perfect video.
Before the show, the crowd hyped each other up with the waves and cheers. Then the arena went pitch black, the candles on the screen with the GUTS in it melted away. With the final drip of wax, Olivia rose onto the stage and the crowd went wild!
She started the night with 'Bad Idea, right?" and the energy was electric! The screams from the crowd were deafening.
She followed up with 'Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl', 'Vampire', and the crowd's favorites, 'Traitor', 'Drivers License' and 'Deja Vu'.
The 'Vampire' had me in my feelings. It was pure perfection. Watch the video here.
Olivia sang a total of 23 songs, and I only sat down twice to sip water while she changed costumes. Everyone in our section was on their feet, singing and jumping along. At one point we almost tripped while jumping 😂
Her final song 'Get Him Back' made the crowd's energy insane, making the night even more special.
Olivia's GUTS Tour was everything I've imagined and more. I must say my brain didn't just go AHHHHHH, my heart and soul did too! I couldn't help but replay every moment in my head. The lyrics I've screamed, every jump and laughter, everything. The entire experience was unforgettable.
From the stressful process of securing the tickets to being part of that crowd, every moment was worth it, and I'll treasure this forever. Concerts like this remind me how therapeutic live music can be. It's worth it to take a chance on things that make your heart happy 💓
Here's to more concerts and memories, and maybe even more bedroom cleaning miracles 😂 and who knows? Maybe next time, I'll use a new concert phone, or maybe not? Because the best memories don't need perfect captures, they just need to be felt.
Until my next concert adventure!
All images are mine unless otherwise stated.
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