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One Direction @ SM MOA Concert Grounds Mar.22.2015

One Direction stole the hearts of Manila for two successful days. They said that Day 1 was the best show they’ve done, but they spoke too soon. Day 2 became one for the books too. I guess we can say Manila is the best!

Everyone was heartbroken about Zayn being MIA, but the show must go on and what a great show it was. Liam, Harry, Louis, and Niall all have equally amazing voices. They are such great entertainers. It was obvious everyone loved the show and had a memorable time. 

The boys were very playful on stage and they act like brothers. Liam has such a natural stage presence. He is very comfortable and likes to keep everyone happy with his funny expressions while dancing all over the place. Harry was also showing off his dance moves. Throughout the show the boys were changing up the lyrics of YG’s song and rapping “Mah-nila, Mah-nila”. It made all the girls scream each time. 

They even had the crowd voting for their favorite food between Liam’s Team Nuggets and Harry’s Team Vegetables. They also had the cameras go around and look for fan signs to read. One asked them to take a selfie which Liam kissed Niall on the cheek for. Everyone couldn’t hold their laughter in when one sign requested for them to say “nakakapagpabagabag”. 

1D has such a dedicated fan base. It was hands-down the craziest crowd i’ve ever seen. I love how the boys tried to give attention to as many fans as they could including the ones all the way in the back. They made sure no one was left out and everyone felt like they were a part of the event. The crowd calmed down to sing along beautifully to Little Things. 

The boys like to highlight their hardworking crew. On the first day they sang Happy birthday to Sally and on the second day they sang to Toby. Harry was the official birthday chair. They were even so proud to share another song that their band members practiced playing which was a cover of I Will Survive. 

For the encore One Direction sang You and I, Little White Lies, and Best Song Ever. Facing the end of the concert and having to say goodbye to the boys was heartbreaking. However, the impressive fireworks show that ended the concert left a smile on everyone’s faces. So one more show to go for the British Invasion. Sam Smith is up next and i’m sure it will be perfect! 

[mmilived]

Ed Sheeran @ SM MOA Arena Mar.12.2015

The British Invasion continues with yet another great performance! Ed Sheeran with a guitar in the middle of a stage is all you need. Just when I thought his songs couldn’t get any better, I had the pleasure of hearing him live. Everything about him is amazing from his vocals and rapping to the laid back and comfortable vibe he has on stage.

He sang nonstop song to song without an intermission. Transitions were on point and everyone couldn’t hide how impressed they were. He mixed his songs with Hip-Hop covers such as No Diggity and even changed Chris Brown’s lyrics to “these girls ain’t loyal”. His voice filled up the arena and his rapping was so smooth. 

The talent of Ed Sheeran can bring together people of different genders and ages. He sang Stevie Wonder’s Superstition with his song Take It Back. His songs are enjoyable for everyone. He played both acoustic and electric guitars. He even used his guitar as a drum for a beat.

The graphics complimented his songs well. They weren’t your ordinary concert graphics. They were very artsy and told stories. Even the live feed of Ed Sheeran on the screens had different filters. The lights were very well thought of as they followed the tempo with colors matching the mood of the song.

I love how the crowd appreciated and listened to the songs. They were a great audience with lights waving along to the music and clapping on beat. It was hard to figure out the crowd’s favorite number of the setlist because they were singing their hearts out to every song. However, it was exceptionally beautiful when the crowd sang along to Tenerife Sea with the lyrics “Lumiere, darling. Lumiere over me.” echoing throughout the venue. My personal favorite of the night was the first encore song, You Need Me, I Don’t Need You, with Ed Sheeran layering instruments, beats, and vocals. He made it into a medley with In Da Club and Fancy. It was the best encore i’ve heard. 

Ed Sheeran said he didn’t want to leave the Philippines and that it was the best reception he’s ever gotten. He really puts his all into his performances. The crowd refused to leave and they were still singing along to the tune he had them follow before he left the stage. The expectations of the sold out concert were definitely met and surpassed!

[mmilived]

The Vamps @ SM MOA Arena Feb.01.2015

Part two of the British Invasion was a party with The Vamps. They opened with a great impact. Suspense was built up with lights and a drum beat. 

The venue was filled with energetic fans. From the moment The Vamps stepped on stage all the girls couldn't contain themselves. I haven't seen a crowd that crazy yet. They were screaming when the band called them beautiful and told them that they were the loudest crowd they ever played for. 

Brad Simpson(lead vocals/guitar), James McVey(lead guitar/vocals), Connor Ball(bass guitar/vocals), and Tristan Evans(drums/vocals) are the ones who can be held responsible if ever you were around the area and were wondering what all the commotion was about. Brad's talent had us in awe as he was able to play every instrument at some point during the concert. Tristan's drum solo was amazing and even guys in the crowd looked impressed. 

They transitioned their original songs into covers effortlessly. They covered songs by Bruno Mars, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, All Time Low, Fall Out Boy, and My Chemical Romance. People can appreciate their talent because they showed that they can perform different genres. 

They showed their love for the Philippines by wearing Pilipinas Jerseys. They even had the Philippine flag included in their graphics and tried to say Filipino words such as Salamat. By the end of the concert I think we were the ones thanking them for such a great performance and we were left wanting more.

If this is what the second part of the invasion looks and sounds like...then I can't wait to see the two day craziness with One Direction! Even before that there's still Ed Sheeran. This is gonna be one eventful year.