Getting my heart on with Simple Plan

This is a very very late post but I shall NOT forgive myself if I don't write about this... or them.

It was mid-October when I learned that SIMPLE PLAN is coming to Manila for their GET YOUR HEART ON! Asian Tour on January 12. With unexplained excitement, I immediately reserved an Upper Box slot on TicketNet. But I canceled out the next day for I thought it best to find some company to enjoy the experience.

I called up my friends Cherry and Vberni whom I know are SP fans too. They asked me to wait 'til December so everyone could save up for the Upper Box which costs a little more than 1K. But time flies by so fast! Every penny earned was spent during the Holidays. It was already January 11 and none has gotten a ticket yet. I still got my savings but I don't wanna watch alone.

Really disheartening on my part for I may never make it on the 12th. That morning I even heard Jetlag played very loudly from the headset of a passenger at the train station. Araneta Center also had this contest on Facebook that'd give free tix.

You know that feeling? The world's shouting at me like... "What are you waiting for? You are such a bad fan!" I know... T_T

When I posted my contest entry on FB (hoping I'll win somehow), Cherry asked if I'll be watching. Bam! That was it. Right there and then, I decided to push through with the concert even though I was worried there'll be no more tickets left. I asked my Dad if he could drop by the next day to get the tix.

JANUARY 12, 2012 (Thursday)

12:00 PM:   I called Dad to know if he's got it. Not yet.
1:00 PM:     I followed up, still not getting any.
3:00 PM:     Dad's got the tix! Yey!
6:00 PM:     I logged out of office.
6:30 PM:     I was at the Recto LRT Station. Lo and behold, there's a very long line
                  of passengers and the station management won't let us in. Technical problems. Uh-oh.
6:50 PM:     Still NO ENTRY.
7:00 PM:     Train tech problem fixed.
7:20 PM:     I met Dad at Gateway Mall.
7:35 PM:     Cherry and I got ourselves comfy inside Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Front act was the local band Kamikazee which rocked out songs like Martin Nyebera, Darna, and Tsinelas. After their performance, the stage was set up again and I kept on telling Cherry that I wanna go to the restroom, but I just WON'T! I've said it for like 8 times.

And so the lights went dim...

"Oh my gosh, they're here! THEY'RE HERE!!!" I almost passed out.

FINALLY! They appeared on stage one by one. Pierre Bouvier (lead vocals), David Desrosiers (bass, backup vocals), Jeff Stinco (lead guitar), Seb Lefebvre (rhythm guitar, backup vocals), and Chuck Comeau (drums).

I am an SP fan since time immemorial. I swear I can recite their songs even when asleep. Their first album was NO PADS. NO HELMETS. JUST BALLS. Songs I truly love from that album were I'd Do Anything, I'm Just a Kid, Addicted, My Alien, and Perfect. Next album was STILL NOT GETTING ANY where I jammed with their hit songs Shut Up, Welcome to my Life, and Crazy. Third album was the self-titled SIMPLE PLAN which gave more mature views in When I'm Gone, Save You, and I Can Wait Forever.  And the latest is GET YOUR HEART ON which is my favorite among all.

Simple Plan performed their undying songs from their past albums like Jump, Addicted, Welcome to my Life, My Alien, and Thank You (which they changed into Salamat). When Pierre sang I'm Just a Kid which was released 10 years ago, Cherry and I were like, "Whoa! We're that old!" But the good thing here was that Simple Plan has solidly kept their target audience 'cause there are a lot of much younger folks around us. But of course, WE ARE THE ORIGINALS!

They also did kewl mashup covers for F*ck You (Forget You) by Cee Lo Green, Dynamite by Taio Cruz, and Raise Your Glass by Pink.

My most fancied part of the concert was when we sang along with their new GYHO songs Jetlag, Summer Paradise, You Suck at Love, Astronaut, Loser of the Year, This Song Saved my Life (which was penned from their fans' tweets), and my favorite Can't Keep my Hands Off You.

Pierre came back on stage and began strumming the acoustic version of Perfect. Everybody in the coliseum were in one voice with the band. Oh, how I would like to freeze that moment. I felt like crying then. I didn't even know if I cried while everyone's singing the last song for the night. I was so overwhelmed.

Oh! By the way, David is still the David I've loved. Nothing changed. :')

When it was time to say goodbye, Pierre said they will come back. Cherry and I thought, after 4 years, maybe. But I do hope they'll come back again, the SOONEST!

I LOVE YOU SIMPLE PLAN. I really do.

Thank you for your music. Thank you for your passion. Thank you for being YOU.


*I do not own the photos used in this blog. No intention of copyright infringement.