Oh Phoenix!

When did you last have a dream-come-true moment?

Mine happened last January 21 at the World Trade Center, because I finally FINALLY got to watch Phoenix live!!

If their name doesn't ring a bell that's because they aren't very popular in Manila save for a couple of songs like 1901, Everything is Everything, and Lisztomania. They're an indie band hailing from Versailles, France, their music has alot of 80's vibe and techno-psychedelic-rock going on. To me they're the kind of band that you don't dig for the lyrics because they're quite hard to understand, sometimes I feel like Thomas Mars (vocalist) is just blabbering hahah. You DO understand them eventually, but that's after you have already fallen inlove with the beat and their music. They don't exactly have the most number of fans because they cater to a specific taste in sound, but the few they do have are DIEHARDS.

They were introduced to me by my friend Ron, I think 3-4 years ago (who I saw in the concert by the way) and I fell in love with them ever since. I have a copy of all their albums and I know them by heart (no not the lyrics though heheh). And I was one of the many who clamored for their visit. I did realize though that it may be a little far off since they didn't seem to have too many fans here. But the concert scene in Manila has significantly changed, with so many foreign acts coming in (though I wish the OPM scene could be even half as robust). Together with the release of their much awaited album, "Bankrupt!", we finally had our piece of amazing news, Phoenix is finally coming to the Philippines!! I swear I screamed!

Before the concert: Excited!

No shaking knees or budget concerns was going to stop me. The ticket price was staggering but damn they're worth it!

The World Trade Center was PACKED. Somehow I think it was "the place to be" that night and the thing was like a fashion show. Oh we didn't care, we came there for the music.

Long lines

And so, conyo or non-conyo, the crowd went WILD when Phoenix took the stage and swept us off our feet with "Entertainment!! Show them what you doooo to me!!". Everyone was jumping and dancing and screaming - DAMN THEY'RE HEEEEERE!!!

disclaimer - okay sorry the pictures are kinda shaky heehee

Opening- The blast of light and music told us they're heeeeere!

What followed was one of the best surreal moments of my life. They sang hit after hit after hit and the crowd just LOVED it and sang to their hearts content. They sang Girlfriend, Lasso, Armistice, Consolation Prizes, 1901, If I Ever Feel Better, SOS In Bel Air, bits of Funkysquaredance and more. They also sang songs from the new album like Drakkar Noir, Trying to be Cool, Chloroform, and The Real Thing (which is their latest single by the way).

"We waited 14 years to come here" - Thomas Mars. Oh the French are such romantics. But didn't they know how painfully long we truly waited? :D :D

I realized how much of a fangirl I was because I kept on singing to ALL songs and not all of it were even famous! Heehee!

Quite the clearest photo I had of the band heheh

Trying to Be Cool - but they're the coolest! Phoenix may look 'chill' and brown and boring, but really, their songs are an explosion of color in all shades and hues. Now I get the logo. :)

I love the play of lights and colors on the screen. It's simply really but enough to compliment the awesomeness of the band. It was cool to see a silhouette of the band against psychedelic hues of pink, blue, black, and white. They occasionally did tricks that drew gasps from the crowd and I loved it

This means alot because Phoenix is my top go-to band when I need to feel better. Girlfriend, If I Ever Feel Better, Everything is Everthing, Lasso - for good vibes, SOS in Bel Air, Funky Squaredance, Trying to be Cool, Too Young - for fun, Chloroform, If it's Not With You, Honeymoon - for romantic shiz (heehee).

But my favorite performance of the night was LOVE LIKE A SUNSET. This is an instrumental that I listen to when I drag myself through a long day and need motivation to get through reports and loads of work. It's my audio-gatorade. I love how it starts mysterious and slow for quite a while, then gradually builds up louder and louder until you're all pumped up and jumping and then suddenly... silence.

"Here comes visible horizon, right where it starts it ends... love like a sunset"

Hearing that LIVE. Oh my God it was AMAZING. I wasn't even jumping. I just stood there and savored every flavor of the song. It was heavenly delicious.

And then they were suddenly like "Goodnight!" and everyone was stunned. Was that it?
So everyone screamed mooore and clapped and stuff and then after a couple of minutes, Thomas Mars and guitarist Christian Mazzalai went back out onstage, Thomas sat down and they surprisingly did an acoustic version of Countdown. I just melted! And almost everyone was singing it was such a tender moment. :-D

The first goodbye was apparently a coy because afterwards the whole band got back onstage again and sang a couple more songs before proceeding with the finale. And what delighted the crowd more was that Thomas Mars actually went down the stage and made rounds in the whole concert venue to shake hands with people and thank us! He apparently does this in all his concerts and it endeared him to me more, that he would actually reach out to people like that. *melts*

There he is in the middle! 

Aaaaaand FINALE! Confetti! It was grand! :)

At the end of the concert I was still stunned and feeling surreal. It ACTUALLY happened! I think almost everyone was in such a high. I felt really grateful for having this amazing chance to see and hear them live and I was star struck the whole time. There were even songs where I just stood there, jaw-dropped and smiling the whole time. Haha! We did take alot of videos but I'm not posting them here because I was going wild the whole time it's just a series of screaming and shaky footage, but I'm saving it to relive the moment. :D You can search most of it on Youtube though!

Merci, Phoenix! It was an epic night!

"I'm just trying to be cool, and it's all because of you, some fanatic attitude, we're both on!"

                     

Blurred selfie!