Living the Dream
So after 10 years, I finally get to be 12 years old again as a1 finally decided to regroup and hold a concert with Blue (and that dude from 98degrees, but seriously he is so redundant)! I was transpotted back to a time where a huge a1 poster hung over my bedroom wall, when I went on crazy spending sprees on British magazines that if so much even mentioned a1 I would buy and met friends on the internet purely through a united love of a1. Honestly, even after they disbanded and I grew up, I kept tabs on their careers (okay, maybe mostly Ben's. hahaha!) and watched from a distance as they reunited and rebuilt their fanbase from Norway/Britain.
Having said that, I was probably the only idiot at the concert that knew EVERY song. So anyway, this was how the concert went.
Reached Singapore Indoor Stadium after rushing from work and met Garnell at our seats. Jeff Timmons was on first, and I can't say how unamused I was. Probably one of the worst opening acts, let alone ANY acts, I've ever watched. When lipsyncing through his first song, the music started crashing, and the whole way after the music just kept acting up. So bad that he had to sing accapella on his own for a bit, which was unbelievably awkward. I felt sorry for him but I stopped as soon as he came back out after the a1 set to do some more shouting random things and pretending to sing. Sigh.
Anyway, then came the main event that I've been waiting the past 10 years for- a1!!!! They came out after a video opener that they were raving about before in their London concert, and opened with Same Old Brand New You, which is probably the song that I first fell in love with them for. How apt. Anyway, it was a very rock-ish version of the song, along with all the other songs because since their third album image change, they work with a live band and music. Definitely no plus-one music failing for them! They sang quite a few songs from their latest album- Waiting for Daylight, Take Me Home, I'm in Love and I Hate It. Really love how they interacted with the crowd, and taught the crowd a catchy hook with cute hand gestures for I'm in Love and I Hate It for us to sing along with.
They also played Ready or Not, in which I did the cheesy hand actions with full vigour. Everyone around us probably thought I was a weird person who never got out much. Hahaha! They also did Like a Rose, where Ben sat in front of one camera and sang into, and only stopped to bring an awestruck girl onto stage and give her flowers, along with A LOT OF HUGS. Jealousy level 99 manzz. They performed Caught in the Middle, Everytime, Take on Me, and Lady Gaga's Poker Face and Black Eyed Peas' I Got a Feeling. Thought they could totally do without the other artistes' songs, after all, we were all there for a blast of nostalgia. At one point in time, Ben asked the crowd what we'd like to hear, and he was all, 'Flying Without Wings? Nahhh that's not our song, that's Westlife!' and then launched into two lines of the song nevertheless. So cute.
My favourite part was probably the medley they did, rehashing all their songs from their first three albums. Starting out with One More Try, they did Be the First to Believe, Summertime of Our Lives, Living the Dream, Heaven By Your Side, No More and One More Song. When they started Living the Dream, I couldn't believe my ears because it wasn't a single, but it's definitely one of my most favourite songs by them. I was the only one screaming my head off among a crowd of clueless people. I strongly suspect most of them were there for Blue anyway. Another highlight of the concert for me was when Christian started singing the beginning of Heaven By Your Side, he was taken aback by how many people were singing along. He paused as he heard the crowd continue on, and then gave a quiet smile and uttered a simple, 'Nice.'. Very very subtle powerful moments like that kill me. In a good way.
The a1 set was definitely super amazing and even Garnell, who was mostly there for Blue, enjoyed herself immensely and was blown away by them. Definitely a good sign. Not to mention, they completely hyped up the crowd for when Blue came on, no thanks to Jeff Timmons..
So anyway, Blue came on next! Honestly, I haven't been thinking about the Blue aspect of the concert, only as a tactic to get Garnell to come. I totally didn't care about them anymore, especially when they performed at Eurovision last year with 'I Can', and reminded us all of why cheesy boybands died off in the first place. I mean, Duncan wore a CRAVAT. A scarf, seriously? It's so sad to think of the possibility that someone so hot is bi. Sigh.
Anyway, but when they came on, they were SOLID. They had backing tracks and didn't play live music, but their sense of performance and their simple but bold dance moves made it amazing. And they sang in harmony! Wowww. And plus, we knew every song, which is never a bad thing. Lee even made a crack on how gay one of the dance moves were. And Duncan was RIPPED. Like, monster biceps and a sharp jawline, and constantly making smoldering, sexy eyes. HAHA!
Well anyway, to top off the night, after the concert a reporter from the Straits Times approached G and I and asked us what we thought about the concert, and we told her how we've been fans for more than 10 years and all.
Yup that about wraps up our night. A night that has been a childhood dream come true, or as a1 would sing, 'I can't believe I'm living the dream.'
Having said that, I was probably the only idiot at the concert that knew EVERY song. So anyway, this was how the concert went.
Reached Singapore Indoor Stadium after rushing from work and met Garnell at our seats. Jeff Timmons was on first, and I can't say how unamused I was. Probably one of the worst opening acts, let alone ANY acts, I've ever watched. When lipsyncing through his first song, the music started crashing, and the whole way after the music just kept acting up. So bad that he had to sing accapella on his own for a bit, which was unbelievably awkward. I felt sorry for him but I stopped as soon as he came back out after the a1 set to do some more shouting random things and pretending to sing. Sigh.
Anyway, then came the main event that I've been waiting the past 10 years for- a1!!!! They came out after a video opener that they were raving about before in their London concert, and opened with Same Old Brand New You, which is probably the song that I first fell in love with them for. How apt. Anyway, it was a very rock-ish version of the song, along with all the other songs because since their third album image change, they work with a live band and music. Definitely no plus-one music failing for them! They sang quite a few songs from their latest album- Waiting for Daylight, Take Me Home, I'm in Love and I Hate It. Really love how they interacted with the crowd, and taught the crowd a catchy hook with cute hand gestures for I'm in Love and I Hate It for us to sing along with.
They also played Ready or Not, in which I did the cheesy hand actions with full vigour. Everyone around us probably thought I was a weird person who never got out much. Hahaha! They also did Like a Rose, where Ben sat in front of one camera and sang into, and only stopped to bring an awestruck girl onto stage and give her flowers, along with A LOT OF HUGS. Jealousy level 99 manzz. They performed Caught in the Middle, Everytime, Take on Me, and Lady Gaga's Poker Face and Black Eyed Peas' I Got a Feeling. Thought they could totally do without the other artistes' songs, after all, we were all there for a blast of nostalgia. At one point in time, Ben asked the crowd what we'd like to hear, and he was all, 'Flying Without Wings? Nahhh that's not our song, that's Westlife!' and then launched into two lines of the song nevertheless. So cute.
My favourite part was probably the medley they did, rehashing all their songs from their first three albums. Starting out with One More Try, they did Be the First to Believe, Summertime of Our Lives, Living the Dream, Heaven By Your Side, No More and One More Song. When they started Living the Dream, I couldn't believe my ears because it wasn't a single, but it's definitely one of my most favourite songs by them. I was the only one screaming my head off among a crowd of clueless people. I strongly suspect most of them were there for Blue anyway. Another highlight of the concert for me was when Christian started singing the beginning of Heaven By Your Side, he was taken aback by how many people were singing along. He paused as he heard the crowd continue on, and then gave a quiet smile and uttered a simple, 'Nice.'. Very very subtle powerful moments like that kill me. In a good way.
The a1 set was definitely super amazing and even Garnell, who was mostly there for Blue, enjoyed herself immensely and was blown away by them. Definitely a good sign. Not to mention, they completely hyped up the crowd for when Blue came on, no thanks to Jeff Timmons..
So anyway, Blue came on next! Honestly, I haven't been thinking about the Blue aspect of the concert, only as a tactic to get Garnell to come. I totally didn't care about them anymore, especially when they performed at Eurovision last year with 'I Can', and reminded us all of why cheesy boybands died off in the first place. I mean, Duncan wore a CRAVAT. A scarf, seriously? It's so sad to think of the possibility that someone so hot is bi. Sigh.
Anyway, but when they came on, they were SOLID. They had backing tracks and didn't play live music, but their sense of performance and their simple but bold dance moves made it amazing. And they sang in harmony! Wowww. And plus, we knew every song, which is never a bad thing. Lee even made a crack on how gay one of the dance moves were. And Duncan was RIPPED. Like, monster biceps and a sharp jawline, and constantly making smoldering, sexy eyes. HAHA!
Well anyway, to top off the night, after the concert a reporter from the Straits Times approached G and I and asked us what we thought about the concert, and we told her how we've been fans for more than 10 years and all.
Yup that about wraps up our night. A night that has been a childhood dream come true, or as a1 would sing, 'I can't believe I'm living the dream.'