(this next post is all about a PHL-UK Rock Fauxpera)
(and I wrote it all by myself)
(no, of course not)
Sagutin mo lang ako, aking sinta'y walang humpay na ligaya,
At asahang iibigin ka, sa tanghali sa gabi at umaga
My office PC still bears the stains of the coffee I spewed out after I opened the Embassy facebook page and found this staring back at me
Holy ultramagnetic! The Fil-Fab Four are flying to Flondon?!!! This is great!! I didn't even know they were still together!!! Man, I can't begin to tell you how many lonely QC-Makati commutes I had back in my Lame Lawyer days that had their infectious beats and U.P. references blaring in the background. (and "Shake Yer Head", of course, went on to become one of this blog's
official anthems) But I never got to see them live back then because I'd always have
no date on a Saturday night to work on a weekend. But now they'd be coming here, coordinating with the Embassy, and performing at a venue just five minutes away from where I live! As the LLDD-Hyphen-L said, "imbetahan mo sila mag-merienda muna sa bahay."
Pinaasa lang niya ako, lecheng pag-ibig 'to
All I need now is a Concert Pass and/or occasion to serve as their official Protoupie (protocol-groupie; that's an actual thing) and I'm in with the band, and they'll be, like, "wow, you're so cool pare", and I'll be all "pshh just a chill Protoupie, mate"
But no. The weeks quickly sped by, and no instructions for me to help them ever came. I wasn't even asked to direct traffic and deal with the angry motorists at the inevitable Abbey Road photo-op
Even worse, no pass to the concert was presenting itself. Several officemates mentioned that they had or could get passes, but they all would also later tell me that they gave it to someone else or would be using it themselves. The ONE time being the Office Concierge would have served me well, dammit! It's the night before the concert and I still didn't have a pass -- or even the slightest glimpse of the band. Perhaps as a sign that it just wasn't meant to be, when I head home that night, I run into these gentlemen right outside the Embassy in full force.
Their rivalry with the E-heads was Oasis/Blur-esque
'Cause I don't want to die in a poor man's, poor man's grave
"Can't you just buy a ticket, you cheapskate?" you rightfully ask. I could but, man, those things were running at around £100 a pop. For reference, that same amount could get you four Disney-on-Ice tickets, three London Eye rides, or two Book of Mormons.
Anak niya'y aalis na, papuntang Canada
Friday, day of the concert, still nothing. By this point, I've resigned myself to the band leaving the UK without me ever seeing them in person, and I begin searching online for that evening's "Capt. America: Winter Soldier" screening times.
Lift your head, baby don't be scared
But wait! I hear from an old family friend - whom I shall call "The Matrix." And just like the movie, The Matrix's messianic message comes via a totally out-of-nowhere phone call: I have The One (pass)! My faith in humanity is restored!
Rumarampa sa entablado, damit na gawa ni Sotto
Although, since the Matrix's call came late morning of a workday, I was already in office clothes/wasn't dressed in a cool leather trench coat or anything else concert-appropriate. On the other hand, I would be very easy to spot on Bianca Gonzalez's or Rachel Anne Go's instagram pics of the event.
Who has two thumbs and wears a machine washable M&S suit and sweater vest to a rock concert? This guy!
Hangin' with the E-heads and I'm just plain having FUN
Yes.
...at sila'y nag-break
Well. A 20-minute intermission was...unexpected. House rules, says a lady who goes up to the mic. A chance to sit down and rest, says the guy wearing a machine washable M&S suit and sweater vest who got winded and cramps jumping around like a twenty year-old fool.
...at sila'y mag-on na uli
And they're back! And so many hits still to go through!
Ako ngayo'y lumilipad at nasa langit na
YES
Lahat ng pangarap ko bigla lang natunaw,
Sa panaginip na lang pala kita maisasayaw
$%*! Of all times for my camera-phone to go memory full and dead-batt, it's during the finale and singing of probably the greatest Pinoy rock ballad of all time. Just as well, I suppose, because I can't ever get through the song's final chorus without giggling and thinking of Bubble Gang's "English Translation" of it. Everybody now: "It will get worse, get worse, get worse, get worrrrsssseeeee....."
Umuwi na tayo, hey hey hey
Yes, but not before the Matrix helps me score some sweet souvenirs for the LLDD-Hyphen-L. Many thanks for everyone and everything in the whole wide universe that made this all happen!
A place of wishing wells and magic spells
Where everything starts out once upon a time
Long, long ago and ends happily ever after
