On December 7, Mae returned to Manila for a very intimate acoustic set held at 123block. It was 10 years ago when they first played here, opening for Katy Perry’s first-ever Manila concert. Seeing them here again truly felt like a much-awaited homecoming. I mean, fans had been waiting 10 years for this! This show was brought to you by Red Ninja Production, who is celebrating their 10th year anniversary this year with their last big surprise of the year: #MAEnila.
Two local indie bands opened the night: Lions and Acrobats and Thirds. They truly set the bar high and kept the energy flowing for the main event, the much-awaited comeback of Mae.
Dave Elkins on Vocals and Guitar
Dave Elkins (lead vocals, guitar), Zach Gehring (guitar), and Jacob Marshall (drummer) were so stoked to finally return to Manila and meet their loyal fans. Dave even said that Manila was the coolest show they’ve done.
Zac Gehring on Guitar
Mae is such a down-to-earth band. In fact, Zach was casually grabbing a beer before the show at the bar/cafe on the second floor while fans were just chilling around him! And no, they did not bother him. They respectfully gave him his privacy and space. #amazing
Jacob Marshall
Dave Elkins
During the night, I suddenly remembered that I was actually there when they opened for Katy Perry’s Manila show for charity. It was during the time when Typhoon Ondoy devastated the country. Mae put on such an amazing set that night. I remembered hearing them for the first time and noticing they still sound exactly the way they did 10 years ago.
Jacob Marshall on Cajon Beatbox
Mae gave such an intimate acoustic set that you would literally feel like you were on stage jamming with the band. They sang their timeless hits like “Embers and Envelopes”, “The Everglow, “Waiting to Fall”, “This Time is the Last Time” and more. They made sure to perform songs from all their past albums Destination: Beautiful, The Everglow, Singularity, and the (M)(A)(E) Trilogy Compilation of (Morning, Afternoon, and Evening EPs).
Zach Gehring and Dave Elkins
Zach Gehring
I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but this night felt different. It was rare to hear fans sing every single lyric (crystal clear with a lot of heart and emotion) of every single song that they performed. It didn’t sound bad or annoying; it sounded beautiful. You could truly feel that the crowd was in perfect unison with the band. It certainly took me way back to 2003 when I was jamming to them in my bedroom. What a magical experience.
(ALSO READ: 10 Concerts We Will Never Get Tired of Watching)
Dave Elkins
Mae’s set lasted for about two hours, and it was certainly a very memorable night for fans who had been waiting for 10 years for this. After they ended the night, they made sure to meet and greet the fans, pose for pictures, and sign their memorabilia.
Mae with a lucky fan
(L-R: Zach Gehring, Dave Elkins, Jacob Marshall)
(Read more about the story of Mae and Red Ninja Production here.)
Thank you Red Ninja Productions for making #MAEnila happen!
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