Tegan and Sara Live in Manila: Driving The Crowd Wild
WHEN IN MANILA partnered up with Styles Entertainment and we were at the NBC Tent last night, November 25, to cover the Tegan and Sara live in Manila Heartthrob tour.
The first time I heard this duo, it was love at first listen. Indie pop with an 80โs influence has always been a favorite music style of mine, and with irresistible synths and creamy female vocals like Tegan and Sara’s, it’s impossible not to create a heave on anyone’s heartstrings.ย
And so when the opportunity emerged to cover their first-ever Manila show, I took it with arms wide open (thatโs in the same circle with begging for it, right?). After all, not only do I get to see the show, I’d also have the pleasure of telling you this: the Tegan and Sara live in Manila show was phenomenal.
Identical twins Tegan and Sara Quin hail from Calgary, Alberta. Both having a shared love for music, the two formed their band in 1995. They were signed to an LA based label four years after, and that was the start of the rocketing career to where they are now. To date, they have recorded seven studio albums, with their latest LP, Heartthrob, released January of this year.
With Drove Me Wild playing in my head all day long, I arrived at the premises of NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio with an eagerness I hadnโt felt in a while. Live shows have always fed me with such a rush; it has become an addiction. Nothing compares to when your favorite music is being played live in front of you, being sung by artists you adore so much they might as well be your friends, and pouring your heart out to lyrics that hits so close to home, you feel it was written especially for you.
And that was exactly how that night at the Tegan and Sara live in Manila show went. The duo hit close to home.
Tegan and Sara live in Manila
Opening the show was one of Manilaโs best acts, Up Dharma Down. It was a rather warm evening, and the air was damp and heavy outside, but Armiโs vocals were the cool that sent shivers down the spine. The tent came alive for the first time that night when the band performed a couple of their hits, finishing off with Turn It Well.
But it was the moment Tegan and Sara, awaited all night by the fans, took the stage that the crowd went absolutely crazy. So imagine how they brought the house down when they immediately kicked their set off with Drove Me Wild, an upbeat synthpop number. โWhen I think of you, I think of your skin, golden brown from the sun,โ the song begins. โWhen I picture you, I think of your smile and it drives me wild.โ It was a perfect starter, igniting the tinder that is in the heart of every fan in that venue. Everyone was on their dancing feet.
Throughout the show, Tegan and Sara would pause between songs, making friendly banter with the audience. And they did it so well. These sisters are not only talented in music, but in comedic timing as well. Referring to their meet and greet at a mall in Makati City on Sunday, the twins expressed their gratitude for the many people who went to see them. They said they were also surprised to get police assistance for the event. โWe were like the Backsteet Boys for like a minute!โ Tegan exclaimed. โWe’re like gay One Direction,โ she quickly followed up–a comment to which everyone had a good laugh over (no, 1D fans, this is not a bash on your beloved boys. Both Tegan and Sara are openly gay).
Here are more takes from the show, courtesy of my partner photographer, Art Oca:
Tegan and Sara ended their set with their biggest hit this year, Closer. By this time, everyone was up and down jumping and screaming the lyrics with their hands up in the air. Myself included! For the encore, the two gave a heartfelt rendition of Call It Off, a song from an earlier album, and finally wrapping up with Living Room.
Throughout the show, Tegan and Sara received heartwarming response in applause and screams from the crowd, which led Tegan to point out that in their 14 years of touring, Manila has made its way through her top 5 favorite most enthusiastic crowds.
The last time I was in NBC Tent, I witnessed one of the greatest band performances Iโve ever seen or perhaps will ever see in my entire life. Being back there last night brought back all the feels, that for a moment I thought, โBoy, Tegan and Sara has got some large shoes to fill.โ But after seeing the show and witnessing the same astonishing level of feels from the concert-goers, Iโd say the duo nailed it. Thanks to them, I have yet another wonderful concert memory to carry around with me.
Special thanks to Crowne Plaza, the official hotel partner for Tegan and Sara live in Manila, and to Styles Entertainment, not only for providing When In Manila access to the show, but for bringing this amazing band to our shores. I had such an amazing time, and Iโm positive everyone else did, too.
The band announced on their website that a portion of the proceeds from the Tegan and Sara live in Manila show and merchandise will be donated to the Red Cross as their way of helping out for the recent Typhoon Haiyan devastation. Thank you, Tegan and Sara! You are beyond awesome.