Aca-ntahan

Aca-ntahan: Ed Sheeran! (Dalingay!)

2013. I was on a Victory Liner bus for a 10-12 hour trip from Tuguegarao to Manila. I can’t really recall what my trip was for but I came prepared and downloaded a whole album to listen to. At the time, I was still in my Brian Puspos fangirl stage so everything he recommends, I explore. Somehow, he led me to listen to Ed Sheeran.

Lol, look at my 2013 instagram post with my jailbroken phone. My memory is still quite crisp and the time stamp on the photo is proof! Anyway, yeah I got to know Ed’s music -my favourites were Lego House and The A team but I fell in love with Little Things which he wrote for One Direction. Since then, his career really escalated and my nostalgic self feels the need to see him perform live at least once in my lifetime.

After touring for almost 2 years, he finally decided to conclude it at his hometown in Suffolk which is only an hour drive from Essex. I was ecstatic when I secured the tickets especially when we found out Lewis Capaldi (my husband’s newest favourite) was playing as well. Awesome voice, awesome lad!

I guess all this time, I never really paid attention to how he performs live. I always thought he had a band or something but that whole concert he is THE band, doing his own back up vocals and lead vocals all made possible by the continuous loop gadget thingy. I was blown away, seriously. Pure talent that man is!

Since it was the last tour day, I kind of hoped he would bring out suprise guests like Stormzy or Justin Bieber (hahah wishful thinking much?) but none of them showed up. He didn’t really need them though, and he really went all out on his performance I just sang and jumped the whole set. You can really see the fire in his eyes and the passion for what he is doing. So inspiring and infectious!

Aca-ntahan

Ed Sheeran FAIL

Thanks to Timehop and my good friend, I get to relive another funny experience from a year ago. Promise, andaming bloopers ng daily life ko kelangan lang ako sapian ng kasipagan para ma-chika ko lahat dito

As I mentioned, one of my sister from another mother Demeye (from Canada) visited me a year ago. Si Beshy bet mag-birthday lamyerda & luckily, one of her chosen destination is London! So ayun nga, during her visit, I took her to the usual places. Cut the story short, we were in a bus from Highstreet Kensington going to Oxford street when we passed by HMV (One of UK’s biggest retailer of music, film, games and technology products).

Ang haba ng pila sa as in! Then we got thinking, ahhh baka may singer, nag papa album signing. And then looking around, there’s loads of Ed Sheeran posters. OMG. This was a “naiisip mo ba ang naiisip ko B1? Oo B2” moment. So, I quickly checked online if may schedule nga si Koya today. Checked on their website, and even Twitter to confirm. T*ng- ina siya nga yang anjaaaaan!

If we could only jump from a running bus, we would. Per malapit narin naman yung next stop so keri na. Take note, everything was happening so fast kahit ako I’m amazed lahat ito nangyari under an hour. So we got there, nag panic buying ng Ed Sheeran merch (book and cd) thinking na if we have those, we could magically enter the magic door –>joined the queue at napanggap na shonga at nagpa press release na ang instruction is merch lang pwede na pumasok pero di tumalab —>pinakita yung merch but apparently we need a wrist band–>Saan kukuha ng wrist band? –>Baba, labas, strategize kung pano makakapasok. –>Minamata yung mga chekwang turista na nagtatatalon sa tuwa kasi katatapos nilang mameet yung idol nila –> Nagpaplanong offeran sila ng £20 for each wrist band –> medyo lumalapit lapit na and trying to start a conversation –> tapos may narinig na bumanggit na we need to buy a concert ticket –> tingin online kung magkano yung concert ticket, ang mahal beh! –> balik ulit sa planong pamba bribe nung mga chekwa –>antay antay, bwelo bwelo –> ayan na may rapport nang naestablish, solid na yung usapan hanggang sa napunta sa topic ng meeting their idol and guess what!? After all the hype and the hassle, HINDI PALA SI ED SHEERAN YUNG ANDON PAAAAAAAK!

Lessons learned:

1. WAG ASSUMERA. Mahirap maging assumera, madidisappoint ka lang. Masasaktan ka lang. Lalo na yung handa ka nang gumastos, mag invest pero mali ka pala. Masyado kang nabukag sa idea pero nakalimutan mong i-check yung reality.

2. MAGTANONG. Sa tinagal tagal naming andun, ni minsan di kame nagtanong kung si koya nga ba talaga yung andun. Di kame nag confirm sa kahit isa. Yung pinaka basic thing na dapat ginawa namin, yun pa yung nakalimutan hahahah

3. MAGBASA. Tama nga naman yung nabasa ko kaso my brain stopped processing after seeing Ed Sheeran album signing at HMV today. You know what I missed? The time. He was there 2-4 and we were there around 5-6.

Overall, kahit na medyo napagod at napagastos kame, this funny experience will live on! Mas napagtibay pa yung friendship kasi alam mo yun, di lang ikaw yung shonga at ignorante, siya din! Hahahaha! Here’s to more kabaliwan moments!