Środa 11 Lip 2007, 5:54
Fri 6 Jul – Christina Aguilera Back to Basics Tour
Foreign artists rarely come over to Manila for concerts. I think they get threatened by the supposed "terrorist activities" or the kidnappings, blah blah blah. That's why when anyone and I mean anyone comes over, I get really excited (attn: Spice Girls!!!).
But last month, when I heard that Christina Aguilera was coming over for her Back to Basics tour, I just flipped! I knew I HAD TO GO. But see that had to go thing, is tricky, as tickets cost P7000 ($150 - a permanent account) for the VIP, I think and as "low as" P1500 ($32) for General Admission, let's just say money wasn't that easy to find. But it looked like God really wanted me to go
I freaking WON TICKETS. The day before the concert, my mom got a call from MTV saying I had won tickets. I almost died. Who cares what seats they were? I was going to freaking go!
The show would "start at 7pm" but I knew that wasn't the case, so I left the house at 7. And yet with all the traffic, I still managed to get to the Fort on time, with just enough time to eat dinner and see the show start. Then I get this message from Marian again saying she was going to attend the concert too!!! It was so fabulous to have her there with me and Pamy, my concert partner forever. Here's the list of songs she performed in order:
>> Ain't No Other Man
Holy crap. Do I love her or do I love her? The moment she came out onstage (pregnant and all – but I so didn't notice), I was just yelling my heart out. I was probably hoarse already from just one song. I was looking at the screen and it felt like I was watching her on concert on a DVD. Yet when I looked at the stage, she was really there. It was "surreal." But this woman has pipes. I swear, I was already tired for her and it was only the first song.
>> Back In The Day
The thing about this concert, the first pop singer I've watched, is that they really put on a show. Other than the fabulous singing, there was a great set on stage, the amazing dancers and really good videos that accompanied the song. I was really confused as to where to look, but when Christina opened her mouth to sing, we all knew where to focus.
This song had a video of all the old artists she mentions in the song and it was really nice to look at the video too. I also noticed at this point that Christina had a funny hairstyle. It was like there was roll of bread on top of her head, but she freaking pulled it off! And I guess it kept her hair away from her face. Her dancers do this pseudo LA walk dance step and it was funny, but it somewhat fit.
>> Understand
Pamy and I were singing along to all the songs and by this time, I was already tired. I felt so old, but that didn't stop me from dancing to everything. Christina changes from her all-white pantsuit, to a all white mini-halter dress with a train. Seriously, this woman looks fabulous in white. And she's pregnant???
She so needed to rest from the dancing, so I'm glad she slowed it down. Because I needed to rest a bit too. Still, her voice was not getting any rest at all. She kept belting and belting. Damn, I was so exhausted for her. I had no voice already at this point.
>> Come On Over
Fart, I almost died when I heard the intro. I had this feeling she was going to re-do this song and she totally gave it a new twist. I loved this version of Come On Over. It totally fit in with the rest of her songs and I just couldn't help but yell and dance the entire time. I wanted to throw myself onstage, but that would have been physically impossible as I was miles away, but lord did she deliver.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Jkokr_AL7c
>> Slow Down Baby
Christina removed her beautiful train at this point and was just dancing around the stage. Pamy and I noticed that she had this habit of throwing her head back and we were half afraid her head would just snap off. I loved the video that came with it too. It was just this light moving and it was just so well-produced. I want to know how they did that.
And her band is so freaking fabulous. During mini-breaks and during songs, Pamy and I were so in awe with her band. They're just genius. Her brass section especially. I felt so old-school yet new-school. I know i don't make sense, but I loved the brass infusions in her song.
But really, you know when they used to say that Britney Spears could dance while Christina could sing? They're wrong, because Christina could dance pretty freaking well too. And oh yeah, she sings live. but somehow i still love old school Britney, come on over too!!!
>> Still Dirrty
Christina does this spiel about double standards to women and Pamy and I knew she was going to sing this song. I love love love this song. And hearing it live made me love it even more. Christina came out in a white bathing suit looking top and a lacey version of the ass-less chaps she used to wear during her "dirrty-days."
The video was funny because it showed headlines of newspapers that had really funny captions about her leaving her dirty ways. Another high energy song, I was so tired from the dancing, but I couldn't help but groove to this one. I was causing quite a stir in our section from my loudness, but who cares really?
>> Can't Hold Us Down
Did I mention the lights were so amazing. I know they're supposed to be part of the show, but I really loved how the lights followed the drum beat. It was a little dizzying, but it totally worked. This wasn't one of my favorite songs from her Dirrty days, but she totally made me love it live.
She added a black fedora to her outfit and was just rocking the stage. Whenever it got to the part where she'd sing, "what do we do girls?" I would yell: "SHOUT OUT LOUD" really loud that my voice cracked. It was so fun to be there live. I was just going nuts!
>> Makes Me Wanna Pray
Christina came out from behind the screen complete with gospel singers behind her and her brass section. She then moved on to sit on top of a piano, I think. But that didn't mean the song wasn't going to be a dance-fest. Pamy and I were yelling out the lyrics and neither of us could hear each other because it was really really noisy in front.
I've got to give props to the organizers because the sound system was OFF THE CHARTS!!! To think we were in an open field, and yet the sound was perfect. It was amazing to listen to Christina from any section of the field. Christina changed outfits again to a white top with a thick black belt and red shorts. Seriously, this woman does not look pregnant at all. And she moves like she isn't either.
>> What A Girl Wants
She re-made this song too, to make it sound like it was from Back to Basics and it was love. I'm glad she still songs her old songs, because really those were what propelled her to superstardom anyway. Did I mention she was wearing high heels? I think she wore heels the entire time. I was in slippers and my feet were killing me already! She was in heels and she still looked like she was having a blast! Damn she's amazing.
>> Oh Mother
Christina gives this introduction about being battered wives and mothers and about women empowerment and even if she said it in the middle of her concert, I really think she firmly believed in these things that she was talking about so passionately. It got a lot of cheers and people were singing along to this one.
She was atop the piano again and I just wanted to lay down on the ground and rest, but instead I was singing my heart out with Pamy, who had her backpack with her, even if I asked her to put it in the car. And as if I forgot, Christina had to remind me that her pipes are just made of steel.
>> Welcome
Pamy wasn't the biggest fan of this song, but when we saw the stage, it was just crazy amazing. There was a circus banner that spelled "Baby Jane" on it and then it went up to reveal Christina 'tied' to this bulls eye looking thing. I don't know what it's called, but it was lit up really well and it looked like we were in a circus. Her dancers were on stilts and blowing fire and doing all sorts of crazy things. It was seriously a sight to see.
>> Dirrty
I love how Christina sang this from a carousel with a pole. So really it was dirrty without being too dirty. I loved how it was GP-ified. This is Pamy's favorite song from Christina, I think, so she was just going crazy during this song. As was I. It was just nuts how we couldn't stop dancing no matter how tired we were. We'd yell out the last words of every line. Like she'd go, "Wanna get…" And Pamy and I would yell, "Rowdy!" Then she'd go, "Gonna get a little…" And we'd yell back, "Unruly!" And so on throughout the ENTIRE SONG.
At this point, Christina changed AGAIN into a sparkly black bra top and a red corset middle part and really short shorts. And yet this pregnant lady totally pulled it off. Yes, she was still in heels and dancing around like crazy. I'd hate to see her feet after. Hello blisters.
>> Candyman
Two drunken sailors came out and did the yelling at the start and the crowd went WILD. People just didn't stop screaming. But Pamy and I, and a few other crazy fans behind us didn't stop dancing either. I probably looked really really stupid from the back, but I couldn't help it. I loved this song to bits.
She added a white sleeveless bolero to her last outfit and topped it off with a navy hat. She looked really fabulous and I was still amazed at how much energy she had left, considering I was practically just running on endorphines. But because I memorize this song and choreography down to a T, I couldn't help but dance and sing the entire freaking song.
>> Hurt
And still after all that dancing, her voice was still PERFECTION. Not a note of tune when she sang Hurt on top of the piano. The set was beautiful with lights hanging everywhere. It was like a night sky behind her. She had a sheer trench on with feathers wrapped around her and I was literally shivering from her voice. It was so beautiful, I was getting goosebumps.
>> Lady Marmalade
I heard snapping. And then I saw this video that looked very Moulin Rouge, minus the three other singers and I started yelling like crazy. I mean fanatical crazy yelling. I love how Christina can sing all FOUR parts like it was her own song. She could have so done it alone.
Christina was on this chaise lounge chair and was totally re-doing the video doing all the parts. I was just dancing and singing and dancing some more. You could so hear the crowd singing along with her. Everyone was going, "Voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir."
She removed her corset and apparently, she wasn't just wearing a bra, it was the top of a black sparkly minidress that came with a peacock like back. It was just fabulous to watch her perform this song, and apparently, it was her last song.
The crowd was yelling for more, but I felt like it wasn't loud enough. People in Gen Ad were a little silent, and I was like, WHAT THE HELL DEAD PEOPLE? YELL WITH ME! So I kept yelling MORE at the top of my lungs, as loud as I humanly could, and after a few yells, people in my area were finally yelling along. Thank god, because my voice wasn't going to last long.
>> Beautiful *
Finally, Christina came back out and sang my other not so favorite song from Stripped. But apparently, so many other people love this song, because I could hear everyone and I mean everyone freaking singing along and waving their hands in the air. And because of the crowd's prodding, I actually sang along and felt the lyrics. I'm such a dweeb.
>> Fighter *
But she so couldn't end on a slow song, so the intro of Fighter came on, and if it was possible, people got EVEN louder. Again, not my favorite song in the planet, but I couldn't help but super duper sing along, complete with rabid jumping up and down. I really looked crazy.
Then, it started to rain. And people were breaking out their umbrellas, but I so didn't care, because it was so much fun to dance and jump in the rain and just go freaking crazy. It felt like one big karaoke because some words would flash on screen and we'd be yelling like maniacs.
Alas, the concert had to end at one point and it was sad, but it was SO FREAKING FABULOUS. She sang so many songs, and though I wish she'd sing Save Me From Myself And Pamy wanted her to sing Without You but the set list was more than enough.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/patticakes/ljentries/christina_stilldirtty.png
Photo taken by Jasper Lucena
I obviously had a blast. Understatement of the year actually. I hope she'd come back next time though. I think the crowd was a good indicator of how many fans she has over here.
But hey, for tickets I got for free, I'm sooooo not complaining. I can't wait 'til Christina comes out with a new album and tours for it. Hopefully, she'll come back here. But since she's pregnant, it could be a long time from now.