One love…for the times we cried
One love…gotta stay alive
I will survive
One love…for the city streets
One love…for the hip hop beats
One love…oh I do believe
One love is all we need ☝️
Wow…that song brings back memories from my teenage years!
I’ve been a fan of Blue since I was in secondary school.
Back then, things were less digital and I was still in the process of learning how to survive life in general. There were fun moments in my adolescent years but most of them were pretty awkward and cringey.
Enjoying music from the early 2000’s was my way of keeping it together.
I only had my first phone when I entered college for matriculation (pre-university), so I was relying on walkman and cassette player as my music-listening tools. Additionally, I would watch music videos and stage performances on TV or computer connected to landline telephone internet.
How laidback were we back then with less technology, huh?
Fast forward to two decades later, I’m now a working adult with my own income and lifestyle.
I found out that Blue was coming (back) to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a concert. It was for their 20th anniversary tour.
Other artists were/ are coming too in this same year such as Ne-yo, Westlife, Blackpink, Louis Tomlinson, and more.
I low-key was determined to get a ticket to Blue’s concert since the price range and seats layout were the most attractive to me. I saw it as a destined chance to finally see them live as a reward for my teenage self.
So I set an alarm on my phone to alert me when tickets started to be on sale and borrowed my sister’s laptop as I was still at my hometown for Christmas and New Year holidays when they started selling the tickets online.
I went for the VVIP package that included a Meet & Greet session, a poster, and a lanyard. After I successfully purchased a ticket, it felt surreal to me but I tried my best to contain my excitement.
Day by day, I was counting down to the concert day.
I revisited my Apple Music playlist and played Blue’s old and new songs on repeat.
About two weeks before the concert day, the organiser (Hitman Solutions and Happymoon Live) organised a #20YearsChallenge to pick a number of fans who would get soundcheck passes to witness the group testing and adjusting their sound system before the concert started.
I created my content in the form of an Instagram Reel and submitted it on the first day of the contest itself. Can you tell how excited I was?
I was confident with my submission but still felt a tinge of nervousness that I might not win and would miss the special opportunity.
About two days before the concert, the winners were announced and I saw my username @prissy.st as the first one on the list! I was going to a soundcheck session with Blue!
Soundcheck ✔️
Meet & Greet ✔️
Concert ✔️
If I could talk to my younger self from many years ago, I would tell her “This is for you. Enjoy!”.
On the concert day, I woke up smiling knowing that I would see my teenage crushes up-close for the first time.
I made my coffee and had a meal while keeping track of the time so that I would not miss the fan experiences prior to the concert.
I wrote fan letters to each member and their manager, and decorated them with stickers and washi tapes just like how my teenage self would. When the time came, I took my shower and got ready.
Then, I drove to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) as the concert took place in Plenary Hall of KLCC.
As soon as I parked my car at the basement parking of the convention centre, I made my way to the wristband collection point. I made sure to read every visible signboard and banner to get to the correct spot.
While waiting for the soundcheck to start (We were actually also waiting for the members to arrive from their hotel), I took a few commemorative photos and videos at the venue. It felt good to be back in the physical concert scene after a global pandemic. I couldn’t help but to smile on my own from time to time.
To shake off my nerves, I casually talked to a few of the other fans while waiting.
We were briefed on the general rules of the soundcheck to not get in the way of the concert preparation but were also reminded to enjoy the moments.
As the door to the hall was opening, we could hear “One, two, one two…” from one of the members. That sounded like Simon’s voice. Their tour manager gave us the green light to enter, so we excitedly (but quietly) entered the hall while the lads were singing a part of ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’.
Man…they looked effortlessly cool just sitting on their chairs while singing and talking!
They continued to request for adjustments on their microphones and in-ears from the sound engineer as we continued to watch them in awe. I recorded bits of the moments on my phone but I mostly recorded them with my eyes to be embedded into my core memories.
The members tested their sound system by singing a couple more songs - ‘All Rise’ and ‘Haven’t Found You Yet’.
At the end, they ended the soundcheck with Lee playfully saying “Alright, that was the concert!” and we laughed at his joke. They spent a few minutes to chat with us and came closer to the edge of the stage. They bid goodbye with Duncan saying “Enjoy the show!”. The members waved and blew kisses while walking away. Lee was the last one to walk away and he even sang a quick birthday song to those whose birthdays were in February.
We then made our way out to the Meet & Greet session for VVIP ticket holders.
We were informed that the photo session would be conducted in groups at the request of the artists management. Their management did not expect to have that many VVIP fans.
As we were lining up in groups of five-ish and waiting, we killed the time by chatting with other fans around us. One by one, each group was called in. We cheered for those going before us and that got us even more excited (and probably nervous too). When it was my group’s turn, I couldn’t stop smiling and shrieking internally. I felt my heart beating fast as I was walking into the photoshoot room. I’m pretty sure I never stopped smiling the entire time as if my jaws were locked in that smiling position. I instantly saw Simon first, and I saw Lee next to him. Antony and Duncan were there too on the other side. I cruised my way to stand next to Simon and not too far from Lee. As I was approaching them, I instinctively bowed to say hello. Simon bowed back slightly but Lee was bowing back to me 90-degree. LOL
After a couple of shoots, we had to go and make way for the next group. I quickly took out the fan letters I had put in a clear plastic seal from my bag and faced Simon as I gave them to him while saying “These are for you guys”. Simon said thank you with a gorgeous smile, so I looked away shyly. I then looked at Lee and said “I’ll enjoy the show” and as I turned around, I saw and felt him poking my left shoulder as if gesturing “See you later!”. I just kept smiling again while walking out until I saw one of the organisers and told her “So fast but so cool” with a thumb up. She giggled and said thank you.
I had about an hour left before the show started, so I met up with a relative (the wife of my grandma’s cousin’s son) who was also attending the concert. I was hungry and thirsty, so I had a burger and plain water.
We then made our way to the concert hall but stopped a while for a photo-taking session at the concert backdrop.
Then, I collected my lanyard and poster before entering the concert hall.
After an opening remark by the emcee (Natalie of Fly FM) and a couple of songs from the opening act (Diana Danielle), Blue’s intro music medley was played.
Then, the concert was starting!
No words can truly describe what I was going through during the entire show but I sure was having a damn good time.
I would replay this memory many, many times.
Below was the setlist for the evening:
1- Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
2- Heart & Soul
3- Haven’t Found You Yet
4- U Make Me Wanna
5- Ultraviolet
6- Paradise
7- Medley: Get Ready + Signed, Sealed, Delivered
8- Get Down On It
9- King Of The World
10- Best In Me
11- If You Come Back
12- Too Close
13- Dance With Me
14- Curtain Falls
15- Fly By
16- Bubblin’
17- All Rise
18- One Love
Thank you, Blue!
Thank you, organiser!
One love! π
