From an Alien’s Perspective

In my whole lifetime, this is probably just the second public concert (I won’t count those numerous concerts held in our school) I was able to watch.  The first was in Greenbelt Cinema around 3 or 4 years ago with Bituin Escalante and Vernie Varga on stage.

With the Bituin/Vernie concert as my only benchmark, I would say that the Barbie/Kitchie concert (Dec. 2 SM Cinema 9) was deserving of its ticket price — cheap.

I’m not talking about the performers, though.  Barbie performed quite well.  Kitchie connected with the audience.  The singers delivered the kind of performance you would expect from them.

What was "cheap" in the concert is the way it was managed and organized. 

First, of all, concert was supposed to start at 8:30.  After staying in the queue for a couple of minutes, we were able to enter the cinema at roughly 8:30, only to wait (and wait, and wait) until they finally realized that they can’t make the audience wait anymore and decided to start it at 9:30.

Second, sound was really not good.  Basag ang tunog, although I would give them the benefit of the doubt for this one because we were seated so near the left speakers that we wouldn’t know how the sounds were projected to the rest of the cinema.

Third, although accidents really do happen, I don’t think you would call it an accident when half of the speakers died in the middle of Barbie’s song.  Maybe they just did not inspect the equipments properly or they did not make sure that somebody is there all the time to make sure that nothing untoward happens to the equipments, electricity, cables, etc.

Well, good thing the performers were good enough to drown out those issues.  Barbie did an amazing lead guitar act to continue her interrupted performance.  Kitchie was surprisingly "kikay" looking with her glittering blouse when she entered as opposed to Barbie’s simple attire.

If I am equiped enough to be a critic, I would say that this concert really could use a lot of improvement as far as back-stage production and over-all organization is concerned.  At P399.00, yes you could say that the budget is too-tight for a fool-proof production, but if you really have the audience’s satisfaction in mind, I’m sure there are plenty of "cheap" alternatives that can be used to make a low-budget production satisfactorily, if not excellently executed.

I only got to ride a rollercoaster, with the cars turning upside down, once. I said to myself, I’m never gonna do that again. True to my word, I did not ride the Space Shuttle in Enchanted Kingdom. We just lined up to escort my husband and eldest daughter (she was actually thrilled about the ride and would like to do it again…. kids….).

Anyway, something happened out there that would probably be included in my list of most memorable true stories to tell. It’s not about me, of course… If it was me, you won’t be reading any of it… Ehehehehe…

We were very near the front of the queue when suddenly, those on the other end of the line started hooting in unison, as if trying to cheer somebody from inside the loading area. Of couse we got curious so we leaned a little and saw this lady frantically going in and out of one of the cars, obviously very much afraid of the ride, but nevertheless having second thoughts of whether or not to conquer her fear once and for all.

After about 2 minutes of loud cheering from the crowd below while frantically going back and forth the car, she finally decided to take a seat and experience the ride of her life. And what a ride that was. I’m not sure though if she remembered any of it, except maybe the part when the cars are being pulled up to start it rolling.

When the cars were released, somebody from the crowd was faintly shouting "siyet!!! hinimatay sya!" ("shit! she fainted!"). After the ride was over, everybody’s gaze was fixed on the car where the lady was seated. True enough, she did faint. Dunno if it was dizziness or fear which caused it, but she was nervously being attended to by the staff of Enchanted Kingdom.

Good thing it wasn’t lethal (or else Enchanted Kingdom would be in the headlines of the evening tabloids). After a few fanning (or was it light slaps on the cheeks) she came about. Cheers were louder than before she boarded the ride. She was practically an instant celebrity then. Dunno if anybody remembered her face after they left the park, but I’m sure that is one hell of an experience she would never forget . I sure wouldn’t.