Beating the Rush: Arriving Early at MOA Arena
Beating the Wednesday evening rush hour and arriving early at the MOA Arena set the perfect tone for Charlie Puth’s Whatever’s Clever! Tour. It had been exactly ten years since he last played in the Philippines—a fact he hilariously and profusely apologized for the moment he stepped onto the stage. “I don’t know how that happened but it’s never going to happen again,” he promised the crowd, visibly humbled, before diving straight into the music and proving exactly why getting to the venue early to soak in the anticipation was completely worth it. I initially bought the cheap seat tix for 5,500 Pesos, because there was another concert I was eyeing. But I “successfully failed” to secure a ticket for that, so in revenge, I went to push to the Professor’s Concert instead; and to my surprise, they upgraded my ticket from a Box A Premium to a VIP B premium ticket almost double the price I bought my ticket. And thus, the quality photos I got! My former past-life as a gig photographer hobbyist was revived from the dead.
A Creative’s Take on the Visuals
The stage production was a visual treat, leaning into a sleek, mature aesthetic. Bathed in moody, almost 1980s editorial-style lighting with what felt like a masterclass in stage lighting setups, the entire show hit every single mark for my inner motion designer. The visual direction had this gorgeous, cinematic quality to it live, perfectly complementing the evolving vibe of the tracks. Back in the university, I took a class in stage lighting as part of an open elective, and honestly, that further deepened my appreciation to all the concerts and theater plays I go to.
Perfect Pitch: 10 Years of Anticipation
But the real anchor of the night was, undeniably, his perfect pitch. Hearing him seamlessly transition from the fresh, reflective tracks of his new album to nostalgic anthems like “One Call Away” felt incredibly rewarding. He even shared a deeply personal memory with the arena, recounting how he actually wrote “We Don’t Talk Anymore” right in a Manila hotel room during his first visit. The intimacy of the arena allowed his sheer musicality to really breathe, making the entire performance feel grounded and intensely focused. Not to mention his astounding duet of the extended version of “Cheating On You” featuring Blakley (Jaden Gray); leaves the entire MOA Arena in extreme “yearner-maxxing” mood.
From MOA to the Night Shift: Carrying the Creative Energy Home
While the weekday schedule meant squeezing this gig in right before logging in for my night shift work, and the hour-and-a-half setlist felt just a little bitin (in my defense I filed a half day leave yet barely used it because I arrived at home just 30 mins late so technically I still worked on my full-time shift -Anyways), the raw vocal talent he delivered was a solid ten out of ten. Leaving the venue, I carried enough fresh creative energy to fuel my next few design projects—and definitely enough to warrant spinning a few of my favorite vinyl records once I got back home to my cat, Nieve.