I may look calm and collected, but my earbuds are constantly blasting ‘Playing God’ and ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’—if not ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’, ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, or ‘Martyr Nyebera’. For some reason, rock songs bring much comfort when circumstances get chaotic and turbulent thoughts become difficult to tame.
As the viral meme puts it: music—because murder is illegal. There’s truly a different kind of solace offered by rock bands beneath the rage and intensity on the surface. Like a warm hug amidst the chaos.
Before I discovered the fun and serenity on trails through hiking and camping, listening to hard and slow rock songs had always been my go-to. That’s how I met ONE OK ROCK.
As a graduating college student at that time, much was going on with life—or so I thought—from thesis to OJT, along with all the teenage angst. The Japanese rock band was designated to do the OST for the live-action adaptation of Rurouni Kenshin. A but fitting collaboration akin to RADWIMPS and Makoto Shinkai.
There began the lowkey fandom—most particularly when I learned that one of my favorite authors is a fan of the band and even took muses from the members of her current series. It felt mind-blowing back then: to find someone who could relate to your crazy.
The ONE OK ROCK Fandom: How It Started
Years passed, adulting happened. ONE OK ROCK spread their wings outside of Japan and began to make waves around the globe—with world tour concerts happening album after album. Their first concert in the Philippines was in 2016 followed by Ambitions Asia Tour in 2018. They were scheduled for a third in 2020, but we all knew what happened to all of us during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, I was getting busy with all the shenanigans in life. I reconnected with the band during the tumultuous days of the pandemic. Through some coincidental interactions online, I found friends who shared the same J-rock fandom and got introduced to RADWIMPS then rediscovered OOR.
The group taught me what fandom really looked like—the hardcore way. Man, they were intense. Through them, I’ve learned more about the real people behind the band and get core updates before they get to mainstream media.
ONE OK ROCK Luxury Disease Concert—A Dream Waiting to Happen
So, when ONE OK ROCK finally announced the Asia leg of their world tour this year, the initial reaction was to get a ticket. I’m in this age when I have to grab whatever opportunity is made open: while I still have the energy, time, and money to do so. (Remember those concerts that you badly want to watch but you don’t have the money? And when you finally do, you don’t have time anymore because of work? Then, when you’re finally out of work, you’re not in good shape anymore to headbang?)
Unfortunately, I’m not the only one wanting to see them in person. Again, the band has been on a popularity surge, attracting a new generation of younger fans. I was definitely shocked to see teenagers when I arrived at the concert venue—some tagging along with their parents! I was like: where are the people my age? Where you at titas and titos?
With Eye of the Storm ticket holders clinging to their tickets for three years, obtaining new slots for the concert tour proved to be quite the challenge. Adding to the frustration, the ticket-selling website experienced frequent crashes. In short, I initially found myself ticketless. However, thanks to the passionate pleas from the growing fanbase, the organizers eventually decided to release more slots, notably in the General Admission section.
So, there I was at the Araneta Coliseum that 26th of September. The first flight that successfully went through after enduring four canceled flights (but that’s a story for another time if I ever find the energy to share it, HAHA).
I don’t know how the universe conspired to make it happen, but I was there. Astounded. When I was all prepared to go headbang, jump, and scream, the world felt too quiet. Is this a rock concert?
Man, I was too stunned to move at the sight of them. My mouth can’t even grasp a word out of the lyrics I have been LSS for months and years. What just happened to me?! Everyone was already rocking back and forth, screaming from the top of their lungs—yet there I was, seated like nothing happened.
I was smiling like crazy, with tears threatening to well up in my eyes. I waited long enough for that moment: to witness Taka’s powerful vocals, headbang alongside Tomoya, lose myself in Ryota’s bass performance, and be awestruck by Toru’s guitar shredding. But I can’t move a muscle!
It took some time for everything to sink in, and when it did, I started belting out a weird blend of Japanese and English lyrics, grooving to every beat, swaying along with the acoustic rendition of ‘Your Tears are Mine,’ and sharing hearty laughter with my fellow OORers. And before we knew it, two hours slipped into a heartbeat.
My fellow Yoji-girl and her friend graciously took me out for dinner following the concert. Naturally, our conversation revolved around the incredible performance we had just witnessed. By midnight, I was already en route to the airport, ready to head back home. Yes, my trip had been solely for the concert (well, I did have a ninja tour in the morning, but that’s a story for another blog post). So, yeah, I had flown from Cebu to Manila just to watch the boys perform.
Was it worth the energy and expenses? Hell, yes. Core memory unlocked.
While sitting and waiting for the concert to begin, I had a moment of realization while watching the energetic teenagers in the VIP Standing Section: I didn’t have the energy to stand for long or go wild during the concert like they did.
And it made me ponder how we should make the most of our time. We only get past this age once. We’ll never be as young and energetic, so might as well do the things that we are passionate and curious about.
In fact, I realized that I’m no longer as brave as I was in terms of traveling. There are so many apprehensions going through my head now, things that my young and reckless self wouldn’t mind at all. Life really does go through phases. So, if there’s anything that you want to do right now, be it to attend a concert, go somewhere you want to be, or pursue a project you have been so curious about, just do it. Who knows, there might be no next time.
Dakilanglaagan 