HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE: OUR NEW ABNORMAL

Live events are back in a truly big way. Theater, ballet, product launches, sports events, seminars and forums, they’ve all returned with a vengeance – and I know that’s manna from heaven for a host of talents, creative agencies, and events groups. MICE Tourism is on the upswing as well, and for those in the dark about this segment of Tourism, it refers to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions – something hotels, big venues, and event places look forward to, as it translates to sizable group bookings. Concerts are part of the events landscape as well, and for music fans, whether they be inclined towards K-Pop, R&B, international pop, hip-hop, or legacy musical acts, that’s great news.
So great that I couldn’t help but notice the social media furor the other week about PULP Live World, and how music fans were going the extra mile to beseech the PULP Management to hold the event at the MOA Arena, at the Araneta Coliseum, just not at the Philippine Arena. With the returning NCT Dream from Korea a possible headliner at Live World, a number of K-Pop fans were making their sentiments about the choice of venue very evident. And I say returning, as NCT Dream were here April 29 and 30, and performed at the MOA Arena.
Now I’ve seen the Philippine Arena when driving along the NLEX, but have not attended a concert there. I know U2, Harry Styles are among the acts that have held their concerts there, with Bruno Mars later this month; and the structure looks impressive and inviting enough from the outside. But yes, people I know who’ve attended events there generally say that while it’s okay heading there, it’s crazy inconvenient and a nightmare leaving the place en masse, when the concerts have ended. So it’s not the distance in itself, although others do mention the lack of public transport to the venue, but the dearth of commercial options like restaurants and hotels within close proximity to the venue that give the venue a thumbs down. *THE MALL OF ASIA ARENA, among our most preferred concert venues.*
I live in Makati, and confess I’m a creature of convenience, so I’ll pledge allegiance to the Mall of Asia Arena. I’ve watched Madonna there, and most recently, JoKoy. Public transport is not an issue, and if you head there early to avoid the traffic congestion, there are so many dining and “killing time” options. When it was JoKoy, we had dinner at the Conrad at SMaison, and walked to the Arena via the elevated walkways – and that worked for me. Others I know, actually get a room in the Conrad or any of the nearby hotels, to make life that much easier.
I’m aware that there’ll always be traffic issues when the concert ends; but my migraine heading back to Makati is diminished by the number of routes I can take – from EDSA, or ramping up the NAIA Skyway, or along Gil Puyat. And I’ll be honest to say those factors come into play when I decide to attend a concert. When netizens were chiming in about the PULP Live venue, some were recounting how it took over an hour just to leave the single exit of the Philippine Arena parking lot when Blackpink performed there.
MOA Arena’s schedule of events over the following months would support this theory that the public transportation access, surrounding amenities, and all around convenience make it an ideal and sought after venue. The Volleyball Nations League commences this July 9th, then it switches from a sports venue to one for music with the Show Me Your Glory: Planetshakers Tour on July 21 and 22. For the retro-rockers, Alanis Morissette touches down for her sold out concerts on Aug. 1 and 2 – this one the concert that millennials were looking forward to back in 2020, until the pandemic struck. And there’s PULP: Two Door Cinema Club, Live in Manila on Aug. 13 – an indie music act that’s proven its popularity here. In September, from the 5th to the 10th, the final round of the FIBA World Cup happens at the MOA Arena for the basketball crazies. *NCT DREAM at the MOA Arena, from their recent April 29-30 performances.*
Back in early-December 2022, when Issa and I were at the Siam Paragon in Bangkok, one lunch saw us sitting across this friendly Taiwanese girl, and it turned out she was following Maroon 5 on all their Asian tour stops, and had just flew in from Manila. She was raving about the Manila stop, how she stayed at a MOA hotel, and loving how the MOA Arena made her feel so close to the artist. Plus how engaged and enthusiastic Filipino music fans are. So here was another MOA Arena fan.
Let’s be clear on this, I have nothing against the Philippine Arena, and wouldn’t be surprised to find it’s a great, comfortable venue, with good acoustics. I’m merely recounting what others have levied in criticism about the place. And making the point that all these things – access, amenities, the surrounding environment – do come into play in the viability and longevity of these venues.