GOING BACK

“So you sailed away

Into a grey sky morning

Now I’m here to stay

Love can be so boring”

Why, yes, I did sing those lyrics as loudly as possible, and so did a couple hundred Singaporeans at the Hard Rock Coliseum Sunday evening. The super moon was a cool sight to see but the Vertical Horizon spotting was also pretty amazing.

I have seen a ballet in the park, a Broadway musical on the big stage and a ballet in the theatre – apparently on Bring Your Ungrateful, Unyielding and Uninterested Child to the Ballet Day – but, until last weekend, I had yet to see a concert at any venue.

Singapore does bring in some pretty big names – Lady Gaga and Maroon 5 are two of the biggest hitting the island in the next few months. I, personally, would like to see Natalie Grant and Carrie Underwood out here…I’m just sayin’.

While many people are likely unfamiliar with the band until they hear a few lines from their hits – “You’re a god and I am not and I just thought that you should know…,” “He’s everything you want, he’s everything you need, he’s everything inside of you that you wish you could be…,” and “Take these roses off of me, Let me live, let me be” – when a friend asked me if I was interested in joining her for a night out with Vertical Horizon, I immediately exclaimed, “What? 90’s band? Yes, please. I love the 90’s!”

A few days before the concert I did the math and found out that the band’s first hits were 20 years ago so I feel that I have entered into that category of my parents listening to “Oldies” music. Meh.

We were fortunate enough to gain VIP access so, after our fantastically fried appetizer and first round of beers at the Hard Rock Café, we headed into the Coliseum. I was surprised to see no chairs anywhere. I was slightly nervous because I wore heels but I did have flip flops in my bag as backup.

Our neon green paper bracelets acted as a Line Cutter 3000 and granted us access to the blocked off section right in front of the stage. We were so excited to be within an arm’s reach. Only the media had better seats – and actual seats.

We looked around, enjoyed our position and took a photo of us in front of everyone else trapped behind the barricades so that someone could post a Facebook brag status.

I glanced at the Asian teens and 20-somethings and I instantly started a “Spot the White People” game. I found three or four before the concert started and was up to 10 by the time it was over.

This concert was different from any other that I have attended. First, there were no openers – there were just some really bad tracks playing while someone tested the lights and the fog machines that should have been tested hours earlier. The concert started almost a half hour late, our vouchers did not provide the value that was originally communicated, the band made a predictable anecdote about chicken rice, they played for an hour and then they exited the stage. I looked at my watch, looked at my friends and yelled, “That can’t be it!”

It was a good concert but it was very short. Once the band left the stage, they traditionally paused for 30 seconds while a portion of the crowd chanted, “We want more. We want more.” And then they came back on stage to perform four or five more hits. And then that was it. No more. No closing. No meet and greet opportunities. People just immediately poured out of the concert area.

I was glad that I went. I certainly enjoyed the music and I was truly surprised to learn that many people in the audience really did know the songs. It was a fun night but I hope my next concert provides more bang for my buck!