The heat has been crazy in Manila these past few weeks, but it was even hotter on the night of Boys Like Girls’ fiery Manila concert held last April 20 at the Araneta Coliseum!
Opening the show was fellow pop-punk band We The Kings, who performed 'Skyway Avenue,' 'Secret Valentine,' and 'Check Yes, Juliet' among others. Lead singer Travis Clark honestly set the tone for the night amazingly, interacting with the audience a lot and expressing his love for Filipino fans. It honestly didn’t feel like a front act; it was an amazing show in itself!
But of course, the star of the night was Boys Like Girls! Formed in Boston in 2005, the band is currently composed of Martin Johnson (vocals), Gregory James (bass), John Keefe (drums), and Jamel Hawke (lead guitar). Their songs are a permanent fixture on every emo kid’s pop-punk playlist — so you can only imagine how wild the crowd went hearing all their favorites live!
Boys Like Girls’ explosive 24-track setlist included fan favorites ‘Love Drunk,’ ‘Thunder,’ ‘Hero/Heroine,’ and ‘Two Is Better Than One,’ but also some special performances: a snippet of ‘Sweet Caroline,’ the officially unreleased ‘Kill Me In A Record Shop,’ and even their K-Pop collaboration ‘I Can’t Stop Me’ (complete with TWICE’s music video playing in the background)!
The highlight of the night, though, has got to be during ‘The Great Escape.’ Before they started playing, frontman Martin Johnson instructed everyone to get out their phones and record the performance. But after a verse and a chorus, he then had everyone put their devices away so the crowd can all enjoy the concert just like old times - no phones in sight, hands in their air, fans going crazy as everyone jumped and sang along! It was such an iconic moment seeing everyone just let the music take over!
“We get asked a lot, ‘Where in the world are the best Boys Like Girls fans?’” Martin shared at one point. “I say the Philippines every single time.” A title well-deserved!
Thank you for a night worth a ’Story of a Lifetime,’ BLG! ’Til next time!
BOYS LIKE GIRLS: Spring Tour 2024 in Manila is presented by Pulp Live World.