It's Time

Some people still asked me about, why, on earth, out of the blue, I suddenly flew to Singapore to watch F1 live. Then when I answered "I seriously am now a fan of F1! Why would I spend so much to watch something I half like??", they'd give me a hint like, they didn't buy it.

Well here's the deal.

Several months ago, I was on the beginning stage of liking this sport. As a spectator, because no, I have no intention of being a racer -I mostly don't even have intention to drive my own car. When I knew that there'd be a Grand Prix in Singapore, I impulsively bought a flight because, well, it's just Singapore.

At first I didn't really have plan to buy the actual F1 ticket because as what I saw on TV, on those European circuits, people can actually watch the race on top of hills or by peeping through the circuit fences. So I said to myself, well, I should also be able to do this in Singapore, no? So I guess not buying the ticket seems fine. The plan was firm, until finally someone told me that there’s no way I could do that in Marina Bay STREET Circuit. Street. So no hills, no free peepholes, and again, it’s Singapore. So no free riders allowed.

Damn, no? And I knew the cheapest tickets were so off my budget. So, damn, yes? Is it my time to back out? I supposed to myself several days before my departure. Or should I go anyway, and only hear the voice of the engines from afar?

Well, God has other plans for me.

And that plan is called

IMAGINE DRAGONS

Pic's from here.

Yes.

They were there as a part of the show. As Singapore Grand Prix's guest star of this year, along with this new artist Halsey. I couldn't believe my eyes at that time. And just when I recalled my feeling, I'm pretty sure once I read their names, on the table of artists that will be performing on the RACE DAY -please note it, Race Day, not practice or quali, I subconsciously told myself that okay, Vick, you're so going to buy it.

And so I bought it.

And it became one of those memorable random shit I'm proud I did.

Because Imagine Dragons had always been a gig I was dying to go to. Along with Bastille, which apparently became the guest star of the qualification the day before -I swear my eyes almost popped out when I saw both names on the webpage, until I finally realized that they performed on different days. But guess what, on the night before the race, when I innocently visited Marina Bay Sands and decided to chill by the river for a moment, apparently Bastille was playing and the sound could clearly be heard from afar! And I bumped into "Flaws" which is my favorite song! I SWEAR I WAS THE LUCKIEST GUY IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC FANBOYING! AND I SWEAR THIS IS THE LONGEST SIDE SENTENCE I'VE EVER WRITTEN IN THIS BLOG. And attending a concert -well technically, TWO concerts- abroad had always been a cool stuff I was dying to brag about. Plus to be able to have it altogether with an F1 race in which I started to have this weird obsession within, damn, this was a major jackpot to me!

And Halsey turned out to be a thing. I heard some of her songs before, and browsed some more of her hits before my flight, and all of them were performed! DAMN! She instantly became a dear to me.

But of course the highlight was the main reason behind the ticket purchase. Imagine Dragons was epic. Their performances, their songs, their crowd –my first foreign crowd!– their energy, their STAGE ACT, the unique voices and screams Dan Reynolds made, the drum beats that almost blew my eardrums, the fire, the lighting, I swear every time they finished a song, I threw my usual curses and bad words in Indonesian, which made me a bit worried at first because some words were just too harsh for people to hear –plus I was there alone, with no friends so is it not weird to be excited and all swearing by yourself!?– but then, I remembered that it’s not home so people won’t know what I was saying so, I kept on swearing like an idiot.

Still can't believe this view. Never thought watching a concert in the
middle of a business district would serve this spectacular scene.

Obviously the fire thing were the Singaporean's doing, but it really matched the performance!

For that kind of performance, I'm willing to tribute more than just a round of applause.
Some appreciative cartwheels would do.

And this one's Halsey with Singapore's city sunset. Best scenery I ever seen in this country.

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

Pardon the language but to hell with that—I WAS AND STILL AM FUCKING EXCITED!!!

I swear I never had such great great deal in my life before. First double concert. First gig out of Jakarta. First expensive ticket I don't mind wasting because it was all worth every rupiah I spent—UNIVERSE WAS WITH ME ALL ALONG!

Well for this time, to hell with spending.

I've worked hard for the past six-or-so months.

I've been waiting for this particular band to come.

Obviously,

It's time

An Indie in Me

When it comes to music, usually I’m dragged to the mainstream.

You know I like Pitbull. And Jason Mraz, and The Black Eyed Peas, and I’d mostly fall for any Billboard Top 40 hits that match my ears. I ain’t any indie guy, because their tunes aren’t any of my preference. And I just can’t vision myself enjoying the music to myself, not having a chance to easily share my love for the music with the other fans, or going to their big concerts to sing it aloud—no, that’s just not how I appreciate music.

But it doesn’t necessarily mean that all my favorite artists are ‘em boring guessable ones. I like tunes that “that match my ears”, remember? So of course, I have a bunch of fave artists that come from the indie section. Like this London-based indie pop group named Autoheart which I started listening to since August last year. Don’t know them? Haha okay, what about this.

A friend of mine once asked me, after all the gigs of my idols I succeeded to catch, which artist(s) whose concerts I’d really dying to see. Well I’ve witnessed many of my faves. But still my life feels incomplete withouth these two. And so I answered

Bastille, and Imagine Dragons.

Pics are from here and here.

A British indie pop group, and an American indie rock band. Lead by vocalists named Dan Smith and Dan Reynolds –I don’t know what happens: whether the universe cospires, or they are made purely for me and meant for me but, what a coincidence to have both groups led by vocalists who share a same damn first name!?—these two had been on my iPod since the beginning of last year.

My love towards Bastille grew during my Bali trip in late 2013. It was “Flaw” that first came to my ears, which song to me, is Bastille’s best piece. Then I started listening to “Pompeii” in Vietnam-Cambodia 2014, “Overjoyed” in my recent Philippines 2014 trip, and I’m sure many more yet to listen.

Contact with Imagine Dragons was even longer. I brought “It’s Time” to Malaysia-Thailand 2013 –my very first solo trip experience!– and been in love since then. “Demon” was played all along my USA 2013 trip, while “On Top of the World” and “Radioactive” were always with me in Vietnam-Cambodia.

Those, and many other vacations and occasions afterwards, were times where I subconsciously fell in love with the bands.

A love I can’t do much about,

But listening to them through my headphones.

Cause these two, as I said, ’re pretty off the stream.

And would probably not come to Indonesia.

Please don't leave me hangin here, Dans. Pic's from here.

Many of my favorite artists come and go to Indonesia. David Guetta, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Calvin Harris –although I missed many of them too, but it’ll be much fulfilling if I can ever catch at least one of these bands. But yea, I don’t know.

Indonesia’s growing but it seems like international artists are much more interested to come to Tokyo or Hong Kong. And of course, Singapore.

But still I have faith in me. And I’ll definitely catch ‘em.

Right before they lost their Indie-ness