Usher Live in Manila

                This is my ultimate wish for this year, 2010, for Usher to come and visit Manila and do one hot and sexy show. God is so great. He made it happen, not a VIP seat though. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t complaining. Seeing Usher performs in front of me (of us) is more than just a dream. He is one R’nB royalty doin’ sultry dance, singing hot songs and showing sexy grin like a flash of dental lightning. There’s too much hotness that night, I know. And only Usher can do such a thing, heating things up just like that. It's like he never took a break, never left at all. Nothing's changed. He’s still rockin’ it. Yeah man!                 

               It was a Friday. I was supposed to have a class. Actually, I have a class but I quit it after 3 weeks of trying to do work in the morning and school at night. I realized I can’t do it after hearing about Usher coming over and doing a concert and that night falling on a Friday. Nah! I was just kidding. I just can’t do both -- Law school and work. My friend, Rjay, wants to see the show but is having second thoughts about the silver ticket. So I had to use my convincing power which I’m sure I lack but looks like luck is in my hands. Our parent company is one of the sponsors so we (the employees) are entitled for a 20% discount. In short, we got the tickets for only Php 3,326. So it’s on. I am going and I am not alone.

                The show started at 8:10 with South Border and KRIS LAWRENCE opening. Yes, I had to type KL’s name in all caps and bold because he wasn’t introduced, twice, first by the MC and second by Nina herself. I’m sorry but I think it was rude and careless (#justsaying). SB and KL performed two songs together, Nina did one. Then all of them performed one song together and by 8:35 SB and KL performed their last song. There was a 30-minute break after that. And then…                 Manila!!! Make some noise for Usheeeerrrrrr!  Waaaaahhh! I got crazy! Everybody went up to their feet. Everybody wants to have a good look. Some used the monoblock chairs, some made their boyfriends’ shoulders useful, some just tiptoed, and some are just lucky enough to be tall and towering. Good thing one of the big screens is right next to us. I know I mentioned that we got silver tickets but it’s not enough to see him sweating up there. The opening song was Caught Up. He's wearing all white, dancing sexy and looking hot! Then You Make Me Wanna, U Remind Me, and Bad Girl. Then time to change costume. Uhm, not really, he just decided it was getting humid so he removed one shirt. Body-fitting sando! Whew! Aircon please! Haha! Stop taking your clothes off baby. And of all songs, he did Trading Places pa. The song itself is already sensual, what more if you can see Usher interpreting and demonstrating the song? Scorching! It was something else. Ooppps! Sorry. *biting my lower lip and then my index finger*                

                He said he appreciates all the new supporters and they are very welcome but the next song is for the fans who've been there since the very start. Nice and Slow. ♪♫♪ U-S-H-E-R, R-A- Y-M-O-N-D hey baby tell me what you wanna do ♪♫♪ ;) Everybody was singing along to the song. Then it was followed by all the big hit songs -- Burn, Confessions (Part 2), Love in this Club, Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home), and You Don't Have to Call. Hit after hit after hit. It was tiring yet fulfilling. I was running out of breath and sweating, singing and dancing, rapping and not rapping.
 
                He took some time trying to catch his breath too. He introduced his dancers while trying to sing a medley of Lil’ Freak and You Got it Bad. "Take it off!" haha! Sorry Usher, you got some naughty fans in here. Actually, he said he was willing to do what we want him to; the problem is that there might be or there are some laws prohibiting that act. So he was asking, if he does that, are we willing to contribute to bail him out of jail? I was thinking, I won’t let you strip in front of them baby. You don't have to do that. Strip just in front of me hahaha.

                  Moving on, he did the medley of My Boo, I Need a Girl and Lover’s Friend. Then his latest single, There Goes My Baby from his album Raymond vs. Raymond which I can say is another hot, hot video. He did some beatboxin’ after that, trying to invent a song and trying to come up with a chant that he can get the crowd singing along. It was so funny he was laughing at his own words. He can’t find the right lyrics. He was so beautiful by just grinning. I don’t know if he’s aware of that.

                Last song was Yeah and he got his swag back after failing to think of the words to his beatbox sound. I’m still amused J He said goodbye and everyone start chanting O-M-G! O-M-G! O-M-G! He cannot do a show without singing it. It was his latest hit after all. The encore, there he was, Oh My Gosh! The last set of costume was a black shirt still showing the sexy bulge on his chest, arms and stomach. You know what it is. A bandana is hanging on his neck like a bandit. That was an amazing performance, amazing singing and dancing ability. Only a few artists can really sing and dance simultaneously. After OMG, there was nothing, it was over, but looks like nobody wants to leave the venue afraid that they might miss something. In the end, we all have to move on.

                So there! Trivia: Usher went shopping at Greenbelt 4 and 5 and I am still sulking at the thought that we (our office) are just a few steps away from the said mall and I didn’t get to see him. We (my officemates and I) always spend some time there after lunch just to brush off some work pressure and I don’t know why that day, we decided not to. I am so jealous of a friend of an officemate who get to see him and shoot a short video of him shopping. It should have been me! He even tried riding a jeepney outside the mall and all the while I was just inside the office clicking away on my keyboard ;(

photo from www.luirocks.blogspot.com

                  But still, Usher, you are the sexiest thing ;) -C