tinamat's story

I realized that nothing probably beats patron seats, so the next time
I watch a concert, I'll make sure I'm up at front. But what the heck.

I didn't have a particularly great day yesterday. In fact, I was quite
moody a few hours before the concert. My mood got lifted a bit before
Nadz picked me up.

We headed over to The Podium to meet Mon, and then we headed to
Araneta. After parking at Gateway mall, I went to Odyssey to look for
Who We Are Instead, their latest album. They didn't have any copies,
so we headed to the coliseum to see if they are selling their CDs
there. We went in, and true enough, there was! I ended up buying Much
Afraid and Who We Are Instead. Goodbye, P850…

So we went around, looked at our seats and marveled at how close we
are. We went out again to buy dinner, saw Kuya Wilmon, went to Wendy's
and then went back in.


There were freebies – FiSH's latest issue, and
some other magazine devotional. We sat there, eating, and I couldn't
wait for the show to start. I watched people fill in the coliseum – in
fairness, it wasn't full. But there were a lot of people.

The lights were dimmed and the people started shouting and screaming.
Mr. Bo Sanchez came out for the opening remarks, and then the
Philippine National Anthem and then Barbie's Cradle entered. They
played One Good Day, Torpe, Money for Food, Pag-Ibig and Tabing Ilog
(not in that order). I could see that Barbie was also excited for Jars
of Clay to start performing.

After Barbie's Cradle, the lights dimmed again and they played the
Jars of Clay promo video and the FiSH video, and then when they
stopped playing the video, the people started screaming again, and
then I got my digicam and started video-ing. (That's why I don't have
pictures here because I used everything up for the video. ehehe)

When the lights went on, Dan Haseltine was on stage, wearing green.
Charlie Lowell was on keyboards, wearing dark blue; Steve Mason was
wearing a blue polo. I was so overwhelmed seeing them live, in front
of me! WOHOO! Dream come true.

Anyway, their first song was I Need You and I couldn't help singing
out loud with them. Dan's voice sounded just like in the CD, and I can
see how much he feels the song. They sang Sunny Days next, and I sang
along too, even if I know just half of the lyrics. They greeted the
people and then they started to play the next song and I thought it
was Art in Me but it was Like a Child. Imagine how thrilled I was then
– it's the first Jars of Clay song I ever downloaded!

After that, they played Love Song for a Savior and then I can't
remember the next song they played. Haha. I think it was Five Candles,
and amazing was they told us that they don't play the song anymore,
but because people here love that song, they played it.

When they played Liquid, it was amazing. The light effects were
amazing, fits the song perfectly. I half-expected them to do the
Gregorian chant that the song has.

Then they played Frail and the entire coliseum was very solemn. Then
they introduced the next song and I thought they will sing Something
Beautiful, but they played Worlds Apart. I got teary-eyed when I heard
the introduction – my favorite song! It was VERY beautiful, their
best song ever. After that, I think they played Lonely People, for
those who got turned down with dates.

The memorable part of the night was when one of the audience was
called upstage to sing Unforgetful You with the band. (Haha, how I
wish I could have hugged Dan too…hehe). The guy went up, and then they
called his girfriend. After singing, they were about to go down, but
they said that there was something more, and the guy explained that
that day was their 10th year anniversary together, and that he bought
the tickets as a gift for her girlfriend because they both love the
band. And then he said there was another gift, and we all knew what it
was. True enough, he pulled out a small box from his pocket and then
knelt down. Aaron went over to help him with the mic and he proposed
to her onstage! How sweet. After the proposal, they played Fly.

I can't remember the order of the next songs, but they played He,
Crazy Times, I'm Alright, Flood (amazing song, I ran out of breath
while singing that!) and then they played a new song from their
upcoming album, Redemption Songs. It was God Will Lift Up Your Head, a
song that was originally from 1737. Very cool remake.

They also sung Show You Love (of course, that's the title of the tour)
and then for their encore, they sang Disappear and their last song was
Tea and Sympathy. The moment Dan sang, "Fare thee well…" (first line
of Tea and Sympathy), people started screaming and then they started
waving their cellphones in the darkness. REALLY cool.

The concert was over and so we headed out. A lot of people were buying
the CDs and we were waiting there just in case there would be an
autograph signing. A woman approached us and told us that they will be
closing soon and there might be an autograph signing at the south
gate. So we headed over there and waited, then I saw a YFC friend, and
she told me they left already. She told me I should have texted her
so she could get my CDs signed, but she said she'll try to get me an
autographed poster and she'll send me their pictures. Whee.

It only sank in this morning, and I couldn't stop smiling. It's not
like the Stephen Speaks experience I had, but it is still pretty
amazing. It was my first time to watch a concert at The Big Dome, and
it was them! It's really amazing how humble they was when they were
performing, and how lively everyone was – almost like a worship. I've
been listening to their songs over and over again and I'm sure I won't
get sick of them.

I wish I could've went over to Greenbelt 3 to see them as well because
apparently they're doing some last minute shopping, but I'm stuck in
school, and I couldn't leave here. –; Oh well. I'm still thankful.
Very very thankful for everything that happened. Early birthday
present, as I said. I will watch them when they come back (it's not
if, it's when – I believe they will go back!), and this time it's
patron seats for me. Plus I will make sure I meet them all.

And there goes my Jars of Clay experience. THANK YOU, LORD. Without
You, I would not have been able to watch. In fact, they wouldn't even
be here at all. Thank You so much!

Amazing grace I feel you coming up slowly now, like the sun is rising
here on my face…oh love that keeps on shining, don't let the shadow
come…
- Amazing Grace, Jars of Clay [Who We Are Instead]