Road to Seventeen’s Be the Sun Concert in Bulacan

Being able to watch Seventeen’s “Be The Sun” Concert was not an easy feat. It was a cycle of hope, frustrations, acceptance, and hope again.

Honestly, I never expected that I would see them again this year because of how hard the ticket selling was. You know before, buying tickets online was our preferred mode for getting concert tickets because we have tools (an internet and a gadget) and we spend less for not going out. But now, it’s different. You need to fall in line at SM Stores / Ticketnet Outlets just to get a ticket (well at least there’s more chances there) because buying online will get you nothing (based on experience).

JULY 2022 Ticket Selling

The ticket selling for Be The Sun in Manila falls on a weekday and as someone who has a day job there’s no way for me to camp out at any SM Stores so I had no choice but to buy tickets online. They allotted three days for the ticket selling: Membership, LNPH Presale, and General Sale. I don’t have a Membership so I was only able to try on the LNPH Presale and General Sale.

Day1: For Live Nation Philippines (LNPH) Presale, I used my laptop and my phone but lo and behold, I got 55,830 (laptop) and 44,153 (mobile) queue line number. Yes! That far! Knowing that it’s not an ideal number for a queue, I proceeded with work and already gave up since a minute late for an online ticket selling was already equivalent to not getting tickets at all. As you know, time was crucial during ticket selling.

Day2: Failing to get tickets on LNPH Presale made me step up my game and added more devices. I used all the device at the office even my bosses laptop (PS: I borrowed it from them) for the LNPH General Sale. However, by the time the ticket selling was on, we don’t have the direct link. I had to ask on twitter what was the direct link for the General Sale and that’s the only time I am able to queue, and your guess was right — I was not able to get a ticket because again I got higher queuing numbers in all the devices that I used. I’ve felt sad and frustrated for missing it. 🙁 I distracted myself with work for me to not think about it.

October 2022 Ticket Selling

Fast forward to October, I was in a zoom meeting with a client when I received a message from my friend informing me that Seventeen was having another show in December at Philippine Arena (PH Arena) in Bulacan and the ticket selling will be anytime soon. I totally got distracted that I probably made myself looked like a fool smiling all throughout the meeting. I didn’t expect that a new show will be added since I knew that December was already set for encore which by default happens in Seoul.

By the time I reached home, I called my cousin to plan for the ticket selling. I cannot afford to not watch #BetheSuninBulacan. I really had to see them perform live. So, it was decided that we will divide the task – my cousin will be lining up early at the SM Store while I buy online since I will be in the province for the Halloween.

I can remember clearly how strong the typhoon was during the ticket selling and my cousin braved it. She proceeded at the SM Store to buy our tickets and luckily she was successful. I was so happy when she informed me that she was able to buy us a concert ticket and that we will be a part of Philippine Kpop history. All of our hard work paid off.

Transportation for Seventeen #BeTheSuninBulacan

After we got our tickets, our next challenge was to find a way to get a Transportation going to PH Arena. We were not from Bulacan so we still need to travel.

1. We first checked the rates in Grab just for us to get the required budget range for the transportation but there’s no route being detected in grab to and fro our house – Bulacan. Maybe because Bulacan is a province and grab doesn’t have a route  outside the area. Perhaps if the route was within Bulacan then it will be easier to booked.  In conclusion: Grab was not feasible.
2. Our next option was to carpool. So I browsed on Twitter to check if there were Carats (Seventeen Fandom Name) who will rent a van/car going to and fro the venue. I’ve messaged 3 Carats to inquire about the rates, the pick up time, and the pick up points. It’s important for us to ensure that those 3 points were feasible. Of course, the nearer the pick up point to our house, the better, because it will be less expense on our part. All those things considered, we’ve decided to booked for one. P.S. The fanbase posts the list of carpools per area for you to choose from. 
   

   Carpool Rate	Php 420.00 per person
   Pick Up Time	7:00am
   Pick Up Point	1 jeepney ride from our house

3. Thirdly, travel agencies curated a package wherein they’ve included an accommodation and a side trip tour in Bulacan after the concert. We had this considered but we had prior commitments after the concert so we didn’t pursue this. But it was a good deal especially if you were coming from a province.
4. Lastly, Live Nation Philippines also opened a Shuttle Service for Carats. It was not for free as tickets were bought at SM Tickets (if I’m not mistaken). Taking a shuttle service was okay but it was a hassle for us to transfer from one car to another. It’s like we’ve commute on our own so we didn’t get this option.

We Are Part of the History: Seventeen #BeTheSuninBulacan

It’s D-day! I woke up by the call of my fellow Carat. I actually had a hard time sleeping because of too much excitement that I had to request my fellow carat to call me or else I will oversleep and be late for our call time at 7:00am. I’m grateful she did! Our call-time was early to give way for those who will get freebies, and line up for the Merchandise (like me and my cousin).

By the time all of us were picked up, we headed to PH Arena. It took us 2 hours with stop-over at Mcdonalds to eat breakfast. You know it was so funny, we gushed over the facade of PH Arena as we were passing by it. It’s like the concert was really real and not just a product of our imagination.  🙂

Upon arrival, my cousin and I went straight to line up at the Merchandise Booth. The line was not that long yet and we had high hopes of getting a Carat Bong (Seventeen’s Lightstick Name) for the concert. As for the weather, it was a bit humid so we relied on our fan, and electronic fan to survive the weather. Unfortunately, due to circumstances that I will mention by the end of this blogpost, we were not able to get a Carat Bong. We were sad but we had no choice but to accept. We will just wait for version3.

After we failed to secure a Carat Bong, we lined up again to enter PH Arena. Yes, you were reading it right, we just lined up throughout the day. I think we lined up for almost 8hours and it rained in the afternoon. I’m so grateful for my carat moots (slang for mutual) who bought me lunch while we were in line. If not for them, I would have collapsed. Honestly, I’m just keeping myself sane because I have to have strength for the show.

 

After we got inside PH Arena, the first thing that we looked for was food. Although we ate lunch while we were in line, it was not enough to recharge us. Gladly, there were food stalls inside like Henlin, Candyland, Shawarma, Arroz Caldo, Ricemeals, Barbecue, Pizza, etc. We bought arroz caldo Php 70.00, siomai with rice Php 100.00, and water Php 20.00 (Price may vary depending on the food stall). We’re not sure if it’s because we were hungry that all the food tasted delicious. We’re 80% recharged after eating our meals.

Then, we went to the restroom to retouch “baka makita kami ng camera, kailangan maganda kami” (we might be seen by the camera, so we need to be beautiful) before going to our entrance door 36-37 for Upper Box C Premium.

Getting to Upper Box C Premium was no joke. Unlike in MOA Arena where there’s an escalator, we have to go up using stairs, and the stairs were built in such a way that it was stiff to climb that we need to take it slowly. Every step we pray to God to give us strength coz our knees seems to get weaker every set. Lol!

There were a lot of Carats who were not yet inside the Arena so we just enjoyed ourselves singing to Seventeen songs while we wait for them. The energy of Carats before the show was amazing. It made me feel like as if we didn’t go through what we had gone through just to watch the concert.

Seventeen felt the love and excitement of Carats with their loud shout and groove so they’ve matched their performance with the same energy. They performed all of the songs on the setlist and it was amazing! But my personal favorite were HOT, Rock With You, 2 Minus 1, Gam3bo1, Imperfect Love, Back it Up, Cheers, Campfire and Snapshoot because I liked the balance of fun and comfort.

I also appreciate how they made us part of the show with the games and dances. For the games, we played a song connect where they will sing a part of it and made us sing the other half / some parts of it i.e Don’t Wanna Cry, Clap, and Change Up (Seungcheol confronts Joshua here because he suggested the song and we responded late, we can’t hear what Cheol was singing at first so the timing was off. We laugh at the gesture). While for the dances, they made those Carats in costume dance to Snapshoot – Chicken Carat, Sun Carats, and Pizza Carat.

Looking from above, I was in awe at the beauty of Seventeen’s Ocean. The color changes every time since it was on concert mode. It was actually my first time to experience how in sync the light stick was esp. during the fan project that I got emotional.

The most unforgettable moment was when they were performing Aju Nice and we were jumping along with them, we could really feel the floor shaking making us think that it might collapse anytime while everyone was jumping. I was holding my cousin’s arms so tight while jumping because I was scared. They even repeated Aju Nice 7x! Lol! When the LED closed and they bid their goodbyes, I was already getting my bags to exit but they returned for another Aju Nice! The last Aju Nice made me gave my all jumping and just let things be!

During the End Ment, I really felt their happiness and gratitude towards the fans that Seungcheol almost teared up. We also sang happy birthday to Joshua and sang We wish You a Merry Christmas. They even promised to return soon in a bigger venue! AAAAAHHHH!!! Just thinking about it made me look forward to it already. I really had a great time in #BetheSuninBulacan!

Things that I Will Take Note of When I Attend Concerts at PH Arena

Different organizers have different measures in ensuring that the event they handle will run smoothly from start to finish. I also know that no one’s perfect and things might got out of hand along the way, but I hope that organizers will learn to assess their service every after concert, and take responsibility on the issues that fans raise instead of going MIA.

Here are the list of what has transpired during #BeTheSuninBulacan that I will take note of when I attend concerts at PH Arena:

What Really Happened?		What to Do Next Time?
Queuing Line Issue There were no signages on the queue for Merchandise, Lowerbox, and Upperbox. The supposed to be 2 lines was cramped into 4 lines. There were no ushers / bouncers / securities in between the two gate entrances. Those guard who we can ask for the line have only one (1) answer to Carats “Hindi po namin alam!” (We don’t know). To which they should be briefed by the organizer before the event take place since it was expected that there will be 50k+ Carats who will attend the show. Medics were placed not in strategic areas of queuing. There was a carat who felt unwell while in line and the Carats need to shout altogether “Medic! Medic! Medic!” 5x for them to arrive! Take note they don’t have a walkie talkie or radio to communicate with each other for any assistance needed at the Medic. They need to ask someone to go to other security physically to communicate what the medic needs. Since there were no assistance for the queue, Carats looked out for each other. We counted and Shouted “1,2,3 Atras” (1,2,3 step backward) so we can make a room for each other while in line so we don’t get too suffocated.		I hope the organizer will prepare long hard for the following: Placing signages across the venue. Placing security and medic on strategic location in the venue to ensure the safety of concert goers. Briefing the PH Arena Team, Security, Medic of the event so they can guide the fans on the queue and other concerns for each activity area. Ensuring the queue are organized to avoid possible stampede and suffocation. I will line up early for the queue and line to where there’s enough air circulation. I will not push myself anymore in the middle of the crowd. I learned my lesson during this concert: I was stuck at the middle and there’s not enough air in my area that time that I’ve felt dizzy while in line. My cousin and I got separated in line because it’s too chaotic so I had no one with me. I just fan myself and pray to God to give me strength. I think that time Carats started to notice that something was wrong with me. A Carat in front of me gave me a candy which I gladly accept and the others gave way for me to move near the barricade line because the air there was better. I’m truly grateful for their kindness. The Goal is to get inside at least 2hours before the concert so that we can go to the restroom and eat.
Merchandise Booth Issue We lined up at around 9:00am for the Booth and there was only one (1) line for the entrance. However, by the time the gate was opened at around 11:00am, only a few were seen getting inside the Merchandise Booth. We patiently waited for our turn coz maybe there’s a crowd control. But a few minutes later, the organizer instructed the guard at the far end entrance and opened a second gate. This caused for newly arrived Carats to surpassed those who came in early. When it was our turn, an older Carat spoke on our behalf and demanded for us to be prioritized since we lined up waaayy early. It took a lot of negotiation to have a 60:20 entry — 60 person to enter on our side and 20 on the other side. (PS: It was not those carats fault as they were only following the guards’ instructions). No one was announcing anything on the line of the available / sold out Merchandise. Most of the carats fall in line to buy a Carat Bong only to be told at the Merchandise Booth that it got sold out waaayyy earlier than our turn. If only they announced at the line the list of sold out Merchandise. Carats won’t waste time to fall in line and only those who will buy other Merchandise will stay. Because of #2 Some of the Carats begged the staff at the Merchandise Booth to check if there were any additional stocks for Carat Bong, The staff told them that there was a stock INSIDE the venue and they cannot do anything to get it because the INVENTORY INSIDE was different from the INVENTORY OUTSIDE. Carats were instructed to fall in line again to queue if they wanted to buy a Merchandise INSIDE.		As much as possible, I will only buy Official Merchandise online prior to the event to save time from lining up. In cases that the Merchandise is only available at the venue and not online, I will either buy to an online shop or buy inside the venue before or after the event in case it’s not yet sold out. I will not line up that long anymore.
PhotoBooth Issue Photo Area such as Standee, SMART Booth, and Team Seventeen were placed at the entrance of PH Arena and not on the activity Center giving limited time for Carats to enjoy it.		I hope that they will place the Photo Area at the Activity Center so that there will be enough time for fans to enjoy it. If this will be the case in future concerts, I will  dedicate my time here than lining up at the Merchandise Booth.
Telecom Signal Issue There was no announcement prior to the event that the signal at the PH Arena was worst, so we were having a hard time to communicate with each other. We had to make sure that we stay together and in case one get lost we will have a meet up point. Carats relied to each other and share the Map venue image so that they know where to go  because no one was assisting them.		I will download all the announcements on my phone  so I can be guided accordingly. Also, I will check the partner Telecommunication Company of the organizer and bring an extra phone with that subscription (I have yet to try this, but I am hoping that the signal of their partnered TeleCom might be strong on website. I will update you on my Blackpink Concert.)
Unprohibited Items Issue Carats were allowed to wear headbands with Seventeen’s Bubble Head obstructing the view of the concert goers. They also allowed water bottles inside (while this is a good thing on our end because we can drink whenever we want, it poses greater risk for everyone because we need to remove mask for drinking).		We request for fans to not wear the headbands with artists bubble head during the concert as it obstruct the view. Please be considerate of the fans behind you who wish to enjoy the concert too. I will call out your attention in case this happens again and I hope you won’t get mad and be more understanding. You may wear it before or after the show. Drink water before the concert to avoid removing your mask during the concert for your safety.

What’s Your Favorite Part of the Concert?

Comment your favorite part of the concert below. 🙂