The Long Wait To Watch SEVENTEEN

Some fans missed their two sold out concerts in October, when their Be The Sun tour first came to Manila, and waited two months for another chance to watch the group. On Saturday, many left home at dawn, with the hopes of arriving at the venue (located off the city center and by a highway) early. Most queued for hours under the sun and intermittent rain showers. One group of fans VICE spoke with even came straight from an exam, still in their school uniforms. 

That wait was grueling and intense but the energy lifted once SEVENTEEN’s 13 members appeared on stage. It was a show made for the fans, starting with their 2022 single “HOT,” dedicating performances for each of the band’s three units (for the uninitiated: hip-hop, vocal, and performance), and featuring the audience dancing onscreen to the addictive “Snap Shoot.” However, its welcoming and interactive approach could also make fans out of casual listeners, at least those who are willing to jump in—or in this case, jump up and down to “AJU NICE.”

After getting bitten by ants while talking to the people in line, sweating buckets while jumping with the crowd for a good 20 minutes, and having rose quartz and serenity light sticks guide my car as it took hours exiting the world’s largest indoor arena, I left a CARAT. With the right elements, I guess pressure does create diamonds. 

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