David Foster: The shortest concert we’ve ever watched

I appreciated so much the two concert tickets Philippine Airlines gave me. Despite our busy schedule, and exhausted bodies, Edmund and I braved the one hour and 40 minutes of heavy traffic from our residence to the Marriott Hotel near the airport’s terminal 3. Ayaw na sana ni Mr. Yee na sumama pero nahiya lang sa akin. He was leaving for Boracay the next day and was very tired.

I picked up the two tickets at the PAL Mabuhay counter. I secretly wished our seats were close enough to see the performers’ faces.

David Foster, June 2024

We had time to eat so we grabbed some noodles from a cafe two floors below the Grand Ballroom.

@David Foster concert in Manila, June 20, 2024

Took photos “with” David Foster

David Foster, June 2024

and of Ford display at the lobby.
Ford Display at Marriott Lobby
If you want something like this, go to #makatiford #fordedsa #fordcainta Thank you.

Before 8 pm we entered the ballroom and was dismayed that our seats were at the far back. I couldn’t see the stage’s set-up. I knew that sitting here for two hours was a waste of time. And I was thinking of Theo the whole time. Time spent with Theo is more gratifying and meaningful than listening to artists I do not even know. Listening because hindi namin makikita ang mga faces nila. There were 4 big overhead screens, na titingalain pa namin. Para kaming kawawa magtityaga duon.
David Foster, June 2024

The concert started at 8:20 pm by calling David Foster to the stage. I craned my neck hoping to get a glimpse of him. But the blinding lights, people’s heads, cellphone cameras, videographers, made it impossible to see him. After 4 minutes, I told my husband “let’s go”
We stood up and hurriedly left. We passed through the door closest to the stage hoping to at least see David Foster’s head. Naku, hindi ko makita, malayo pa rin. Sa YouTube na lang ako manonood.

Naka full zoom na itong camera ko pero malabo pa rin.
David Foster, June 2024

I felt hinayang. What a waste of our precious time. I was counting 6 hours of lost time I will never get back. From the time I started getting ready, the almost two hours going, two hours waiting, and 1.5 hours going home. I was inis kasi I was missing my apo. I could just stayed home.

The PAL Mabuhay Miles executive Eileen Galindez saw me and Edmund at the lobby waiting for our car. Nagulat sya, why we were there eh the concert has started. I told her our seats were too far back and we couldn’t see a thing. She looked hinayang. She said I should inform Darlin Buendia, her colleague because they still have available tickets, Baka daw merong mas closer to the stage. I said never mind na lang, we’ll just go home.

It wasn’t Darlin’s fault. The tickets were given to them by the organizer, maybe x-deal sa eroplano. My expectation of being a Million Miler didn’t jibe with the reality that those tickets were not VIP tickets. I really thought the tickets were intended as a thank you gesture. Naka-suit pa mandin ang asawa ko. Nung nakita ko na naka suit sya, napabihis tuloy ako, naka Sketchers na sana ako, mas bagay yun dito pag malayo ang upuan.

But even if that happened I still remain loyal to PAL. Edmund and I are flying soon and it’s PAL again.

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