Diving heart first into AOMG: The Second Encounter

Last year I went to my first AOMG concert in Bangkok, which I've written about at length here. After that surreal experience, I hadn't thought I'd be able to catch them again soon. But I guess fate works differently. This year I got to watch 2 concerts all related to AOMG: one in Jakarta for a hip hop festival called Asian Sound Syndicate Vol. 1 (where I saw GRAY and Simon Dominic), and the other in Singapore for Jay Park's SEXY 4 EVA World Tour 2019 (which luckily for me also had Woo Won Jae and Haon - H1GHR Music artist - as guest performers). How did each one unfold? Let's find out together!

ASIAN SOUND SYNDICATE VOL. 1

Held in Jakarta, ASS Vol. 1 featured many local hip-hop artists such as Ramengvrl, Tuan Tiga Belas, and many more; and 5 K Hip hop artists, i.e., DPR Live, Bobby, Crush, Gray, and Simon Dominic. 

I went there with a colleague from work, and spent 2 nights in Jakarta. 

Since ASS was a music festival, not a concert, we didn't have to come early. Nonetheless, I wanted to secure a good spot to watch Gray and Simon, so we decided to start queueing at midday. Fyi, the festival officially started at 3 p.m, and the main performers (Gray et al.) weren't scheduled to perform until later at 7 p.m. That day, we spent a total of 12 hours in the venue, most of which was standing outdoors (the festival was in a helipad parking ground) under the blazing Jakarta's sun. I never quite enjoy this part of attending a concert. -_-

Things got better once the sun set, and DPR Live (a.k.a Dabin) took the stage as the first performer. Fans went crazy for him and DPR Ian, and though I'm not a huge fan, I enjoyed his stage so very much! The next in line was Bobby, and of course, many of the people in the audience were there for him, waving their Konbats (iKon light stick) left and right as he sang songs from his solo album. To be honest, I wasn't all familiar with Bobby's songs, but he did well rapping and interacting with his fans. He was like a lost puppy. An adorable one. Next up in line was Crush, the cute R&B singer with  many hit songs up his sleeves. He successfully serenaded the audience with his dreamy voice. The night got darker, and I grew even more impatient. 

After a long long wait, it was finally AOMG time!!!! 

Gray hit the stage just when my legs almost gave out and I felt so lightheaded from all the heat and moving crowd. In that instant, I rediscovered my reason for coming out to that festival and holding out for so long. Looking as dashing as ever, Gray was pleasantly surprised to hear the crowd singing along to the chorus of his newest single, TMI, and even more so when we could also sing to every song he performed. Since it was his first visit to Jakarta, he made an effort to greet the audience in Indonesian and expressed how grateful he was to be invited. He made me fall even harder for him, and I was lucky that this time I could see his face more clearly. Almost 45 minutes after Gray came out, it was finally time for the last performer of the day, Simon Dominic. My favorite Busan guy heated up the atmosphere even more as he performed his new song, DAx4 and Make her dance. Then everybody lost it as the national K-hiphop anthem, Simon Dominic, was on. We all jumped and cheered him on so loudly to make him feel our love. I think he's truly an entertainer, and he knows so well how to treat his fans. Throughout his performance he never forgot to say a sentence or two, stopping every once in a while to make eye contact, knowing too well no one could resist his devilish charms. When he was exhausted and visibly struggling with dry throat, he crouched down to catch his breath and told everyone how he's gotten old, to which the audience denied, and we all started shouting " 괜찮아 gwenchana (it's okay)" so many times - all of which really amused Simon. I could tell he loved all the attention. 

Soon after, Gray came back to the stage and together, they rocked the night once last time, singing many songs including the hoe anthem "Mommae", 119, and Who You. As they completely crushed the stage, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this second opportunity to watch them live. I felt a bit empty after the festival was over cause I didn't know if another chance would arise. But well, you never know. That was what I said last time, and look what happened this year. Perhaps next year I'll be able to go somewhere to see them again. When that time comes, it'll be a whole new experience.

SEXY 4 EVA WORLD TOUR 2019 IN SINGAPORE

The next weekend after ASS 2019, I flew alone to Singapore to meet the CEO of AOMG, the one and only, Jay Park. He didn't stop in Jakarta for his world tour, so it was only right for me to catch him in the nearest neighbouring country, where I would be permitted to travel solo by my parents. Because I had neither money nor time to take a proper holiday, I only stayed in Singapore for a total of 3 days and 2 nights. My only intention was to see Jay Park, along with Woo Won Jae and Haon. 

On the day of the concert, I went to the venue quite early, around 10 AM, to see if the line was already forming. And yes, there were already people loitering in and around the area. I couldn't stay for long cause I still had to buy a pair of pants or a skirt (as for the why, it'll be revealed in my next post), but I was lucky enough to meet a fan who organized the line. She jotted down my name and told me I could leave first and came back since I had 'reserved' my line. So I went out for a quick shopping, wardrobe change, lunch, and back to the queue at around 1pm. By 1 p.m., a long line had been formed, and just like the girl said, I could squeezed in between the line according to the pre-made list she had made earlier that day. I was not in the very front, but it was the closest I had ever been in a concert. While I was waiting in line, I managed to strike a short convo or two with some ultra dedicated Chinese fans and other Singaporean Jaywalkers, yet most of the time I was alone with my phone, and everybody else was minding each other business, chattering away with his/her friends.  Those 5 hours waiting sure felt extra long and painful when you were alone. 

As I held the VIP ticket, which included a meet & greet session, I was let in to the venue earliest to proceed with the group photo. Jay, Haon, and Woo were stationed in the center of the stage, ready to take consecutive pictures with every group of 5. I wasn't satisfied with the photo session as it was way too rushed, and I got the worst spot ever: in the far right, away from all the performing artists. I managed to exchange a handshake with Haon and uttered a quick thank you (to which he replied sweetly), but I couldn't even greet Won Jae or Jay Park at all! To this day, it remains as my biggest regret about the concert. 

The concert was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. However, an unforeseen circumstance happened that led to almost a 45-minute delay. The concert hall was a seated one, and people were supposed to stay in their respective seats according to the type of tickets they held. Unfortunately, no clear barriers were set up in between each section, so people could freely roam around the entire hall regardless of their tickets. As a result, one person after another started rushing to the very front barrier, and chaos ensued. Fans started shouting to each other, ordering people to go back to their seats and not blocking the view. The VIP ticket holders in particular were pissed because the non VIP ones could gain a much better view by standing by the barrier right in front of the stage. The promotor didn't seem to have a clue on what to do, so one of representatives from AOMG had to step in. After a difficult 20 minutes, people finally started to come back to their senses and audience was warned to stay in the seat throughout the concert. It was the time I realized that concerts everywhere are the same. There will always be rowdy and unruly fans creating havoc and disturbance.

Once the emergency was handled, the concert began with Woo Won Jae as the opening act. People instantly got up of their seats, cheering ever so loudly (I included) for him. I was extremely excited and amazed at how clear I could see him from where I stood. I was in the 4th row with no obstruction since the hall was like a theatre with elevated seating. Won Jae performed for around 20 minutes - it was way too short (but hey, it wasn't his show. lol). I kept yelling his name and screamed for every little thing he did. His smile, his voice, his rap, and his awkward attempt in speaking English were all too precious in my eyes. Here was the man I once deemed too dark and needed help to get out of the tunnel. He has changed tremendously since his time in Show Me The Money, and watching him grow out of his shells has been satisfying. I was glad AOMG took him in; he is now so much brighter and better under his hyungs' wings. I was relieved he found a new family in AOMG; he found people he can trust and rely on; he is surrounded by good people. I took the most pictures and videos in this very day, most of which were blurry with some salvageable items I now keep in my phone. 

Soon after Won Jae exited the stage, the light dimmed out, signalling the main star of the day to appear. Everybody lost their cool and I started screaming from the top of my lungs. Jay came out, a single spotlight shone upon him, and there he was, his presence quickly enveloped and dominated the stage. Song after song were sung. He sang, rapped, danced, and even entertained the audience. He communicated with his fans intensively throughout the 90-minute performance, letting them know how he loved being able to do his first ever world tour in his career as a musician. There are million reasons to love him, and after seeing him again for the second time, I found a million more. His charisma on stage is undefeated, his skills unshakable, and his attitude commendable. What not to love about this guy, really?

In the middle of the show, Haon took the stage for a while to perform, giving Jay a bit of time to rest. As the youngest in H1ghr music, Jay's other hiphop company, Haon was extremely talented and had a lot to show. He was energetic and restless, rapping powerfully and moving around the stage for all people to see. It was the first time I had seen him live, and I was amazed by his stage act. Ah, Haon is now a grown up man, and he sure has a bright future ahead of him. Watching him makes me feel proud somehow, just like how I feel towards Won Jae. 

The highlight of the night was of course when Jay started taking of his shirt piece by piece, and somehow stayed topless til the end of the show, showing off his sculpted abs and sexy body. When he sang Mommae, I swear all hell broke loose. That man sure knows what women like. The night got hotter and more intense as Jay invited Haon back to the stage and they performed the latest H1ghr artists x Dingo collaboration song, Giddy Up. After some time, Won Jae also joined the two on stage, reminding me that the show was nearing its end. Together the trio burned up the stage, and though nobody wanted the show to end, it must. An encore was done, Jay jumped off the stage, everybody went nuts and ran to the front of the barricade, and the rest was blurry. As a closing, all the artists, dancers, and DJ Wegun took a picture together with everybody in the hall. Jay, Won Jae, and Haon made their last bow to the crowd, waving hands and smiling as they exited the stage, this time for real.

I left the auditorium shortly before 12. My holiday was over. That day could've been better, but I didn't let my regrets overshadow my gratitude. I watched Jay, Woo, and Haon; I came out alive; I was alone and I survived. It was more than enough.

smooth moves~ he's one heck of a dancer

By now, I've fallen too deep for AOMG and all the musicians it represents. There's no going back. I hope I can always be in a situation where I can catch them live every time AOMG comes by. I'm looking forward to watching Gray, Simon, Jay, Won Jae, and the rest of the crew at least a hundred more. 

ps: I'm also a fan of some H1ghr music artists like Haon & pH-1, so yeah, cheers to more hip hop concerts to watch in the future! 

See you next time, boys!