It started with a “Roar” and ended with “Firework.” That’s how the Manila leg of Katy Perry’s Prismatic concert, which also marked the anniversary of her world tour, can be succinctly described.
“One year ago today, we started this show in the United Kingdom. One hundred thirty-eight shows later, we are here in Manila. It may be the biggest show we’ve ever played for the Prismatic tour,” exclaimed the California-born pop star before the almost 40 thousand screaming fans.No KatyCat (a moniker given to a Katy Perry fan) left disappointed as the 30-year-old singer delivered an energy-filled and visually stunning show on May 7 at the country’s biggest indoor concert venue, the 55-thousand-seater Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
Although the show started a bit late, Katy strutted out on stage at around 9:30 p.m. or an hour after the front act The Dolls began to set the party ambiance around the huge arena, everybody was not disappointed with her high-caliber performance. The wait was definitely worth it as Katy performed one hit after another including her biggest singles “Part of Me,” “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream” and “I Kissed a Girl.”
Wearing a full-length yellow gown, with giant stick-on sunflowers as her props around the stage, she breathed new life to the ballads “Unconditionally” and “By The Grace of God,” which she dedicated to the Filipino crowd that danced and sang along with her throughout the show. Constantly making a connection with her audience, she even called a fan onstage and took a selfie with him. She also tried to learn a few Tagalog phrases like “mahal kita” and “salamat” with the help of the fan she spotted from the audience.
Katy also dazzled all the KatyCats with her interesting wardrobe. She emerged from the backstage at the start of the show clad in metallic dress and quickly dashed to the backstage coming out onstage with another costume change. During the performance, the singer also dressed up in a couple of cat-inspired costumes, neon multi-colored dresses and some Egyptian inspired outfits. And by different wigs complemente each ensemble as well.
hit songs complemented with several costume changes and hypnotizing lighting design.
The 40,000 fans can’t stop screaming and dancing
Backed by a dynamic dance crew, she was able to sustain her energy from start to finish. Her vocals sounded clear and crisp, too. Each song almost sounded like the studio version, well a bit different due to variations in arrangements and her attempts at mashups.
In terms of attendance and with the frenzied reception from fans, also the amount of work the people behind the whole show exerted to put up the concert, it’s easy enough to say that this was the best concert Katy has staged in Manila, so far. It’s actually the pop star’s third visit to the Philippines that’s why she already knew Filipinos speak Tagalog. It’s interesting though that no one briefed the singer-songwriter that Filipinos also speak English.
“I know that you don’t understand me right now and unfortunately, I don’t know much of your language either. I wish we could speak the same language, right?” she told the crowd that was actually shouting back at her “We do [understand you].”
Katy Perry performs on stage on the opening night of her Prismatic World Tour at the Philippine Arena on May 7, 2015 in Manila.
The badly planned traffic route at the Philippine Arena complex left the audience in vehicles moving at a snail’s pace after the concert on their way out of the Ciudad de Victoria (some of them were able to leave only after almost three hours,) then it would have been a perfect concert experience. Nonetheless, as people drove back to Quezon City and the nearby areas, everybody was satisfied with the two-hour pop spectacle. You could only read exultant Facebook and Instagram posts about their Katy Perry experience.
VERY WANG 