Filipina-American singer Olivia Rodrigo made the entire Philippines scream as she brought her 'Guts World Tour' to the Philippine Arena in Bulacan on October 5, 2024.
The Hollywood star chose the Philippines as the first country to host her "Silver Star Show" as part of the tour, with ticket prices at just P1,500.
As soon as Olivia Rodrigo announced that the Philippines would be the first country to host her “Silver Star Show,” Filipino “Livies” were excited not only to see Olivia perform live but also to attend the show at a very low ticket price.
During the announcement of her show in the Philippines, Olivia said that all ticket proceeds from the Manila concert would benefit her Fund 4 Good.
Olivia Rodrigo made her concert in the Philippines extra special by stepping on stage wearing a sash that read "Miss So Filipina." She kicked off the show with her hit song "Bad Idea Right?" and performed a total of 23 songs, including her breakthrough hit "Good 4 U," much to the delight of her Filipino fans.
Miller, a fan of the Filipino-American singer since 2021, described the experience as surreal. Seeing his idol live was a dream come true, and hearing her sing in person was one of the best and most unforgettable moments. Miller expressed immense joy, saying their heart was full seeing Olivia perform in the Philippines.
“When she came out on stage, I cried. I remembered how I used to just listen to and watch her from afar, and now I was seeing her live, surrounded by so many other Livies,” Miller shared.
He shared that securing tickets felt like a battle against countless others. The process was tense, with multiple errors popping up during the booking, adding to the frustration.
“I used several devices to try and secure a ticket, and luckily, I finally got one,” Miller added.
The Philippine Arena in Bulacan was packed with excited Livies, all dressed in their best 'Sour' and 'Guts' inspired outfits. Everywhere you looked, faces sparkled with glitter, adding to the vibrant atmosphere as part of their concert look.
Despite Olivia's genuine intent to support her cause and make Filipinos feel special, some fans argued that the Philippines is not the right country to host a concert like this.
Rie and Nini, both 20, flew from Cebu City to attend Olivia Rodrigo’s concert. They managed to secure three tickets, but on September 18, around 5 p.m., their voucher disappeared from their online account.
The vouchers that everyone secured online were not yet available for printing, as the concert organizers announced that they would be accessible starting September 28, along with the assigned seating for ticket holders.
Rie and Nini were aware that September 28 was the day to redeem the vouchers, but they encountered an issue when they tried to secure a bus shuttle to the Philippine Arena just minutes after their voucher went missing.
“Pero nalaman namin na marami sa amin ang nawalan ng voucher, pero marami rin ang binalikan ng voucher. Kami, wala. Patuloy lang kami sa paghihintay hanggang sa araw ng concert, pero wala talaga, hindi bumalik ang voucher namin,” Rie and Nini added.
“After naming naka-secure ng ticket sa pre-sale, nag-book agad kami ng plane tickets papuntang Manila at hotel na matutuluyan. Syempre, na-excite kami at naghanap ng murang presyo kasi maaga kami nag-book,” Both said.
Even after finding out that their vouchers had gone missing, the two also tried their luck at securing another set of tickets during the physical general sale that took place on September 29.
Another fan from Lipa, Batangas, Tricia, faced the same fate as others who were unable to secure concert tickets. She went to the Philippine Arena physically, hoping to get tickets there.
Tricia said the ticket selling process was “unfair,” as those with higher-spec devices had a better chance of securing tickets online. She mentioned that she tried to secure tickets online all day during the presale, but luck was not on her side. Although she was able to select a seat, a system failure occurred when she tried to purchase the ticket and enter her card details.
Tricia also tried to secure tickets during the physical general sale. She arrived early and even got a number 47 in the queue, but still ended up missing out as the tickets were sold out.
“Sana ay mas maayos nilang i-organize ang ticket selling. Sobrang ganda ng intention ni Olivia na mag-concert sa Pilipinas, plus ito ay para sa charity. Alam kong malapit sa puso niya ang Pilipinas dahil Pinoy siya, pero siguro hindi niya alam na medyo marami ang scammer dito. Maraming balahura sa Pilipinas. Pasensya na, pero baka may misconception siya sa narinig niya tungkol sa Pilipinas,” Tricia shared.
Tricia and two of her friends went to the concert venue, hoping to secure tickets. They mentioned that they always attend concerts, and there is usually ticket selling at the venue for every concert they've been to.
According to those who weren’t able to enter the Philippine Arena, many people waited outside the concert venue, hoping to get last-minute tickets. Some were still wearing their concert outfits but couldn’t join the others inside.
In the end, every Filipino Livie, whether they saw Olivia Rodrigo live or not, is undeniably proud of her achievements. Olivia made the Philippines feel special by including it in her concert tour.
While no Filipino Livie wanted to miss the chance to see her live, those who couldn’t secure tickets are now hoping for fairer ticket sales in the future and accountability from the organizers for the suspicious missing vouchers that many fans experienced. AJA