[CONCERT RECAP] CHANYEOL MAKES HEARTS SWOON, SINGS RAINING IN MANILA AT THE MANILA LEG OF CITY-SCAPE

1 month ago 10

The night of October 19, 2024, felt like stepping into an ecstatic state of mind where Chanyeol’s pop rock music and nostalgic memories with EXO-Ls intertwine. The Smart Araneta Coliseum was beaming with anticipation as fans eagerly awaited the start of CHANYEOL LIVE TOUR: City-scape in Manila, presented by Pulp Live World. From the moment EXO’s Moonlight played through the speakers, signaling the concert’s imminent start, there was a sense of nostalgia in the air—an echo of past EXO concerts that made everyone feel at home. The coliseum slowly erupted in cheers as they celebrated Chanyeol’s music as a solo artist and member of the globally renowned boy group, EXO.

When the lights dimmed, and Chanyeol kicked things off with Back Again, the entire arena burst into loud cheers from his fans who waited for him. As he followed up with Good Enough, the vibe set in—this concert night will be an exceptional evening. Taking a quick breather to greet the PH EXO-Ls, he charmed the crowd with, “What’s up Manila, long time no see! Are you guys having fun? Me too! Magandang gabi. Kamusta? Namiss ko kayo.” (Good evening. How are you guys doing? I’ve missed you a lot) As he joked about looking “pogi” (handsome), the screams got even louder, his playful, beagle-like energy blending perfectly with the warmth of his fans’ love.

The evening hit a sweet, emotional note when Chanyeol performed Stay with Me from the popular K-drama, Goblin. The audience didn’t just listen—they became part of the performance, singing Punch’s parts in perfect harmony. It was a powerful moment of connection that didn’t stop there. Songs like Minimal Warm, Yours, and Tomorrow followed, with the fans singing along, their voices like an echo that Chanyeol fully embraced. “Ang ganda nyong lahat. You guys are good singers,” (You guys are so beautiful) he remarked, his face lighting up with genuine surprise.

And then, he picked up his guitar. The magic kicked up another notch as he strummed the opening riffs of Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N’ Roses, genuinely surprised as the crowd sang along to the classic rock anthem. He didn’t stop there—giving his fans bits of Hotel California by Eagles and a snippet performance of Basket Case by Green Day, bringing a fun, spontaneous vibe to the show.

An energy shift came as Chanyeol introduced his EXO-SC persona, performing Telephone and Just Us 2, taking the hype to the next level. Fans were ready for anything, but the Hasta La Vista and Ease Up performances hit differently—Chanyeol owned the stage like it was built for him, effortlessly transitioning between his solo songs. There was even a moment of fan interaction as he demonstrated how to do the Clover challenge, a playful highlight that had everyone smiling, as he teased with his “loud” voice despite the microphone being so far from his mouth.

One of the most memorable moments was the Manila Cityscape segment. Chanyeol’s surprise cover of the OPM hit Raining in Manila by Lola Amour brought the house down. He played not only once, but twice due to the requests of EXO-Ls and Yeolmaes! It felt personal, like a love letter to his Filipino fans. But the nostalgia didn’t stop there, as he delivered a medley of EXO hits, which included Lotto, Tempo, Monster, Obsession, Growl, and Hear Me Out, making the crowd feel the heartbeat of EXO once again, especially with the anticipation of their upcoming group comeback set to happen very soon.

As the night slowly came to an end, Chanyeol’s performances of Black Out and SSFW kept the energy high, but the crowd wasn’t ready to say goodbye. By fan request, he sang Raining in Manila once more, a fitting encore to the Manila leg of his concert tour. He wrapped up with I’m on your side too and ended with Just as usual, and another fun extra helping of “Hasta La Vista”, emphasizing the lyrics, “See you again!” towards the end. Are we going to see the Cherry Prince soon?

Park Chanyeol has always been a man of his word. The multi-talented one-man band made sure that he always came back– a promise to always come back to his PH EXO-Ls and Yeolmaes no matter what.

2024 CHANYEOL SOLO LIVE TOUR: 都市風景 (City-scape) in Manila Set List

VCR 1
Back Again [with Electric Guitar]
Good Enough
Stay With Me
Minimal Warm
Yours
Tomorrow

Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses [Cover]
Hotel California by the Eagles Instrumental Guitar [Cover]
Basket Case by Green Day [Cover]

Telephone
Just Us 2

VCR 2

Hasta La Vista
Ease Up
Nothin’
Clover

Raining in Manila by Lola Amour Cover

EXO medley [Lotto / Tempo / Monster / Obsession / Growl]
Hear me out

VCR 3
Band Performance
Black Out
SSFW
I’m on your side too

Encore
Just as usual

Another Encore
Hasta La Vista

Ending credits VCR