If there is one thing I’ve learned about living in Australia, it’s that life here is a constant exercise in “expect the unexpected.” Take last night, for example. Joyeth booked tickets to see Richard Marx just last week. Since it was hirit sa tag-init—a total last-minute scramble—the prime seats were already gone. But luckily, the Newcastle Civic Theatre is small and intimate, so there’s really no such thing as a bad seat.
The Integrity App
We headed out early because, let’s be real, parking is usually the ultimate stressor. We found a spot nearby, and I had another one of those “only in Australia” moments. No parking attendants, no one guarding the slots. You just log into the Easy Park app, it finds you, you put in your plate number, and start the timer.
It’s all about integrity—and the fact that if you get caught “forgetting” to pay, the fines will make you want to cry. Dili gyud ni mugana sa Pinas, let’s be honest. Someone would definitely find a loophole. But here, the honor system (backed by heavy penalties) actually works.
Pre-Show Cravings
We had 90 minutes to kill, so we watched the crowd—lots of “VIP” oldies waiting for their meet-and-greet—and headed to Busan Chicken across the street. I was eyeing their spicy Chicken Tornado, but apparently, greatness takes 30 minutes to prep. Since we didn’t have the luxury of time, we settled for the curled potato on a stick. It was fried, covered in cheese powder, and okay ra gyud siya—not life-changing, but enough to hold us over.
The “Karaoke” Culture Shock
The concert started at 8:00 PM sharp. Richard Marx is still undeniably handsome—those deep blue eyes were popping, especially with what he was wearing. He’s got that timeless vibe.
But here’s the thing: the vibe was… different. About 90% of the audience were older folks. The setting was formal, almost like a Valentine’s date dinner. And the crowd? Conservative is an understatement. In the Philippines, a concert is a massive karaoke party. Everyone is screaming, standing up, and out-singing the artist. But the couple next to me? They didn’t sing. They barely clapped. They didn’t even stand up when everyone else did! I actually felt awkward clapping too loud because they were so still. Lahi ra gyud sa Pinas. I felt like I had to “behave,” which is hard when you’re hearing hits from your childhood.
The Setlist and the “No-Photo” Struggle
He sang a mix of acoustic sets, songs from his latest album After Hours, and almost all his classics. The only disappointment? He didn’t sing Until I Find You Again. Sayang! That’s one of my favorites.
There was a massive “No Photos/Videos” sign outside, so I tried to be a good girl at first. But when I saw other phones sneaking clips, I joined in. The attendant eventually called me out and said “short clips only,” which was fine by me. I just needed enough for the ‘gram anyway!
He ended the night with Right Here Waiting on the piano, but he added this surprisingly heavy rock outro to close the show. It was powerful. It was nostalgic. It was perfect.
Spam over Stars
By 10:00 PM, we were out and hungry again. We tried to find a KFC, but between the road closures and Joyeth’s GPS having a mid-life crisis, we just couldn’t get there. We gave up and went home to the most reliable meal known to Filipinos: leftover spam and rice. I tried to stay up for the meteor shower at midnight, but the clouds decided to join the party. After a quick look at the gray sky, I realized my bed was calling louder than the stars. A night of world-class music followed by spam. If that isn’t the most “me” thing ever, I don’t know what is.
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