INFINITE in Manila: One Great Step Concert!
(Maknae Lee SungJong)
Infinite wowed the audience with their first solo concert When In Manila! One Great Step in Araneta Coliseum was a huge success! The concert started with an AVP introducing the members in the big city. “Music is dead. Infinite is dead.” The members are up for a dangerous mission to revive their name. Sungyeol is seen practicing with his music equipment. Sunggyu hides something inside some mysterious men’s car. Sungjong is busy with his spray paint on the streets. Woohyun‘s trying to access top secret information while Hoya is playing his own version of darts. Dongwoo is portrayed as a dancing guard who only acts serious when the masters pass by. L plays the bad boy. Tension builds up as L’s situation suddenly flipped. He turns into a victim tied up on a chair, reminds me a bit of his Master’s Sun role as the kidnapped young chaebol’s (wealthy businessman) son. After the cliffhanger, we see the boys on stage in chains, but still ready to perform their latest single Destiny.
Infinite is known for their sleek dance moves and smooth group coordination. They give off a different feeling when they dance as a whole and on their own. There is just something about their choreography that makes Infinite, well, Infinite. Such as flipping their coats becoming one of their signature dance moves and the Scorpion Dance turning into one of the main highlights of the show. A lot of fangirls and fanboys were anticipating to see that live! They sang most of their hit songs including Chaser, Paradise, rock version of Come Back Again, Be Mine, Before the Dawn, Man in Love, Can You Smile, Nothing’s Over and many more. Their songs are mostly about a guy who loves too much, even to the point of obsession. But Infinite’s calm demeanor neutralizes their rather aggressive lyrics.
(Sungyeol and Sungjong’s special stage.)
The members all had their own time to shine individually on stage. Dongwoo and Hoya mesmerized the audience with their dance, rap and vocal skills as they sing Infinite H’s song Special Girl; Sungyeol showed off his DJ-ing skills while Sungjong is in-charge of the keyboard; Sunggyu sang a ballad to orchestra to rock version of 60 seconds – a song from his solo album Another Me, L played the guitar and sang Love U Like U beside a big white teddy bear and Woohyun proposed with a ring and a flower to one lucky Inspirit!
But their sweetness didn’t stop there! They went around to give fluffy stuffed toys and even took photos using the fans’ cameras! They also sang one of my favorite songs Cover Girl, I wanted to hear that live, so I was really happy that it’s one from the 27 songs they performed.
(Nam WooHyun)
The boys were full of energy despite doing a nonstop 3-hour show! And to think that they didn’t have a translator with them. They put on a lot of effort to speak in English from start to finish! They even introduced themselves in Tagalog. Infinite also asked the audience to sing along the nursery song Bahay Kubo with them! They were absolutely adorable!
(Kim Sunggyu)
What’s great about concerts is that you get to see videos that can only be seen when you’re there. The AVP from the beginning was more of an entertaining short film that fans get to watch while they change and prepare. You can only watch the full story in HD if you’re there in the venue. Inconvenient Truth‘s playfully cute music video seems to be exclusive only for the One Great Step audience. These small details makes the experience even more special.
(Hoya)
Infinite’s style is having everything in moderation. They don’t act too cute (but they are!), they don’t go overboard to become beastly idols (but most members have toned bodies already. ;)), nor do they try to achieve the perfect prince-like image (but unconsciously, they might have already done so.) Rather they are lovable flower boys with unending charm and appeal. They have this clean yet rugged look achieved by wearing coats and ties with a twist. Playing with neutral tones or having this minimalist look by wearing crisp suits that range from white, black and even pastel with patterns. This sets them apart from groups who goes beyond extreme cuteness or sexiness. Balance is the key with these boys!
(Lee Sungyeol)
Infinite is one of the few groups that I like since their debut. They act as whole package when they’re together, their individual gifts compliments each other making them unbreakable, yet still with their talent they can also stand one-by-one on stage. It was a memorable experience to see them perform again, but this time even longer.
(Kim Myung Soo)
When they first came to the Philippines, I wasn’t able to take photos and I was standing the whole time. Now I got to do the former while sitting and watching them take a giant leap to their dreams. Their first solo concert will forever be memorable for them and the audience. While fans usually do the fan-chants, Infinite did both the singing part and the chanting! They say “Inspirit” (fanclub member name) during their Man in Love performance. They also asked the fans to think of someone dear and close to their hearts, a loved one they are thankful for, while they perform a song for their family. Their childhood photos are then flashed on the screen. Little Infinite together with their mommy and daddy. 🙂
(Jang Dongwoo)
What made the night even more heartwarming is when Dongwoo cried. The fans had a special surprise for his birthday! They all sang Happy Birthday while Dongwoo wipes tears of joy from both of his eyes. He couldn’t stop crying, especially since his parents are there to support him while also singing along. (See the photo below: at the left side behind the cameramen, the man in Orange with a lady holding a Green paper, that’s them! Can’t see it? Click this–> https://tinypic.com/r/hwickx/5 ) I cried when I saw his parents happily cheering for their son. A parents’ support is simply daebak (the best.)
Infinite in Manila
(For more photos —> Click Here)
These guys are all wonderfully talented individuals. They bowed 4 times on every side of the stage. They’re a humble bunch that came from a long tough road and now they get to finally stand on different platforms, one of which was the Araneta Center’s big dome’s big stage. Araneta Group’s Uniprom Inc. made all of this possible, thank you so much for making this happen! Philippine Inspirits are very happy for our country to be a part of the group’s first world tour! Infinite will continue touring in various countries, they still have a lot surprises ahead of them. With their spirit, the possibilities are infinite. And although we don’t want to see them go just yet, Infinite promised to Come Back Again to the Philippines, so we can’t say goodbye just yet. So, When In Manila, Inspirits, let’s all patiently wait and say: ”Til Next Time, Infinite! We will miss you!“
