A1 takes Pinoys on a groovy, romantic trip to the 90s during their Valentine’s concert in Manila
“It’s so good to be back with you all here in Manila!” Mark Read of British-Norwegian boy group A1 told the crowd in their opening spiel on the second day of their Valentine’s concert at New Frontier Theater on Feb. 16, organized by Concert Republic. “As you know, we absolutely love the Philippines that’s why we come back here so much.”
A1 returned to Manila for their Valentine’s Tour 2025, fresh from their stops in Bacolod on Feb. 12, Cagayan de Oro on Feb. 13, and Cebu on Feb. 14. They last played in the Philippines—including Davao, Cebu, and Manila—in 2023 as part of their 25th anniversary celebration.
Like the usual, the beloved band opted for simple and raw staging—with some lights that matched the beat of their music as well as A1 graphics and lyrics on the big screen that retained their style and branding over the years.
They opened the show with their smash hit Heaven by Your Side, the perfect song to set the mood. While everyone was singing along and letting out some screams here and there, they stayed in their seats until they were given the green light by the group to stand up and dance to their electrifying tunes like Ready or Not, Same Old Brand New You, and No More.
Giving the concert an intimate feel amid the loud music and packed venue were their fun interactions with the audience as well as their slowed down moments on stage, with Read on the piano, Paul Marazzi and Christian Ingebrigsten in the middle, and Ben Adams on guitar.
They sang a medley of their crowd favorite songs like When I’m Missing You and The Things We Never Did, and even covered Three Times a Lady by Lionel Richie. Another highlight was when they showcased their beautiful harmonies while singing a portion of Forevermore by Filipino pop band Side A.
Since it was a Valentine’s concert, they made sure to make it special by inviting four fans to come up the stage for a romantic serenade to the tune of If You Were My Girl.
But it wasn’t all about romantic love. They also sang love songs in general, like Call Me When You Land, and for the self, like Learn to Fly.
The one-hour-and-a-half concert wouldn’t have been complete without their hit track Everytime during the encore, though what gave everyone a new dose of adrenaline was the ending: their popular version of A-ha’s Take on Me.
The charm of seeing A1 live in 2025 came from watching four men who have stood the test of time and have kept the same fire for decades. They still hit notes flawlessly and dance with precision—with the same goal of making sure everyone would have a blast at their concert.
In a November 2024 interview with The Straits Times, Read said there’s less pressure in being a band for them today. "Back in the day, there would be the pressure of having another No. 1 and having another album,” he’s quoted as saying. "Now, it’s more about enjoying the time together, rather than the pressure of ‘Oh, we need to deliver this, we need to deliver that.’ Now, it’s a case of let’s just make sure we can put up the best show for our fans and enjoy it and give everyone a good time.”
It was an incredible thing to witness across the night, how A1 evidently enjoyed every second on stage as they made different musical moments of their decades-long career shine: from pop to dance to R&B, and beyond. Perhaps that's the magic that makes them relevant in the music industry to this day without needing them to evolve so much. With them, you forget you're only being transported to the old times—you feel the music, have as much fun as they are having, and just live for the here and now.
