Facebook account from Glenn Aldueza of Aldueza Events Production (AEP).
IT WAS a night filled with nostalgia as Cebuano fans reminisced about their youth and favorite songs from British-Norwegian boy band A1.
Ben Adams, Mark Read, Paul Marazzi, and Christian Ingebrigtsen capped off A1’ss 20th anniversary “Reunion” tour in Southeast Asia and Philippines at the Pacific Grand Ballroom of the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino on Thursday, Oct. 25.
The popular 1990s boy band opened their show with the songs “Forever in Love” and “Same Old Brand New.”
Read then spoke to the crowd after they performed “Summertime of Our Lives.”
“There is something different about this show. Because there are four of us! Welcome back, Paul,” Read said.
For the first time in 16 years, the four members were back together on stage after Marazzi left in 2002 for personal reasons.
“Thank you so much everybody,” Marazzi said.
Other popular hit songs performed by A1 were “One More Try,” “Make It Good,” “Ready or Not,” “Walking in the Rain,” “Heaven By Your Side,” “When I’m Missing You,” “Learn To Fly,” “Everytime,” “Caught in the Middle,” “Like A Rose,” and “Take On Me.”
The Cebu City concert last Oct. 25 was the last leg of the band’s Philippine tour after performing at the KIA Theatre in Quezon City on Oct. 22 and SMX Convention Center Davao in Davao City on Oct. 23.
The Philippine tour was produced by Glenn Aldueza of Aldeuza Events Productions (AEP).
The recent concert held was not A1’s first time to perform in Cebu.
When Marazzi left the band, Adams, Read, and Ingebrigtsen held a charity concert in 2012 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Then, in 2016, the three of them came back for their “Here We Come-Back” Tour at the Kia Theater in Manila and IEC Pavilion in Cebu City.
Time to reflect
Adams, Read, Marazzi, and Ingebrigtsen first met in 1997.
Read thinks it was necessary for them to take a break as it allowed them to reflect, appreciate, and respect each other more.
“From 1997 to 2002, it was non-stop. We barely had holidays. We barely had breaks,” Read said.
After the band completely split up and took a break, it took them quite a long time to communicate.
“There was that kind of emptiness inside. We need to have some kind of resolution as a band, we need to give some closure to the fans and we hope they kinda understand what happened,” he added.
Read also admitted that they were nervous and apprehensive about their “Reunion” Tour.
Aside from the Philippines, A1 also brought their 20th Anniversary “Reunion” Tour to Indonesia and Singapore.
“But as soon as we got to the first rehearsals, everything just fell into place. We did some routines and Paul said that it feels so nostalgic and yeah, I also felt exactly the same thing,” he added.
Still with music
“I’m quite busy doing projects,” Adams answered when asked what he has been doing after the split. Adams was part of the Flashdance United Kingdom (UK) Tour in 2017. This year, he co-wrote “Eugenius,” a musical in London.
“I’m always performing, staying in music” he said.
Just like Adams, Marazzi is still connected with the music industry in England.
“For 12 years, I have been with a few different bands and tried a few different projects out there,” he said.
Aside from his career, Marazzi announced during the press conference that he is expecting another daughter in four weeks.
For his part, Read said he focused as a songwriter and performed in theater and bands after their split.
In 2016, Read played Dandini for The Magical Adventures for Cinderella musical in Glasgow, Scotland.
“I feel fortunate to be able to still do what I dreamt about when I was younger,” he added.
Aside from pursuing a solo career, Ingebrigtsen played the voice of Flynn Rider in the Norwegian version of Disney’s “Tangled.”
“From a movie, it is now a series. As soon as I get home I have to go and do a new season of “Tangled” the series,” he said.