Unamused reactions to English-Albanian pop singer Dua Lipa‘s date and venue for the Philippine leg of her “Radical Optimism” tour were posted online following the announcement of her tour’s Asian dates.
The Grammy award-winning singer on Wednesday shared that she “can’t wait to be back” in the continent, posting dates of her stops for her upcoming concert tour for her third studio album of the same name.
She is known for the hits “Dance the Night,” which was included in the 2023 “Barbie” soundtrack, “Houdini,” “Illusion,” “Cold Heart (PNAU remix),” “One Kiss” and “Don’t Start Now.”
“Wowowowww, summer tour dates start in 1 [one] week and I can’t wait!!!! So I thought, why not add… MORE TOUR! Asia in November, it’s been a long time coming and I can’t wait to be back!!!!” Dua exclaimed on Instagram on May 29.
Dua posted some snaps of her in Asia, as well as her tour dates and venues for the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and South Korea.
She will be in the Philippines on Nov. 13, 2024, with the venue listed as the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, north of Manila.
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Dua’s Philippine leg earned mixed reactions from some Pinoy fans.
Others were excited about the pop singer’s return to the country after five years, when she performed in the SM Mall of Asia Arena in 2018.
However, there were some who were hesitant with her latest concert’s date and venue choice.
“GIRL, NOT PH ARENA,” an online user wrote in response to the announcement of Dua’s Asia tour dates.
“Ma’am, let’s rethink [Philippine] Arena on a weekday,” another user commented. The pop singer’s Manila leg would happen on a Wednesday.
“Beh, bakit naman [Philippine] Arena tapos Wednesday pa,” wrote a different Pinoy.
“I aspire to be as brave as Dua and her team to have a concert in Philippine Arena on a Wednesday night,” another user said with an unamused GIF reaction.
i aspire to be as brave as dua and her team to have a concert in philippine arena on a wednesday night https://t.co/A6hU3uuKZ6 pic.twitter.com/HGfyCQIymw
— ˡᵘⁿᵃ (@urdancingwitch) May 29, 2024
Another online user shared an image of an anime character with a similar reaction.
YES MANILA!!!!!!!! 😀
> philippine arena https://t.co/Bi5z9QURdX pic.twitter.com/G8qqxCvvWD
— v | C6 KAEYA HAVER ❄️🦚 (@vtmoooo) May 29, 2024
Another X user elaborated more on the hesitancy behind Dua’s upcoming Manila show.
“Honestly, concert promoters need to stop using the PH Arena while the transpo [transportation] infrastructure isn’t there yet. Will never watch a concert there hangga’t wala pang reliable and fast public transportation to and from the venue. JEEZ,” he commented.
Last year, complaints about travel experiences to and from the Philippine Arena for American singer Bruno Mars‘ concert trended on social media.
Among those who were late for his concert was host Maine Mendoza, who wondered how past concerts in the venue had fared.
“Happy pa din kasi umabot sa last two songs. Napaka-hassle lang talaga ng entry and exit! Has it always been like this? Kumusta ang previous concerts dito?” she wrote before.
A concert reviewer of ABS-CBN also described the traffic toward the venue before as “brutal,” adding that the northbound lanes of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) had become a “massive parking lot.”
RELATED: Philippine Arena hassle: Concertgoers lament missing parts of Bruno Mars’ show, NLEX traffic
The Philippine Arena is considered the world’s largest indoor arena, with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000 in a fully enclosed structure.
The structure serves as a primary major church gathering venue of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), whose education institution New Era University owns the site.
Due to its huge seating capacity, the arena has also become a prime choice for event organizers, including concert producers.
It is located in Bocaue, Bulacan. The province is commonly accessed via NLEX by those coming from Metro Manila and other areas to its south.
