In Real Life - for u Tour
In Real Life - for u Tour
Concert Date: October 16, 2019
Location: Sonia, Cambridge, MA
I knew In Real Life (IRL) from the reality competition show, BoyBand and have been following the group ever since. In Real Life comprised of Chance Perez, Sergio Calderon, Drew Ramos, Conor Michael Smith and Brady Tutton. Sadly, IRL broke up because each member wanted to pursue solo projects. I am glad I was lucky enough to see IRL perform live once during their for u Tour.
The Venue and the Fans
Fortunately, I did not have to travel far since the concert took place right in my backyard of Cambridge, Massachusetts at Sonia nightclub in Central Square. Though I had to wait 15-20 minutes in the rainy weather outside before Sonia let us in.
The nightclub provided an intimate close-knit atmosphere. But, the space was not overcrowded and I could easily move around the room. The stage was set at a high enough level so I could see In Real Life clearly even in the back.
The one downside, though, was the lighting of the stage, particularly when the lighting turned blue or green. When the blue light shone on Chance, it made him look weird with bluish lighting on his skin against his very orange t-shirt. Also it would get dark at times while the boys are dancing though it could be part of the effect. Otherwise, the rest of the lighting worked out fine.
Given that the age of the IRL members are 16-22, I will admit I was probably the only concert-goer who was old enough to drink alcohol but was not a parent. Majority of the crowd were teen girls and their parents who sat in the back. I honestly didn’t mind. I still had fun and it was interesting to watch how these teens oggle over the guys, gave them gifts and fantasized about marrying them in the future. Reminded me of when I was their age and how I dream (and still do) JC Chasez will be my future husband.
VIP and Meet & Greet
Of course I could not miss an opportunity to do VIP and meet and greet with IRL before the show. First, each concert goer got to take an individual photo with the In Real Life group. And you get to choose which guy you want to stand next to.
After the photo-op, each guy moves to different corners of the room for the rest of the time so fans can connect with them on a personal level. I was able to chat with each guy at least once. I purposely chatted with Chance and Sergio twice. We even facetimed called with Chance’s daughter, Brooklyn.
The guys are genuinely nice and friendly to their fans. They definitely take the time to speak to each fan and express their appreciation and the opportunities their music career has given them. Chance was even kind enough to record a video for my friend who couldn’t make the concert.
The Main Event
In the words of IRL’s song, the concert got me good. IRL gave so much energy and passion into their performances. The concert was a great balance of upbeat and slow songs. The setlist included IRL’s hits “How About You”, “Loveless”, “How Badly” and their debut single, “Eyes Closed”. Each guy also sang a solo. I was definitely jumping and dancing in the audience.
My favorite performances ,though, were the ballads, particularly “Hurt For Long”. Moreover, the band delivered a beautiful rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love With You”. IRL sang accapella with Connor playing the ukulele.
I also want to say Connor is super multi talented. Not only can this guy sing, but he can rap and play the violin! He definitely has a bright future in music ahead of him.
My other favorite performance was Chance’s solo. He performed a song he wrote himself called “How Long? The song was incredibly soulful and emotional. Chance left his heart on the stage. I love his voice, very velvety.
Overall, I had an awesome time at the IRL concert. From the very personable meet and greets to the electrifying performances, In Real Life truly impressed me. The boys know how to engage and connect with the audience. I am sad that the group decided to break up a few months later and I would not see them perform together live again. But I am glad I had this one moment.
