ICYMI: A1 takes fans back to the ’90s at ‘In Love in the Philippines’ tour

British Norwegian boy band A1 brought ‘90s nostalgia and kilig to their Filipino fans as they performed for the first time at the City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna as part of their In Love in the Philippines tour.

Members Ben Adams, Paul Marazzi, Christian Ingebrigtsen, and Mark Read kicked off the show with their hit songs “Caught in the Middle” and “Make It Good,” immediately setting the mood for a night filled with familiar tunes and cherished memories.

The band welcomed the Laguna crowd with excitement, expressing their gratitude for the warm reception and their continued support after nearly three decades in the music industry.

“So great to be here in Laguna. So wonderful to see you all here. This is our first time, I guess. It’s so great to be here. This is called ‘In Love in the Philippines’ tour which is basically just us saying that we really love you guys. We really do,” they expressed, sharing the meaning behind their tour name.

A1 then took the audience back to the late ’90s with “Everytime,” with the members encouraging the crowd to sing along, even recognizing the Philippines’ reputation for producing talented singers.

After another heartfelt welcome, the group performed “Living the Dream,” expressing how grateful they were to still be performing and sharing their music with fans around the world.

“We’ve been traveling the world now for 28 years and we worked on a lot of love songs btu we will gonna take you back all the way to 1999,” they said. “We know the Philippines has the best singers in the world so sing with us… Our first time to Sta. Rosa. It’s incredible. We are so grateful that we are all here with all of you and still living the dream.”

The energy picked up as A1 turned the venue into a dance party with “Same Old Brand New You,” “Be the First to Believe,” and “Summertime of Our Lives.”

From upbeat anthems to sentimental favorites, the band gave fans a chance to relive different eras of their music as they shifted to a more emotional set with “Walking in the Rain.”

One of the night’s special moments came when A1 tested the Filipino crowd’s singing skills. The members divided the audience into different sections, assigning each group a part of their special song for the Philippines, “In Love in the Philippines.”

The nostalgia continued with “No More,” before the members invited a lucky couple onstage to sing with them.

What started as an ordinary fan moment soon turned into something unforgettable when the male audience member dropped to one knee and proposed to his partner, who was revealed to be a longtime A1 fan.

She said yes, drawing cheers from the audience as the band and concertgoers congratulated the newly engaged couple. The members joined in celebrating the pair, making the proposal one of the night’s sweetest highlights.

A1 also gave each member a chance to shine individually, with Christian performing “If You Were My Girl” and Mark singing “Tomorrow.”

The group later brought everyone back to their feet for “Ready or Not,” keeping the energy high before another round of solo performances.

Ben took the stage for “I’ll Take the Tears,” getting closer to the audience as he walked around the venue and even handed a piece of memorabilia to a fan. Paul followed with “Let It Out,” giving his own moment to connect with the crowd.

 The sing-alongs continued with “Learn to Fly,” “One More Try,” “One Last Song,” and “Like a Rose,” with fans joining in on the beloved tracks that have remained part of the band’s musical legacy.

A1 also performed its cover of a-ha’s classic hit “Take On Me,” with the members dancing along and getting the audience moving once more.

Before wrapping up the night, the band teased the possibility of a special anniversary show in the coming years, giving fans another reason to look forward to seeing them again.

“In a few years we might be practicing for a very huge anniversary, would you like that? Thank you to all of you! We love you. We can’t tell you enough how much we appreciate you adn we are grateful of you,” they said.

A1 closed the concert with “Heaven by Your Side” as they promised to reunite again with their fans.

A1’s “In Love in the Philippines” was presented by Concert Republic. The show also had stops in Manila and Cebu.