5 exciting things about SB19's 'Back In The Zone' concert you can look forward to

As we’re headed into yet another round of ECQ, P-pop group SB19 hopes their music could be a source of comfort and hope.

Their virtual concert “Back In The Zone” is locked and loaded for August 1, and here’s what Pablo, Justin, Stell, Josh, and Ken want fans to know!

1. They’ll be performing songs for the first time.

^{Photo courtesy of ShowBT Philippines}

And it won’t just be songs from their freshly-dropped EP “Pagsibol.”

“We’ll also be doing solo performances that they can look forward to,” says Justin.

Pablo adds, “There are songs they’ve never heard, and performances they’ve never seen.”

And apparently, that included something special from Ken!

2. Justin is directing the concert.

^{Photo courtesy of ShowBT Philippines}

SB19 won’t just be performing onstage; they’ve also been hands-on with the production.

“We’re involved in 80 or 90 percent of the preparations,” Josh says, with the organizers giving them free rein on lighting, stage, design, and other aspects.

Justin, who directed their music video for “What?” and conceptualized the lyric video for “MaPa,” will serve as the concert’s director. “Our higher-ups asked me if I wanted to, and I accepted it because it’s an opportunity and an exercise for us to improve ourselves.”

3. Each song they will perform will be its own production number.

^{Photo courtesy of ShowBT Philippines}

“It’ll feel like you’re watching a movie, in a way,” Pablo says. “For example, one of our songs has a horror theme, so we made sure that they would see, hear, and feel the horror vibes when we perform it.”

Since A’tin (SB19 fans) can only watch from their homes, they’re pulling out all the stops to amp up the audiovisual experience.

4. Fashion will play a huge part.

^{Photo courtesy of ShowBT Philippines}

Ken, nicknamed fashion king by the group, reveals that they didn’t partner with a designer or brand for “Back In The Zone,” and instead enlisted the help of a trusted stylist to make sure their personalities are reflected in their wardrobe.

“He would ask us first what we have in mind for a performance or a certain song,” says Ken.

Stell shares that even they were surprised by the outfits they’ll be wearing onstage. “We were like, ‘Wow, are we really gonna do this?’”

5. SB19 plans to take a break!

^{Photo courtesy of ShowBT Philippines}

This pandemic notwithstanding, the boys have been hard at work for their “Ikalawang Yugto” since the year started. After their concert, Stell, Josh, Justin, Ken, and Pablo are planning to go on a trip together for a much-deserved break.

“Climb a mountain, hiking, get some fresh air and nature,” Justin enthuses.

“We’ve actually never gone on vacation together, like to the beach,” adds Josh. He wants to try parasailing and flyfish riding while Stell wants to go scuba diving and surfing.

In the meantime, they’ve been rehearsing at least 9 hours a day on top of speaking to local and international media, doing collabs, and connecting with A’tin on social media. It’s tiring, they say, but worth it. “‘Back In The Zone’ is our way of giving back and giving thanks for all their support,” Stell says.

“When we hear them say, ‘Your song saved our lives,’ or ‘Your song motivated us to do these things,’ it makes us want to work harder,” adds Pablo. “We hope they enjoy the concert!”

Find out how you can buy or win last-minute tickets on the band's Facebook page. —JCB, GMA News