I DISCOVERED something on Tuesday when I joined thousands of screaming fans for a night out with American rock band Fall Out Boy: Technology cannnot be trusted at concerts.
Ten minutes before the lights went down, I left the mosh pit for a quick bite and arranged to call my friend Terence on return.
What I hadn't counted on was that mobile phone signals would be blocked once the show started at the Indoor Stadium.
By the time I got back, the lights were out, the music was blasting, and I couldn't get through.
“Where r u?” I texted frantically.
No reply.
When I finally got through, I was surprised to hear a well-spoken woman on the other end: His answering machine.
By then I had successfully squeezed my way through hundreds of sweaty bodies to my friend’s supposed location in the front near the stage, but I still couldn't find him.
There I was, alone at a concert, sandwiched by a mob of strangers.
Suffice to say, I didn’t have the best time. Perhaps I felt displaced and slightly miffed at the failure of my trusted mobile.
It was then that it occured to me how a slip in technology can make or break your entire concert experience.
Mobile phones aside, don’t we remember Rihanna’s disturbing rendition of Disturbia last November? Or Panic At The Disco at Singfest? Fans had to endure instrumental renditions of these songs thanks to faulty microphones.
And even when the microphones behave, the bass and drums tend to drown out the singer - as in Patrick Stump's case on Tuesday night.
But, with all the uncertainties, it’s good to know that there are some things you can count on: The people on the ground.
Big Ben was there to block the vertically challenged behind him; Bobo was beside me to unleash her bodily aroma every time she raised her arms; Cammy and friends insisted on watching the live show through their digital camera screens.
But what would a concert be without them, and the potential technical glitches?
Still, the element of unpredictability is probably what draws us back to concerts since every moment counts.
You will get your technology back afterwards but you'll probably never get to feel like a Fall Out Boy groupie again.