Maroon 5 comes back to Manila in May for another much-awaited concert (photo courtesy of M5 management)

MANILA, Philippines – “It was our first time in the Philippines, so we weren’t sure what to expect,” Maroon 5 lead singer, Adam Levine, says of their first visit to the country three years ago in an exclusive interview with Bulletin Entertainment.

“But,” he adds, “the atmosphere of the city and the energy of the audience made it a great experience to play there, and we’re very much looking forward to coming back.”

That opportunity won’t be for long, though, as Maroon 5 is scheduled for its much-awaited second engagement in the country in May this year. Their latest album, “Hands All Over,” released in September 2010, has so far earned them gold and platinum awards in 35 countries already.  And, naturally, it has taken them out on the road—or in the air—once again.

With a good part of their lives spent on “touring pretty consistently since 2002,” as the band says, there is a downside to the life of a working band. “Each time is different,” they say. “However, the one constant that makes it hard every time we leave is just trying to stay healthy while on the road.”

Indeed, coping with the stress of touring, not to mention the physical toll of racking up all that mileage, is a time-honored tradition among musicians. Inadvertently, though, it makes for some not-so-desirable habits. “You have a tendency to get lazy with your diet and exercise,” the share with good humor. Luckily, they note, “We travel with a yoga instructor and try hard to enjoy the healthy local cuisines.”

But the upside is far more rewarding for the band. For instance, Maroon 5 is known for holding exclusive meet-and-greets with fans. “The connection at a meet-and-greet is equally amazing for us,” they share, “because we feel the support and appreciation from them. They’re not a number of a sales sheet for us; meeting the fans one on one and getting that love from them drives us to do better.”

As such, keeping that fan connection remains an important aspect of the group dynamic. Regarding their Maroon 5 SIN (Strength in Numbers) fan club, they explain, “This was something we wanted to establish to give back to the fans for all support; to give them more of an inside look and opportunities to be a part of our lives.”

Whereas other rock bands have consciously gone out of their way to keep fans at bay, Maroon 5 likes to make its fans feel special.  The M5 SIN fan club offers exclusive content from the band, giveaways, special gifts and merchandise offers to members. In fact, the club offered an exclusive pre-selling period for Filipino fans for the band’s May concert last January 18 and 19, throwing in a 10% discount on band merchandise from the SIN online store.

“We’ve seen greater support from the fans since it (SIN fan club) launched, and it also gives the fans a chance to let us know their thoughts on what we do, and we listen to them and use their comments and suggestions to improve as musicians and performers.”

And they have not stopped there. Trumping the benefits of social networking sites, members of Maroon 5 admit to being tech-savvy. “We are, because in today’s world you have to be.  We love the fact that we can connect to our fans via Facebook and Twitter.”

As a platform to better reach out to fans, it has proven incredibly useful to them at opportune times. “We posted on Facebook, Twitter, and our fan club sites that we were shooting our latest video for the song , ‘Never Gonna Leave This Bed,’ and fans could come out and be in the video if they wanted.  A lot of the people you see in the Gruman’s Chinese Theatre are our fans that heard via the Internet we’re shooting and have came out to support. It was a great experience.”

Filipino fans can connect with Maroon 5 on another level with the band’s May 23, 2011 concert at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia grounds.

As Adam notes, “We’ve put together an awesome concert with great power and energy behind our songs and performance so the fans can expect the best show we’ve performed to date from us.”

For more tickets and more info on Maroon 5’s “Hands All Over” tour stop in Manila, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call 891.1111.