When the songbird sings

Ang tropa…bow…wow-wow!, originally uploaded by Kaye.

JJ flanked by me and Fat, originally uploaded by Kaye.

Because we “labs” JJ.

Because I finally managed to successfully tweak my Flickr-Blogsome settings.
Because I told these people that I would post the photos on my blog (a big, big mistake!).
Because they agreed to have their photos posted on my blog (why on earth did I even offer, eh?).

Here be the image I salvaged from last weekend’s debauch…errr…gimmick.

I watched the Manila leg of INXS’s world tour last night at the big dome. We arrived at the venue a bit late and so we caught the last 3 pieces of MiG Ayesa’s opening for the band. The crowd was wild over the Fil-Aussie performer and reality TV show Rockstar:INXS alum who performed with The Dawn towards the end of his programme. Some 20 minutes later, INXS rocked the house, featuring its newest vocalist JD Fortune who won the reality show’s top prize last year.

I have to admit that I was a bit clueless about the band’s music in spite of their fame. Hey, they started out on the year I was born, and having no one to influence me, I didn’t grow up listening to rock music. Still, I enjoyed the show a lot and was I glad that we made it to the concert this time. Not having to worry about parking spaces does have its benefits.

After an hour of wild performance, which included “Need You Tonight”and “Switch”, the band bade the crowd goodnight. Fortunately, the audienced enjoyed their performance so much and so the show was extended with a 15-minute encore.

The rainy weather has been getting into me. I used to feel good about the break from the sweltering heat of summer, but now that I’ve sworn off taxi (at least, as much as I could) and took FX vans or buses to and from work, it doesn’t help that it rains nearly all the time. I’ve been working for the new company for two weeks now, and so far the experience has been positive. The fact that among my colleagues are good friends, Jane and Jay Jay of course adds to the beauty of things. That, and the 10:30 log-ins.

Last Saturday, I watched Opera Now’s “Evening of Puccini” at the CCP with a few pals. The event featured Giacomo Puccini’s most popular arias, topped by selections from Madam Butterfly and performed by Filipino and Japanese opera singers to mark the Philippines-Japan Friendship Year. It was great for the most part, but my mind blanked out at some point of the program’s second half. Last year’s program was better.

After the opera, we had dinner at Cafe Adriatico, which served mostly “Filipino comfort foods”. Being still full from the buffet dinner served at the pre-show cocktails, I could only manage hot pandesal with kesong puti and a kopita of warm tsokolate-eh. We had planned to eat at a nearby Persian restaurant, but due to the heavy rains, we chose the safest and most comfortable restaurant instead.

Just a bit of an update:

Marianne and I went to see the performance last night. It was one of those very rare occasions where one left the venue with “woooooow!” still ringing in her ears. The pianists were awesome and the selections were both crowd-pleasers while at the same time challenging. At piece #1 alone (Concerto in E flat Major for Two Pianos and Orchestra, k 365), Marianne and I were already thinking to ourselves, “I should’ve taken piano lessons!” My favorites were “Carmen Suite”, “Le Grande Tango”, “Mayon Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra”, “Salidumay/Kay Ganda ng OPM (performed by Ryan Cayabyab and the San Miguel Philharmonic Orchestra) and the finale “Rhapsody in Blue”. Raul Sunico did not read the notes the whole time while everybody else had his or her music sheet.

Lighting was superb, especially in the second half when both Philippine Philharmonic and San Miguel Philharmonic orchestras were performing with the eleven (not twelve as I had earlier mentioned) pianists. By the end of the program, only those who had weak knees didn’t give the musicians a standing ovation; the whole United Nations-like house was on its feet. It doesn’t happen all the time, especially with PPO performance. It’s not that the orchestra is bad–it’s just that the pieces that the group usually performs take a lot of getting used to.

Sidenote: I saw a former boss during the break.

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Rome gave me the tickets to tomorrow’s Piano-orchestra-ballet concert, Virtuosos, A Wealth of Piano Masters, at the CCP. Marianne will be my date. It’ll be nice to finally bring one of my closest friends to one them artsy-fartsy shindigs.

The sound of genius
A gathering of a dozen piano virtuosos
By Rome Jorge
The Manila Times

Imagine 12 of the best pianists performing with two philharmonic orchestras, playing the keys to George Gershwin’s irresistibly endearing “Rhapsody in Blue.” Imagine four pianists on two keyboards performing Franz Liszt’s highly animated “Hungarian Rhapsody” as ballet dancers transform every note into movement. Imagine a solo pianist bringing to life, with just one hand Gaetano Donizetti’s, opera classic “Lucia di Lammermoor.” Close your eyes and feel a multitude of fingers caress and strike the ivory, as the timbre resonates on your being, the swirling passion set your heart aflutter, as the sonic pyrotechnics become brilliant colors in the mind’s eye.

Now, imagine no more.
(more…)

I was not supposed to watch the PBB-Celebrity Edition on Baywalk last Sunday but read at any nearby coffee shop while Rome was covering the program. However, the PR invited me to join the dinner, and so I eventually found myself tagging along with the press pack and got a seat right there in front of the stage. Being there meant witnessing the crazy off-cam proceedings of the program as well as having a good view of the PBBCE participants , shamelessly staring at the first edition ‘housemates’ and Toni Gonzaga’s to-die-for legs and gawking at Sam Milby’s killer smile. I still think Rico is sexier and JB shouldn’t put too much makeup, but I go for beauteous karate girl Gretchen Malalad.

Rome was invited by his contact at MTV Philippines to attend Tim Yap’s birthday last Wednesday at Embassy bar at The Fort. And so we went there to hob-nob (I, mostly observing people) with anybody we personally knew. We met the staff of MANual mag and were greeted by the EIC, RJ Ledesma. The event was organized by MTV.

Tim Yap

The birthday party also became an occasion for the soft-launch of Yap’s new reality program to be aired starting next month on MTV. The program will feature, I believe, the lives of the country’s rich and famous and most important of all, cool (Lucio Tan is rich and famous but he’s not considered cool. There has to be that “cool” factor to make it to the new MTV show.).

Attendees at the party were treated to a ride-all-you-can fare at the nearby EuroStar Carnival. By the time we arrived at the venue, a few people were already waiting at a ride called “flipper” which resembled the Octopus of older days. Rome and I joined them. It was one heck of a ride but I had too much beer and no solid food at the party so it was only too lucky of me to survive it with my dignity intact. Next time, I’ll take a dose of Bonamine before getting aboard flipper.

When the session ended, Tim Yap was already outside the platform being televised greeting his well-wishers. This was where the funny bit happened. I didn’t know that there were TV crew outside Flipper recording the proceedings, so as we we were stepping off the platform we had no choice but to act as if we knew him personally. I still have a vivid picture of his facial expression in my mind, LOL! He was probably thinking, “who the ARE these people???” Happy birthday anyways. We could assure him that we did not gatecrash.

As it was an event for who’s who among the cool crowd (models, models and more models everywhere!), there were lots of people whose faces regularly graced the lifestyle sections of newspapers–VJs, commercial models (Amanda Griffin, Derek Ramsey, etc.), magazine editors (MANual, Mega and Cosmo editors were present), socialites (Celine Lopez, Jacques Dupasquier and co.), fashion designers (Rajo Laurel, for one), etc.

It wasn’t my crowd, my dear palanggas, but I had a fabulous time.

We watched “Light a Million Mornings” last Friday at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. The program featured the world-renowned Loboc Children’s Choir and CASA San Miguel’s Pundaquit Virtuosi string ensemble. What else can I say, it was magical, heavenly, powerful, inspiring, inspired. Too bad, it was only a two-night affair.

“Light a Million Mornings” was a benefit concert for Tuloy sa Don Bosco Streetchildren Village.

After the show, Rome and I had dinner with friends Shiela and Dan at nearby Yellow Cab. We brought Shiela to her house in Mandaluyong, while Dan went to Starbucks-Rockwell with us on our way back to Malate.

More about “Light” on P.U.B.

Rome’s account

On the Manila Times: Another day for you and me in paradise

Our company had its Christmas party last Wednesday at the Pacific Star’s Parasol cafe, the restaurant at the rooftop of the low-rise building. All departments were required to give group presentations–the works such as dance, song, skit, etc.–and come up with parlour games. Everybody had so much fun, not to mention that there was enough alcohol to fill up every beer-guzzling “tarsier” (our company mascot). Our group presented a skit-dance number.

I missed the exchange gift portion because I had to leave early. Rome picked me up from the party. The next morning, there was a copy of Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose” lying on my desk. It’s what I got from my “parent”, Iryll. I gave a pc webcam to my “baby” Jovy.

Butch and Em

Jansen and Russel

Alin ang naiba? With the E-Commerce and Multimedia guys.

Tech guys, led by Jeck, impersonating Orange and Lemons

With Nick and Mark (back)

Woot’s a Pinoy party without lechon?

The raucuous musical arrangers

The new hirees

Awww! May nawawalan ng mata…hehe!

With Marketing Department

“Huli ka! Nasaan ang pantalon mo???” Taking video of Mark’s legs. I love the dress and the uniform.

Have you heard “O Holy Night” in Nippongo disco version?

Sumayaw ka, mama!

Sige, sayaw pa!

Nakarating din ako sa NU Rock Awards ever! Hehe…I wouldn’t normally go to gigs like this one, but since the tickets were there and Friday nights meant “must have fun”, why not get into a new experience, I thought.

Rock FM station NU 107 held its annual NU Rock Awards last December 2 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City to celebrate the Philippines’ best in rock music.

Celebrities and VIPs (not always one and the same), rock artists and rock music fanatics crowded the hall to support their bets and to have a rockin’ time to the music of Sandwich, Imago, Sugarfree, Urban Dub and Junior Kilat. Hosted by The Dawn’s Jett Pangan, MYX VJ Karel Marquez and Asia Agcaoili, this year’s program featured sexy stars as award presenters such as Gwen Garci and Joyce Jimenez and girl next door Bianca Gonzales to name a few.

Winner ka, bai!

Junio Kilat brought the house down with their funky “Ako si M16,” a song about arms trade, which won this year’s Song of the Year while Jeross Dolino of Sheila and the Insects brought home the Drummer of the Year Award. Cueshe, another member of the south’s queen city posse, was nominated for the Rising Sun Award but lost to Orange & Lemmings…este! Lemons, which churned out hit after hit all over the airwaves.

If you have not yet seen punk band Kamikazee, then perhaps their Best Live Act Award should be reason enough for you to start attending their gigs. This fun band brings the craziest antics–say, Spidermam costume–even as they received this year’s trophy. “”Nanloko ba kayo? Lasing na kami!” they chided the crowd which applauded in approval. On the other hand, Updharma Down brought trip-hop to the limelight for winning the In the Raw Award, which is given to unsigned groups. Imago’s video for “Akap” won the Best Video Award.

Bamboo became this year’s Male Vocalist Award winner for his “Light, Peace, Love” album, a follow-up to 2004’s wildly successful “As the Music Plays.” Just how do fans cherish this cute dude? They even asked for his empty water bottle as a memorabilia.

Just like in the MTV Music Summit experience, I could only be happy to watch the show from the press/VIP section. Not only was the raised platform less crowded so it allowed for a better view of the stage, it also had food and cocktails for starving observers and celebrities on a diet.