Philippine Music bits on Pinoy bands and singers

By: Love Dela Cruz

It was a rainy Saturday on June 23, 2007 as one hundred and fifty plus bands played simultaneously for the Fete-De la-Musique event in Malate, Manila. This collision of music genre is an event sponsored by the French consulate.

The Fete-De la-Musique originated from the luscious scenery of France, it started out with bands playing concurrently in different stages and giving the fans the ultimate night of their lives. Soon more and more countries joined in the craze and now the Fete-De la-Musique is the most anticipated music extravaganza that can rock an entire nation.

The roads were blocked, as four separate stages took over the small gimikan place of Malate in Manila. Despite the bad weather that took upon the participants, it was astounding to see that everyone was still having fun.

My first stop was the reggae stage; I caught people dancing with and without any umbrellas proving Mother Nature that the youth of today are even more rebellious than before.

To make it more visual here’s the list of performers who were rocking the stages that night, In Nakpil Cor. Ma. Orosa St, we had the World, Blues, Jazz, Funk, Reggae & Ska slash Electronica Stage which was graced by bands like Peryodiko, Taken By Cars, Daydream Cycle, Drip, Makatha, Cosmic Love, Switch, Salindiwa, Milagros Dancehall Collective, The Chongkeys, The Rinka Collective, Bagetsafonik, Paramita, 4mh, Jeepney Joyride, Blue Rats, The Spaceflower Show, Jerome Rico, Sound, Wahijuara, Brass Munky, Bembol Rockers, Coffee Break Island, Swissy, Outerhope, Ang Bandang Shirley, Blazing Bulalakaw, Juan Pablo Dream, Musical Orgasm, Pinikpikan, Spy, Skabeche, Johnny Alegre Affinity and the now making a noise band Sino Sikat?

On the other side of the street where Adriatico St. Cor. Nakpil we find the Hip-Hop and R&B Stage, now this is where I saw how the pinoy hip-hop community was afraid of some rain and wasn’t able to show the fellas on stage the lovin the deserve. The hip-hop artist performing that nigh were Sinag and God’s Will, Nimbusnine, Krazykyle, Slick n Sly Kane with Mista Blaze, Corporate Lo-Fi, Audible, Syke, Pamilia Dimagiba, Chilitees, Out of Body Special, Mobbstarr, Jay Flava, Hi-C, Miscellaneous, Stick Figgaz, The Expansion Team, Urban Outlaws, Artstrong, Dash and Esp, Monique with Metagrove, Ill-J, 2tay, People’s Future, Flipballaz, Aero, Ampon, Los Indios Bravoz, Diwata, Mike’s Apartment, Dcoy+The Franchize and Sunny Blaze, Nathan J, Circulo Pugantes, Mhcrew and Audible.

After moving and grooving to the beat of some gangsta music leds head over to the wet streets of Plaza Rajah Sulayman, Roxas Boulevard where the Universal or the Main Stage is located. Here we saw mainstream acts such as Orange and Lemons, Stonefree, Salamin, Cynthia Alexander, Radioactive Sago Project, Up Dharma Down, Mayonnaise, The Dawn, Alibata, Mojolfy, Wake Up Your Seatmate, Snakecharmer, Lala, Kadangyan, Slapshock, The Bloomfields and Erskin. Talk about big shot names, this stage was THE stage.

But let’s not forget what most of these kids were here for. If you like wearing black shirts, Chuck Taylors, skinny jeans (and you’re a guy) and you love the sound the banging and slamming of the drums, well this stage was meant for you.

Located at the Remedios Circle, Remedios St. Cor. Adriatico, is the Rock Stage. This was the box-office stage in the event, here bands like hicosci, Sin, Badburn, Moyg, Intolerant, Hampaslupa, Boy Elroy, Hilera, Greyhoundz, Cog, Valley of Chrome, Kapatid, Join the Club, Resurrected, Typecast, The Ambassadors, Check, Analog, End of Man, Mortal Fear, El Mercurio, Pin Up Girls, Ducks Entertainment, The Wuds, Vox de Murk, Redd Boy, Eternal Now, Severo, Effinboiche, Reklamo, Dirty Stone Yard, Giniling Festival, April Morning Skies, Subscapular and the band formerly known as Cheese now Queso, was playing like there was no rain and tomorrow.

The fans were bumping and maiking their own small moshpits, awaiting the jump of the lead singers.

Despite the harsh weather the Fete-De La-Musique was a success. This sentiment can be shared by those die hard music lovers out there who would endure anything just to listen to great and free music, let’s not forget cheap booze.

Tags: Manila Fete de la Musique, Philippine Music News, Pinoy Bands

By Phoebe Dorothy Estelle

A significant event will happen to the Philippines’ favorite pop star Sarah Geronimo as she stages her second major concert. According to Viva Entertainment big boss Vic del Rosario this serves as the defining moment of the premier young artist.

In “Sarah Geronimo in Motion” the singer –actress will perform with Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, Sam Milby, Jericho Rosales, Mark Bautista, John Prats, and Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai delas Alas. A concert series will also run in United States particularly in California, New York, Alaska, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas in August and September.

Sarah’s Music

Four years ago, the Celine Dion original “To Love You More” captured the heart of the nation. The song was popularized by the “Star For a Night’s” grand winner Sarah Geronimo in 2003 who used it as her winning piece.

Sarah was 14 years old when she garnered the glory. At such age, she wowed everyone with her powerful voice. It seemed impossible that such vocal prowess would come from a girl her age.

Her debut album, “Popstar, A Dream Come True” brought her sextuple platinum award. Incidentally, her single “Sa’ Yo” was use as campaign jingle by senatoriable and a computer school that Sarah endorsed.

Sarah’s another track “Twin Heart” was the theme song of a GMA soap opera with the same titl, top billed by Dingdong Dantes, Tanya Garcia and Dennis Trillo.

Her sophomore album “Sweet Sixteen” was a gold record in one week. “How Could You Say You Love Me,” “Lumingon Ka Lang” and the revival, “I Want to Know What Love Is” were the pop tracks that helped Sarah to gain the Most Popular Female Recording Artist by Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Award in 2005.

While performing as mainstay of ASAP, Sarah was officially lauched trhough her first major concert, “Sarah: The Other Side.”

That same year Sarah recorded songs for several consumer products including “Tunay Talaga” for top sanitary napkin ad, and“Ang Bango ng Pasko,” the yuletide season ad for a detergent powder. Sarah was slowly becoming hot property.

Also in 2005, Sarah sang the official theme for “Can Be This Love,” the launching flick of Star Circle Quest winners Hero Angeles and Sandara Park. The song attained gold record sales in only one month.

This year, Sarah will release her new album entitled, “Taking Flight.”

Sought After Singer-Actress

Sarah not only conquered the recording industry, she’s also one of the most sought after star on TV and the big screen. It started when she joined the 90s youth oriented show “Click.” When she transferred from GMA to ABS-CBN she starred in her solo program “Sarah: The Teen Princess” where she had three leading men.

Last year, she conquered the primetime with her singing and acting in the TV adaptation of “Bituing Walang Ningning” where she revived the character that Sharon Cuneta immortalized.

After her one month engagement in “Love Spell: Sweet Sixty”, Sarah is set to do one more primetime assignment this time with Jericho Rosales, “Pangarap Na Bituin.”

In movies, Sarah did “Lastikman”, where she played leading lady to Mark Bautista, “Captain Barbell,” “Filipinas,” and “Annie Batungbakal.” Currently, her mother studio is working out to remake “Dear Heart” that will be her major movie opposite John Lloyd Cruz.

Before being known as teen icon, Sarah already had past projects when she was a kid. She was part of “Pen Pen de Sarapen” and “Ang TV” while her first film would be “Sarah, Ang Munting Prinsesa,” where she’s one of the classmates of the lead actress – Camille Prats.

A Major Transformation

“My fans will be seeing a different me. I’ll be dancing. And my costumes will be – how would I describe it – daring and sexy,” Sarah described her July 14 concert that will start 8pm at the Araneta Coliseum.

The show promises an intense, spunky, and buoyant Popstar that will be directed by GB San Pedro with Mark Lopez as musical director. While, the music man Louie Ocampo will have a special participation.

The Anak TV Seal nominee for “Most Popular Household on Philippine Television” has become an inspiration for many aspiring singers. Sarah Geronimo has gone a long way, indeed. And there are more to conquer in Philippine showbiz, no doubt about that.

Tags: Sarah Geronimo, Philippine Music News, Pinoy Albums