My Ten Favorite Concerts of 2013

I was lucky enough to see twenty different concerts this year from a slew of local and foreign acts.  Some were disappointing but some were good enough to reach my top 10.  Here they are -

#10 Onerepublic 

 

Thanks to this concert, I was able to discover how good some of the songs were from Onerepublic's Native album, especially Preacher.  Ryan Tedder sounded kinda off though that night.

#9 Aerosmith

 

Steven Tyler growled and sang like a pro the night he was here in Manila.  Too bad I forgot my camera at home!  The stage set up at MOA was just fantastic!

#8 Lea Salonga

An impeccably well directed show, Lea Salonga has the set of pipes which even nightingales would envy.  She was in top form during her show a few weeks ago.
 
#7 Enrique Gil

 Probably the only non-singer who was given a chance to have a concert this year.  Enrique only had to take his shirt off and the Araneta Coliseum would turn into a shrieking mess!  This boy is definitely hot!

#6 Lawson

 

When Lawson came to Manila last April, they were not that famous yet but they have since gained more popularity and I won't be surprised if they fill up the Araneta Coliseum when they come back here!

#5 Jason Mraz

Jason Mraz's show didn't have too much gimmickry and he has depended solely on his earnest delivery of many of his hit songs.  Thanks to this show, I was introduced to I'm Coming Over and A Beautiful Mess.  Lovely, lovely songs!
 
#4 Gary Valenciano

A veteran already of almost 30 years of live shows, Gary V.'s series of intimate shows during the stormy month of August was probably the most cozy show I saw this year!  Gary just set the mood right for the whole show!


#3 The Killers

I don't know why I  got emotional during some of the songs that Brandon song during The Killers' concert here but I did and Brandon really performed the band's songs pretty well!  Definitely a show I would watch again if I can!
  
#2 Swedish House Mafia

One of the best concerts I have ever seen!  Electrifying opening song! Tight set!  Lots of reasons to stay dancing!

#1 Alicia Keys

Alicia's show had some wonderful surprises - it added to the already tight and exciting set she had prepared for everyone that night!  Another memorable concert!

Gary V. and Me with My Pure Energy Friends!

1984 was the year I discovered music, I was 13 years old then and a seventh grader about to enter high school. The summer of 1984 was probably the coolest summer of my life, because I discovered Michael Jackson (the Thriller video was played over and over and over and over again on TV), Billy Joel was singing Uptown Girl to Christie Brinkley, all the contestants in Eat Bulaga were dancing to Madonna's Material Girl and Culture Club's Boy George had Karma Chameleon, which introduced me to gay men who actually 'almost' dressed like women! 

And then there was Gary V. 

His first album, Gary, was, in my opinion, toe to toe in creativity and depth in singles to Michael Jackson's Thriller. It was that good! I actually talked to Gary years after, in 1998, after his performance at an MTV concert, and I told him how earthshaking and influential his first album was in my life - that playing it was like being in heaven - and that I wished he would sing 'You Got Me Working', 'Betty's in Bed', 'Hang On', and After All" live - since I NEVER saw him sing those songs live or even on local TV! And he said, he couldn't. I was shocked and asked why. He said he couldn't because of some contract BS that he signed when he made that record that forbid him to sing those songs. How very sad....

So, last night, as me and my Pure Energy friends, Heidi (the real Gary V. fan in our barkada), Honey, Joan and me trooped to the Music Museum to have a dose of his music, I was secretly hoping that when he'd sing his 'old school' songs, that he would go way back, as in WAY BACK to 1983. He did go way back, but only to 1989. Frankly, after Shout4Joy in 1991, I kinda tuned out from his music since by the time I was graduating from college, the innovative band from UP, the Eraserheads, was slowly revolutionizing Pinoy music - and their subversively clever lyrics were more interesting to listen to - and around this time, Gary was already leaning more to Christian music, which for a young man like me, at that time, was NOT really the music I wanted to listen to.

Anyhow, when Heidi asked me if I watched concerts of local singers two weeks ago, I said yes, and when she asked if I liked Gary, I said, oh yeah! like the first concert I EVER watched in my whole life was Gary V in 1986! Of course I loved him! And so, after NOT seeing a full concert of his for almost 26 years, his prodigal fan returns!Well, the special effects of the show was really clever! 

This is the first time I've seen it done here - and I've been to almost all live shows! You'd have to see it to find out what it is! I was really impressed that Gary's production team decided to use that technology. Also, Gary's voice is still the Gary I know from 1983! While wayward singers like Whitney Houston and locally, Nora Aunor, have lost their singing voices, the Gary I heard last night was just topnotch - gave me goosebumps really! Now this is a guy who just took care of his gift and all his fans last night, I'm sure, are really thankful that he still sounds divine!As for Gary's dance moves last night, well, I am 41 and I realize now that he's just 6 years older than me, but at 47, the guy can still move - and move really well! Since I also do hip hop classes, I know how the body can be a traitor - that even if you want to do certain moves, you just can't anymore, because the knees give in and the legs are just not what they used to be. So to see Gary match the two Maneouvres dancers step by step was quite impressive to watch! Of course, he said later, he didn't do too much of those since he wanted to save it for his 30th anniversary concert. 

Gary had a lot of chatty moments last night and it allowed us, his audience, a peek into how his show was conceptualized, how his family took part in the show, how groovy the music of the 80s was and a lot of cheerful banter that seemed like having a friend you haven't seen in a long time, hang out with you in your living room! The intimate nature of the Music Museum allowed that ambience.Of course, he got a standing ovation after the show because just a cursory scan at the audience - you'd immediately notice that these are his true blue fans who have stuck with him throughout his 29-year musical journey. Now, we look forward to more!

My OPM Myx Countdown Votes This Week - April 30, 2012

After sizzling in the lower rungs the past few weeks, finally, Tanya Markova gets to the position they've been used to before - as the most voted OPM song of the week - a feat they did before with Disney, Picture Picture and Linda Blair.  This week, they return with the first song from their repackaged album - Tanya Mark-over - and the song is Da Facebook Song.

#1.  Tanya Markova - Da Facebook Song (4 requests per day)

#2. Sarah Geronimo, Somedaydream, Gary Valenciano - Tuloy (3 requests per day)

#3 - Emmanuelle - Happy (2 votes per day)

#4 - Chris Cantada - Scarred (1 vote per day)

My Favorite OPM Songs of 2011: #14 Gary Valenciano - Home

According to Gary Valenciano, this song was actually from an earlier album - and what he did was pick out some songs from his different albums and put them in a new one which he released last year. I don't really mind that since it kinda gives this song a new lease of life. It should! It's such a beautiful song, and as usual, Gary sings it with such tenderness and reverence! It comes in at #14 in my year-end list!

The Sweet Energy of Gary Valenciano

 

“Teach me to trust in you with all of my heart, to lean not on my own understanding, cause I just forget, you won’t give me what I can’t bear, take me out of the dark, my lord, I don’t want to be there, ooh, ooh my lord.”  Such was the sweet and inspirational lines that served as a “lullaby song” for me during one night of the 80s.  I was alone in the darkness of my room, and as if, a certain electrical powers run through my veins as I was virtually touched by the message of the song.  I didn’t know the singer, but I really felt that he performed the song from the very core of his heart.  In fact , I could sense that the song, mirrored or reflected something about this man’s past life.  Because of my curiosity, I came to know that the man behind the song is no other than Gary Valenciano, Mr. Pure Energy, or Gary V. as he is fondly called.  Born on August 6,1964, to a bicolano father and to a Puerto Rican mother of Italian descent, the boy was christened Edgardo Jose Martin Santiago Valenciano.(1)  Gary’s mother used to sang opera in manila during 1960s.  It is given that Gary inherited his beautiful voice from his mother.  He attended his primary and secondary schooling at the La Salle Greenhills.  That is why he can be seen sometimes at the gallery of “Animo La Salle” fans during the UAAP basketball games.  The fact that music and singing are very much in his veins and blood, and coupled with gifts of dancing and energy, Gary V, made his debut in the music industry and later, as an actor.  Early on in his career, lady luck already smiled on him by reaping accolades, recognition, and praises not only from the music industry, but also from the movie industry.  Without doubt, Teenagers, young adults, and even the “oldies” idolize Gary’s voice and his signature movements and dance.  The songs, ‘eto na naman (here comes again), ‘di bale na lang (just don’t give a piece of mind),’ were welcomed with so much enthusiasm and fervor.  Imagine Gary V. singing the tunes together with ala Michael Jackson moves, surely, the viewers cannot but be struck in awe and amazements.  I once saw unbelievable energy when he performed at the SM North Edsa, sometime in the 80s.  I was really petrified by his dazzling moves and indefatigable energy.  We have many singers cum dancers here in the Philippines, but, no one magnetize me so much to his mini or major concerts than, Mr. Pure Energy.  He is really enjoyable and inspiring to behold once he performs in any show.  The audience don’t get tired of watching him because they, too, are electrified by his energy.  However, in all of those seemingly “superman” activities of Mr. Gary V, we can also hear some sad, dramatic events, and trials that somehow just exposes the human side of Mr. Pure Energy.  In his 23 year career, one can hardly see that he has a “sweet cross” that he carries with sweetness and serenity---Gary V. is a diabetic.  When Angeli Pangilinan married him, she knew that Gary’ zest and fervor cannot be hindered by this trial.  So, she decided to manage her husband’s affairs so that she could moderate and take care of his health.  The couple even have three kids who are all energetic just like their father.  Another trial that crossed his career was the famous rivalry with Martin Nievera, his contemporary.  Martin is also well-loved by his generations, and in fact, even to the present, Martin’s style is a crowd drawer.  Actually, he is dubbed as the concert king of the Philippines.  With this kind of rivalry, where Gary V. somehow felt the “underdog,” he drifted into a false sense of insecurity.  He pitied himself.  He thought that his career would come to an end.  But God, has other plans for Gary.  He doesn’t want that Mr. Pure Energy’s talents be put into waste.  Hence, Mr. Gary V. reflected again on his composition: “teach me to trust in you with all of my heart, to lean not on my own understanding, cause I just forget you won’t give me what I can’t bear, take me out of the dark my lord, I don’t want to be there.”  Gary V. became a changed man and a singer.  He accepted other’s god-given talents and recognized his own and weaknesses.  He turned to the Lord and offer his talents for god’s greater glory.  Later, Martin and Gary V. became friends and they consolidated their friendship by staging a major concert at the Araneta Coliseum.  Dubbed as “As 1”, they really performed their hearts out to the delight and amusements of their fans.  Indeed, the warrior in Gary V’s person is a child.  A child, because he humbled himself like a little one, so as to be helped and taken out from the darkness of insecurities in life.  The sweetness of his perseverance and his ever enduring courage and energy will actually rub on to his fans and admirers.

Footnotes:

1.    WikiPilipinas

      

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Gary Valenciano: Still Mr. Pure Energy After All These Years

            Born Edgardo Jose Martin Santiago Valenciano, he is better known as Gary V,  Mr. Pure Energy. Eleven times he got the Best Male Performer of Awit Awards which he really deserves.  He has twenty-six albums to his name.

He is a contract artist of ABS-CBN. Some of his songs are theme songs of soap operas and mostly box-office hit movies of Star Cinema.    

His first television appearance was in “The Pilita and Jackie show”  sometime 1982, followed by Germspesyal then Penthouse Live. His first solo performance was at the Araneta Coliseum in the year 1984.

He is also an actor who was nominated as “Best Single Performer by an Actor” in the PMPC Star Awards for TV for his role in the Maalaala Mo Kaya episode where he played a prisoner who did an about face and turned back to Christ.  He is always in the Holy Week drama special, Gulong, produced by GMA 7.

He just released his new album Replay last year with “Did It Ever” as carrier single.

If you have seen him on stage, and for sure you have, you would know in an instant why he is called Mr. Pure Energy. He gyrates, dances and does body maneuvers while singing. How he sings!  He can be seen every Sunday noon at ASAP. When he is the one singing, you can feel the audience listening. Even his colleagues in the industry sit up and listen to him. You can also see how they respect him.

            What I also like about him is that he does not exaggerate his facial expressions like somebody in his genre. It looks as if he is a very decent fellow who expects respect and gets it.    

            One of his songs that I like is “How did you Know”.  It is all about meeting someone when you needed someone to have  a positive effect on your life. It is a rather common idea for a song but the way it was sung and the melody gave it a new poignant twist. 

            Have you heard of Gary V’s “Take Me Out of the Dark”? I am sure you have. Who have not? It is a very beautiful ecumenical spiritual song.

 Ecumenical in the sense that I can relate to it as we have the same God although different ways of showing our love and adoration for Him. I know he is Born-Again and I am Roman Catholic but nevertheless, it does not stop me from appreciating the song, singing along with him, and being touched by the lyrics. The wordings of the lyrics are the same things I ask God about.

            It speaks of God’s love for us even if we hurt him by sinning again and again. The song is also asking us to trust in God wholeheartedly. Oftentimes, hearing this words does not fail to prick my conscience because I am guilty of not putting my trust in God.

I always wanted to know the what and the why and the how of every thing especially if something is not good or if something has disappointed me. It sometimes gives me goosebumps particularly if I am on an “emo” mood, as adolescents say nowadays.

            Everybody should listen to spiritual songs now and then but most specifically in the morning to start our day right, especially if it is sung by Gary V.  

            “You’ve never left my side, You gave Your hand to me to hold, Oh Jesus, I’m no longer in the cold”  Nice, isn’t it?

            On the lighter side, I love his song “Di Bale na Lang”.  It is a dance-y song, all about a suitor who is waiting a long time for a  girl  who cannot decide whether she loves him or not.  He is ready to give up but then he is not moving on because he really loves the girl. Poor boy. Also, poor girl.  

            “Natutulog ba ang Diyos” is another song of Gary V. I like. It is all about a person who thinks that since she is lonely, God is sleeping. She is waiting for God to show her the way not knowing that the way to her happiness is already there just waiting for her to act on it.  O ye of little faith.

“Sikapin mo, pilitin mong tibayan ang iyong puso, tanging ikaw ang huhubog sa yong bukas…”. It applies to everybody. No one can make us happy but ourselves.    

New OPM Music: Gary Valenciano Returns With 'Home'

Trust Gary V. to come up with another uplifting ballad! This time, the ballad is entitled Home and gauging from the lyrics of the song, it sounds like a song about a prodigal son. Well, just my take on it. I haven't voted for it yet since there are other songs in the countdown which I like but the song should grow on me in the future. I've always been a Gary V. fan! I guess it's time to check out his Rebirth album too and get myself a copy!

Revisiting the Genius of Gary V. - After All

Gary has had a lot of hit ballads from religious ones 'Take Me Out of the Dark', to Christmas songs, 'Pasko Na Sinta Ko' to his iconic 'Di Na Natuto', but among all those, this is my most favorite one - and yes, it came from that 'Gary' album I've been talking about in this series of articles honoring this guy's genius - which he had even as a young singer and composer in his 20's!

I was still a teenager of 13 years when I heard this song and of course it was only as an adult in my 30s that I really realized what the song meant. Like most beautiful love songs, it's about heartbreak - and that fervent wish that even after that break up, the other lover will realize that it was you he or she was looking for, 'After All'!

Revisiting the Genius of Gary V. - You Got Me Working and Betty's In Bed

About the same year Michael Jackson released the iconic, 'Thriller' album, Gary Valenciano released 'Gary' - an album with almost the same energy and bounce as that album from the King of Pop - and unsurprisingly, for many Filipinos, Gary V. remains the local King of Pop.

These two songs - You Got Me Working and Betty's In Bed - were the first two songs in that album, and these were my theme songs during the summer of 1983. I couldn't stop playing Gary's tape in my Walkman. These were just the perfect anthems to that enjoyable summer vacation we had in my cousins' house in Ozamiz City.

I did meet Gary years later, after an MTV show and Vic and I went backstage. I requested him to perform these songs in his next concerts and he said that he couldn't since the label owned the songs and not him. Isn't that sad? I did see a Youtube video of him doing You Got Me Working so maybe everything turned out well in the end. I haven't heard him perform Betty's In Bed live, though. Now that would be a treat!

Revisiting the Genius of Gary V.

This will be a series of videos from Gary Valenciano, featuring the songs from his first album which he released way back in 1983, simply entitled 'Gary'. This is, arguably, one of the best albums ever released by a Filipino artist! I know none of the songs in the album has the social commentary prominent in the earlier work of Freddie Aguilar and Asin, or the later work from the Apo Hiking Society and Francis Magalona, but in terms of energy, vibrancy and pure pop joy - I really haven't heard any local artist rival this work up to now! Well, maybe Francis M. - but he worked mostly as a rap artist.

I was only 12 years old when Hang On became Gary's first hit single. Interestingly, I won tickets to his concert because I joined a radio station competition which asked precisely that question. I was the first caller to phone in the correct answer. That show was way back in 1986 and it was still held in the gymnasium of the Sacred Heart School for Boys in Cebu City.

Every song in this album is a gem and as most of the people who commented on this Youtube video says - none of the songs here is a throwaway - an observation I fully agree with!

Don't Lose Hope With OPM Music - There's a Gold Mine Out There!

I am actually sad that local radio stations have to be prodded to play OPM (Original Pilipino Music) songs. Radio stations always lament that OPM is dying, but ever since I decided to actively listen to OPM through the MYX video channel, I realized that there was a wealth of music out there, original music, being created by today's Filipino musicians!  I could actually buy one OPM CD a week since there is so much music to be discovered yet!  I started listening last March 2010 only, and I already have the CDs of Dagtang Lason, a rap group; 6cyclemind, Kiss Jane, XLR8, Letter Day Story, Juris, and Aljur Abrenica.  And that's only scratching the surface!  If I had more budget, I will even buy more!! So OPM is not dead!  We just have to spread the word out there that there's a lot of good music to be discovered!  I really have to thank Myx video channel for opening my musical horizons!

My Favorite OPM Song This Week - Gary Valenciano - Did It Ever

I've been a fan of this guy since his 'Betty's In Bed' days, and I did ask him why he doesn't sing songs from his first album, and he said, a record company already owns the rights for those songs - such a pity really. I love his early work with songs like 'You Got Me Working' and 'Han...g On' - it's a pity he can't sing those songs live!  Anyhow, I love his new single.  It kinda grew on me, took me three weeks to finally notice it, since I first heard it.