Category Archives: music

Madonna’s Masterpiece

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A couple of days from now, all earthlings will get to enjoy and listen to Give Me All Your Love, the title of the soon to be released first single of my favorite artist Madonna.  This dancey song’s release-highlight will be the much anticipated ala-Cirque-Du-Soleil Madonna’s performance at the Super Bowl Halftime show slated early next month.  Too bad Super Bowl is not gonna be held in this “more fun” assuming country.

But before everyone start dancing to this soon to be released single that will mark the start of this year’s worldwide invasion of The Queen, let us first listen and fell in love to the gorgeous song of Madonna entitled Masterpiece.  It’s so gorgeous it is nominated (and amply predicted to win) for Best Original Song in the 2012 Golden Globe Awards.

I actually have yet to hear this song being played on local radio.  This splendid ballad was never officially released but was instead used as one of the official soundtracks of the movie W.E. which Madonna herself directed. Give a spin to Madonna’s “Masterpiece” …

http://youtu.be/CTuKeK19e90

Ang pagbabalik ng Reyna ay parating na. Nag payl ng bekeysyon lib si Leydi Gaga kahapon. Hehehe

Life Begins at 41

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my "thank you" message I posted on facebook

I woke up sneezing and noticed that my nose hairs have grown faster than the previous years.  This gave me the confirmation about what my good friend said that “Life begins at 41”.

Today is my 41st birthday.  People say that age is just a number but in a world where everything is judged in numbers, birthdays in some ways can be disturbing.  For me, one does not encounter a big deal about age until the age 40 comes to an end.

Life begins at 41.  It is the age when one realizes that youth has totally passed and you are being treated with pronounced respect.  People calling you “sir” to signify your stature can be flattering but this also adds to the pressure of behaving your age and definitely slims down social acceptance for immature stupidity.  Yet it is the age when childish fun is no longer juvenile experimentations but actually just for the sake of pure fun.

Life begins at 41.  You may gain weight by simply smelling the food and bodily defects starts to ensue – receding hairline, bulging tummy, blurred vision, grey hair, etc. But it is the stage when being young at heart can be awesome.  You’re not too old yet not so young…

Life begins at 41.  Crow’s feet showing at the edge of your eyes are inevitable.  But don’t get me wrong because for me crow’s feet are not something to cover up – they’re something to celebrate.  Each crease, fold and wrinkle was slowly built throughout the years by countless joyful smiles.

Life begins at 41 and today my life begins…

http://youtu.be/YAq9ZUTo1Dc

Kung baga sa bingo… Sa Ennn! Cuarenta y uno…

Do you have “The One That Got Away”?

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Human beings 40 years old and above at one point in their early lives has encountered a special relationship with another person may it be in the form of unexplainable infatuation, true love or irrational lust.  It is the special feeling that you at such a tender age thought would last forever.  But at some point in time it is destiny who will judge that both your cards just didn’t fall the right way which results to your drifting apart.

Since destiny joked on you by encountering unexplainable and uncontrolled circumstances, feelings of regrets sets in.  Longingness to relive the special feelings and yearning to revive the failed sensation ensues.  This regret, longingness and yearning is like an unresolved bump in the throat, it is like an unsolved crime caused by incomprehensible mystery.

As you age, the only option you will have is to admit, recognize and endure that the person whom you had a failed mystifying affection for is the One That Got Away…

Kung ikaw ay cuarenta pataas at wala ka nito, siguro dahil ikaw ay isang pinagpala o kaya’y di ka lumalabas ng bahay sins bert. : )

Madonna in Manila! Wehh???

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OMG!!! Madonna the Queen of Pop is on a negotiating table with somebody here in the Philippines!!!  As messaged to me by my good friend Jesse, according to a leaked but unconfirmed itinerary document about the Madgesty’s upcoming world tour next year, Madonna if all things settled will perform here in Manila on May 8, 2012. (press this link to read more about the leak)

To connect an insane dot on this issue, a couple of months back when I along with my co-workers decided to have lunch in SM Mall of Asia we passed by the SM Arena that is presently being built adjacent to SM-MOA.  Dominic (the Operations Manager in the company I’m working for) told me that the arena being built is due to finish early next year and there is a rumor that Madonna is to usher in its grand launch by being the first person to perform in the high-tech structure.  I actually dismissed what Dominic said informing him that I (being a Madonna fan) have yet to hear or read about Madonna planning to have another world tour.

To further connect another freaking dot on this issue, a couple of weeks back my college classmate Karen Batangan posted on my Facebook wall that Madonna is due to hold a concert here in Manila.  When I tried to verify this information, this came from socialite Tim Yap’s tweet.  However, I dismissed this information after knowing that it came from Tim Yap since Tim Yap is not the type of person to be taken seriously.

And to still further connect another bizarre dot in this ever rising rumor or fact is that in recent days, I was able to catch a TV interview of Marvin Agustin who plans and dreams to bring a Madonna-concert here in the Philippines via his Futurement, Inc., the concert-organizing company who produced the recently successful Bruno Mars concert here in Manila.

In case Madonna’s concert will not push through here in the Philippines, this will actually give me a good reason to travel back to Australia to catch one of Madonna’s big nights Down Under.  (Calling on Joesel, paki book mo na ako sa bahay mo on April 2012. LOL!).  This is of course aside from having to catch up again with my dear Aussie friends…

Jusko, jusko, jusko! Eksayting!

My My Sharona Itch

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There are two events I always remember every time the song My Sharona by The Knack is played on the radio.  First is when I was still a young soul – who is not yet ear-fatigued from club music – me and my sister Jocel would make sure to proceed to the dance floor in high spirits to strut and bop every time the DJ plays this mind-blowing tune.   Second is the amazing scene in the movie Reality Bites when the song was played inside a convenience store and was asked by Jeanene Garafolo to turn up the music for them to hoof, twist and hustle.  After watching that scene, I always itched and wondered how it feels like to sing and dance freely along the aisles of a grocery store.

Today, I caught a Youtube video that somehow animated my secret wonder.  It’s Sara Bareilles (who claimed to have difficulty doing the dance routine) strutting her stuff inside a Mexican supermarket. It’s so insane!! It made me laugh at the end of the video because the last scene would most likely what would happen to me in case I would take the risk of fulfilling this infatuation.

Oo, aym so wird…

Relaxing With Andrew Lloyd Webber

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The venue was relaxing, the cocktail was sumptuous, the music was pleasing to the ear, the crowd was elegant, the lighting was keen, the stage design was remarkable and the performers were impressive.

Due to this, my whole experience watching and listening to The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber held last Tuesday night (June 28) at CCP’s Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo was simply outstanding.

Aside from the praises I indicated above, the best thing about the show is that it need not require its viewers to bring along their brain in the theater. The musical does not have a usual story line to think and analyze about.

The show was great but it could have been better.  The program was an extravaganza of  compiled great works of Andrew Lloyd Webber but it was not structured in a way that would generate and give birth to a different story similar to that of Mama Mia (the compiled songs of Abba) or The Boy From Oz (the compiled songs of Peter Allen).

Or maybe it was really intended this way so that the viewers would go home relaxed and unwind-ed.  It was simply a chill-out type of revue.  It was so relaxing, I wanted to sleep and suspend my sensory activities during the program!  By the way, my top three favorite Andrew Lloyd Webber compositions were included in the program – Love Changes Everything (from Aspects of Love); Tell Me On A Sunday (from the show of same name); and, No Matter What (originally sang by Boyzone).

With story or not, overall, I had a rather enjoyable time at the theater that night…

Kinigkinig lang…

Blown Away by The Lion King

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me & nengkoy inside the sands theatre

I will no longer wonder why The Lion King (Musical) won seven Tony Awards in 1998 including Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical.  I, Nengkoy and a few of my relatives were able to catch and watch it in Sands Theatre inside the stunning Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

It was actually the event that gave me the reason to journey back and revisit Singapore.  True enough the spectacular theatrical experience never disappointed us.  For a moment a sense of guilt came over me that the other members of my family weren’t there to enjoy the amazing and awe inspiring performance.  How I really wish that I can bring everyone there to see the glorious colors, breathtaking effects and enchanting music.

Aside from the spellbinding music and unbelievable visual stimuli of the set design and costumes, what I particularly like about The Lion King is the simple story line.  It is lighthearted and never preachy.  It does not attempt to move you to tears nor be subjected to an emotional roller coaster ride.  But ironically, the show nearly moved me to tears and gave me a delightful emotional roller coaster ride.  I was happy!  It is nothing but pure fun, genuine giggle and overwhelming enjoyment that would be best felt and experienced with the members of your family.

http://youtu.be/-pgZtzDj_7o

When the ensemble waved goodbye and the curtain went down right after the show, the uncontrolled words I uttered were… “I’m blown away!”

Peyborit ko yung dyirapi!!!

The Boy From Pasay Met The Boy From Oz

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I along with Nengkoy and a few members of our family are excited to see the spectacular Lion King – The Musical in Singapore this coming weekend.  But before I write, praise or critique this tuneful show, let me reminisce the experience I had watching an enjoyable musical which, I fortunately saw when I was in Sydney a couple of months ago.

me inside capitol theatre in sydney

Australia’s iconic stage musical The Boy From Oz had a limited run at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.  I and my friends were auspicious enough to have caught it.  The two-week run featured the amazing Todd McKenney who reprised his role as the legendary Peter Allen.  It was like watching Lea Salonga reprising her original role of Kim in Miss Saigon.

I did not expect too much from this musical but the spectacular show and the main character’s perfect high-kicks with poise and precision captured the bright spirit in me.  I was actually silently singing along while the show was running because almost all popular mainstream Peter Allen compositions were featured – Don’t Cry Out Loud; I Honestly Love You; Everything Old Is New Again; and, I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love.

But personally the song I enjoyed most was not sung by McKenney but instead sung by the young Peter Allen played by Blake O’Leary entitled When I Get My Name In Lights.  While hearing the young thespian brilliantly sang and impressively struts his feet on the stage, it made me realize that I would definitely enjoy watching the rest of show as it progress.

The three Aussie friends I was with – Jesse, Jericho and Joesel – turned amazed and felt the ultimate Australian pride when the song I Still Call Australia Home was performed.  I could actually feel rare goose bumps were swelling out from their goose bumps.  While the same song was being sung by the ensemble and the high-spirited audiences were singing along, I on the other hand went so vulnerable for I wanted to rush to the nearest embassy to process the immediate conversion of my citizenship from gorgeous Pinoy to audacious Australian.  Good thing I did not have the time since I wanted to see how the story would end.

In a nutshell, the show was great, fantastic and very enjoyable.  I, the boy from Pasay had a pleasant experience seeing and meeting the Boy From Oz.

Aym impresd!!!

Awesome Mush-Up

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I woke up, turned on my computer, check my Facebook account, did a little construction and rent collection of my Cityville then open Youtube to check and confirm if my personal discernment that Lady Gaga’s hit Born This Way sounded similar to Madonna’s classic Express Yourself.

Indeed, there are numerous videos in Youtube that tried to compare, equate and link both songs.  After checking out a couple of mush-ups, Fil-Am Youtube star, Manny Garcia’s funky and spunky version I think is the best.  It even got a dash of Cee Lo Green’s Forget You sprinkled with Enrique iglesias’ I Like It and Kelly Rowland’s When Love Takes Over as a cherry on top.  It’s a first-class, first-rate, five-star mush-up!

Check out Garcia’s genius work…

Tuod ang di mapasayaw nito.