OPM hits galore on Valentine weekend

MANILA, Philippines – Two loaded mix of Filipino musical artists with hit songs to boot are coming together to entertain lovers, friends and families this Valentine weekend. Most of them are from the ’80s and ’90s when their gifted breed established OPM through melodies and lyrics that stood the test of time.

Top R&B band South Border, led by longtime front man Jay Durias, and rock balladeer Top Suzara join forces on Feb. 12, 8 p.m. at the Kia Theatre in Araneta Center, Quezon City. The show titled Valentine Playlist is touted as a good Friday night spectacle as both artists, close friends off-stage, plan to lead an “interactive” show that intends to keep a “real” and free-flowing party as opposed to being too “designed.”

Also the concert’s musical director, Jay, when asked about the challenge of coming up with a playlist considering the public’s obsession for romantic songs, replied, “My job is to keep the feeling going through the arrangements and marry all those songs in one big gift.”

At the presscon held last Feb. 2, Top couldn’t contain his excitement, saying: “It’s always great to be onstage with people very close to me.”              

Kyla will also join in as guest, along with a Pinoy rapper yet to be officially named. It’s likely that Kyla and Top will perform Freestyle’s popular version of Ogie Alcasid’s Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang.

Of course, spectators can expect South Border hits to be performed, notably Rainbow, which Jay himself sang on record, Love of My Life and their breakthrough piece Kahit Kailan.

Top has his fair share in the hit parade with Before I Let You Go, which he recorded as then member of Freestyle, and Sabihin Mo Na, a radio hit he released when he went solo.

Presented by MV Productions, Centro Hotel Palawan, Kia Motors and Quick Reliable Service, Valentine Playlist (tickets available through Ticketnet outlets or by way of www.ticketnet.com.ph) is one concert that promises professionally delivered mainstream band music since both South Border and Top are veterans of the show band gig circuit wherein live acts cover songs precisely.

Realizing that South Border is a rare success, owing to its original hit songs that most show bands aren’t expected to produce, Jay related, “Show bands should hone themselves copying someone else’s music and then they should try to make their own songs from the heart.”

After Valentine Playlist, Saturday night fever goes up as #LoveThrowback, presented by the fast-growing concert promoter Royale Chimes, gathers recallable solo acts from the not-so-distant past at the PICC Plenary Hall in Pasay City. The star-studded concert begins at 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 13.

The ’80s biggies Marco Sison, Raymond Launchengco and Gino Padilla are teaming up with ’90s stars Wency Cornejo, Chad Borja and Roselle Nava for a walk down memory lane. As if this gang of great voices is not enough, Rico J. Puno and Nina (who notched a hit with Nyoy Volante’s composition Someday) also come on board.

“Our line-up itself assures audiences that it is a night to hear lots of classic OPM songs,” said Gino, whose share of noted tunes to his credit includes Closer You and I, Let The Love Begin and Gusto Kita, an Indonesian melody set to Tagalog poetry by Metropop winner (for Bulag, Pipi, At Bingi) Snaffu Rigor.  

Enumerating the songs popularized by the LoveThrowback  group is like reading the contents of a long supermarket receipt.  

Raymond has the definitive class graduation theme Farewell and videoke piece I Need You Back, while Marco boasts of nostalgia in grand fashion with Make Believe and My Love Will See You Through.

Wency is one proud hitmaker with many hits to mention, mostly as vocalist of ’90s band act Afterimage: Habang May Buhay, Next In Line, Mangarap Ka, Tag-Ulan, Tag-Araw, Hanggang and more.

Roselle scored a couple of hits in the ’90s as those who watched the movie English Only Please will be delighted knowing she’s the voice behind Bakit Nga Ba Mahal Kita.

At the presscon recently held at the Luxent in Timog, Chad got extra media attention when he joked that he only had one hit (referring to Ikaw Lang) to brag about but lots of trees to show as he is “into planting trees.” 

In fact, he revealed having planted about a thousand trees. 

Asked for his principle behind such passion, he said, “It’s a therapy for me and it is my way of helping Mother Earth and addressing global warming.”

Come Feb. 13 as #Throwback happens, it’s the familiar tunes and emotive voices that will mesmerize the romantics in sure therapeutic sense.

(#Throwback tickets can be bought at SM Tickets [472-2222]; Ticketnet [911-5555]; and Ticketworld [891-9999], or for other inquiries, call Royale Chimes at 0918-4972121.)