Classic & current stars in concerts

MANILA, Philippines – November offers two concerts featuring established Filipino artists coming together to entertain, somewhat primarily, the fans of their age and time. One concert features a current crop of Pinay divas falling under the same management, while the other showcases stalwarts of Manila Sound who found themselves together attending a friend’s wake and deciding to go on stage as a gang.

To say that these shows are value-for-money treats is an understatement.

The Divas (from left) Kyla, KZ, Angeline Quinto and Yeng Constantino

Come Nov. 11, fans of Kyla, KZ, Yeng Constantino, and Angeline Quinto will head to the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City to see their idols perform in the historic venue either as solo or as a collective force. The concert is simply dubbed Divas: Live In Manila, yet it’s no simple gathering as the four are each a certified star in her own right. Kyla was once christened Princess of R&B; that she is now elevated to Queen status implies she has made it to the long haul. KZ is an overnight sensation after becoming the grand champion of X-Factor Philippines as all indications point her to a long valuable career ahead. Yeng also graduated from being a Pop Rock Princess off the Pinoy Dream Academy to Superstar tag owing to her steady run. And then there’s Angeline, labeled as the Queen of Theme Songs or should we better say, the Regine Velasquez of the millennials.

Oh, the real Regine, or now Mrs. Alcasid, is actually one of the show’s special guests, along with Jaya and K Brosas.

“We hope our fans come to enjoy the show without triggering some sort of fight from the other camps by way of loud cheering. We are doing the show because we like each other and we’re entertaining all our fans in one big party,” expressed Kyla, winner of the MTV Video Music Awards in 2001 and often requested by foreign acts visiting Manila to perform with them.

Possibilities come aplenty, with the four likely doing fresh renditions of their hits, well-edited medleys or impromptu taking of request songs from the audience. One thing’s for sure none of them is there to upstage one another. What for? They each have proven their mark and they have the hits to boast. Yeng’s songs were featured in the PETA-staged musical Ako si Josephine to good reviews, thanks to her catalogue powered by songs like Hawak-Kamay and Ikaw. Angeline’s Patuloy Ang Pangarap is perhaps this decade’s top inspirational song for people with big dreams while Kyla’s Hanggang Ngayon is a karaoke staple. Of course, KZ’s interpretation of Mahal Ko O Mahal Ako gave the Himig Handog brand another hit to brag about.

KZ recently performed in front of the press her engagingly classy version of Imelda Papin’s classic Isang Linggong Pag-ibig.

“Alam ko po ang lugar ko pagdating sa aming apat kaya okay sa akin ako ang mauna mag-perform,” KZ mused. It’s her way of telling everyone she has remained grounded.

All four are managed by Cornerstone Entertainment, with its Cornerstone Concerts arm and Star Events serving as promoters of Divas Live. The concept of gathering them is bound to reach other countries. Hence, the need to state it’s live in Manila. Safe to say, too, they are world-class and therefore deserve to be counted as international stars coming  to Manila. (For tickets, call Ticketnet at 911-5555 or log on to www.ticketnet.com.ph.)

Twelve days after the diva show (Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.), some icons from the ’70s stage their own party at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila (RWM). Called Yugyugan Nation!, the concert is described as a retro dance fest featuring songs from acts like VST & Company, Boyfriends, Hagibis and Sampaguita.

But to see these artists, or some key members of groups from those OPM-pioneering acts, grooving to their own songs live should make coming to RWM on that Wednesday night truly exciting. The all-star list includes Hagibis frontman Sonny Parsons, Gary Arriola and Bob Guzman of Boyfriends, and the super group 70s SuperBand. One rose among the thorns is special guest Sampaguita.

“We’re offering fun and we’re not alienating the younger generation. All are invited to sing and dance,” said director Freddie Santos.

The idea of doing Yugyugan came up at the wake of songwriting legend Snaffu Rigor who passed away last August. For that, the show is paying tribute to the man by performing some of the hits he penned. It is not revealed what songs but one may expect for tracks like Macho Gwapito and Eto Na Naman or quieter tracks like T.L. Ako Sa’yo and Bulag, Pipi at Bingi.

Snaffu was a member of 70s SuperBand whose current line-up are his brother Male, Nonoy Tan, Rey Magtoto, Mon Espia, Jun and Nitoy Mallillin, and Monet Gaskell. Mon is of the Labuyo fame while Male and Monet had been members of VST & Co. Nonoy assured they won’t replace Snaffu.

Asked how come the 70s was such a jovial era music-wise, when in fact it was the Martial Law years, Sonny explained, “Personally, I am apolitical and I did not put politics in my job as an entertainer. Our scene generally didn’t get in the way of what was happening on the political side. We’re promoting fun through music and we’re all friends. The word was yugyugan and it sounded Pinoy.”

He added, “For all that’s been said about her, I think former First Lady Imelda Marcos helped energize music and arts in our country during that time.”

Yugyugan Nation is presented by Ultimate Shows, Inc., with Butch Miraflor as musical director. (For tickets, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 and Box Office 908-8000 local 7700).