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For the past 20 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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Kitchie Nadal in NYC: The concert review
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Date: October 28, 2006
Venue: SOL, NYC
IN a cold and windy night in Chelsea, Fil-Am music fans trooped to a club by the piers called Sol to see a concert featuring one of the most popular young artists in Manila: Kitchie Nadal.
The show, part of Kitchie’s US tour, also featured Aiza Seguerra and our very own local artists: Aikostar, S.I.G.H., as well as rapper Mike Swift, who also hosted the show.
The venue was actually a last minute change from the original site. And true enough, the venue, though huge and cozy, was more of a rave-club rather than a swanky Rock N’ Roll joint. But it did work for its purpose.
Openings
A Toronto-based artist-Kate D, with her band, opened the show with some original songs that are included in a compilation CD released by a Fil-Can indie company called Minerva Records.
Kate D’s performance was great and, like most opening acts, it set things up for the next artists and ultimately, Aiza and Kitchie. Kate’s brand of Alternative pop worked well to warm up the crowd.
Next up was S.I.G.H. The Long Island rock group fronted by the cute and fiery Sigh Robes tore down the house with a raunchy acoustic set. The whole band wasn’t there with Sigh Robes, only the band’s bassist- Jay-R Castillo, who was there to play acoustic guitar.
Brooklyn’s best Fil-Am prog-rock group, Aikostar, came up next and rendered an almost ethereal performance. Vero, the band’s Fil-Am front woman, displayed her amazing vocal range that garnered cheers from the crowd.
Vero was joined by Alex and Chris, who both played electric guitar, while Vero played the keyboard while singing.
Aikostar was followed by Mike Swift, who treated the crowd with his rap and stage antics.
The crowd was in a frenzy as soon as Aiza Seguerra’s name was announced. The dimunitive singer-songwriter, who rose to fame at an early age through Eat Bulaga’s Little Miss Philippines contest, came up with her acoustic guitar and played out her songs, most especially her hit number, ‘Sa Pagdating ng Panahon’. She closed her set with a cover of The Eraserheads’ ‘Ang Huling El Bimbo’.
The main act
Kitchie Nadal and her group came up right after Aiza’s set and quickly jumped into their repertoire. One curious event took place when Kitchie received a song request from a member of the audience. Kitchie invited the person who made the request to sing the song with her onstage. It turned out that the person was our very own veteran singer-songwriter Jing Angeles, who is still very active in the club circuit and making a name for herself in the tri-state.
Jing sang the first verse and chorus of Kitchie’s ‘Same Ground’ and almost upstaged the main act herself. She stepped out of the stage after the first chorus. Allegedly after Kitchie’s whispered request.
Kitchie went through her hits, namely: ‘Pag-Ibig’ - her contribution to the newly released APO Hiking Society tribute album, ‘Ligaya’ - her entry to the Eraserheads tribute album, and her original songs ‘Wag na Wag Mong Sasabihin, and ‘Bulong’. She also played songs from her debut album and some singles.
The show was great overall, though I am a little dissappointed with the billing. Kitchie, being the ex-frontwoman of Pinoy band, Mojofly, is relatively new in the singer-songwriter arena. Thus her catalog of songs are limited to her debut album and a few singles that made it into the soundtracks of TV shows and movies. Her two hit songs weren’t even written by her. They were written by Danny Javier and Ely Buendia.
It wasn’t like an Eraserheads show or a Rivermaya, or even a Parokya ni Edgar gig that is expected to be ‘hits’ laden, given the outstanding catalog of songs of these bands. It actually felt like the crowd went to the show and waited for Kitchie to sing those four songs and that was it. Good thing Aiza was there, as well our own local artists to at least give the paying people an assurance that their money and effort are worth it.
Kitchie is a talented songwriter and that is without question. It is just her short number of hit songs that made the show a music fest instead of a solo show with her on the top of the bill. Assuming that she will further record songs and come out with albums, Kitchie is on the way to becoming an artist overflowing with hits and whose shows in the future need not any opening acts to keep up with the ticket price.
But as for last Saturday’s show, with her topbilling, her set was rather anti-climactic.
Ted Reyes is a musician, composer, record producer and journalist based in NYC. If you have any comments you can visit his website at www.tedreyes.com or email him at tedreyes@mac.com
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MANILA -- A reliable source said that Dina Bonnevie might continue to do Gua Ai Di (Mano Po 5) despite reports that direk Joel Lamangan wanted to drop her after she fell ill. Dina really wants to finish the project for the sake of her son, Oyo Sotto’s girlfriend, Angel Locsin, who is the female lead in the movie.
Besides, she would not miss the chance to be in a sure Metro Manila Film Festival boxoffice hit.
The decision of Regal big bosses will be finalized on November 4 as it is the first shooting day intended for whoever will take her place. So far, Dina still has the role. According to our source, Dina will undergo a series of tests, but the doctor still can’t determine whether its in the uterus or elsewhere. Let’s hope its just false alarm for her.
In the movie, she plays mother to Angel who objects Richard Gutierrez as her boyfriend. She instead prefers Christian Bautista, who plays a singing superstar in Asia for her daughter.
We heard that Cherrie Pie Picache is the second choice for said role in case Dina won’t make it. (MNS)
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MANILA -- Anne Curtis is currently being linked to two Star Magic Kings: Sam Milby and Zanjoe Marudo. It’s said Sam takes her home after their tapings in “Maging Sino Ka Man,” but Zanjoe is also alleged to be her constant date. So, which one does she really prefer?
“No one,” she says at the presscon of her new film, “Wag Kang Lilingon,” a twinbill where she shares topbilling with Kristine Hermosa. “They’re both tall dark and handsome, but right now, I’m very happy being single. Napansin ko kasi, when I have no boyfriend, mas marami akong work. It’s been almost a year since I broke up with my last BF (Paolo Araneta, with whom she was on for a year and a half) at ang kapalit noon, marami kong projects.”
Is it true the first time she saw Luis Manzano, she said: “Magiging boylet ko ‘yan?”
“Yes, but that’s a long time ago. Bago pa siya nag-showbiz. We were introduced and he started calling me, pero naudlot kasi nagkabalikan kami ni Oyo (Sotto.) But we remain good friends ni Luis. Even at that time I was on with Richard (Gutierrez), very close kami.” (MNS)
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ACTRESS Carmina Villaroel states her self-imposed rule on days off like an 80’s B-movie title: “Kunin n’yo na ang lahat sa akin, wag lang ang Sunday!”
As host of QTV reality show “Day Off” that airs every Saturday from 8 to 9 p.m., she certainly practices what her program preaches to hardworking Filipinos. That is, even if times are hard and one needs to make hay, respite should still be observed.
“Kung ang makina nga kelangan magpahinga, what more ang tao?” she says during an interview. “People think that by working all the time, they are being productive. But in truth, their no-rest stand is counter productive. Nobody functions at his best if his life is the same as a zombie’s.”
Even when she was still single, Carmina has held Sundays as no work-days. What changed, however, is how she spends day offs. If before she would sleep all day, now she makes it a point to spend quality time with her family especially her two kids, Mavy and Cassy.
“Now if it can’t be helped and I have commitments on Sunday, I bring them and Zoren (Legaspi) with me. That way, kahit sa kotse man lang ay nakakapagwentuhan kami, nakakapagbonding,” says she. Carmina continues: “Now, kung wala namang trabaho, then Sundays are spent on eating out then malling. Pag may magandang palabas na pambata, we watch movies. Minsan naman, we bring the kids to the arcade.”
This premium on family time Carmina observes common to all of the regular folks they have given days off to in the show. She says that though it’s just one day, the memories built by and for the family is priceless and one that’s rewarding on the part of those involved in the show.
“Di lang ako minsan napaiyak sa show,” she says. “Iba kasi yung makikita mo na talagang na-a-appreciate nila yung togetherness that the show allows them. Sa panahon kasi ngayon na kailangan mong kumayod, family time ang madalas unang ma-sacrifice which shouldn’t be if it can be helped.”
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FILIPINO jazz guitarist, Noel Lorica has been listed in the first round of voting for the Grammys. And with his nominations of “Album of the Year” & “Best Instrumental Jazz Album”, two Philippine songs are included.
Noel’s versions of Sarong Bangi & Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit (Kasada ing Takna-a) are featured on his releases. We hope the Phillippine community and the voting Recording Academy members will support his efforts in showing the world the beauty of the Philippine Musicial Arts.
Noel was born in Manila and got his first exposure to music through his mother.
Through high school and early college life his influences were mostly rock, blues and folk music. Late in his collegiate life he got exposed to the music of George Benson, Earl Klugh, Paul Desmond, Stanley Clark, George Duke, Lee Retinour and the modern jazz instrumentalists.
The jazz bug definitely hit him hard and from that time on there was no turning back. He had to put his musical interest on hold to finish a degree in Veterinary medicine during the 80’s. After which he immigrated to the U.S.and started on his professional career in Philadelphia/New York area. His future wife, Dee, finally convinced him to move to South Florida in the late 80’s.
South Florida got his musical juices flowing again and he started doing small gigs, played with a couple of bands, joined ASCAP and started composing “Wayward Jazz” a mixture of different influences accented by the acoustic guitar. His debut album “First Dance” is a memoir of this musical journey and his quest continues as he adds new expressions to Latin and Standard jazz.
Through this, he also hasn’t forgotten his love for animals. It is with this thought in mind that he hopes to raise and donate some of the proceeds from his music to various animal welfare organizations.
The categories Noel Lorica is included in are:
Record of the Year (#338 El Viento, #339 Midnight Dreams, #340 Samba in A & #341 Scent of Cinnamon)
Album of the Year (#288 First Dance)
Best New Artist (#167 Noel Lorica)
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo (#142 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen & #143 My Favorite Things)
Best Jazz Instrumental Album (#117 Christmas Jazz - On the Smooth And Wayward Path)
Best Instrumental Composition (#168 Scent of Cinnamon & #115 Midnight Dreams)
Best Instrumental Arrangement (#45 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)
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