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com A sold-out Martin, Charice, Bamboo and Kim and Xian Concert Captivates thousands of fans and raises funds for ABS-CBN Foundation Words and photography by Rene Villaroman Concert King Martin Nievera is enjoying the warm sunshine at a posh resort hotel pool in Cebu when the call from Robbie Fabian of the ABS-CBS Foundation came. Would you do us the honor of performing in a concert to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Balitang Amerika on May 26 at Home Depot Center? Fabian asked Martin. Of course, Martin answered in a heartbeat. He knows better than to turn this offer down. He had cut his teeth as a performer with the ABS-CBN network, and as long as the concert did not conflict with any prior commitment, his attendance is a sure bet. Martin also has been supporting the Foundation, the concerts beneficiary, through his talents in past fundraisers. The ABS-CBN Foundation International of which Fabian is president is huge. It is huge in both its vision and mission. It is involved in the management and growth of charitable endeavors that need the nurturing and financial support of a well-oiled and respected foundation like itself. There is Bantay Bata 163, a media- child caring and rescue organization; E-Media, or education through multi-media; Sagip Kapamilya, poverty alleviation in disaster-affected and marginalized communities; and Bantay Kalikasan, initiatives for the environment; and Volunteerism programs, and Childrens Center which caters to preschool and grade school pupils. Fabians call for help also was heard by international singer, songwriter, record producer, model, dancer and soon-to-be X Factor Philippines judge Charice Pempengco. Francisco Manalac aka Bamboo, formerly of the rock band Rivermaya, also heard the call, and so did TFCs popular love team Kim Chui and Xian Lim. Since this was a 10th anniversary concert, the entire cast of TFCs Balitang Amerika, headed by anchor Gel Santos-Relos and most of the nightly news programs California correspondents were also on hand to share the limelight and to greet their hundreds of fans. Scorpio learns that there would be an exchange of citations between the Foundation and the city officials of Carson, California, where the Home Depot Center is located. Home Depot Center had waived the rent for the concert through the intercession of Carsons Mayor Jim Dear, who is accompanied in the ceremony by longtime Carson councilmember and Mayor Protempore Elito Santarina. The ABS-CBN contingent includes honcho Raffy Lopez and Robbie Fabian. The concert is sold out. Concertgoers are arrived at the venue as early as 3:30 pm, Scorpio notes, for a concert thats slated to begin at 7 pm, and one of the reasons is the public service fair thrown in by the

TFC Balitang Amerika crew on the second floor plaza of the Home Depot Center. At this program, entertainment numbers, a quiz show, and prizes are thrown in. The event preparation was so efficient, even though the organizers are understaffed. Robbie Fabian is manning one of the ticket windows, handing out IDs and wrist straps to volunteers and media members, with assistant Nerissa Fernandez at an adjacent box office window. By 3:45 pm, Scorpio has secured his credentials, along with a bevy of volunteers. Even Adrian Lecaros, the 46th District California Assembly candidate is already happily greeting arriving concertgoers in front of the stadium. The show started on time, which is quite surprising because it was a Pinoy event. Scorpio thinks that it has to be on time because it is being held in a mainstream venue, and as such, has to stick to the schedule or pay a fine. Martin Nievera, hewing to the anniversary theme, sings mostly older compositions, some of which he has sung in ABS-CBN entertainment programs of the day. This is not Martins greatest performance, and Scorpio knows because he has seen almost all his concerts in Southern California. Even his adlibs are fewer and do not sizzle. Or maybe, this is really not his core audience. But being the trouper that he is, Martin gives the concert his best shot. Earlier at the reception on the Concourse, he greets Scorpio with, you with the best questions, is how he shows that he remembers him from past press conferences and interviews. Remembering Scorpio by the quality of his questions and not remembering his name: precious. Photographer Joe Cobilla tells Scorpio that Charice may not make it, but he knows enough that the info is unsubstantiated. Cobilla says, I cant wait for Charice because I have promised Edith (Montelibano) that I would catch up to the other show being held at the Shrine. It turns out that Joes tip is a dud. Charice appears sans fanfare. But Scorpio is flabbergasted by her garb and overall appearance. Charices fake blond hair is parted at both sides of her head into a bun on top, and she appears like a miniature female ninja, sans the black kimono. She wears a light gray baseball jacket and leopard-print pants and what appears to be faux leather boots. Scorpio thinks that the new look is a complete turnaround from the time in 2010 when she burst into Pinoys living room via television in her historic first appearances in the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Ellen Degeneris Show, where she is wearing age and sex-appropriate girls dress. Charice, the singer described by Ms. Winfrey as a young Filipino singer with major pipes, was born 20 years ago in Cabuyao, Laguna. For Petes sake, she is not even legal to play the one-armed bandits in Las Vegas. But now, garbed this way, just a couple of years after she became the darling of Winfrey, Ellen de Generis, Celine Dion, and David Foster, among other Hollywood celebrities, she appears to be going through a discovery phase in her sexuality, Scorpio thinks; and he is left unbelieving. Scorpio is disappointed that Charice, the teen wundersinger from Laguna, has quickly and misguidedly transformed her preppy, squeaky clean image into an edgy and more mature one in only a couple of years since her American debut. Scorpio thought that most concertgoers would remember what she wore, but they would not retain the titles of the newly released pop songs that she performed during that cool Saturday night.

What is worth remembering and pondering over is Bamboos performance, which is new to Scorpio. He has never heard or seen Bamboo perform in the past. Scorpio knows nothing about this Bamboo, until he searched his web site, and discovers that Bamboo is musician-singer Francisco Manalacs stage name. Bamboos performance is surprising on many levels. He is able to fix Scorpios, and the audiences, attention and to make him bob his head and follow his theatrics as he prances and leaps on the stage; jumping in the air, bobbing his head, and directing the his back-up band with by bobbing his head and flailing his arms. Scorpio is mesmerized by his songs; he is sucked by the eloquence of his lyrics and the surprising novelty of his rock songs. This is amazing, Scorpio says to himself. This Bamboo is unbelievably good. In 2003, after living in Los Angeles following the band Rivermayas tour of the US, Francisco Manalac, as he was known before assuming a solo career in 2011, returned to the Philippines. Nathan Azarcon, a former Rivermaya band mate, introduced him to Ira Cruz and Vic Mercado. They then formed another band. That band received numerous awards, including Band of the Year in the 2004 MTV Pilipinas, and the 2004 MTV Style Awards in the Rock Style category. That band broke up in January 2011. In September 2011, after deciding to go solo, Bamboo released his first single, Questions, followed with the release of his solo album, No Water, No Moon in November the same year. His web site states: Bamboo is known for presenting his musical vision that go beyond his craft; with songs whose messages are often a source of inspiration to Filipino youth, Bamboo is considered a Philippine rock music icon. When asked by a journalist recently about how he views his success, Francisco Manalac said: I never see it as competition; but we all do want to stand out, have a real voice as I think its all about the work you put in even before you get on stage or in the studio. People can spot a phony when they see it or hear it. One of the hits in the concert is the team-up of Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. The love team is the lead cast in a TFC teleserye, and that segment of the concert brings back memories of the Nora Aunor-Tirso Cruz tandem in the 70s, right down to the less-than-perfect singing of the male star. A diehard lady fan of the teleserye is able to grab an empty seat on the front row, right beside where Scorpio is sitting, telling him that I drove miles to see them in person, and Im not going to miss this chance to get a photo, or something to that effect. Scorpio being unconcerned, just opens up a space for her to move in with her tiny digital camera, in the process blocking his view of the presentation while she slithers slowly down to the edge of the stage to grab a shot of the young make-believe lovers. This is a truly Filipino family entertainment event, and poor Scorpio, who does not have TFC in his cable package, does not recognize and cannot relate to the duos popularity. But Scorpio is the exception, as most of the attendees that filled the Home Depot Center tennis stadium enjoyed the performances and went home feeling good about themselves. Apart from getting their fix of Pinoy entertainment, they also feel they are helping a charity and that part of the money they spent to buy admission would go to the charitable institutions that are under the wings of the ABS-CBN Foundation. Scorpio, despite his early misgivings, feels good about himself, having done his part

documenting the concert in words and pictures through the pages of PinoyWatchDog.com, even though he cannot relate to the Lim-Chiu love team.