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The talk amongst music geeks in recent weeks is the apparent
thriving concert scene in the country involving international
artists. Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Josh Groban, Fall Out Boy, My
Chemical Romance, Ne-Yo, Maroon 5, Incubus and Harry Connick Jr.
have all caused many of us to part with our hard-earned moolah.
Heck, even Richard Carpenter flew in for a special performance with
chanteuse-turned-bus operator Claire De La Fuente and President
Arroyo herself. Sure to fly in over the next few weeks and months
are Swing Out Sister, Toto, James Blunt and Duran Duran. And if my
sources are doing their job, we can expect Paramore on July 21 and
Panic At The Disco on August 14. The most interesting part of these
chats involves the speculation on and anticipation for the supposed
arrival of the really big guns; will U2, the Dave Matthews Band and
Madonna grace us with their very big and imposing presence before
the year is out? Stay tuned.
For those who like their music live and
unadulterated, it’s a big deal to be suddenly inundated with all
these artists flying in. There hasn’t been such a wave of popular
foreign artists “invading” our shores since the days of the
chinovela pop stars died down and left us gasping for breath
(hyperventilation caused by either extreme adulation or plain
disgust). One has to wonder if anything’s changed in the overall
“concert climate” in these parts that have suddenly caused
Manila to join the ranks of some of our more cosmopolitan neighbors
in attracting top tier recording artists.
For sure, the general improvement in national
security must have something to do with it. How can I forget the
time I had to ask for a refund when Oasis cancelled their show here
because of security concerns? The same thing reportedly happened
with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Slipknot. Despite the stifling
political climate, there hasn’t been a major security issue
(hotel-invading sprees by detained senators aside) anywhere in the
country in recent months that could shoo away potential visitors.
That in itself is worth a standing ovation.
While big names like Bjork, The Police and The
Cure still only make it as far as Singapore and Hong Kong, local
promoters are reaching farther and going deeper to try and convince
artists to include Manila as a stop on their world tours. Even
shopping centers are getting in on the action; thanks to Ayala
Malls, we got to watch Elliott Yamin, Taylor Hicks, The Click Five,
Julia Fordham and Colbie Caillat for free, while Eastwood City flew
in Mandy Moore for a night. Thanks to corporate sponsors shouldering
a huge chunk of the costs, it’s becoming increasingly clear that
astronomic ticket prices aren’t an issue. Seats for shows by
Beyonce and Groban reached into the P20,000 area, and yet people
still came in droves. When it comes to artists we like, we Pinoys
have shown that we’re willing to shell out however much it takes
so we can be right there in the audience, singing along to every
word.
Finally, it’s our nature as music-loving folk
that must be reeling in all the prize catches. Despite a thriving
local music scene, we’re not exactly about to let go of our
obsession with Western pop music. Artists have a stronger-than-good
chance of dropping by to do a show in Manila if their current
releases achieve some kind of sales certification like gold or
platinum. Judging by the artists that have swung by our shores in
recent months, and in spite of the worldwide trend of plummeting CD
sales caused by digital downloads, we’ve proven that we’re still
voracious music consumers.
[In the age of rampant piracy and illegal file,
proceeds from concerts are one of the few guaranteed means for
musicians to earn. Foreign artists now need to scour what was once
considered backwater territory to earn the same proceeds. - Ed.]
It feels pretty good that we’re finally
getting some love from all of these artists. It’s one thing to
hear Colbie Caillat, Maroon 5 or Vertical Horizon on record, quite
another to be right there watching them perform live. Whether I
personally like them enough to spend my hard-earned cash for tickets
is beside the point. What’s important is that we’re finally on
their radar. For the consummate music lover, nothing beats the
experience of a live concert put on by a favorite artist. Now can
somebody reading this please bring in The Perishers, Howie Day, John
and Arctic Monkeys?
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