GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE
PMPC (Phil. Movie Press Club)
Also farmed out in similar versions to Pilipino Mirror, Remate, Iskandal, pmpcstarnews, etc.
On our way to the wake at Funeraria Nacional-Araneta Ave. of colleague Ernie Enrile due to cardiac arrest at 65 & thru the dispassion of another colleague Joey Sarmiento who was driving his Inova with love of his life & singer in her own right Sophia, we took it upon ourselves to take a peek at the birthday concert of movie scribe Alex Datu at Cowboy Grill-Timog, barring dreadful foreboding of one life lost & cremated for viewing and Maring’s torrential goodbye out of the country. Get the drift?
There were pleasant surprises though.
Colleague Roldan Castro’s ward DK Valdez was far ample soulful and I was more than convinced why he bagged Best New Male Artist from the PMPC Star Awards for Music.
Honest so touched was I to DK’s highly nuanced & sensitive renditions.
Same with my favorite pop singing champion title holder Gerald Santos who gets pitch perfect and adorable all the time in all of his outings.
Beverly Salviejo provided the necessary breather for good laughs and “vaginal” humor on the side with a voice that’s truly captivating.
The iconic Tessie Lagman from a long absence confessed it was her tribute to Alex for love and she was such a lovely sight. A bonus for the celebrator’s memorable day.
And what about Alex Datu himself?
Was he up to his “moment,|” rather “Now’s The Moment!” as he billed the concert?
Alex was most bubbly, vivacious that night breezing through his songs with patented, haunting voice of bygone days of yore. Surprisingly, he sang one Spanish song with flair except for his v’s. Keep it up Alex even if others are getting livid with envy hahaha!
I must say Tyrone Oneza’s performance was far from pleasurable, but then take note that was a real heroic act worthy of a prize to please real hard and gamely as well a friend on his natal day. In fact Tyrone made up for it generously by turning the event into a circus of famished audience scrambling, hysterical with joy for a 500 peso bill each that he was giving away to those singled out to sing a line or two with him you wonder if he and that girl Martina from Barcelona picked money from olive trees or grape vines.
Well, the heck! It was total fun all the same watching them dishing out a Willie Revillame act. Ho-hum!
But we forgive or understand Tyrone for wavering inconveniently along & insufficiently not reaching all his high notes when he should.
As he announced his vocal chord was far from fit owing to the exiting wicked Maring and the exhausting plane ride straightaway from Barcelona (or was it from an islet in Cebu ha Benny Andaya?). Take it that way.
Cheer up Tyrone next time is forthcoming for a real good damn show perhaps. And why not?
An unsolicited, friendly advice to Tyrone & Martina --- when you do Spanish songs make sure you sing and enunciate them with “panache” the way they are rendered in Spain’s “mother tongue.”
Meaning, never do it like an untrained Tagalog or a Bisaya in labored effort with the Spanish language. Better yet, go get a language coach to strip off those hard edges we call accent. That would make you sound more agreeable in the ears. Otherwise, you both sounded quaint and exotic that night. Bravo!
The rest of the guests galore were more than passable. Only that their names were wanting in recall even if they have won this and that title here or abroad --- WCopa something.
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