Libera "The Friendship Tour" (Philippines 2019)

[kinda_k00l]

So, after two unsuccessful attempts at the 2018 US and Japan tours, I was literally jumping for joy when I heard they were going to the Philippines since it was pretty certain that I could go. And I could. It was all great – travelling, meeting with fans I’ve known before and making new friends with the ones I haven’t, and especially getting ‘drown’ by Libera music on Tuesday’s evening. Everything was wonderful and the whole trip flew by so quickly I didn’t even realize. I’m writing a review with two things in mind: “How long will it be?” and “Can I manage to finish before the concert in Cebu takes place?” – we’ll find out now.


PART 1:

It was a really nice venue with comfortable seating. I had hardly just sat down when the anticipation suddenly stroke me, the very same one every time I take a seat inside the venue of a Libera concert – how I missed that feeling! After some waiting time and after the orchestra had done their tuning, the concert began.

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR
Having heard the old track when Libera was still called ‘Angel Voices’, I kind of already knew what to expect. But they still blew my mind away. The very first line “Do You Hear What I Hear” sung by Daniel if I was not mistaken, was so good that I couldn’t help but held my breath. The intro with the ‘echo effect’ and Alex G’s vocalize was a nice opening for the song as well as the concert. Then the atmospheric intro turned into a bright mood when they started singing the verse. The first verse only has some vague harmony part at the end, if only that part was a bit louder… Glad that was compensated by the richness in harmony of the second verse. The third verse was brilliantly done with the high harmony part at the end which got me goosebumps instantly. Those goosebumps and that amazing feeling were carried out in the final verse and I think I saw sparkling lights for a brief moment when the main melody hit the high note on “Listen to what I say”. The finale is, yes, purely “of joy” – so good my eyes started to get teary already. How I love when they hold long notes!

SANCTUS
I’m really curious as to how the new one would turn out live and it was truly phenomenal! It’s difficult to describe how I really feel about this one. The acapella chorus at the beginning carried me away – everything was just right, all notes were hit perfectly and all parts blended so well it couldn’t be any better. When the boys started off the “Benedictus Benedictus qui venit” with the orchestra, it seemed like something magical from where they stood (like yellow fairy dust or things like that) was floating in the air and spreading through to every corner of the theater, I’ve had this feeling about this part before but this time it appeared so clearly. The new part was extraordinary, I really like the idea of having one half sing “pleni Sunt Coeli et Terra” and the other respond with “Gloria tua” – didn’t realize that when listening to the Beyond CD. I wonder why one harmony part is missing when the choir sings “Benedictus” (there are two vocalize parts on the CD right? There was only the higher one at the concert), and there was a tiny glitch when some boys sang the final note (“Hosanna”) a bit too early I think. But those are just me being picky – I bet the large part of the audience didn’t even notice a thing, and the performance was still out of this world regardless!

SPEECH (since others have already said what these were about, I only add some of my thoughts)
Peter’s voice was much deeper than the last time I had seen him. And The highlight of all speeches for me was when Joe introduced the members who had been to the Philippines on a Libera tour before as “the boys jumping up right now”.

THE PRAYER
First thing first: kudos to Daniel for his extraordinary solo! I remembered I had been super impressed watching him singing this song on the broadcast of a church service in the US Tour because he had not gone off-pitch once. But on this tour he was even better – his voice has improved tremendously in terms of richness and stability, he also held the final notes impressively long. A Libera superstar in his way of shining! Furthermore, his rendition was truly sincere, as Benjo has said – I couldn’t help but thought he meant each and every word he sang with all his heart, and that honesty moved me. The choir was amazing as usual, but I think for this song, in particular, has been practised to perfection. I had goosebumps throughout; especially when a part soared to the top notes, it felt so magical (I even cried a bit when they held that very high note in the vocalizes part in the middle). Like an evening with a not-dark-at-all sky so one doesn’t need to be afraid of the night anymore. I really liked the flute’s last note (V) as it seemed to ‘wider’ the existing scenario towards the horizon. Personal note: I have longed to hear this live ever since I discovered Libera and watched Isaac perform it in Washington, so this was such a treat to me. Thank you, Libera!

GAUDETE
Lovely solo by Sam at the beginning, I really enjoyed his singing. In fact, I thought his voice type suits this particular song perfectly. This is one of the Libera songs I don't really like (don’t know why, maybe because it sounds a bit like music of some tribe/clan – don’t get me wrong, I do like some songs, just not really much with the combination between Libera and that kind of music) and when I saw that on the setlist I wished they had done another one, but the live kind of changed my mind. The choir was pretty on point and they clearly had fun singing this song, it was shown on their faces. The descant at the end got me goosebumps, I was really into it. Also, it was impressive for the alto to have been able to handle the fourth interval parallel harmony part (?) as they did at the concert, although they sounded a bit low in volume in my opinion. From where I sat, the main melody sounded very loud on this one while the supporting harmony parts did not sound loud enough (especially at the verse where the main melody was addressed to the tenor part), or maybe that was Libera’s intention? Whatever it was, still a very joyful and uplifting performance that I enjoyed from the very beginning to the very end.


AVE MARIA (RP)
I got really excited as the first notes of the intro were played, I knew what song it was going to be right away. I’ve always wanted to hear it live, and there it was. Ben B’s solo had much clarity and also some sort of penetrating quality that I really liked. There were still rooms for improvement but I understand that this song’s solo part is quite demanding and Ben was still somewhat new to it; so all of those things considered, he did an excellent job (and how I miss the duet part at the second half of solo)! As for the choir, they all sang it passionately and I got goosebumps frequently as they blended so well. The boys made the atmosphere suddenly became solemn and peaceful with this song. I just wished the alto had been louder at the bridge ‘Ora ora’ though, as that is the where the dissonances are created and then resolved (in other words it is the part that makes the bridge interesting). I have nothing to say about the final verse as it was done to perfection. I think I heard Alex’s and Marc’s voices (don’t know if I’m correct) and they definitely added more depth to the song. The ending I5 chord (is that what it’s called?) was pleasant to hear, as I’ve thought of that when I first listened to this one – couldn’t believe Libera actually did it, as if they could read my mind!

SPEECH
Funny to hear Victor and Alexandre speak about the white robes and discover how different there speaking voices are.

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
A song that I’ve liked before listening to Libera’s version. And I do not like Libera’s version, I love it! Robert is extremely clever in using the relative minor chord for the first verse – it creates an imagery effect, brings in the vision of a dark and stone cold earth waiting for something to brighten and warm it up. Yes, literally “snow on snow”. And the transition into the major key was so smooth that I almost didn’t realize. When I noticed it, the earth had brightened up and there seemed to be light shining down. The choir sang wonderfully throughout the song, and all the harmony parts sounded really nice together. The highlights for me were the last two verse. One with the brilliantly arranged harmony parts – my heart, and I’m sure many fans’ hearts too, skipped a beat at the acapella (well, sort of) “Cherubim worship night and day”, I could almost see the image of angels worshipping Jesus in bright lights already; also a lot of dissonances that are sung way too sweetly, never have I met a choir that can create such skilful and at the same time sweet dissonances like Libera – so beautiful that my eyes got all teary. The last one was amazingly handled by Dominik (if I had to choose one best soloist of the night, it would be him), as he sang each and every word with all he had got, hitting all the notes perfectly and conveying the lyrics sincerely – his voice was extremely clear and stable, and his performance was so natural and I had no doubt in thinking he really did wish he had been a shepherd to bring a lamb, or a wise man to do his part. He didn’t even have to try to either get the message across or to put emotions into his singing – it seemed like he had become the music himself! I was having a hard time trying to hold my tears back, honestly.

STAY WITH ME
I remember loving it when I first listened to it live back in China. And well this time it did get even better. Sam’s high notes were really impressive, his part in this song was not easy at all. High note wise, this is my favorite live version of this song. Oliver M’s solo voice has become much richer but still maintained that purity quality which suits this song perfectly, as I’ve said earlier I think he’s the perfect pick for this song among other Libera members in this generation. He seemed to be very concentrated and delivered his solo quite well. The choir was at top notch, all the harmony parts were on point (again, an applause for the subordinate parts, you guys enriched my experience of the song on so many levels). This song was not on my favorite list from the beginning, but I really really do enjoy listening to it live. There was something magical about this song being sung live that I have yet to discover what it was, it made look up to the high ceiling and smile. Maybe I’ll find out when I listen to it live many more times? Let’s hope so.

WEXFORD CAROL
Another song on my live concert wishlist, and I’m happy they decided to sing it. I especially adored the sound of Eimear’s flute(s) in this particular song, it drowned everything inside a mysterious ray of light. Tadhg’s opening solo was so good I found myself lost in the moment – his voice has a natural vibrato I guess, and his Irish singing sounded very mystic (by the way I noticed that he tends to shake his neck left and right a bit when he sings, just like Alessandro used to, interesting). I actually like the verse where the choir sang in unison a lot (normally I do not, not as much). The last two verses with vocal harmony (although they are only simple second harmony lines), needless to say, I loved it. I pretty much enjoyed the magical atmosphere which was maintained throughout the song, and bathing myself in such atmosphere gave me some sort of mixed feelings – a bit strange, yes, but also really comfortable (I also felt this way with some other Celtic songs, but since it’ Libera I’m talking about so it’s even more special!)

SPEECH
I just realized I found Tachi’s image in Koji, and mini James’ image in Cassius (don’t ask me why as I also have no idea lol). And I was like “what, halfway through the concert already!? Noooooo!!”

VOCA ME
I had goosebumps just by seeing this song listed in the programme, I was like “Yes, finally!”. I’m a big fan of this song, and the thought of being able to hear it live already made me excited. And I was not disappointed. I held my breath in as they sang the first note, and then pretty much for the whole “dissonance-to-consonance” part at the beginning, and then in the middle, and then at the end too lol. I too was wondering who would be in charge of the high notes now as Leo’s voice had broken, I was a bit surprised when it was Sam. His high notes were very good. He did struggle sometimes, but well, that part is no joke and it is very difficult even to the veteran ‘highnoters’ anyway. The fact that he could sing it the way he did that night was pure awesome. Regarding the choir, I had to remind myself several times “this is a bunch of young boys, this is a bunch of young boys” as they were so unbelievable. The boys’ ability to sing interweaving harmony parts perfectly to create such smooth and delicate harmony balanced between (sweet sweet) dissonances and consonances was unreal! I stopped breathing for a while when the song reached to the final climax then struggled to find my breath back at the soothing ending “Voca Me”. Phew, what an experience! Side notes: 1. I could hear Alex’s and Marc’s voices loudly at one part and I really liked it; 2. Some people thought the climax was the end of the song and started to clap right away, gladly they only managed one clap each before realizing the song has not ended.

I SAW THREE SHIPS
I was really curious how this song would turn out, as I had been disliking it for a long time (my reasons being: basic piano lessons as a kid – having to play it again and again, and no interesting elements in terms of melody). I have heard some other choirs try it but no use, so I was extremely glad that Libera could manage to get me to fall in love with their version. Kudos to Sam Coates for the brilliant arrangement! Really uplifting and made me want to dance along. A boring song has been transformed with each verse is arranged differently with different harmony parts and various key changes to keep me from getting bored. How cool! I think I saw the lights when they reached the high note “in Bethlehem” and also at the long “morning” (I5 chord again) near the end, the way they ended the song was also great. After the concert and even until now, the repeated “Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas” with the fourth (or fifth – I don’t remember clearly anymore) interval parallel harmony part has been stuck in my head and I can’t seem to get it out – sometimes when I wake up, my brain automatically goes “Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas” and when I try to stop it, my brain does the key change and continues to play that part in the new key!

INTERMISSION
I sat still in my seat and some Filipino fans sitting next to me opened up a conversation with me (of course lol because I’m always too shy to open a conversation with strangers) and when I told them I’m from Vietnam they went “oh, so you’re THAT Vietnamese fan who posts a lot?” lol yep I think that indeed sounds like me.

[kinda_k00l]

PART 2:

CAROL OF THE BELLS
Also a song I’ve had my eyes on (honestly who can say no to such a divine version with the glorious “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”?), it seemed like a perfect piece of music to start off the second half. I really like the crystal-like sound at the beginning that led the venue into a mysterious atmosphere. Then there were Libera’s heavenly voices. My excitement grew as the song gradually built up to the first “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”. I paid some extra attention at that particular part as I wanted to check if their “Glo-” could be as smooth as the edited versions on CDs and DVDs (because that part is so smooth there that it’s hard to believe) and I was not let down – that part was a real soothing to my soul and got me in a full relaxed mood, as a big bag full of tensions had exploded into sparkling glitter. I adored all the “ah’s” and “ooh’s” sung by subordinate harmony parts, especially when there were two or more such parts sung together – I liked how they sound and I liked the ‘flow of movement’ they contributed to the song, the boys sang them had got skills, I could tell. The lower part (Alex G & Marc & Leo) was clearly audible at “Gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here.” and I absolutely loved it. The high notes were all nicely done. The diversity in dynamics was expressed well (some sparks appeared in my head when they sang “Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas”). A nice closure by Cassius. Couldn’t ask for more! By the way, there was no pause between “Ding dong ding dong” and “That is their song”, probably because they feared the audience would clap too soon, well clearly it was not the case as there was a couple of silence after the song before the audience burst into applause.

SPEECH
Highlight: Joe’s “I’m BACK!” and what they said about many of them having to learn new parts (including themselves), and one of them (Leo) went from “extremely high” (audience laughed a bit) to “a change in the past few weeks” and “now sings the lowest part” (audience laughed a lot).

IN DULCI JUBILO
Another favorite in my wishlist! My soul felt happy right at the beginning when they started to sing the vocalize, and how smooth they were! Lovely festive arrangement (now what is that crystal-like sound that is featured throughout the song? I think it was either played by an electric keyboard or it was playback), angelic voices (I particularly liked how they ‘stretched out’ their voice, as if they were trying to reach something with their voices), I enjoy every second of it. The whole thing brought sparkling Christmas lights to my mind and I felt really happy. The soaring high notes in the middle (“With all thy loving kindness”) were a bit low in volume, but maybe that’s just me. The last verse was stunning and the long note at the end (where the high part held one note and the low part moved up and down) made me feel even more joyful and before realizing it, I was smiling as wide as possible. Such a performance! One more thing: as Daniel had said this is his favorite song on this tour, I watched him closely and he clearly enjoyed singing it, especially when it came to the high parts – he smiled all the way through and his eyes seemed to spark with joy.

WAYFARING STRANGER
Eimear opened the song with one of her flutes (sorry I don’t know exactly the names of all of her instruments so I’ll just go with ‘flute’) and she played a whole complete verse – her playing was as haunting as ever. Then Victor began to sing with his warm voice, which pretty much resembled that of his brother Sam W (and that is not a bad thing at all). His voice carried much richness in my opinion and it kind of resounded in the hall as and he sang each note carefully. I saw him for the first time on the 2017 China tour, where he only had one closing line in “The Moon Represents My Heart”, and wow he has improved so much! His pitch, his phrasing, and his delivery of this song were really ‘mature’ (you know what I mean). His face showed what he was singing, he was so into the song (as if he had put his soul in there) that was really touching. I was also moved by the choir’s singing, especially the alto parts full of vocalizes. The high notes at the last verse were again not loud enough for me, but again maybe that’s just me. I’d also like to say that I love this arrangement, it took me from a lonely abandoned scenery to a marching band of pilgrims going ‘home’ – an exhausting journey, but the reward at the end is priceless!

FROM A DISTANCE
Not a favorite of mine at first, but again Libera manage to get me addicted to it when they sing it live. After some soothing opening vocalizes, Merlin confidently opened the song and he had all the rights to be confident, as this was the best version among those he had delivered – his voice was more mature than ever and it only got better and better (it is kind of true that a treble’s voice reaches its peak quality right before it breaks, and it’s a bit sad too, but Merlin can be proud of himself as he has made the most out of it). Libera has never failed to make my eyes teary in this song – the message is really humane and they convey it very well. The hall seemed to lighten up when they sang this song, especially at the bridge “God is watching us” that gradually built up to the climax. That part has never ceased to amaze me, even when I didn’t like the song in general at first. I held back my breath at that specific part and it felt like their singing just lifted me up in the lights – such a wonderful sensation! The key changes were smooth too, and the legato vocalizes at the last verse were gold. Sam also did a great job with his high notes. Couldn’t ask for more.
Side story: a taxi driver in Manila asked me what I came here for, I answered: “to attend a concert of a boys choir called Libera”. He then got really curious and opened Spotify, went through some song titles and chose this one. I think he liked it a lot.

SMILE
I didn’t like this song when it first came out, to be honest. But the China tour changed my mind and I had no complaint seeing it again in the Philippines. Without any sign, Victor opened the song, being a bit shivering at first but then he adjusted himself very quickly and went on to deliver his emotional solo, eyes wide opened. Alex joined in shortly, his voice sounded extremely good to my ears (wish it had been louder though, like a duet maybe). Those two kept on singing passionately with the backup vocals provided by the choir and the song just kept getting better and better every verse. I adored the soaring high notes right after “Smile and maybe tomorrow” – as if rays of lights from above had just broken through all the depressing clouds, yes it’s time one smiled! There was only this tiny tiny thing: Alex G’s mic was a bit low in volume so it seemed like he got lost in a bunch of strong backup voices. Other than that, everything was perfect. I had got really emotional already when it came to the solo (or should I say duet) part at the end, yet there was still one bonus waiting for me: as Victor was delivering his final lines, for a very brief moment, I thought I saw a glance of sincere sadness in his eyes – a serious look although he was still smiling. It was like he really did share the message of the song, and he meant it, that we should smile even when things are difficult. How could I not be moved by that?

SPEECH (introducing Moose)
It was very fun hearing them mention the countries they’ve been to, but why “Moscow” and not “Russia”? They also said something about having to go to school right after this week, and I was like “Poor little boys, I’ve never liked going to school”. Right after the concert I also had to go to school straight away and that was just so sad.

AMAZING GRACE
I liked this one (lol as if there had been any song that I did not like). The first thing to say is what a lovely arrangement! The original is somewhat boring, I do agree, I still like it though; but this arrangement takes all the "boring" away. The song started off in unison and that was a perfect reminder for me that their voices sound great on their own, even when there are no harmony parts they still sound wonderful. Such parts kicked in halfway through the first verse, and the diversity went on with the vocalizes at the second (how many times have I mentioned I love their vocalizes already?). Sam's solo was extremely pleasant to listen to, although it's still a pity for me to have missed Peter's. Anyway, it seemed that this specific part fits into Sam's vocal range, so he seemed to be totally relaxed and his voice sounded relax too. Well done, Sam. The last verse was as stunning as usual, with the high breathtaking descant at the end kind of really depicted the lyrics and so my soul was filled with joy. Amazing Grace - an amazing arrangement sung by a bunch of amazing singers.

I AM THE DAY
One of my top favorites, how happy I was when I saw this in the programme! And my anticipation went way up as I had heard Dominik in "In The Bleak Midwinter" already. And I was once again amazed at how good he was! He felt the music and he lived the music. The way he did his solo for this song was also different than the previous one: the previous one was a warm-hearted and humble voice, this one was a mystic and almost creepy whisper. Peter's and Oliver's whispers also echoed through the hall, making one feel like there was something should burst out any minute. The pre-refrain (is that what we called?) built up more anticipation and finally, the light broke through in "illuminosa". I was sitting there in the hall, taken away on a journey just by listening to their singing. The second verse went like that too, but one thing I noticed: the way Dominik sang the words "I am the darkness" sent shivers down my spine, and when it came to the words "I am the rising and the falling" he adjusted his voice so that it did indeed depict the 'rising' and 'falling' – I wonder if he did that on purpose because if so, he was extraordinary. The choir's singing, needless to say, was mind blown! The refrain was just soaring and flying and it brightened up the whole venue, had the ultimate high note at "sancTA gloriosa" been louder in volume, I would rate this 1000/10. All the "In Aeterna" with three harmony parts (if I'm correct) was also perfectly sung. In the end, all lights illuminated the stage as if it was floating. I was clapping so hard my hands hurt afterwards. If this was not one of the ultimate highlights of the night, I don't know what is.

ORINOCO FLOW
I wished they had done something else - not that they would sound bad in this one, but because they could go with other much better options in my opinion. I had prepared for this though ("from Peru to Cebu" there was no way they wouldn't sing this one). All that said, the boys' singing still captured my attention and I still enjoyed the song. Aside from the main catchy melody, the vocalizes were also very nicely done. Libera version of the song carries much energy and excitement (not that it makes me super excited or anything, but it's more like about the excitement of the 'protagonist' in the lyrics, I don't know how to properly express this) and I think they had succeeded in transfer that joyful mood to the audience - I turned my head around a bit and people were all watching them eagerly, which was a pleasant sight. There were some flat notes here and there as well as some notes were a bit 'draggy' but that did not occur much and I guess it couldn't be helped anyway as the song moves too quickly. I also wanted to hear the tenor part more clearly. It was still an outstanding performance nonetheless when all those minor glitches were put aside. The ending "Let me sail" in I5 chord (this again!) brought about a vision of a wide ocean with a ship near the shore eager to set sail on an adventure (I have always associated this kind of sound with ships and adventures on the sea).

SPEECH
The last song already! This one even went by faster than the China ones for me. Felt like I had barely sat down, yet the whole thing had gone by and now there was only one song left (okay actually there were two). I hadn't prepared for this and as a result, my head was still in the concert mood throughout the M&G so I couldn't remember as much as I wanted to about the M&G...

LIBERA
One of their signature pieces. They opened the song quite solidly and harmonized extremely well with one another. I think the choir had gotten even better than the last time I saw them singing this song, everything was done beautifully, from the melody to the vocalizes to the solos, their phrasing, their tempo, their high notes, their long notes, the four treble parts and the tenor. Libera's singing voice was so silky in this song that it kind of eased the heaviness of the musical instruments, and that was a good thing for me. Credits go to Tadhg and Rocco for a magnificent duet part - Tadhg's voice was 'the one' voice type for that part, and Rocco's harmony was on point as if it had been playback (I think I have praised Rocco's sense of pitch in my previous review but I'll repeat that here again). The "Aeterna" still amazed me as they managed so that the "aeter-" sounded full of tension and then the "-na" full of comfort and light. The high notes at the end ("Libera") got me goosebumps. All in all a very very good performance. In fact, I was so caught up in the song that I forgot to bring my camera out to film their greetings while the crowd burst out in applause (that's an understatement as there was actually a standing ovation). I then pulled out my camera and immediately and opened it up for fear I might end up getting caught into "Bayan Ko" too much and forgot about it again!

BAYAN KO
Finally, here it was - the piece longed by me and other returning Filipino fans. Their reaction was the same as the ones we have already seen on Youtube, with numerous times of clapping in the middle of the song. Although I didn't do that, that also didn't bother me at all. And there was Libera magic striking again - they sang this song brilliantly with all the blending harmony parts, and I was literally moved to tears! That was actually no surprise because I had been like that before, with "America The Beautiful" and I was not even attending a live concert at that time. Together with "I Saw Three Ships", this song has been stuck in my head ever since. The melody of the song itself, regardless of who sings it, is a really nice one (the refrain reminds me of "Santa Lucia") and thus when sung by the one and only Libera it just cannot, in any way, sound bad. Other subordinate harmony parts were clearly audible as well, even the tenor part - although they mainly sang the melody down an octave (I might be mistaken though), they significantly contributed to the richness of sound. Also, it was a great experience watching them sing a foreign song with so much dedication although many didn't even know what they were singing (maybe they knew the general message but I doubt they knew what each word means) - everyone's face was illuminated with joy and passion, and has been one BIG factor that has gotten me to love them so much.


Phewww, that's everything for now. I would have much more to say if I gave myself some more time, but I really want it up before tonight's concert in Cebu. Maybe I'll make an edit of this post to add more stuff later, maybe I'll write another (not as long don't worry) post, maybe I will decide I should keep those details for myself, I still don't know. I'm just so happy I can come to a Libera concert once again (but at the same time a bit regret not being able to stay to watch another one), hope I'll have even more chances in the future!

P/S: If you spot any mistakes in the review above, please kindly correct them for me as I'm not that confident about my memory. Thank you for reading!

[Libera Snow]

Hello,

I am impressed with your review!
So detail.
Thanks,Kinda!
It must be an unforgettable concert for you.


I also enjoy to read all reviews of Libera Dream’ members.
Unfortunately I cannot join the concerts in overseas.
All your reviews make me feel realistic. And tons of pictures or videos.
I truly appreciate your kindness,thank you!
Sharing is very good.

[DaleyDeil]

I think people have said it enough and i echo all the reviews on this thread so i’ll probably just share some story about the challenges we faced just to be able to attend this tour and some info we learned and was shared by members during the meet and greet. There is one that made me a sad after learning about it.

At first we thought we couldnt go to the concert because of busy schedule and we are not really well prepared for the tickets so our only hope was the cheapest one in manila which was sold out quickly. It’s sad so it was decided we will only go to the meet and greet for the sake of friendship of over 10 years since 2009 when Libera first visited Philippines. We became a really close friends and concert buddies not just with Libera but also other artist. It became a tradition whenever Libera goes on tour here we would all go together. So we been doing that eversince we were just a bunch highschool kids and now we are all adults with jobs and responsibilies. Sadly one of us passed away recently. Anyway we heard about the ticket raffle so we were all excited and hoping thay one or two of would win but nope... our hopes were crushed and we werent so lucky. Before we left a lady approach us and became an angel sent from above as she is holding 4 tickets exactly for each of us and she’s offering to sell these tickets she won from an online contest at a cheaper price since she’s not really a hige fan and wont be able to attend anyway. We were jumping and literally shoving our money to her. So it all went well in the end. Sorry if i bore some users here i just thought i’d share that story first.

Anyway we stayed put after the concert since it also became a tradition to ne the last in line during meet and greet since we dont like being shoved around and rushed by security and after most of the audience left our group met Josh and the first thing he said is “no picture” and he was so polite when he said it and he still did signed our programme and he talked to us for a bit and my friend asked him why he did not play the piano and he said he did but it was recorded pre-concert. Them some other people approached and he said the same thing about not wanting to take pictures and also saying it’s time for the new Libera members to shine (something like that). He signed more programmes and cell phone cases lol! Then i think he realized i was waiting for my sharpie since he still have it so he looked at me then excused himself that he really have to go now and then he gave my sharpie back.

During the M&G what we learned is one of them told my friend that this tour could probably be his last tour and that member is Marc Alvares... its sad but i guess thats the reality of being a member of Libera they come and go when u least expect it. I’m glad i talked to him because he is sooo quiet and i have a soft spot with members who doesnt seem to talk much since i used to be like that so i talked to him and told him that i remember him from last tour and i am thankful that he came back and praised him and i barely heard what he said except that he is cery thankful. Then the last people on the table is Johny and Mathias and man... that conversation is something else. They are all very animated and seems to be having so much fun and making jokes. Before my turn to habe my programme sign i saw them signing my friends poster writing “Ali-A” and johny was saying “subscribe to Ali-A” and i know who ali-a is and he is this famous fortnite gamer youtuber and that sparks our conversation. i was laughing because it was so silly my friend thought johny’s name is really Ali-A. I asked him if he really do watch ali-a and if he play fortnite and he got all excited and talk non stop about fortnite and then mathias joined in and saying he plays fortnite too and they are asking me stuff about the game and we were all chatting like normal people and i think at that moment i forget that they are Libera and just enjoyed talking to these lads who likes the same thing i do. Johny suddenly asked me about Minecraft and i do know minecraft since i used to play it when i was a kid and then mathias asked for my opinion about Apex Legends which is a new game that i happen to play too then the security told me to get going but they are still talking to me so i ended it there and they both gave me a high five. I guess other fans heard what we were talking since i found out that in Cebu a fan gave them some Minecraft/Fortnite/Apex gifts. I really did enjoyed that chat.

I hope it doesnt take another 2-3 years for them to come back.

[Surpinto]

Phewww, that's everything for now. I would have much more to say if I gave myself some more time, but I really want it up before tonight's concert in Cebu. Maybe I'll make an edit of this post to add more stuff later, maybe I'll write another (not as long don't worry) post, maybe I will decide I should keep those details for myself, I still don't know. I'm just so happy I can come to a Libera concert once again (but at the same time a bit regret not being able to stay to watch another one), hope I'll have even more chances in the future!

You would have more to say if you had more time?! Given that this may be one of the longest reviews I have read on here I'm really surprised that you have more to say, but I would absolutely enjoy reading it just like I enjoyed reading the entirety of your review. Thank you so much for writing this review; it is well detailed and conveys not only all of the small particulars that others may miss but also your own reaction to the music. As always it is the personal reaction of the music that most interests me when reading the reviews written by other fans. In your case you were touched deeply by several of the songs and several of the arrangements and solo parts; and I greatly enjoyed reading that.

So, after two unsuccessful attempts at the 2018 US and Japan tours, I was literally jumping for joy when I heard they were going to the Philippines since it was pretty certain that I could go. And I could. It was all great – travelling, meeting with fans I’ve known before and making new friends with the ones I haven’t, and especially getting ‘drown’ by Libera music on Tuesday’s evening. Everything was wonderful and the whole trip flew by so quickly I didn’t even realize. I’m writing a review with two things in mind: “How long will it be?” and “Can I manage to finish before the concert in Cebu takes place?” – we’ll find out now.

This was a major trip for you to undertake and I was overjoyed to have heard that you would be able to attend after reading about the difficulties you mention above.

So, did you ever get that question answered?

[kinda_k00l]

You would have more to say if you had more time?! Given that this may be one of the longest reviews I have read on here I'm really surprised that you have more to say, but I would absolutely enjoy reading it just like I enjoyed reading the entirety of your review.

So, did you ever get that question answered?

Thanks for the nice complement. "More to say" here includes mostly general ideas and trivial stuff (like "that question" which I totally forgot to mention), I think I've said almost everything about the songs.

Yes, I did manage to ask the question. I got an unexpected answer, but I was glad I got a chance to ask anyway.

[Egorbea2018]

Thank you all for the wonderful and detailed reviews of the concerts. I wish I could have been there with you.

[filiarheni]

Having been very busy that past week, I wasn't able to closely follow the Philippines news, but I think I have roughly caught up now. As it's not possible for me to reply to all who contributed individually, here is just one huge Thank you to everybody who kept us updated with all sorts of written posts and material, at Twitter as well as here!

I understand it was a particularly remarkable tour, highly successful, but above all history was written by Robert's absence from the tour and Sam Coates replacing him as Libera's conductor. Whatever lies behind that, I deeply hope that Robert is fine and that it was a temporary thing for now! On the other hand I'm also very happy to hear that Sam did so well, as closing one's eyes and dreaming that Robert will lead Libera for all eternity is, of course, unworldly and it is certainly wise to take care of Libera's future at a proper point of time.

Obviously, the most spectacular change in the choir was Leo having moved to the back row. I am enormously surprised about that! As said in another thread already, he was an excellent (!) high noter still in Moscow, a concert which was not further than 53 days away from the one in Manila.

That was indeed courageous of Samuel to step up in such a short prep time at such a young age. He was amazing! As John mention, he was only able to rest his high voice during Smile.

I am very happy to hear about Sam's admirable development to such a supporting pillar in the choir and I wish I had heard his Voca Me vocalises! Only a break in Smile? Oh dear, oh wow! I'm eagerly waiting for my next Libera concert.

And I feel a little sorry that Oliver WR was absent, so How Great Thou Art was not sung.

The Prayer - [...] What's unique about Daniel's rendition is the humility he expressed as he sang every line. A humble boy asking for guidance from the divine. I've seen many singers showing off their technical skills through this song. But only Libera's version felt sincere to me in expressing the true message of the song.

I know what you mean. Sometimes, there's just a "too much" and the credibility gets lost in outer effort and outer effect.

They forgot to get Moose again during the intermission. Mathew Jensen picked him up.

Oh no ... oh no. Dark Moscow memories arise ...

Wayfaring Stranger -- one of the under-appreciated Libera songs, I think.

Hm, you do think so? I may be wrong, as I like it so much, but I've actually never got the feeling that it is under-appreciated among the audience / the fans.


@kinda_k00l
I truly enjoyed your review, with your vivid description of what was going on and your interesting musical observations. Again, I share quite a few of your impressions with regard to the concerts I have attended. Also, your review repeatedly made me smile and several times I even had to laugh out loud.

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER
The last one was amazingly handled by Dominik (if I had to choose one best soloist of the night, it would be him) [...] his performance was so natural [...] He didn’t even have to try to either get the message across or to put emotions into his singing – it seemed like he had become the music himself!

I felt the same way about him singing I am the Day. He is incredible.

WEXFORD CAROL
I actually like the verse where the choir sang in unison a lot (normally I do not, not as much). The last two verses with vocal harmony (although they are only simple second harmony lines), needless to say, I loved it. I pretty much enjoyed the magical atmosphere which was maintained throughout the song, and bathing myself in such atmosphere gave me some sort of mixed feelings – a bit strange, yes, but also really comfortable [...]

Singing unison in pitch is one of the most difficult things, as there is little room to correct or hide anything. Here, I love it, I really think it is used in this song so rightfully, pleasantly reinforcing its atmospheric simplicity, something which would get destroyed by a "big" arrangement.

"Strange and comfortable", same here exactly!

VOCA ME
I held my breath in as they sang the first note, and then pretty much for the whole “dissonance-to-consonance” part at the beginning, and then in the middle, and then at the end too lol. [...] I stopped breathing for a while when the song reached to the final climax then struggled to find my breath back at the soothing ending “Voca Me”.

I'm really glad you survived the song.

And I particularly loved your description of their performance, as I'm crazy about Voca Me. I can well relate to almost all you write. Only Libera sounding sweet at the dissonances is not how I feel them: For me they are actually sharp, but in a positive way, corresponding with the seriousness of the song.

I SAW THREE SHIPS
After the concert and even until now, the repeated “Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas” with the fourth (or fifth – I don’t remember clearly anymore) interval parallel harmony part has been stuck in my head and I can’t seem to get it out – sometimes when I wake up, my brain automatically goes “Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas. Christmas Day on Christmas” and when I try to stop it, my brain does the key change and continues to play that part in the new key!

After reading what you wrote I found the "Christmas, Christmas Day, on Christmas" part stuck in my head. In the further progress my experience was different from yours though, as my attempt to stop it did not lead the song to flee into a new key, since I replaced it randomly with Coventry Carol, which forms an earworm (as we call it) on its own.

WAYFARING STRANGER
I’d also like to say that I love this arrangement, it took me from a lonely abandoned scenery to a marching band of pilgrims going ‘home’ – an exhausting journey, but the reward at the end is priceless!

It is definitely an arrangement with various possibilities of interpretations - excellently crafted.

LIBERA
Rocco's harmony was on point as if it had been playback (I think I have praised Rocco's sense of pitch in my previous review but I'll repeat that here again).

Absolutely, and this has been striking me as well since I heard him with Angele Dei.

- Thanks again to everyone; you make us feel like having been a part of the real experience! -

[maartendas]

Benjo and kinda_k00l: I'm glad you both pointed out the sincerity in 'The Prayer'. I also remember that it felt like a genuine prayer when they sang it last year, especially in Tokyo it felt that way.

kinda_k00l: what a shame that you don't like school! This is off topic but I felt I should give some encouragement. School is not just about the classes and the teachers, it's also what you make of it. You wrote about so many sparkles and light that you saw before your mind's eye during the concert, maybe you can take some of those lights and bring them to school with you
And thank you for the wonderful review!

[justin]

A (late) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Libera's 2019 ‘Friendship Tour’ to the Philippines was a long time coming. It's been 3 years since they were last in the country, and from what I gather chatting to some very enthusiastic and friendly Filipino fans, the people of Philippines have been eagerly anticipating Libera's return to the country to share their angelic music. I was having a quick chat with a particular fan whom I met at the Cebu concert, and he fondly recalled to me his memories of the previous Philippines tours, and told me of how he was able to travel to Cebu to watch Libera perform mostly - and rather coincidentally - due to his workplace sending him there for a business trip. I then shared with him that the last time I visited the Philippines, it was almost a decade ago, and I never thought I’d visit the Philippines again, let alone Cebu. It’s a wonder how things fall into place rather miraculously when it comes to Libera and their concerts!

Anyways, as many fellow fans have pointed out, this tour was quite a different experience.

For one, the repertoire was an eclectic mix of Libera classics (“I Am The Day”; “Libera”; “Sanctus”), fan favourites (“Wayfaring Stranger”; “The Prayer”; “From a Distance”), and Christmas carols (“Do You Hear What I Hear”; “I Saw Three Ships”; “Carol of The Bells”). Do correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think Libera has ever performed Christmas songs in February! Some fans cheekily remarked that the Filipinos love having extended holidays, especially when it comes to Christmas. I certainly wouldn’t mind having an extended Christmas holiday, especially when Libera performs their fantastic Christmas song list more than once! Although I was silently hoping for “Silent Night” (THE acapella song Libera has to record for posterity, other than the equally impressive “Nearer my God to Thee”) to be performed again, I was not at all disappointed when it was not on the set list. Of the Christmas songs, I was particularly entranced by the delightful three-part harmonies in “I Saw Three Ships”, that I found myself tapping my feet and swaying along with the music. I also very much enjoyed Tadhg’s rendition of “The Wexford Carol”, and Daniel’s “The Prayer”. Both of them have very refined and mature-sounding voices, which is quite remarkable considering their age (or perhaps not too surprising, considering they’re part of Libera and must have received a lot of vocal training). Libera, as encore, performed the rousing Filipino song and pseudo-national anthem “Bayan Ko”. It was, as expected, very well received by the audience, with waves of applause and loud whoops conveying their approval. While I do not speak the language and as such couldn’t understand what was being sung, I too felt my emotions well up when I heard the beautiful, melancholic melody. As the final notes of the song faded, I quietly asked the Filipino fan about what he thought of the song and of Libera’s pronunciation of the lyrics. After a moment’s hesitation, he said it was quite good and that Libera performed it beautifully. Although I could tell he was being polite about the pronunciation part, I am sure it’s the sentiment that matters most to the Filipinos, judging from their rave reactions to the performance. Well done Libera!

For another, it seems the start of the new year has brought on some sudden changes to Libera’s line-up. Some boys at the Moscow concert were missing (such as Oliver W-R, Emmanuel, Camden and Alex M), Leo was honourably promoted to the tenor section, and the venerable Maestro Robert Prizeman was not present due to personal scheduling conflicts. It seems to me that a generational change (which we all know always happens in a boys’ group like Libera) is ongoing, and purely judging by the Cebu concert, I think its going very smoothly. Sam, in his debut as the conductor and musical director has – in my not so professional opinion – done rather well. I can’t recall if Robert used to do this, but Sam seems to like to sing along (or at least mime the lyrics) with Libera during the performance. Seeing that Sam was an ex-Libera member, I’m sure he must be very familiar with the songs, and was probably letting the spirit of his younger self take over. I think his identity of being an ex-Libera member helped him to connect with the current Libera boys, and you could tell that the boys also respond to him very well, with quick smiles and grins here and there. The tenor section currently consists of Alex G, Leo, Marc, Nathaniel and Peter (?), with Alex G taking over the low notes parts from Alex M, specifically in “Smile” and “Do You Hear What I Hear”. I was overjoyed to hear Alex’s voice being prominently displayed again since I’ve always enjoyed hearing him sing. His voice has aged like a fine wine, losing some of the airy/raspy qualities of a voice transitioning between alto and tenor, but gaining strength in the lower tenor notes and having a very distinct silky smooth tone. I think Alex is a very good pairing with Victor in “Smile”, supporting Victor’s thinner and breathier voice. Victor, as always, did very well in “Smile”, although it was unfortunate he had a sore throat that day due to shouting too much during his adventures on the beautiful beaches of Cebu (probably why Mr. Smiley lost a little bit of his signature smile ). In “Wayfaring Stranger”, as Victor slowly made his way down the middle of the stage with spotlights trained on him, the visuals was so reminiscent of the Washington DC concert a few years back, when his older brother Sam did exactly the same thing. They also sound very much alike, and both are very good soloists. There is no doubt in my mind that Victor will go on to be the main pillar of the current generation of Libera. “Ave Maria” was quite well done by Ben B, although it was obvious that he’s starting to have some difficulties with the high notes of the song. Merlin, however, is still going strong with “From a Distance”, despite being close to 14 now. I wonder who would be taking over their parts when they transition out of their current positions. Perhaps Daniel? Dominik? Oliver M? Talking about Dominik, his solo in “I Am The Day” was quite impressive. He was confident and had a strong, colourful voice to boot. The whispered parts of the song was masterfully done and sent chills down my spine. Oliver M and Peter provided good supporting vocals, and Alex G delivered a very resonant “nnnnnnn” that almost sounded like it was produced from a musical instrument instead of a voice. With Leo now in the back row, Sam has officially taken up high notes duty. To my amazement, almost all of the songs’ high descants/notes were done by Sam!! I could hardly believe my ears when Sam produced those stratospheric high notes again and again, with seemingly no limit to his ability. Whether it was the solo in “Sanctus” or the final ringing notes in “Libera”, Sam did it all without breaking a sweat. Serious mad props to you, Sam. Last but not least, Rocco, together with Tadgh and Samuel, did justice to the Libera’s signature song “Libera”. Although I was a bit sad that “In Paradisum” wasn’t performed, I was still happy to see Rocco having a prominent part. As I mentioned before in other reviews, I’ve always like Rocco’s versatile voice, and I’m happy to report he was still able to deliver the high notes in “Libera”.

To sum up, Libera is in good hands, and the new(er) generation are developing well in their respective roles. I hope that the current line-up (especially the tenors) will remain largely unchanged through 2019, especially in the upcoming US tour. I also look forward to hearing the voices of other newer members, such as Alex Menuet, Cassius, Ethan, Jo, Johnny and Romeo (I’m not going to list all the new members ) being exhibited more prominently in the upcoming concerts. As Dr. Roberto de Ocampo puts it, whenever Libera sings, the listener can find a little piece of heaven on earth. That is why I will always support Libera, and Libera will always have a place in my heart.

[seraphita]

As Dr. Roberto de Ocampo puts it, whenever Libera sings, the listener can find a little piece of heaven on earth.

That is so true.
--
And the most remarkable thing about this is that no matter which singers are in Libera (or who's conducting) it occurs in every concert.

[katyafan]

Thank you so much everyone, for your detailed and passionate reviews!!!!

[bamboo]

Is Taichi Shinokubo out of Libera for good? Or was he just missing during this tour?

[Surpinto]

Gallery is now up for this tour!
https://libera.org.uk/gallery/philippines-2019/






Hope everyone is as excited about this latest update as Dominik appears to be

[maartendas]

That's a superb shot of Dominik, really captures his energy while singing

The gallery gives you a sense of the fun they had. Also, again there are some lovely portraits and the shots with the mountains in the back (some may call them merely hills ) are gorgeous.