Philippines 2011

[timjanni]

Thank's everyone for keeping us updated so comprehensively. It's fun reading it. (But still I'm sad not to be there just now. *sigh*)

[hannah_kirstin]

@Carina- Eternal Light & Glory to Thee were in my top 3 for sure. By the start of Himig ng PaskoI I was having palpitations, and it hurt to watch because it was so beautiful! The boys never run out of surprises! I hope it gets released on iTunes as well as a single.
For non-Philippine fans, I think you'll love it too as the harmonies are stunning and the melody so haunting. Hope you get to hear what a fantastic job the boys did on it. I only noticed Ralph's accent a bit on "mayroong," so I think they had a very good language coach. Yayyy Libera! We love you even more, if that's possible!
@Tom - Sorry you can't make it to London concert! But that's alright. When you buy the album, close your eyes and imagine them singing to you. Heavenly!
@Yorkie - Yuki kissed me, not twice but thrice! Hahaha. Hope you get to hear the Josh version of Veni Emmanuel in London concert.

[dani]

I am really hoping daniel gets to sing VVE if his voice has not broken next month in London ! I am confused to why Josh is singing it and not a treble voice. Hopefully it's just for the Phillpines as josh is so popular out there and it will get handed back to Daniel in London - haha I can dream

[phlibera]

I want to go to SM, but I'm stuck at work. Reading the forum on my cellphone for updates when I should be the one updating. Sad. Haha.

[hannah_kirstin]

Dani, his voice is breaking but still high. Maybe that's why Robert decided to make a different arrangement and give the solo to Josh. But could also be because Phil girls are crazy about Josh. Might be Josh's last concert solo, so you'd still be in for a treat. Daniel is great on 'Stay with Me' and I think he'll still be be the soloist for that in London concert.
@Philibera - Awww are you sure you can't get off from work? M&G before concert was so much better because the boys were rested and I had a little more time to chat with them. Post-concert they were so tired and it was quite late, so everything was rushed.

[phlibera]

Yeah. I don't want to hate my work because it does allow me to attend concerts and buy albums. If they scheduled it at around 6pm I might have been able to go. But thats ok. The reason that I want to go to SM is just to witness first hand the craziness of the Cebu fans.

[hannah_kirstin]

Haha! I did read somewhere that the shrieking girls at Manila M&G were no match to the crazy Cebu fangirls. Yuki tweeted that M&G starts 5pm, so you could still make it! I bet it's gonna start 30 mins late, Filipino time.

[carina_gino20]

I'm sure we'll HEAR about it soon. As I said before, I expect SM Cebu's M&G to be much much louder than SM North's. There were shrieks in SM North, but not even to the same level as SM Cebu in 2009.

[maartendas]

I am really hoping daniel gets to sing VVE if his voice has not broken next month in London ! I am confused to why Josh is singing it and not a treble voice. Hopefully it's just for the Phillpines as josh is so popular out there and it will get handed back to Daniel in London - haha I can dream

Maybe it was to give Daniel a rest after his solo in Stay With Me, otherwise he would've had two solos in a row, the way the setlist was arranged. With his voice slowly changing now, maybe this is to 'save' him a bit.

[carina_gino20]

Part 2 of my review:

After the 15-minute interval, the boys were back for another stunning half of the show. They started with none other than Carol of the Bells.

1. Carol of the Bells - Indeed, this is bloody amazing! Perfect, really! I loved everything about it--the choreography, the beat, the amazing harmonies, the low voices, the soaring descants, Ralph's and Stefan's solos...Amazing. This was definitely my brother's favorite number.

2. Gloria - Flawless number. The boys were really right on the money in this concert. I just loved seeing the concentration on the boys' faces. Michael was so focused. The two new boys, Ciaran and Jakub, looked very much at ease. HB and JB were so calm and confident as well. And of course, Kavana did not disappoint the whole evening. He still sings with his entire body. Such a joy to watch this kid! I believe he was once again responsible for those really high notes.

Barney and Cassius stepped in front to do their robes-and-practicing-in-the-dark routine. Cassius was so cute, especially when he took off his hood in the end. Really, these two are quite a pair!

3. The Fountain - Oh, Ralph, you got me teary-eyed with this one. Ever since I first heard this song in Peace, and guessed that it was Ralph Skan doing the solo, I've really wanted to hear it live. I really wanted to go to the April concert last year to hear this, but I couldn't go. I thought I'd missed my only chance, because you never know when a boy's voice change will happen. So when I saw this on the set list, and when Ralph did his first few solos in the first part, I was really really really happy. Really. The Fountain is one of my fave songs in Peace, and I told Ralph as much during the M&G, and he thanked me profusely. No need, dear boy. Your voice is such a gift.

I loved the simple setting for this piece. A simple piano intro by RP, straight to the opening "dolorosa"s. And when Ralph started singing his solo, my eyes started getting misty. Just before he sang "free my thirsty soul again", in my head I was thinking, "Please, please, I hope he nails it". And bingo, nailed it he did and it was spine-tingling. Kavana also sang his duet part perfectly. This piece really moved me...if that isn't obvious yet.

4. Eternal Light - Oh my, such beauty! I have to gush about this piece as well. I really think it's very Disney-like (the good classic Disney movies, of course). So hopeful, so beautiful, and Stefan simply OWNED this song. He was standing in the middle and looked like an angel among other angels. When he sang "and you'll never be alone here", it was such a touching moment. When I listen to this song, I feel like I'm in a dream. The lighting effects were really cool on this one, with lots of starry lights in the background. To be honest, I didn't pay a lot of attention to the background effects, but this one really caught my attention. This number isdefinitely one of my faves in this concert.

5. Sing the Story - First time hearing it live and I thought Luke was great on his solo. It was a really lovely piece. Their blending was impeccable. Again, loved how the low voices provided lots of texture to their pieces.

Liam then did his speech about voice change. The audience gave him a big applause when he said that he's turning 16 and first joined the choir when he was 8. He spoke about how it was exciting to have a new voice and learn how to use it, and learn different harmonies from what they used to sing when they were trebles. He also said to watch out for the low voices at the end of Ave Verum.

6. Ave Verum - Also first time hearing it live. Carlos sounded a little soft at first, with his solo, but got stronger towards the end. What a sweet voice.MRA once again did a great job on the descants. I also loved the percussion on this one. Towards the end, they went into a V, with Josh at front and center. It was an impressive sight and the low voices were great, as usual.

7. In Dulci Jubilo - This is one of my favorite Christmas songs, so I was happy to see them performing it live. The intro is so whimsical; I really love RP's arrangement. And again, Libera delivered another flawless performance. I will surely keep on playing this number from their album.

8. Glory to Thee - Another favorite! I was also so excited to see this on the set list. Ever since I saw Eoghan's solo in the Moody Church video, I've really grown to love this song even more. There's such a heart-aching, heart-melting simplicity and beauty in Eoghan's solo. And he looked like such a pro! No nerves at all, all calm and confident. It was even better than his performance in Moody Church. I really look forward to hearing more solos from him in the future. And oh my, the future is looking very bright indeed!

At this point, I'd completely forgotten where we were on the set list. But then Nano Ben came forward and confirmed what I didn't want to hear--that the next song would be the last. It seemed like time flew even faster in the 2nd half! Anyway, his announcement drew audible cries of disappointment from the crowd. We just couldn't get enough of such beauty. Nano Ben ended his speech saying "Maraming salamat po! Mahal namin ang Pilipinas!" Aww, we love you more!

9. How Shall I Sing That Majesty - What else do we have but another stunner from Stefan. This boy is just overflowing with talent. It was also my first time hearing it live and I thought it was a really impressive way to end the concert. Eoghan did the solo in the 2nd verse and he was also great!

Thunderous applause followed the final note and the crowd wouldn't stop clapping. The boys started bowing to the audience and still we kept on clapping. Finally, the lights dimmed again, but we knew there would be an encore since RP hadn't left his seat yet.

I tried to guess at first, hoping they would sing a Filipino song. But it turned out to be White Christmas, which is also such a dreamy, lovely number. Stefan again did a lovely solo. Listening to them sing this live just transports you to this magical place where everything is perfect. It was impossible to be disappointed with having this for an encore.

Applause again punctuated the end of this number, and still we asked for more. When RP still didn't leave his spot, I thought, surely, now, they would sing a Filipino number. And indeed, they did and endeared themselves to us even more. Yes, it's possible. As the intro melody was playing, we started guessing the song. They did the same thing as with Bayan Ko, when they started with just "aaahs". I think it's a good tactic. Tease the audience a bit, give them a chance to guess, and make them all go crazy when they finally recognize the tune. By the time they sang the words, we were all so ecstatic.

I really hope they release a video of this, like what they did for Bayan Ko. It's a very classic Filipino Christmas song and evokes images of old-but-still-living Filipino Christmas traditions like simbang gabi (dawn mass) in cool December mornings, puto bumbong and bibingka (Filipino delicacies), and that joyful feeling we all have during Christmas. Again, whoever wants to listen to the song can listen to it here:

[youtube][/youtube]

Ralph did an excellent job in his solo, although his pronunciation of the t's and d's are a bit "slang" (that's what we call most things that sound foreign). But still! their performance was so amazing! It was really soothing and I felt like I was floating and it really makes me want to fast forward to Christmas! Marvelous job, boys! Thank you all so much for the tremendous effort that you put in learning these songs. We really really really appreciate it. And Isaac, you were so cute when you sang the ending "And a merry Christmas to you!" So sweet.

And so finally, they once again brought the PICC audience to their feet, receiving a long standing ovation. Then they waved goodbye and sadly, the magic was to come to an end.

The whole concert was simply magical; I was so happy I kept smiling the whole time that my face ached in the end. I was loathe to leave the place so soon, hoping to tell them personally how magnificent they were this evening. But I was with my family and they all had good reasons for wanting to leave early. The set list, I think, was a perfect balance of Christmas and non-Christmas songs. I loved the variety of the songs; it was great seeing them sing a jovial, energetic song, followed by a more mellow tune. Their talent really knows no bound.

Thank you once again to all the people who made this possible. Mr. Bobby de Ocampo, who is definitely the key player in all 3 Philippine tours. RP, for his priceless directing of this group; you are indeed the trade secret. The chaperones, backing band, and behind-the-scenes personnel for the great support you do for the group. The boys for being the wonderful group of well-disciplined, singing boys that you are. And once again, and I cannot say this enough, many thanks to the Libera parents who are so generous with their time and support and for letting the boys go on these tours. Your boys have an immeasurable capacity of making people from all over the world experience such joy because of the boys' creative beauty.

[LennesSL]

Thank you so much for your review. It actually made me cry. And I wasn't even there. Gosh, what's wrong with me. Worried about what that will do to me at the concert of St. George.

But on topic again, I noticed that Barney and (I thought) Eoghan is taping the screaming fans when they go from the M&Gs. Saw it in a video and on a picture. Probably to check at home, what the hell happend over there.

There isn't any blog from the boys yet right? So curious how the newbies experience everything it must be (especially for the ones first time touring.. So don't used to the fans screaming and asking things) exhausting??

[Benj]

It's been 2 days and i still keep humming Libera's arrangement of Himig ng Pasko. I hope they record it fast cause i'm dying t hear it again at any price. We have great composers too who make great arrangements and i but i concede Robert Prizeman is way beyond genius.

[hannah_kirstin]

Ahh, thanks for the lovely second part of your review Carina! Felt like I was reliving the concert again. I want to keep every memory fresh, as we don't often get to see Libera live. Stefan is such a tremendously talented lad, isn't he? Feel so blessed to have heard him sing live and watch him sing with so much emotion, it's like he was born to sing. And sweet Ralph, loved him on the Fountain too! The transition from low to high notes left me awed.

Lenneke, excited for you! The concert in London is going to be magical! Tears are but a natural response when hearing those angel voices. Bring some tissues!

[Murkskis]

Wow, wow, wow Carina ! You write so good!
I got chills just reading you!

[Lauren]

Two Cebu M&G videos so far. Very tight security with police linking hands. Ralph seems to be having a GREAT time though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNWqPSx2W6o


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN7OhVMdOmA