Cebu Daily News / Opinion

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/opinion/view_article.php?article_id=130968

COLOR OF WATER Color of Water : Three gigs By Malou Guanzon-Apalisok Cebu Daily News Posted date: April 17, 2008 In just a matter of two months, Cebuanos were treated to three major gigs by two American rock groups and one Christian worship singer, proof that the Queen City of the South has become a major stop of overseas talents. First to come was the U.S. band Earth, Wind and Fire, which performed at the Cebu City Sports Club, followed by Toto, which held a concert at Marriott Hotel early this month. I’m quite familiar with “September,” “After the Love Is Gone” and “Reasons” – Earth, Wind and Fire hits that I kept playing during my disc-jockey days (when there were only few FM stations in the city). In the early ‘90s, my daughter couldn’t get enough of Toto hits, which she listened to for hours on end while studying or doing housework. I happen to like “Rosanna,” “I’ll Be Over You” and “Africa.” Between the two American rock groups, I had planned to watch Toto because I thought Earth, Wind and Fire, which became famous in the late ‘70s, would be too old by now. Members of Toto, which gained popularity much later, would just be in their mid-40s and would be able to reprise their monster hits before a local crowd looking for distraction. Well, I’m glad I wasn’t able to watch either because there seems to be a lot of negative feedback. The two foreign bands didn’t quite live up to expectations, and I heard Toto, especially, did not render their old hits and instead performed “noisy” numbers. Some sectors might say baby boomers can’t actually spot the difference between noise and rock material unless they’re familiar with it, but that’s actually the point. Those who went to watch the Toto concert expected to hear established hits, only to be turned off, according to feedback, by songs familiar only to the band. It’s like going to a pricey restaurant where one orders specific dishes only to be served fare that is foreign to one’s taste and, worse, wa pa gyuy lami. I understand Toto fans paid at least P1,000 for a ticket, hoping to have an enjoyable night in a high-end hotel but ended up crying about a rip off or ilad! Tagalogs have an interesting description for shows that don’t come up to their expectations, e.g., when there’s less lewd material in a skin flick they’ve lined up to watch. It’s not fraud in the strictest sense, but they cry “harang” to air their disgust. It’s a term that literally means obstacle. Some Manila residents must be saying that producers come up with wicked snarl-ups just so the audience won’t be able to catch up with them to get their money back, or, if “justice” has to be served, to beat them up. I wonder what the local government has to say about gigs like the ones that local audiences complained about. Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Jack Jakosalem should study the matter. The third international talent who came here to perform last week was Don Moen, a favorite of Catholic renewal groups and Christian revivalists. Ticket prices were reasonable, P500 for a reserved seat and P250 if you could stand for two hours or more at the University of Southern Philippines grounds. A complimentary ticket through this paper enabled me to watch Don for the third time in a span of five years. The first time I watched him was in 2003 at Waterfront Hotel, where he performed to a packed grand pavilion. Don scored his first album, which later on became a bestseller for Hosanna! Music label, “Give Thanks,” in 1986. Of course, he is well-known in his hometown Minnesota in Minneapolis, USA, but I think it is in Asia, especially in the Philippines, where he is well-appreciated. His worldwide hits include “God Will Make a Way,” “I Offer My Life,” “Heal Our Land,” etc. Pinoys go to his concert not just to listen but to pray through songs, since every gig is formatted as public worship. Indeed, his latest show, which he brought to many Philippine cities, including ours, was a music tour billed the “Don Moen Worship & Revival Tour.” A prolific songwriter and producer of Christian worship or gospel music, Don has become the face of gospel music and it’s notable that the genre is catching up with mainstream music. Gospel hymns, sometimes called inspirational songs, used to be sung only in churches during Sunday Masses or service, but not anymore. We hear them as musical scores of personal videos and TV programs. In fact, during a recent episode of “American Idol,” finalists belted out, “Shout to the Lord” as a finale to the presentation that featured inspirational ditties. That particular number was recorded by Don Moen in the early ‘90s and is a favorite of many renewal society members.