Barbie Live! The Musical December 11-15, 2013 at the MOA Arena

Yes, my Facebook feed is filled with weddings, engagements, baptisms and all the cute pictures of kids and babies of friends and relatives these days. So when I got an invite from the SM Mall of Asia Arena for Barbie Live! The Musical, I thought "Yes! Finally I have something to give these guys". Hahaha!

It's interesting that Barbie, THE doll, now has a musical to its name. I'm sure this production will be filled with glamour and glitter, amazing fashion, and some pretty lights and sounds. 

“Barbie LIVE! will delight generations of Barbie fans and will leave the audience feeling entertained and inspired,” said Lori Pantel, Vice President, Barbie Global Marketing. “EMS Entertainment has brought together an experienced, industry-leading creative team and brilliant cast to bring this fantastic story to life in a fun and magical way.”

Barbie Live! The Musical opens today, December 11, 2013 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and runs until December 15, 2013. Tickets for Barbie™ LIVE! is now available in all SM TICKETS outlets located in all SM Cinema ticket booths. For schedule and ticket information, visit www.smtickets.com or call 470 2222.

Barbie™ LIVE! is promoted in the Philippines by Vivre Fort Entertainment and Happy Junior Productions in cooperation with Mall of Asia Arena, SM Cinema e-PLUS Tap to Pay, Richprime Global Inc., Toy Kingdom, Barbie Store Philippines, myDSL, LG, Astroplus, Intercontinental Manila, ABS-CBN, Studio 23, Velvet, Lifestyle Network, Fox International Channels, ABS-CBN Publishing, Businessworld, Philippine Star and 105.1 Crossover.

To know more about Barbie Live! The Musical, visit www.eplus.ph. ePLUS Tap to Pay members get a special 20% discount on Barbie Live! ticket purchases by simply presenting their ePLUS Tap to Pay card at SM Tickets outlets nationwide.

Wakeboard Nationals at Republ1c Wakepark soon!

Watch out for the biggest Vinyl disco experience in the Metro soon!

Boses the Movie on SM Cinemas July 31

It was an absolute honor to be invited to the Blogger's Night for BOSES the Movie screening at Podium last Monday, July 8, 2013. Boses debuted at the 4^th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in 2008, and makes its way to SM Cinemas for commercial screening starting July 31.

The film is about a boy made mute because of his abusive father's actions, and the friendship he creates when he learns to play the violin with a reclusive mentor who's also fighting his own demons. Boses has been making the rounds of screenings both here and abroad since its debut – it has been shown in at least nine countries and over 50 schools and communities here in the Philippines. One might think that for an indie film, this is already huge. But I believe that this movie deserves a bigger audience, and it's ought to be seen by as many people as possible. Thus, their upcoming screening at the country's largest chain of supermalls is exciting and truly well-deserved.

The cast of Boses - Cherry Pie Picache, Coke Bolipata, Ricky Davao and Julian Duque

I really feel blessed that I was able to watch Boses, because at the end, the film has really touched me with its story, its music, its visuals and its characters. Director Ellen Ongkiko- Marfil told the story of Onyok (played by Julian Duque) beautifully, in a manner that everyone can easily relate to. The musical scoring was amazing, you'll feel afraid, happy, whimsical, melancholic, whatever emotion is appropriate for a particular scene because of the perfect accompaniment to it courtesy of Coke Bolipata, musical scorer and who also plays Ariel, Onyok's mentor in the film. Julian is a child prodigy, he played the violin very, very well in the movie, it's unbelievable! During the Q & A after the screening, we learned that Julian has been playing the violin since he was 3 years old (or was it 4?) and he was 8 when Boses was shot. Galing! As much as I would love to share the story of Boses, I'd rather invite people to come and see the film for themselves instead. Go! You won't regret it :)

Boses is Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board and is endorsed by UNICEF, World Vision, DepEd, DSWD, CHED, Save the Children- London, One Billion Rising- London, CBCP Youth, Jesuit Communications, Plan International and Food for the Hungry.

For more information, like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BOSESthemovie.
By the way, thanks to New Bombay for the awesome Samosa and Biryani served during the event. It was yum!!

Boses opens exclusively at all SM Cinemas nationwide on July 31, 2013.

Everyday Notes from the Videoke Queen

If you follow me on Twitter (@thevideokequeen), you'll notice that I post a Paper.Li link religiously around 6pm of every day about the latest tweets, links, photos and videos from our favorite OPM artists. Paper.Li is a site that allows one to curate tweets based on certain topics and Twitter accounts and presents this in a newspaper format. 

Several months ago, I thought of compiling a list of Pinoy artists and sites and putting them altogether, thus, Notes from the Videoke Queen is born.  

Here's how it looks like once "published" -

And here's Rivermaya's response to it yesterday - 

I don't really check it everyday but I notice that artist/s (that's Rivermaya!!!) are starting to notice it and thank me for it. Yay! It's really a good source of OPM news, what they're up to and what they've been posting and sharing on Twitter. Yesterday's edition led me to 2 interesting articles on The Oktaves (Ely Buendia+Hilera) and Rice Radio's feature on Parokya ni Edgar. Do check it out  Paper.Li's GENIUS!!

Follow me on Twitter to get these updates and more (randomness from yours truly) - @thevideokequeen. Thanks!!

Happy anniversary MOA Arena!

SM Mall of Asia Arena, or MOA Arena as it is popularly known, celebrated its first anniversary by kicking off with a press conference last May 24, 2013. It's too bad though that I was not able to attend because we were in our province that time, enjoying the sight of Mayon Volcano and all the pili I could eat.

I remember I was there when MOA Arena first opened to the public, on the first of the 2-night concert by Lady Gaga on her Born this Way World Tour that almost did not happen. I remember being ecstatic about MOA Arena's beautiful facilities and the notion of finally having an alternative to the venue in Cubao (as a consumer and concert-goer, healthy competition is good :)) And in their first year alone, MOA Arena has hosted world-class artists such as Nicki Minaj, David Guetta, J. Lo, Aerosmith, Swedish House Mafia as well as Kpop superstarts Big Bang, and local productions Foursome, Pinoy Pride, Icons at the Arena, Asia's songbird Regine Velasquez and games of the PBA, UAAP and NCAA.

Truly, its vision of "changing the game and elevating entertainment" was on point in the past year. This year, an amazing line-up of events welcome Filipino concert-goers, basketball fans and even fight/MMA enthusiasts. Here are some of the upcoming events at the MOA Arena - 

Lee Min Ho's My Everything World Tour on July 6 - 

Linkin Park Living Things World Tour on August 13 -

Rihanna Diamonds World Tour on September 19 -

NBA Pre-season Game featuring the Indiana Pacers v Houston Rockets on October 10 -

Disney Live on October 2 to 6 - 

Other events are Ogie Alcasid: I Write the Songs on August 16, King of the Cage on July 5 (headlined by two undefeated world champions), Monster Jam featuring monster trucks and their stunts, NCAA Season 89 and UAAP Season 76 games.

For more information, check out their website - http://www.mallofasia-arena.com.  For tickets, log on to SM Tickets or call 470-2222.

The Avicii Experience at the MOA Arena 2013

Here are some pics from the Avicii Live in Manila concert at the Mall of Asia Arena last May 15, 2013. Republiq sure knows how to set up and throw a party! I was happily observing all those dancing and jumping and swaying crowd below. The front act was DJ Marlon of The Bass Jackers and his set was really, really good. It could be the main show and I won't be disappointed. With Avicii as the headliner, this was an EDM party like no other. I loved the lights and LED display!! I thought nothing could beat David Guetta's prod last October but this was comparable, even better at times :) I'm happy and proud that we can already support this kind of world-class productions. Kudos to Republiq, World Wide Womb and Driven Manila!

Enjoy the pics!

Special thanks to Globe Tattoo, Coy Caballes and Marius Oczon!! :) <3 i="">
Photos courtesy of @MsVirna.

Fast and Furious 6 fever in Manila!

We had the good fortune of being able to catch the cast of Fast and Furious 6 yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena's Music Hall for their Red Carpet premiere (their only one in Southeast Asia!). Present is FF6's producer Neal Moritz, and some members of the cast - Gina Carano, Luke Evans (who sang a Filipino ballad! Awww!), Michelle Rodriguez, and (drum roll please) VIN DIESEL! My sister (@MsVirna) and I are HUUUUUGE fans of the FF franchise (saw all 6 in the cinemas) and we are VERY HAPPY to see Vin Diesel in the flesh (and breathe the same Manila air we breathe.LOL). It is quite exhilarating to experience the first Hollywood premiere in the Philippines (EVER) as well. The four-hour wait was worth it :) Here are some of the pics from yesterday. Enjoy!!

 

All photo collages courtesy of @MsVirna.

Special thanks to @philconcert's Glenn Michael Tan for this! Check out their site - Philippine Concerts. God bless you, brother! :)



Sing with me! 
@thevideokequeen

Sheng Belmonte sizzles with her new album Single

I'll be honest. At first, I didn't know who Sheng Belmonte was nor any of her songs. But after a few searches on Google, I learned that she was the voice featured in Gloc-9's hit “Walang Natira”. I also learned that she's been quite the fighter, persevering in reaching her dreams of becoming a recording artist and an actress, with stints as a showband vocalist, stand-up comedienne and a participant in Pinoy Dream Academy Season 2. With that alone, she has earned a few points in my respect meter =)

Listening to her CD entitled “Single” without any expectations nor biases was quite fun. The album has 7 tracks, and they all have a minus-one counterpart to make it a 14-track album. With no idea what to expect, I started with a “clean slate” on my mind and here are some of my thoughts on her songs.

The album starts with “Sabik”, a song with a dance pop tune that gives off a Destiny's Child/TLC vibe. I liked its melody connoting girl power and female fierce-ness. The carrier single “Single” is quite unique with its Taglish lyrics coupled with reggae-ish and Latin tunes that remind me of Pu3ska. I am heavily influenced by my sister, @MsVirna, with her love for reggae so I really like this song's beat and melody, but was not too fond of the lyrics though.

Her third track “Walang Kapalit” has very simple lyrics that Pinoys would love to sing along to -

Wala kang kapalit. Walang, walang, walang papalit.

Sa pag-ibig laging mainit. Parang kumot sa lamig

Na kay ginhawa, walang hahambing.

Wala kang kapalit. Walang, walang, walang papalit.

Wala kang kapalit. Walang ibang kasing bait.

“Muli” is her 4^th track, and so far this has been my favorite in this album. It's a classic love song, with the right tinge of sadness coupled with a good melody. Nice :) Next is “Akala Mo”, a song that literally caught me off-guard. Akala ko it was about a hopeless romantic na nagmamakaawa sa boyfriend nya, but turns out to be defiant and confident in the end. Why not?! I loved this song's guitar riffs! This is followed by “Sana”'s very sensual melody that might just be a hit for karaoke bars/ videoke joints. It reminds me of Tootsie Guevarra's Kaba. Now you might have an idea how old I am. LOL!

Last on the list is “Ulan”, a very powerful song that featured Sheng's vocal chops. I loved the melody, and I suddenly missed Roselle Nava while listening to this.

Sheng Belmonte showcased her confidence and sensuality in this album. And reading up on some of the write-ups about her, I am no longer surprised where she got that vibe. I love the fact that there are still original Filipino songs being produced and supported by recording companies such as Vicor Music, giving chances to solo artists like Sheng. There's hope :) Yay!!

Grab a copy of Single at all recording stores nationwide. Follow her on Twitter @ShengBelmonte and check out @vivavicor for more details.

PS: Special thanks to Punch Liwanag (@punchaudiojunki) for trusting me with this. Yay!!

Got Music? UP FM might just play your tracks!

This was something I saw on Facebook. Kinilig ako I just had to share it here :)

Please help my nephew Gabby beat Autism

Dear everyone, 

Our nephew, Gabby, is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or ASD when he was a little over 2 years old. He's turning 6 this December and I've been a witness to his boundless energy as well as his family's love and dedication to giving the best for him and his little brother Rafa. 

Our cousin, Gabby's dad, put up a fund-raising project online for Gabby's stem cell therapy. Basically, the site will accept donations from anybody, anywhere. Indeed, I consider this a privilege to be able to help, in my own small way, to spread the word and touch the hearts of friends and soon-to-be friends thru this simple post. I am humbled and blessed by Kuya Dong's sincerity and humility in reaching out and doing something as "unconventional" as this.

This is an excerpt from his letter to us and I hope it will touch your hearts as it did ours -

"I need help, it's important and time is of the essence. I wouldn't have mustered the strength to share a predicament as intimate as this; to humble myself and seek assistance, if I wasn't dead serious about this.

My request - - you might know an organization or someone who's willing to assist me get the word out, give the cause some exposure, via fb page msg, or a tweet, or whatnot. I strongly feel that God will touch the heart of someone, somewhere, and use him or her to help us."

If you find it in your heart to help Gabby, here's the link to the site:

http://bit.ly/ZFKQBY

Please feel free to spread the word and/or get in touch with me (email me at videokequeen@gmail.com) about this cause. May God bless you always!!!

“Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.” – Deuteronomy 15:10, NIV

The Full Monty (Broadway Musical) at the RCBC Theater

One of our good friends, Rica, shared with us recently her latest project - the showing of the The Full Monty, Broadway musical, at the RCBC Theater on APRIL 27 (Saturday at 8 PM) The play is based on the multi-awarded movie with the same title. Contrary to popular belief, the play is not all about skin and stripping but has a big heart, drama, laughter and great music. The Full Monty has won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and was nominated in 8 categories at the Tonys. 

The Philippine production is produced by Viva Atlantis (a partnership between 2 giants: Viva Entertainment and Atlantis Productions). Directing the men who will “let it go” is seasoned director Chari Arespacochaga. It stars Mark Bautista, Arnel Ignacio, Marco Sison, Jamie Wilson, OJ Mariano, and Nino Alejandro with Ima Castro, Sitti and Ciara Sotto joining the cast. 

It’s bound to be a great show, and here are the ticket prices -
Balcony P700
Loge Side and Back P900
Loge P1400
Orchestra Side P1600
Orchestra Center P1700

For tickets, feel free to get in touch with the following ladies: 0917-537-3040 (Tin), 0917-861-7978 (Ianne), 0929-618-1615 (Rica), or email fullmontyapril27@gmail.com.

Do like their Facebook Page for updates and extra details leading up to April 27 :)

SM shows love with SM Cares

It's nice to know that SM Supermalls has SM Cares, their corporate social responsibility flagship program. It has programs on Children, Environmenr, Senior Citizens, Persons with Disability (PWDs), and OFWs. Examples of these are the SM Global Pinoy Center, Happy Walk in association with the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, and the Seafarers Center in SM Manila.

For more information on SM Cares, you may visit their official website or like SM Cares on Facebook.

American Idol Season 12 initial thoughts

My sister and I have been following this season of American Idol, mainly because we loved Season 11 and we are also curious how the three new judges will match with last season's amazing run.

I just saw the Top 10 performance recently and here are some initial thoughts -

It's the year of the girls!

Candice Glover and Amber Holcomb are the top contenders for me.
Angie Miller is the pop star. She can record an album now and it will be a hit.
Kree Harrison is the dark horse. I loooooove her voice - its clarity, precision and surprises. Her manner of singing reminds me of Lea Salonga - so clean and so precise.

As for the boys, hmm..they really ensured there's no white guy with guitar this season. Yeah?

The UNSTOPPABLE DREAM: Nick Vujicic in Manila 2013

Nick Vujicic (VOOY-CHEECH), or Pastor Nick as I "safely" call him, will be in Manila on May 20 for his Unstoppable Dream Tour, a motivational business conference on leadership at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, 7:30 pm.

I first knew about Ptr. Nick during one of our Monday Bible Study (MBS) sessions at A-Venue, Makati. I cried watching one of his videos. For someone born without arms and legs, he radiated so much positivity, so much peace and joy that could only come from Jesus Christ. Now, he travels the world giving inspirational speeches and spreading his story of hope and faith.

In another note, I totally missed my reservation for his May 18th show (Unstoppable Faith) at the CCF Worship and Training Center at C5 Tiendesitas. I am praying that I could still get tickets for our family and friends to that conference. But I'll definitely watch this one!

See Nick Vujicic live and be inspired on May 20 at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum. For tickets, contact Ticketnet or beccamusic.com (9105524). Tickets are only -

P1,000 for VIP

P 750 for Patron and Lower Box

P 500 for Upper Box A

and P 250 for Upper Box B and Gen Ad.

Check out lifewithoutlimbs.org for more on Nick Vujicic.

Listening to this -

Princess Velasco's Acoustic Princess II.

I'll be posting some thoughts on the tracks soon =) 

Taking my cue from Nina: "All Good" [album review]

Yes, you got it right. I am "reviewing" an album! Yay! It's in quotation marks because these are merely my thoughts on how I find albums and CDs that I come across from now on. Nothing strict or stuffy, just an ordinary music lover's take on what's playing on our radio stations (or streaming on sites) now.

I am very happy that the first CD to be featured here contains mostly original songs with a few well-chosen covers. The Philippines' "Diamond Soul Siren", Nina recently launched a brand new album entitled All Good under Viva Records, her first under the recording company. It gives me hope whenever OPM artists release an album with original lyrics and melodies. Do you agree?

I was ready with a pen and paper to give my thoughts on each track upon hearing it immediately. The first song - Maybe It's Too Soon, reminds me so much of "Someday" (and I'm singing in my head "...someone's gonna love me"). Thus, it has also reminded me of a funny bus ride a few years back. Hahaha!! The sound is classic Nina (I think you'll get what I mean) and I love this particular line -

I love the way your eyes crinkle when you smile

The next track is the album's carrier single, Sa Isang Tingin written by MJ Magno of XLR8. It's a love song that's very sing-able - and that's what Pinoys love: to sing along while it's playing on the radio even if you're riding a bus, a jeep, or wherever. Track #3 is a perfect cover of Perfect. I love how it's so relaxing and I really liked the piano and percussions on this one. And then it goes really melancholic with Kung Walang Ikaw, Walang Ako. The next track is this album's title "All Good." It has a mellow pop sound, but I think it can also pass as a Christian song. The guitar solo on the bridge is amazing!

The next songs are classic Nina ballads-

   Make It Up to You almost made me cry. Seriously. The next track is literally Sad, followed by a Tagalog ballad entitled Paano. 

When the Love is Gone featured some amazing piano tunes. Then her cover of Hurting Inside follows, which I think is sure to be a chart-topper. The last song is Pinili Kong Limutin Ka and the bonus track is Don't Say Goodbye from the movie A Secret Affair. 

I think it's high time to hear Nina sing originals again, with her signature sweet and soulful voice. I love that she wasn't trying too hard to belt it out on this album, and her repertoire reminded me of why she's the Diamond Soul Siren of the Philippines. 

All Good is available at all record stores nationwide. Also, check out these sites to get updates on Nina -

Twitter: @vivavicor

Facebook: facebook.com/vivarecords

Youtube: vivamusicgroup1