Pinoy performers gather for a night of Christmas concert in Dubai

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates – Last December 4, a Friday, 35 Filipino musicians from all over UAE gathered in one stage in Dubai for a night of performance designed to usher in the Christmas spirit among its homesick kababayans.
Dubbed “A Christmas Musical Presentation,” the concert was held at The Fridge, located at Al Quoz Industrial Area 4, and featured Filipino bands and solo performers, most of them have been featured on GMA News Online.
Among the performers were Zack Allen; Bonz Saforteza; Alijan Tatel, who introduced his new band Kumanderku and the Ginggastee; Ela; Project: [PROTOTYPE]; 3hirdParty; and Sons of Asaph, who performed with its new drummer John Paul Abuda.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The gig was produced by Ronald Galvez, an OFW, along with Rudy Parilla, James Pacheco, Benedict Batalla and Louie Miclat of Sessions DXB.
"Sessions DXB is a platform to showcase the talents of our fellow OFWs, both amateur & professional," Galvez said. "We are encouraging everyone to shift the experience of playing music at home to a live stage performance."
Galvez and Parilla also performed in the mini-concert—as vocalist/rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist, respectively—as the Greyback Band. They were joined by vocalist/lead guitarist Ralph Mancao, composer/keyboardist Francis Del Mundo, bassist Arnold Ponseca, and drummer Jeff Garcia.
"Music and art is my passion, the same thing when I say I love my family. It’s my life and it will be forever," said Galvez, a graphic communications manager at Al-Futtaim, beaming at the success of the one-night only concert.
"I have my own home studio and music production here in Dubai which is self-supporting," he said. "Every night, I set at least three hours to work at my home studio doing graphic arts and music-related projects."
Also in the event was Tag 91.1 FM brand manager Nikki Famador, vocalist of the band Dekada. She performed together with lead guitarist Chris Barroga and drummer Benny Lalic.
Louie Da Costa of Tag 91.1 FM graced the show, too, as well as guests Joan McEldowney, an Irish singer/composer; Riff Raff Band, an Irish group; and front acts Electrokats and Olliekraft.
"A Christmas Musical Presentation" was held in coordination with Nite Owl Production, Black Light Project, Follow Up, and Music Smart Studio. Tag 91.1 FM, which has been supporting Filipino performers in the UAE, also promoted the event on air.
"We recommend those artists or bands that have three original compositions to our partner Tag 91.1 FM for acoustic live performance on air," Galvez said. "And later Tag 91.1 FM will recommend those artist/bands for other events/concert as front acts or main performers." —KBK, GMA News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more