MANILA, Philippines — Just like last year, 2012 is turning out to be a great year for the concert scene.
Whether it has something to do with the good luck that the Year of the Dragon brings or an indication of desirable or (at the very least) acceptable dollar exchange rates, foreign performers are coming in droves as evidenced by the recent successful gigs of acts as diverse as The Cranberries, Sergio Mendes, Greyson Chance and in a few weeks time, the returning Lady Gaga.
Back in the old days, however, there was some kind of an unwritten rule that a local act must open for these foreign performers, which provided our homegrown talents with much needed exposure in terms of exposure even as there were some strange marquee combinations over the years like the time when Pinoy Rock queen Sampaguita fronted for mushy pop singer-songwriter Paul Williams, or when then child sensation Josephine “Banig” Roberto opened for Duran Duran, or even Jed Madela serving as appetizer for Katy Perry during her first performance here.
Well, as odd combos go, a hodgepodge of both foreign and local acts identified with varying music genres will be treating music fans to a special Labor Day concert on Tuesday in a three-stage set up similar to Woodstock and Lollapalooza.
Dubbed the “Manila Music Festival,” it is presented by Volume Unit Entertainment, the same group responsible for the successful three-day Malasimbo Music & Arts festival that took place in Mt. Malasimbo in Puerto Galera earlier this year.
Headlining the almost daylong and all-night festival are hip-hop pioneers Afrika Bambaataa and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, former member of another acclaimed hip-hop group, A Tribe Called Quest.
Also on hand is Shinichi Osawa also known as Mondo Grosso, a celebrated acid jazz and house music DJ from Japan.
Best known for his 1982 electro hop dance hit, “Planet Rock,” Bambaataa is actually credited for coining the phrase “hip hop” and is also known for pioneering the Universal Zulu Nation, a group of socially and politically aware rappers, B-boys, graffiti artists and other people involved in hip hop culture.
Muhammad’s former group, A Tribe Called Quest, is best known for its unique fusion of jazz and hip hop while Osawa was the leader and bass player for popular Japanese group Mondo Grosso and was recently named among the Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists by HMV Japan.
All three will perform on the international stage.
They will be complemented on the local stage by Razorback, Kjwan, Wilabaliw, SinoSikat, Lady I and June Marieezy who will treat festivalgoers to diverse sets of rock, reggae, soul, dancehall, and hip hop music.
The Manila Music Festival will be held at the Alphaland Bay City at Aseana Avenue, Parañaque, near the Mall of Asia.
An outdoor music event covering a 250-meter x 150-meter portion of reclaimed costal land, the show also offers audiences a grand view of the Manila Bay Sunset.
Organizers are advising patrons to bring water guns, extra shirts, bottled water, sunblock lotion, headgear for sun protection, ziplocks, umbrellas, cameras, anything to sit on and, of course, cash.
Tickets are available at the venue for P2,000.
Gates open at 1pm, so it’s best to come early to get a good spot.
This event is for adults 18 years and older so valid identification will also be requested at the gates.
For more information, visit http://ManilaMusicFestival.com.
