SHANE FILAN Live! In Manila Tour at Skydome

Photo By: Karen Feaster

Shane Filan performing at the Skydome. PHOTO CREDITS: Myphotographics and Shane Filan Fan Club Philippines Fanpage

Westlife has been a part of our musical world since late 90s up to present. The boyband made impact to the world of music with their sweet to live pop songs and even their covers and remakes. To the adult to young adult women of today's generation, these lads were prince charmings who serenaded their radio and ipods and so were the concert grounds all over the world. All things they say should come to an end for the better and just last year, they decided to disband and go on separate ways and one of them is their front man who possesses  amazingly powerful voice, Shane Filan. Just last September 28, 2013 at SM North EDSA Skydome, the nightingale lad graced his Filipino fans for the fifth time but as a solo artist promoting his album. There were a hundred lucky fans who had a chance to meet him face to face before his performance. 

The event started at 6PM, with a front act from acoustic artist Sabrina. Shane serenaded the crown with his first song "Everytime" from his "Everything to Me EP". Girls from every age stages shouted and screamed due to the ecstatic and euphoric mood. The night ended with the song "Everything to Me", hi debut song. Following that was the autograph signing that completed the day and made fans' hearts tattooed  with happy hearts. -faf

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[Concert Review] What Time Is It: 2PM Live in Manila

What Time Is It: 2PM Live in Manila - slideshow

Hotness overload! Last March 02, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena, sizzling boys from Korea conquered the hearts of thousands of “The Hottest” (2PM Fans) in the Philippines.  Performing in Manila as the first stop of their “What Time Is It” world tour, the boys absolutely made the MOA Arena crowd breathless. Their hot visages were not just eloquent to melt thousands of their pinoy fans, they were also oozing with talents and charisma.  Some of the very notable scenes/performances were Chansung’s tearing of his shirt in the middle of singing “Love You Down”, Taecyeon rapping and playing as a DJ on “It’s Time”, Nickhun’s amazing “Let it Rain” while playing the piano that melted most hearts of the audience, Wooyoung’s superb dance steps and his funny “Pakitong Kitong” which made the crown sang joyfully. Truly, kpop fans were so satisfied. Though only Taecyeon and Nickhun have the capability to speak fluent English, language barriers don't matter. The loving fans were hoping that these charming hunks would perform again in the country someday. -faf

Videos By: Grachelle Valencia. [Follow her channel on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/kradylla]

Photos By: Grachelle Valencia, JYP Entertainment and The Philippine Star.

RELATED LINKS:

[Article] It’s 2PM: Manila Time! by BusinessWorld

[Article] 2PM heats up Manila with ‘What Time Is It’ tour by DKPOPNews

[Article] 2PM 2013 Live in Manila Concert by One Gig Manila

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Dream K-POP Fantasy Concert [Philippines]

A dream and a fantasy together- last January 19, 2013, six awesome KPOP groups fell in the grounds of SM Mall of Asia Open Grounds like shooting stars as they conquer the land and the hearts of their Filipino fans in a dreamy fantastic concert organized by PULP. Six KPOP Groups: Girls’ Generation (SNSD), Exo-M, Exo-K, Infinite, U-Kiss, Tahiti and Tasty.

Cheerful and energetic KPOP fans waited and gathered before the concert not minding how long they will stand and the heat. Truly, their adrenaline rush powered them mixed by their frenzy. Extreme happiness embraced the crowd. Even male fans were filled with glee as their presence was inspired by the sexy and pretty members of SNSD, imagine that? Loving KPOP is not just for teens or young adults because there were also adults and parents who watched and sang together with their children. The prices of the tickets were expensive and took time for some fans to earn and save but seeing their faces and smiles, they were more precious than what they have paid. Though there are language barriers, I could therefore say that music could really bind us all.

Here are some pictures taken by my friend who watched:

Here are some cool links:

[PHOTOS] Dream KPOP Fantasy Concert-MYX Philippines

Dream KPop Fantasy concert, dinagsa ng mga tagahanga

Youtube Videos uploaded by fans:

Photo Credits:

Grachelle "Ylla" Valencia

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Super Junior Choi Siwon and Lee Dong Hae's EDSA-Guadalupe BENCH Billboards

Combination photo of the four huge billboards.

A picture paints a thousand words and a billboard could melt a thousand hearts!- Just recently, thousand of Filipino ELFs (Everlasting Friends), the enthusiastic Super Junior fans which is Korea’s most famous boyband went in such frenzy staring and taking pictures as well as videos of their biases, the heartrobs Lee Dong Hae and Choi Si Won. In response to the ELFs’ constant support and love for the Korean cuties, the biggest clothing brand here in the Philippines have given the opportunity to get them closer to their Pinoy fans with advocacies to save mother earth.

That area at EDSA Guadalupe-Boni overlooking the Pasig River had been a home of Bench’s famous huge billboards in a way that it is located in a national prime road where commuters from north and south of Luzon exchange their ways. Former billboards gained so much attention because of their size and motorists tend to focus on them while on the road that it is considered to be an indicator of fame when a certain celebrity had his face on such giant billboards.

I and my ELF friend got a glimpse on a night time. We saw lots of ELFs there indicating we are not alone and it is so much happy seeing them exchanging smiles while taking pictures of their idols overlooking the Pasig River. My favorite one was that of Dong Hae wearing that green “Sorry Sorry” shirt, he looks like a doll and that of Siwon wearing a combination of grey and red top in the right.

Isn't the Pasig River looks endearing on a typical night will all these billboards? :)

Pasig River may look polluted and dirty in some way but for the ELFs, it is such an enjoyment just sitting in there enjoying the visage of their well loved Super Junior biases.

Filipina ELFs enthusiastically taking pictures of their beloved biases.

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Top 20 most favorite Switchfoot Songs from 1997-2011

There are thousands of bands in the world but only few of them produce such enigmatic approach with lyrics about of life, love and faith combined with modern genre of rock and pop. This American rock band from California touches their listeners with their unique Christian Rock. Being highly favored in their genre, they yield beautiful albums with meaningful songs over the years. I have been a fan since college and first heard their music on the movie A Walk to Remember.

The band’s extremely talented members:

Jonathan Mark “Jon” Foreman [lead vocals, guitar]
Timothy “Tim” David Foreman [bass guitar, backing vocals]
Chad Matthew Butler [drums, percussion]
Jerome Earl Fontamillas [guitar, keyboard, backing vocals]
Andrew Philip “Drew” Shirley [guitar, backing vocals]

Their great albums:

The Legend of Chin [ 1997]
New Way to Be Human [1999]
Learning to Breathe [2000]
The Beautiful Letdown [2003]
Nothing Is Sound [ 2005]
Oh! Gravity [2006]
Hello Hurricane [2009]
Vice Verses [2011]


With eight albums so far from 1997 to 2011 with numerous recognitions and awards, here is my list of TOP 20 Switchfoot songs of all time (so far):

1. Only Hope (New Way to be Human 1999)
2. I Dare You to Move (Learning to Breathe 2000)
3. Restless (Hello Hurricane 2009)
4. Learning to Breathe (Learning to Breathe 2000)
5. Meant to Live (The Beautiful Letdown 2003)
6. You (The Legend of Chin 1997)
7. This is Your Life (The Beautiful Letdown 2003)
8. Selling the News (Hello Hurricane 2009)
9. Vice Verses (Vice Verses 2011)
10. Free (Hello Hurricane 2009)
11. Stars (Nothing is Sound 2005)
12. New Way to be Human (New Way to be Human 1999)
13. Home (The Legend of Chin 1997)
14. Oh! Gravity (Oh! Gravity 2006)
15. Awakening (Oh! Gravity 2006)
16. Life and Love (The Legend of Chin 1997)
17. After Life (Vice Verses 2011)
18. The Original (Vice Verses 2011)
19. Lonely Nation (Nothing is Sound 2005)
20. More than Fine (The Beautiful Letdown 2003)

Wishing for more albums to come and concert tours here in the Philippines!

-faf

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Can't I Love You cover by: Kim Soo Hyun and IU English Translation [Dream High OST]

The Korean Series DREAM HIGH captured people with its wonderful cast and songs that touched the hearts of viewers dramatically. My personal favorite was this song cover by Kim Soo Hyun who plays as Song-Sam-Dong with a duet with pretty girl IU who plays Kim Pil Suk. Their vocal combination induced wave of stimulation on my feelings as well as the message of the song. This is an English translation that could help non-Korean fanatics to understand its message. It was originally sung by 2AM’s Jinwoon and Changmin. -faf

CAN’T I LOVE YOU
[Credits to: michyeoga@wordpress.com]

Whenever I see you,
Whenever you smile for me
Little by little,
My feelings for you grew
When I think of you now,
When I picture you,
my beating heart doesn’t know how to stop
I can’t hide my feelings anymore
I want to give it all to you
I’m always close to you (next to you)
Can’t I love you?
This heart that wants to protect you more than anyone else,
Can you accept it?
To be the one that’s in your heart (in your heart),
Can’t I be that?
To be the most important person in your life,
Is what I want to be,
so quickly take my heart.
everyday, because of my growing love for you
For the entire day,
I really can’t do anything at all.
Now its no secret
that my heart is filled with love for you
I’m always close to you (next to you)
Can’t I love you?
This heart that wants to protect you more than anyone else,
Can you accept it?
To be the one that’s in your heart (in your heart),
Can’t I be that?
To be the most important person in your life,
Is what I want to be,
so quickly take my heart.
Please tell me now
that you know how I feel
I’m always close to you (next to you)
Can’t I love you?
This heart that wants to protect you more than anyone else,
Can you accept it?
To be the one that’s in your heart (in your heart),
Can’t I be that?
To be the most important person in your life,
Is what I want to be,
so quickly take my heart.
Please understand my heart

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Dream High (Korean Series Review)

Dream High, a Korean series produced by the country’s top television network, KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) in 2011. With all its contagious freshness and being infused into the K-Pop world it then conquered the youth, adults as well other nationalities. My friend recommended her DVD set to me and assured me that after I experienced watching this K-drama, I will appreciate K-Pop and K-Pop artists more so is the chance to get addicted to the genre. After giving it a try, my heart absorbed the essence of its music, characters, plot and the settings. The actors, who happened to be also mostly popular K-Pop stars, impressed my senses to the highest level. Six young people with different struggles and weaknesses endured fate by continuously dreaming within each of their goals met by chance and bonded with friendship with the help of their significant others.

Values:

1. The patience to wait for your turn as you strive and be stronger to face a brighter tomorrow. [Dream High Group]

2. Love endures all. Being in love could inspire even the most troubled person to rise again and follow his dreams. [Song Sam Dong, Hyun Shi Hyuk]

3. True friendship remains no matter what. Storms and terrible conflicts may seem to ruin, real friends stays at the end of the day. [Go Hye Mi, Yoon Baek Hee]

4. Being a star isn’t all about being attractive. [Kim Pil Sook]

5. If you want something, you should really work hard no matter how hard for you will surely reap your happiness in the end. [Song Sam Dong, Kim Pil Sook]

6. Your weakness could be your strength. Your disability is just a challenge. [Song Sam Dong]

7. No matter how strict or inconsiderable parents might seem, deep inside their hearts, they love their children so much. [Hyun Shi Hyuk, Yoon Baek Hee]

8. Prejudice is a thing for shallow minded people. [Go Hye Mi]

9. Life is like a comic book, you can choose who your character is and how will you end your story. [Go Hye Mi, Song Sam Dong]

10. No one is inferior. Sometimes, people just need someone or something to awaken your real talent and capabilities. [Yoon Baek Hee, Song Sam Dong]

11. You don’t need to be with famous people to shine and show your qualities. Being with someone you are comfortable with will unleash your heart and keep you comfortable. [Jason]

MAIN CAST:

Go Hye Mi: Suzy of Miss A
Song Sam Dong: Kim So-Hyun
Hyun Si Hyuk: Taecyeon of 2PM
Yoon Baek Hee: Ham Eun Jung of T-ara
Jason: Wooyoung of 2PM
Kim Pil Sook: IU

I fully recommend this series to those young people who have talents but not so confident because of their weaknesses. You have my assurance that after you experienced this rich story and absorbed the values, it might become your inspiration to persevere.

Filipino fans should be really excited as this will air on ABS-CBN anytime this 2012.

-faf

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