A Winter Sunday

Despite the snow blowing in the streets sideways (that's how windy it was!) I still ventured out dressed like Kenny from South Park, or as my sister put it, in a puffy burka...

...in order to drop by the Sunday market at Bla. It was an eclectic collection of handmade knits from cute old ladies, trinkets and knicknacks, old photos, art pieces and vintage wear. I help myself back and contented myself with a Norwegian pancake while observing the proceedings, still amazed that nothing stops people from going out to shop.


Bla is located in the "artistic" side of Oslo, by the river, and walking around this old part of town and encountering surprising sights (like that huge outdoor chandelier) is always interesting. On Sunday nights I've heard that there's even a really good jazz quarter that plays there which I hope to catch sometime.

So...despite the cold there are still cool things that go on in Oslo.

A Big Night of Music

One of the advantages of living in a "major" European city like Oslo is the availability of some world-renowned entertainment. So far I've heard Madonna & Guns n Roses have passed through (my music references are indicative of my age), and its not only pop or rock music phenomenons who grace Oslo with their presence, but stars from other musical genres as well. It certainly contrasts to KL, which some international acts skipped due to religious issues. However, the availability of local live music seems less than the Philippines, which of course does so well that we export our live acts. In any case, I think part of the reason that Oslo is so full of entertainment is because people are always looking for something to do, and they have the time and money to spare. Something to watch out for when these big names come is that the tickets sell out so fast that you have to be glued to your PC screen when the online sales begin.

So for the last weekend of August, I booked myself a ticket to Festningen 2010, which headlined Norwegian electronica group Royksopp and French electronica pioneer Jean Michel Jarre. The weather took a turn for the worse in the evening, so it was my first time to see people coming for a concert dressed in rain gear and even ski outfits!

The festival started at 2pm but we didn't go there until 7pm. We were able to catch the opening act for the main show, a hiphop group from Malawi called The Very Best. I'd like to catch them in a more intimate setting next time, it would be so fun to dance.

After a half-hour break, a couple of beers and a visit to the portalet, Royksopp came onstage. I knew I liked their music, but I didn't know how much I knew of it. I've been chilling to "Poor Leno" since the early 2000's.

But of course the biggest shocker of the evening was the guest appearance of Robyn, who I was so pissed to have missed at the sold-out Oyafestivalen 2 weeks ago. And she started off with my favorite song in their collaboration, "The Girl and the Robot". I was screaming like mad.

Finally, a delightful performance from an unexpected source: Jean Michel Jarre who I have to admit I'd never heard of until I booked a ticket to this show. A pioneer of modern electronica, he's been spinning tracks since the 1970's and has played in venues like the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids. Until I saw his performance, I didn't understand what the fuss was about. Its old school electronica yes, but delivered in a spectacular show of light, sound and perfectly synchronized fireworks. The man is in his 50s but he had so much energy and was having so much fun on stage. It was simply entertaining to watch this musical magician.

This was a great cap to my busy first month in Oslo. Next week, I'm off to the opera!

Rockin' Hongkong

Guess who I ran into at the Music Matters 2008 conference in Hongkong? MiG Ayesa and the We Will Rock You band performed a few songs at the Day 1 conference party. And now I have a photo with him! Weeee!

Rock & Roll Musical

"We Will Rock You" at the Esplanade Theater was definitely worth the weekend trek to Singapore and almost worth losing my camera over. The first musical I've watched (and I've seen many) where I felt like, and could, sing along, clap my hands and stomp my feet to the music of Queen sung with loads of energy and talent by the cast. Most notably by Filipino-Australian Migs Ayesa who plays the lead role of Galileo Figaro, the stellar Bohemian couple who play Vic and Oz (won't reveal the full character names because they are so hilarious), and of course the super-hammed up and striking performance of lead villain Killer Queen.

I loved the humor which was so contemporized, because in Planet Mall which is the futuristic setting of this story, Rock and Roll may have been killed by American Idol. Galileo Figaro can't possibly bring back rock music because, alas, he didn't even win Rockstar INXS. I also almost forgot that Queen did the soundtrack of Flash Gordon and they were even able to work that in. The only vocals which I thought were not strong enough were those of the female lead, Scaramouche, and the guy who plays the head of the Ga Ga cops (and is dressed like the Merovingian from The Matrix), but, they weren't bad.

My only regret, besides losing the aforementioned camera in the Aeroline bus going home, was that I should have gotten closer seats. However, the production team did make a show that could be seen to the top of the Esplanade rafters, and the stage was filled with visuals top-to-bottom, as well as the entire theater with music, which just goes to show you how professional this production was. Its extended til April 27, after which the show tours to Hongkong in May. Catch it if you can.

Panjabi MC Night

I found this pic while browsing through the Heineken community site called Party Out. I was posing like mad at the official photographer during the Panjabi MC gig last August in Kuala at Bar Savanh, Asian Heritage Row, Kuala Lumpur. Glad to see the photo made the light of day!

I had only heard 1 track of UK DJ Panjabi MC "Mundian To Bach Ke" before I went to this gig and was rewarded by a whole night of mixed hiphop Western and Punjabi music which just kept us early nighters dancing up til 2am, and 2 people in our group up til 4am! I was also happily surprised to see the biggest gathering of good looking Indians I'd ever seen in my life. Now I'm never going to turn down a chance to party Bangra style!

I'm a Child of the 90s

When I drive to work every morning, there are only 3 English stations I can listen to, Hitz-FM, Fly-FM and Mix-FM. All of them do their own brand of morning show complete with DJs banter, little skits and interacting with callers. The one I most enjoy listening to is Mix-FM when they play Almost 90s at 9, which is 5 tracks in a row and you're supposed to guess which one is not from the 90s. (Note: I shouldn't even be in the car at 9am, listening to 5 tracks. I should be sitting at my desk. But somethings are hard to change!).

The other day's 90s selections were "I'll be There For You" by The Rembrandts, "Say What You Want" by Texas, "Never Ever" by All Saints and "Can't Help Falling in Love" by UB40. Can you remember what you were like, and what you were doing when you first heard these songs? I totally can! It was so much fun, with every track, to remember how different I was back then. I remember college and sitting in the Rizal Foyer, friends and the show "Friends", walking in Greenbelt Park, the first time I saw En Vogue perform at the Grammys, how I tried to scream and shout just to sing like All Saints when they did "All Cried Out", how we used to drive around Paranaque singing songs from Usher's first album. Back then, I couldn't ever imagine where I would be in 10 years. I was optmistic and idealistic and imagined so many possibilities. Listening to 90s music reminds me that its great to feel that way.

Little Night of Music

Click on the photo to link to the line-up of Malaysian indie bands who will be peforming at Laundy, The Curve in Mutiara Damansara this coming Thursday night (July 12). I'm looking forward to my first taste of the local music scene here in KL.

Zsa Zsa: Zo Funnee!

If you hurry, you can still catch the last few days of Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah: Ze Musical, at the PETA Theater Center in Sunny Side Drive, Brgy Kristong Hari, Quezon City. There are still shows on April 28, 29 and 30, and you can book tickets through Cedric of PETA at 0922-8712001. Like someone said in an email, with the P700 seats you're close enough to catch saliva sparks from the cast, at P500 seats you're far enough not to notice that Eula Valdez (zuperhero Zsa Zsa) and Agot Isidro (zupervillain Queen Femina) are wearing bodystockings.

I saw the matinee show last Sunday, and though the 3-hour running time was hell on my ass, it was cozy to sit in an audience composed of metrosexuals, bading and babaeng bading. Hey maybe there were some straight people in the audience, and they seemed to get it too. The show took the plight of the gay Filipino and turned it into a funny musical, but to me it was touching the way the show characters coped with sadness through laughter. When I read the original comic book by Carlo Vergara a year ago, I thought it would be perfect as a musical, and I'm glad someone else did too.

Panties, err, hats off to the delicious Lauren Novero who played the romantic male lead Dodong. Everytime he came out onstage I could hear the entire audience chanting, "Take it off! Take it off!" He made me want to become gay just to take him home. :-P