COMBO ON THE RUN Review and How To Get ERASERHEADS Tickets Early via PalawanPay

I was there during their last concert, their last appearance with Smart...  and now they have COMBO ON THE RUN in cinemas so I had to watch this too.

The ERASERHEADS was more than icon, they were a phenomenon that only occurs once in a lifetime. They defined the band life during the 90's, Raymund, Marcus, Ely and Buddy became gods for us, and this was a fitting pickup from where we left off.

The movie was a hodge podge of dark grungy clips of Nokia phone videos sewn together from them being amateurs to tapping club gigs later on. They weren't an overnight success, it was a slow burn, of people who came into their lives that made them who they are today.

Recording those demos and sounding like it was coming from a can, they needed to re-record everything and got it played first on equally iconic radio station for rock NU107.

The songs that got us hooked, the punks, the emos, and how crazy it became, it was the best of times. They toured not just in the Philippines but around Asia, MTV Awards, fame was getting to them fast and it was pandemonium wherever they are.

Their personal life got affected, their privacy, but they still had to dish out songs continuously, without breaks, no vacations, and nobody was saying they were tired. Then still got to movies, commercials, more tours, then did a lot to turn people off. They went weird, lost, but the companies didn't want them to do that. Then finished an album without meeting in studios, they went downhill, had their own set of friends, butt heads, started to really get on each other's nerves. Nobody fixed it. They also didn't know how to manage money,

I loved how they included Ms. Sharon Cuneta, VP Leni, politics and their issues were discussed. Now I have a good understanding about what happened during that time. 

 

 

 

Then now, meeting again after years... they are now setting aside their differences for the fans, a part that made me really emotional. Then they went ahead and surprised us at the end of the film about doing a concert on May 31st. That's almost a month from now, and you can get tickets ahead of everyone else through PalawanPay.

They call it Electric Fun Music Festival. All you need to do is download the PalawanPay App and purchase by following the prompts there. Select the ticket tier you want to be in, add to cart, purchase the ticket by cashing in funds on the PalawanPay App. The concert will be at the SMDC Festival Grounds. You can get tickets starting March 29 to April 16 on the app and have a 5% discount on it. You need to Upgrade your account to have it verified by submitting ID's. You can then claim tickets the next day on SM Ticket Outlets. PalawanPay will also be choosing a lucky fan to win 4 SVIP Tickets. If you bought a lower tier one it will be upgraded so you can go with your friends or family. You can follow their social channels to know more about this event, can't wait to get tickets! See you there!

Special Deals on BIANCA DEL RIO Manila Show

If you haven't heard about it yet, the queen of insult comedy Bianca del Rio is coming to Manila this January 17th to do her DEAD INSIDE tour at the New Frontier Theater, and show starts at 8PM.

Bianca Del Rio is the winner of Season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and as she said, if you did it right the first time, you wouldn't have to go back and do it again.

Well, they're doing a deal on the tickets specifically the ones from Orchestra A, B and C. You get discounts if you purchase 2 or more of it, and will only be valid until the 17th. If you're planning to get your friends/family with you, this is the perfect time to get it!

I'll be there too, but will probably give you updates since there will also be a press conference before the show. Stay tuned clowns!

Get tickets at https://www.ticketnet.com.ph/event-detail/Bianca-Del-Rio

ELLA MAY SAISON and SOUTH BORDER To Bring 80's-90's Hits at Soundtrip Sessions Vol. 3 Concert

I would have wanted to start this article with a little story about ME but that would be funny. See, I sing quite often in Karaoke places and part of my repertoire would actually include very iconic female singers, with so much gusto in fact, I'd be doing it in every session I could take myself to. I'm a big guy, so it is unbecoming for someone who looks like this to have a voice too high pitched for comfort. Enough about me. 

See, I was told a few nights ago about this chance to actually interview two artists. The first being Jay Durias of the famous band South Border, and two, the iconic vocalist, Ms. Ella May Saison. Just thinking about it made my jaw drop, and guess what, I was super late because of a prior event (kahiya!). They patiently waited for us, it was really so nice of them to do that.

The concert is entitled Soundtrip Sessions Volume 3. The previous Soundtrip Sessions had artists like Luke Mejares, Jinky Vidal (for Volume 1), Nyoy Volante and Juris Fernandez (for Volume 2). This time, it'll be their turn (on November 9th!).

Ms. Ella May and Jay are actually not new to the band scene, it was something that was common to both of them. Back in the days, Ms. Ella May was part of Artstart Band, it was something she did because she's one of the few who could excellently do all the hits, whether it's jazz, blues, and RnB. She left the band and got a lot of hit songs in the airwaves later on, cementing her status in the music industry then, and now. She went to the states and had the pleasure of working with some of the greatest singers, music producers, musicians our generation has ever known. She had a shot at a career in the US and took it. She's now back singing the way she did, even better in 2024. 

Jay on the other hand could do pop, ballads, and also RnB. They both could also write songs, legibly produce it, much of which have become hits for other artists (i.e. MAPA of SB19 and more). You wept to his songs "Kahit Kailan", sang along with "Rainbow", wished for one in "Love of My Life" and a few more in his repertoire. He told us how much of a dream this is because once he got a call from the producer and heard the name Ella May Saison, he immediately said YES without hesitation. Jay told us about the first time she saw Ms. Ella May, where she described him as a "genius!". Here's our interview with them that evening:

They are making history just by being seen together in this concert. What to expect? All their hit songs, some of which will be sung in duets. Imagine Jay singing Ms. Ella May's songs, and the other way around. Wouldn't that be a sight for sore eyes? Aside from that, they have a few songs up their sleeves which will be revolving around the 80's and the 90's music. An added plus to this is that they're performing at The Theatre at Solaire which houses some of the country's best acoustics, I think it is the perfect venue for it. This will also be a family affair for Ms. Ella May Saison as she will be with her sisters and her brother Elhmir Saison who will be directing music for the show. I am as excited as you. This will be one epic musical night!

As for this fan boy, he got his wish!

Tickets can be purchased at Ticketnet.com.ph or at the Solaire Box Office. Prices are SSVIP 8755, SVIP 7210, VIP 6695, Gold 5150, Silver 3605 and Bronze 2060. This is produced by Dragon Arc Events Management who did the previous Soundtrip Sessions. Again, November 9th at The Theatre at Solaire!

Don't miss this one, it'll be good!

Celebrate 20 Years of TOYCON PH!

If you're a toy collector and live in the Southeast Asian region, there's certainly one event that you should look forward to go to in the Philippines. They're celebrating their 20th year, TOYCON PH, the longest existing pop culture event in the Philippines.

From its humble beginnings of just a single a room, it now is being held at the SMX Convention Center in Manila with all sorts of toy brands showcasing their wares for toy lovers everywhere! This includes exclusive toys that will be released just on this occasion courtesy of toy designers from the region and the US. These limited edition TOYCON items won't be seen anywhere but here, so if you're seriously considering getting them, come to the show.

Brands like Funko, Lego, Bandai, Hot Toys, Pop Mart, JoyToy, tons of others are going to be seen in the event plus exclusive releases of Quiccs, Wetworks, Creaon Chknhead, Arman Kendrick plus a whole enchilada of artists that only will release their merch on the 20th edition of TOYCON PH. Globe is also their co-presenter, and will dedicate a Globe Playboxx Booth where Globe susbcribers will be treated to VIP status if you get Premium and VIP passes. You'll get access to Creon Chknheads CCW Buck Philippine Colorway and Punk Drunkers Pops, which would be relatively hard to find in these conferences.

For classic fans, Voltes V Legacy artists, and their Director Mark Reyes will be there too. Aside from that, Masked Rider Black and Black RX star Tetsuo Kurata or Robert Akizuki will be in the Philippines to grace the event. If you're also a fan of Maskman, Ryosuke Kaizu who played Red Mask in Hiraki Sentai Maskman will be at the event via the Toku Spirits Booth. There will also be a Cosplay event plus a Cosplay Photography Workshop done by Jay Tablante if you're into that.

All of these will happen on July 7 to 9 at the SMX Convention Center, and this will surely be BIG since this is their 20th year. Make sure you use the hashtag #TOYCON20NA if you are posting on social media, to become part of the fun. Tickets are sold via SMTickets.com or on the event location, so head on to SMX Convention Center on this dates! Globe Premium Passes are going to be via Tickelo.com. See you on TOYCON 20!

IAN and OGIE Continues Concert: VIRTUALLY YOURS, KILABOTITOS

This was postponed last year because of obvious reasons, but it had to be done. The country's most good looking Uncles, Ian Veneracion and Ogie Alcasid will be doing their concert called Virtually Yours, KILABOTITOS which is happening March 26th.

Ian Veneracion told us how he was called Tito and says "So I had a project with Bea Alonzo and when we introduced ourselves, she suddenly asked if she could call me Tito, I immediately told her "Tito mo mukha mo wag kang magkakamali! (in jest)" but it was a little heartbreaking, we can't stop aging."

Ogie on the other hand said "The first time I got called Tito was when I was 13 and my sister got pregnant. Aside from that, it was Lovi Poe who called me that since we were with the same manager. Then after that, when I transferred in ABSCBN all the other singers called me that way, these days, I'm like used to it and I'm already 53 so I think it's okay now to call me that."

 Here's more of the short interview we did with them today!

 

 

 

The two will be making your post valentines day blues away and will give you the hit 70's and 80's music which you were binging on during this pandemic. Though it will be held live online, Virtually Yours KilaboTITOS will still make you swoon because these guys still have it. Tickets are sold on KTX.PH or Ticketnet.com.ph and I heard they're almost sold out.

BRIGIDING, The Drag Queen Mounts Birthday Concert on February 26

Drag queen BRIGIDING was just introduced to us this evening. The drag queen is part of Cornerstone Entertainment's pool of talents and she's doing a Zoom birthday concert on February. In it she's going to introduce herself and what she's capable with. It's her whole life as a performer, her baby pictures, a personal journey of a drag queen. She says "It'll all be worth it!"

The Zoom birthday party costs only Php 150 which cost a little more than a coffee cup. If you're fond of drag queen performances, and want to just sit at home and enjoy it, it'll be so nice to see her perform and her drag queen friends.

Brigiding started in 2013 and she quit her office job, auditioned in a bar and felt she was in the right place. She's been doing this full time and does makeup and hair, theater, a few commercials, because she has always wanted to be in the spotlight. She has attributed this to her liking of RuPaul and the dragrace series. She says "My family was surprised when I did this because I had to dress up before going to work. Since the beginning, I had ver supportive parents and they didn't stop me to do the things I love."

She adds "My drag name came from my Grandpa Brigido. When I was a baby, I was called Brigiding as a term of endearment by my Dad. It's more of the real me, I see that connection and even if I'm made up, I'm that person... the real authentic person of which I am. I have been called Gigi in the past but I realized this was more apt. My real name is John Philip, it's been a while since I've been called that. I think I want to work with Alex Diaz, and Marco Gumabao, Kokoy, some of the good actors today. I hope I would be able to work with them soon. I want to also work with Ms. Cherrie Pie Picache and Gina Alajar where I could also learn."

"One of the hardest things being a drag queen is trying to get the attention of the audience. Some are not as receptive, you have to command the stage when you come out. On a deeper level, you need to feel you're not discriminated because until now the Philippines has some stigma against drag queens. I want to be respected doing what I love to do. It's a process and we have come so far, some things have changed and being accepting to drag queens is becoming a norm, I'm happy to see that in clubs and now in mainstream. I admit I see some people belittle the art, because of your performance, but I don't get bothered because I am capable, I love myself more than their opinions. I have also performed when I was a bit sad because of small heartbreaks, might had to fake so the audience to not feel that from you."

Me interviewing her this evening :)

"Preparing for a drag performance is easier for me, I have less hair, less tucking needs, it's just the details of the make up that takes a lot of practice. It also takes confidence to carry the hair, the costume before the performance. You have to be in the next level with your character, when you're there, you feel like the most powerful performer in the world. It's difficult, but I do it. My birthday wish is for my drag community. They are not doing well because we don't have means to perform in crowded places. We hope we could have platforms, hopefully have more projects, to have purpose as a drag queen. To hopefully have more opportunities for them too."

"When you get to perform live, the feeling of giving people the entertainment they need, to touch their emotions, it's to make them happy especially now that we are under the pandemic."

Broadway, Musicals, Pop, Rock, the show will be filled with different layers. She's excited for people to see and feel they relate to her too. There will be dancing, singing (lipsync) and more. It's going to be shown from Cornerstone Studios. As for the guests, there will be some Cornerstone artists that will be appearing in the concert (but that's going to be a surprise) and her drag best friends will be there for sure. Tickets are available via online wallets BDO, GCash, PayPal or email them via tickets.cornerstone@gmail.com.  This is under Cornerstone Concerts.

It's the best sub rather than going out in the clubs! Stay home, be safe and enjoy the show!

“Alden’s Reality" Happening On December 8, Tickets Out Now!

The bae is unfolding another milestone happening this December 8. Promising to be seen worldwide, a first in Philippine entertainment, first of its kind, virtual reality concert. This is called “Alden’s Reality” and no less than Asia’s Multimedia Star Alden Richards promises you this will be a great way to take you with him, in your own virtual date.

This was made with cutting-edge technology and performances are made into a full-length concert where you get to interact with Alden too. Alden is celebrating his 10th anniversary and he mentioned a concert when I interviewed him last year in Enchanted Kingdom.

Things have changed of course with the onslaught of this pandemic and now that that's in the way, this had to happen online. This time he's going to give a couple of rounds of heartfelt songs and adrenaline-filled dance numbers, which surely his fans would appreciate abroad. Yes this will happen worldwide so for those who love him dearly, you should know how to get your own ticket to see the show.

 

You can log in to www.gmanetwork.com/synergy and purchase special VIP package options (for Philippine based users) at Php 1,200. This already includes one general admission ticket plus one 1 VR device to Alden's Reality concert. You'll love this VR device because it's part of the experience. Make sure you are there promptly before 9 pm come December 8.

 
Alden’s Reality (AR) is produced by Synergy in collaboration with GMA and directed by Paolo Valenciano. To know more about it, visit theri official website www.gmanetwork.com/synergy and follow GMASynergy on Facebook for more updates.

81st Oktoberfest at the Solaire Tent

Had another wonderful taste of Oktoberfest once again at the Solaire Tent in Parañaque City this morning. This is officially their 81st year of doing this and yes, it's just becoming bigger and bigger.

The German Club Manila happily shared how they have been able to break records in the number of crowds and liters of beer, German sausages consumed every year and 2019 should be no different. This year they are doing it in three days on October 17, 18 and 19. It is expected to be full so make sure you wear those lederhosen trousers and fancy dirndls because this is the authentic one, it comes with a full Bavarian band called Bavarian Sound Express (OMG I miss the 99 Luft Balloons medley)!

The desserts like the classic strudel and Kaiserschmarnn have to be noted because it just was heavenly with the cream and vanilla ice cream.

I heard they are prepping about 4-5 liters of Weihenstephan per person so there won't be shortchanging on the beer supply. You can book tickets via Oktoberfest.ph and purchase them online. 

The event was graced by the current German Club President Tobias Rast, Solaire VP for F&B Knit Becker and VP for Culinary Michael Dinges. The first photo above was the yearly dance we had to do before the start of festivities, it's a great way to break the ice and celebrate Oktoberfest like how the Bavarians do. 

Call the German Club via 8942899 or 8184236 because this is going to be the biggest authentic German Oktoberfest in Manila, and you wouldn't want to miss this for the world! They will also have separate raffle draws including trips to Europe. Not even joking!

Raise your glass and say Prost!

Last Chance for Promo Seats with AirAsia

If you haven’t gotten one yet, there are just a few days left before they wrap up their biggest sale to open up 2019. If you haven’t gotten your family and friends local or out of the country trips yet, then this is the opportune time to do it. Be a BIG member and catch these awesome deals from AIR ASIA Philippines.

For BIG members, there are still flights to Manila, Clark, Cebu and Cagayan De Oro for only 519 pesos. If you plan to Tacloban or Bangkok (which I’ll be doing soon), or Shenzen you’ll save a lot on flight fees if you get it from them. I have compared it myself on Skyscanner and Air Asia always leads the pack.

Think about it, this is the best time to fly!

KUMAGCOW

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Steph Curry in Manila

If you are reading this, chances are, you wanna see this great guy in the flesh right? Good, because I'm telling you how to get tickets to this event, quite easy and simple actually.

Steph Curry the 3x NBA Champ and 2x MVP is coming to Manila, Philippines on September 7, 2018 and here's how you can score tickets to the event: 

1. Purchase a pair of Curry 5 or Curry 5 Tour shoes at bit.ly/CURRY5PH to get two lower box tickets  

2. If you prefer to get 2 UPPER BOX Tickets, purchase Php5,000 worth of items at select Under Armour stores and other participating outlets. Terms & Conditions apply. 

Now what are you waiting for? Go rush to your nearest Under armour stores and participating branches and get those shoes, products and get the once in a lifetime chance to see Steph Curry live at Mall of Asia Arena.

Please check out www.facebook.com/UnderArmourSouthEastAsia for more details on this event, it's all there!

KUMAGCOW

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AirAsia and Solaire Will Take You Places

It looks like good news come in folds as AirAsia the world’s best low cost carrier and Solaire make your travel dreams come true with their loyalty rewards program. If you’re a Solaire Rewards Program Card holder and have gone up the ranks from Silver, Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Ruby and Diamond status, you can exchange your equivalent status points so you can get to your dream destinations for free.

AirAsia BIG Members have been enjoying their rewards for some time already, so what’s this you say? Cyrus Sherafat,Solaire Resort’s Executive Vice-President for Marketing says “AirAsia’s has continued to provide our guests with memorable experiences that go beyond our borders. We are delighted that we can reward our loyal Solaire Rewards members with AirAsia exclusive privileges no matter where they are, so they too could fully enjoy their dream destinations. The deal is, 1 Solaire Rewards Status Point can be converted to one AirAsia BIG Point so it will be easier to track and redeem  that flight you’ve always wanted. This will only happen upon linking the AirAsia BIG Member ID to your Solaire Rewards.” 

Now go earn your rewards points and get to that play area so you can get to your dream destination with these free points!

I’ll try flying soon if I could, this will be and easy and convenient way members can use their points other than the perks they have over at Solaire.

Have a wonderful rainy afternoon!

KUMAGCOW

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Easy Ticketing Services from Ticket2Me

This is the first time I've heard of them but being in the theatre scene for quite a while pretty much have made me see some of their services are being used by companies already. The deal is, this is fully owned and operated by Filipinos, yes this is TICKET2ME.NET, a easy ticketing service that takes the long process of buying, verification and ease of production in one go. This could practically take production costs down, scientifically make data useable and sensible, then make the whole buying process just as easy as buying a cup of coffee. Tickets online can now be purchased and scanned with QR Codes, then all people have to do is watch shows whenever, wherever. I guess it prolly stemmed from experience and necessity, like any start of invention.

Darwin Mariano the Founder and CEO of Ticket2Me says “I fell in love with theatre a long time ago, I watched with a couple of friends and enjoyed it quite much with my lunch money. To keep watching, we resold tickets for the show and pooled funds for it. We started buying shows and became successful, but we couldn’t roll over our funds to another show and didn’t get producers to shell out that much during those years and fell short with funds. My love for theatre though continued and gambled years later on before doing it again. In 2013 we did Maxi the musical and adapted this original play on stage, it was a hit and sold out, plus more after that. I realized the platforms were not built to help me, this is why the event ticketing platform Ticket2Me.net has been put up. This is just one part of it, the other is an even more convenient platform without the need of credit card. This is expansive because of payment outlets like pawnshops and convenience stores, now you can do it in the comforts of your home. Ticket2Me has data and analytics, a robust environment also for organizers so they know how much they have earned, registrations, download all the data and see how they progress. This one can pre market tickets, show data and get tickets that people can pay conveniently. Our sales growth without even launching is 400%, and we made technology do the legwork. We are also working on dynamic pricing dependent on producer reasons if they just want to make the theatre full. It’s the realtime accounting of all tickets to make it seamless. Hopefully in the next few months it will serve more in the event community.”

James Mendoza the Co Founder and CTO “To track data, we use blockchain to see how buying tickets, to track the successful payments, reversals, payments to see how all the real ones push through to enable us logging this data privately.”

We also talked about the possibility of them encountering competition and they're pretty confident about how they have presented their app giving Producers much needed services compared to other ticket service sites plus the openness to also work with them instead of them "stealing ideas" from Ticket2me.net if they can't beat what they do. Makes so much sense because the market is so big especially in entertainment industry. There are tons of concerts, theatre shows, musicals, cultural tours, the list goes on. They are also doing improvements to make everything seamless and all they charge for every ticket selling is 10 percent. I am impressed on how they're doing business, take every stride seriously because they've done this before and learned from mistakes. 

If you want to get acquainted with the latest shows, take it easy with buying tickets, or a production who wants them tickets to be sold, you know where to go. Oh and yes, data is big nowadays, you need that for business and understanding the market, things you need for success.

KUMAGCOW
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Timezone Opens Biggest Branch in Ayala Malls Feliz

I'm a gamer, old school by todays standards but I can give a fight in any title if I need to. I've spent my childhood, my teens and even college life playing with consoles, and my hangout was pretty much the arcade. So when I was invited a couple of days ago in Ayala Malls Feliz for the opening of what is supposed to be the BIGGEST Timezone branch in the country, I jumped at the opportunity to see it. 

Honestly I couldn't believe my eyes. The 5th Floor of this new mall will obviously be filled with other merchants - but judging from the looks of it, this whole section they are in will be the piece de resistance. It's HUGE, HUMONGOUS, but pretty simple concept to put in one place. They've been talking abojt this a couple of months ago (when they opened the branch in Ayala Malls Vertis North). This time they won't hold back and will cater to each member of the family.

This is called TIMEZON AIR. A large trampoline park on the right side of the venue. They can hold different trampoline exhibitions, ultimate dodgeball or just about anything that you can imagine your kids or not so kids anymore to do here. I was a wee bit envious when some of the kids tried this out because I couldn't go there because I was still playing games in the arcade, I'm surely going back here. I'll bring a couple friends along because it's not that expensive, we can have lots of fun here.

This is the TIMEZONE PLAY area. It's the ulimate fun house for your kids 5 and up. Thing is, this isn't your ordinary obstacle course as there are several learning modules on the first floor. It would make your kids excercise their brains, learn a lot with science, history, as they have dedicated a section for it. It's got four floors to tickle the fancy of your kids, I'm sure they won't be bored with this huge play area that comprises about third of the whole venue.

The Entertainment Center in the middle part of the TIMEZONE grounds houses the different machines for arcade games, they have the latest and the greatest fighting, alter reality, shooting and race games. Aside from that, they have different fun games that spit out tickets which you can save and equate for a prize later on. I'm saving up for that bike I saw in their counter, they also have cute Mario Brothers plush and Star Wars toys which I'm sure you'll all love.

They also have food establishments inside the venue that is connected with Banapple. They call it SANDWICHEESE which serves some real organic healthy stuff to the more not so guilt free meals because cheese is life.

I would take my friends and family here in a heartbeat. I would also get my ideal date here if that happens, I love girl gamers LOL. 

Anyway, you can see this all happen at the 5th Floor of the new Ayala Malls Feliz along Marcos Highway in Marikina. The new shops, restaurants and this complete family fun entertainment venue should keep you there for days if the mall doesn't close for the next workday, I assure you you'll love em all!

KUMAGCOW

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