Open Happiness, TODAY!

Coca-Cola’s Happiness Ambassadors Toño, Kelly and
Tony bring Expedition 206 to Manila

Summer is the time for enjoyment, fun in the sun, and making memories with family and friends. With the season in full swing, today is a “happier” day than usual as we take happiness to the next level!

Online and on the radio, I’ve been counting down the days until the Expedition 206 bloggers touchdown on Philippine shores and now the time has arrived! After winning an innovative online contest, Coca-Cola’s “Happiness Ambassadors” Toño, Kelly and Tony have finally landed in Manila today to imbibe Filipino culture and blog about their one of a kind experience.

They have become overnight celebrities as they were chosen to travel to the 206 countries where Coke is sold in just 365 days… with the mission of asking people all over the globe what the meaning of happiness is for them!

While in the Philippines, the Expedition 206 trio will be traveling around the Metro in a special Ford Expedition modified to look like a pinoy jeepney. Keep your eyes peeled as I’ll be with them, asking random locals the question - ‘What makes YOU, as a Filipino, happy?’ Visit www.expedition206.com to follow more of the travels of Toño, Kelly and Tony!


The Magic hits the Beach

Today is another fine day to celebrate as it commemorates the 4th successful year of Magic 89.9’s “Magic Race!” The Magic DJs and their celebrity friends have invaded the shores of Boracay looking for listeners to join in the annual fun and festivities.

Pairs of “best friends” will take the challenge and put their brains and brawn to the test as they scour the island in search of clues and challenges scattered across the paradise island. More than P100,000.00 worth of treasures await the winners!

DJ Tyler with PDBA’s Rapunzel Garcia, Benedict Camara
& Rowell Balute for Dodge N’ Pop 2010

Also, today at the shore of Boracay Beach Resort in Station 2 Boracay, the Magic jocks will be hosting Nestle Pops’ Dodge N’ Pop 2010 as they kick-off this year’s University Dodgeball Games! Headed by the “Boys Night Out” DJ’s – Tony Toni, Slick Rick & Sam YG – beach-goers will have the chance to compete against each other as well as surprise celebrity guests as they vie for the grand prize of Php 20,000 in cold cash!

Players and spectators alike at the Dodge N’ Pop 2010 will be cooled down by snacking on Nestle Pop’s ice cream’s newest variant with "rice crispies" and "Pops in a box."

Dodge N’ Pop 2010 is made possible by Nestle Pops Ice Cream in cooperation with Flawless, Beauty & Butter, Ti-Braz, Café del Mar, the Philippine Dodgeball Association and “The Beat of Summer” Magic 89.9!

Dodge N’ Pop invades Boracay!

Summer is irrefutably here and that means one thing—it’s time to hit the beach. The searing heat of the season provides the best excuse to set off for the country’s best summer hotspots for fun in the surf and sand. The season also is the best chance to take in some friendly competition on the beach. Leave your Frisbee at home though, because this summer, the “hottest” sport to play is dodgeball.

Krista Ranillo & Grace Lee at last year’s Summer Dodgeball Games

Coming on the heels of last year’s incredibly successful inaugural tournament is Dodge N’ Pop 2010, the Nestlé Pops Summer Dodgeball Games. To be held on May 1 at the shore of Boracay Beach Resort in Station 2 Boracay, Dodge N’ Pop 2010 is set to bring the global dodgeball phenomenon to the hottest venue summer in the country.

“It’s a great sport for the summer because dodgeball is a game that literally anyone can pick up and enjoy,” says Philippine Dodgeball Association (PDBA) President Benedict Camara. “But if you’ve got a more competitive streak, dodgeball can be very intense as well—which is what I’m hoping to see in this year’s Dodge N’ Pop games. We’re looking to pick out the best from the rest, and at the same time have a bit of fun.”

Players and spectators alike at the Dodge N’ Pop 2010 will be cooled down by snacking on Nestle Pop’s ice cream’s newest variant with rice crispies and compete for a 20k grand prize! Visit www.dodgeballphilippines.org to find out how you can form a team and register for the Boracay exhibition.

Dodge N’ Pop 2010 is made possible by Nestle Pops Ice Cream in cooperation with Flawless, Beauty & Butter, Ti-Braz, Café del Mar and “The Beat of Summer” Magic 89.9.

The other half of Urbandub

Urbandub celebrates a decade in the biz with
their “Rock N’ Rogue” concert

Known as one of the best musicians in the country, and certainly at par with foreign counterparts, Urbandub celebrates a decade in their career and shares how their instruments are the other half of their success.

“Tools of the trade ‘yan. The better yung gamit, the better yung output,” said Gabby Alipe, lead vocals and guitarist of Urbandub. “The instruments help a lot kasi kung pangit yung gamit mo, then you play live, you cannot translate what you want to say in your music.”

Affordability and quality counts in their choice of tools, and one local music store provide them just that. “From their guitars, acoustics and selection of their products, it’s the industry standard that we like to use. The technical riders din namin when we go out of town, yun din ang nirerequest namin sa mga production to provide for us which JB Music carries.”

Two years ago, Urbandub signed with JB Music as part of its roster of endorsers. But their history with the music store started way before. “In the beginnings of Urbandub, our picks, strings, guitars, most of our gears are from JB Music. One of my first guitars which I used in a couple of our recordings, I bought it in JB Music.” Gabby revealed.

When writing songs, having good instruments gives them the confidence as well. Last year, the band released their fifth studio album “Apparition”, said to be their most experimental album to date. The singles “Gravity” and “Call to Arms” proved to be chart-toppers.

For Gabby, as cliché as it may sound, through the years their music has become more matured. “As we get older, in a way, we have more experiences. If you listen to our album, the guitar playing, the tightness of the band as a whole improved. We’d like to think even the subject, the topic we talked about. The early years it was mostly relationship, heartbreaks, and what-not. Now it has a more social theme to the album “

An industry friend attributed the band’s fruitful career to their passion. “Their love for music. They’re doing it for the music, not for the show. They do it because they love playing music,” shares Jerico Fernando Salonga, VP-Sales and Marketing of JB Music and Managing Partner of J2unes Production.

Their upcoming concert will be a retrospective of the band’s career. “We’re going to play songs from the first album up to the present and we’re going to play the best that we can. Parang thank you narin namin sa mga [Dubistas]. To show them our gratitude for supporting the band,” said Gabby.

Other band members are John Dinopol (guitar, backing vocals), Lalay Lim (bass guitar, backing vocals), and JanJan Mendoza (drums).

Catch Urbandub as they mark their 10 years in the music scene with “Rock N’ Rogue” concert by J2unes Production on April 29, 2010 at Encore Main Room, The Fort (Formerly Embassy). For Door charge call 819-54-81/ Table reservation 0920-9389005 or visit any JB Music store for more details.

Dodging the Summer Heat

Summer is irrefutably here and that means one thing—it’s time to hit the beach. The searing heat of the season provides the best excuse to set off for the country’s best summer hotspots for fun in the surf and sand. The season also is the best chance to take in some friendly competition on the beach. Leave your Frisbee at home though, because this summer, the “hottest” sport to play is dodgeball.

Coming on the heels of last year’s incredibly successful inaugural tournament is Dodge N’ Pop 2010, the Nestlé Pops Summer Dodgeball Games. To be held on May 1 at Station 2 in Boracay, Dodge N’ Pop 2010 is set to bring the global dodgeball phenomenon to the hottest venue summer in the country.

PDBA’s Benedict Camara teaches Marc Nelson the basics of
Dodgeball in last year’s Dodge N’ Pop in Boracay

“It’s a great sport for the summer because dodgeball is a game that literally anyone can pick up and enjoy,” says Philippine Dodgeball Association (PDBA) President Benedict Camara. “But if you’ve got a more competitive streak, dodgeball can be very intense as well—which is what I’m hoping to see in this year’s Dodge N’ Pop games. We’re looking to pick out the best from the rest, and at the same time have a bit of fun.”

Players and spectators alike at the Dodge N’ Pop 2010 will be cooled down by snacking on Nestle Pop’s ice cream’s newest variant with rice crispies and compete for a 20k grand prize! Visit www.dodgeballphilippines.org to find out how you can form a team and register for the Boracay exhibition.

The Pursuit of Summer Sounds

Jamie Cullum releases his eagerly awaited fifth album entitled “The Pursuit”. This, his first solo album in four years, is a combination of his eclectic music tastes and enduring love of Jazz and its timeless standards. “In life, we pursue everything. Life is one long pursuit,” says Jamie.

“The Pursuit” is a record that mixes his heritage with a thrilling selection of modern influences. The making of the album was a marathon not a sprint.

“I had more songs and new experiences to draw upon,” says Jamie, “I'd been doing the Rihanna cover and thought, actually I really want this on my album.” Covers have always been part of Jamie's DNA as a Jazz musician , and after previously covering Rhianna's all conquering uber-single “Umbrella”, it’s ubiquity led Jamie to choose another of the r'n'b poppet's tunes – “Please Don't Stop The Music”.

“When you concentrate on making music, the whole point is that you never stop and are always trying to move on. Unless you're P-Diddy I guess,” Jamie laughs. “The only thing I have to live up to is making an album that I'm proud of.”

Kelly Clarkson rocks Manila!

Everyone’s got American Idol fever! From following the hit reality television show to fans doing their own imitations of Simon Cowell, A.I. is a hit all over the world – the Philippines included. Over the past months, it seems that more and more Idol castaways have visited Manila and done their concert rounds, but never a true “Idol Winner”… that is, until now!

The original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson is set to rock Manila, kicking off the month of May. Kelly will pack the Big Dome as she performs her alterna-pop hits for Filipino fans on May 1 at the Araneta Coliseum!

Tickets for Kelly Clarkson Live in Manila are available at all Ticketnet outlets nationwide. As a special treat, her concert will be opened by local pop-rock heartthrob Miguel Escueta.

The original American Idol Kelly Clarkson comes to the Big Dome!

Choosing from a myriad of local acts, Kelly Clarkson’s Management, as well as Pulp Live and MCA Music has chosen this undeniably talented artist to raise the decibel levels this coming May 1! Miguel is gearing up as he performs his hits and is getting all pumped up as he rocks the stage on this momentous event.

M.E. on the Rise

After a streamline of hits which have dominated and penetrated music charts of major music networks, the very talented young blood Miguel Escueta is here to sweep the entertainment landscape by great leaps and bounds!

Party Pilipinas host and MCA artist Miguel Escueta

Big breaks have been coming in since the past year, as he clinched the award for “Best Alternative Solo Act” for his rendition of the hit “Blue Monday” during the First Ever Radio Music Awards in 2009. His new EP “Sleeping While the World’s Awake” under MCA Music has been getting raves, and his singles “Sleeping While the World’s Awake,” as well as “The Take Back” (with a brand new music video shot and directed entirely in New York), have been enjoying great reviews and heavy airplay!

He has also become one of the main hosts and performers for one of the newest and biggest weekly shows on Philippine TV “Party Pilipinas,” shown on one of the major networks in the country!

And now, Miguel Escueta is reaching another milestone as he opens for international act Kelly Clarkson on May 1 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Satisfaction… guaranteed!

Newest boyband on the block, 100 Percent

100 PERCENT is the newest all-male pop vocal group to hit the local music scene. Driven towards excellence to satisfy their audiences' musical tastes, this talented quartet aims to deliver what their name is all about.

Under the supervision of premiere vocal arranger and manager, Mr. Zebedee Zuñiga, 100 PERCENT hopes to be a house hold name more than just an expression. Composed of 4 equally capable (and good looking) soloists, they sound as pleasing individually as they are together.

Tim, 24 years old, is the big brother of the group. He has been working as a print and ramp model for the past 4 years, and has also been moonlighting as a wedding singer. He also previously joined another vocal group in its initial stages before auditioning for 100 PERCENT. Tim also has an identical twin.

Fans of the GMA 7 singing competion, Are You The Next Big Star?, will definitely be familiar with 100 PERCENT member, Justin Francis. Now 20 years old, he hails from San Francisco, California, but has been residing in Laguna for 6 years now. He was Top 8 in Are You The Next Big Star?, and was also a finalist in Pinoy Pop Superstar, under the same network.

Rex is also 20 years old, and has been modeling and singing, ever since he moved to Manila 2 years ago from California. He was a finalist in the Century Tuna Superbods 2009 held in Boracay, has appeared and performed in several concerts, TV shows, fashion magazines and fashion shows, such as GMA 7's "Sweet Life", ABS-CBN's "Maging Sino Ka Man", FHM, endorsed for local shoe brand, BClub with Rhian Ramos for its nationwide campaign, performed with Gerard Salonga and the Filharmonika for "Ondoy: Tugtugan, Tulungan", and more.

Aaron is the "bunso" of 100 PERCENT. At 19, he is a scholar at DLSU, and is also a print and TV ad model. He was also a member of the Kundirana of LSGH, and also sings at family events, birthdays and weddings. His recent projects include the advocacy TV ad campaign, AKO MISMO, TV ads for Smart, and more in the works.

With amazing vocals, harmonies and good looks to boot, 100 PERCENT is here to stay. 100 PERCENT satisfaction. Guaranteed.

Click it! Shock it!

They haven’t arrived in the Philippines yet but B2ST is well on its way to the top here in the country with the release of their new album, Shock of the New Era! The coming of their album to Philippine shores is definitely a reason to celebrate!

In line with this, MCA Music Inc. gives K-pop fans the next closest thing to experiencing the shocking talent of Cube Entertainment’s artists! Together with their Cube mate, 4Minute, K-pop fans shall get the chance to have the Ultimate Cube Entertainment Photo Experience with Click It! Shock It! Like It!

AJ & Yoseob of B2ST will make K-Pop fans go crazy

Head on to Astrovision Podium on April 17, 2010 from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m., Grab your copy of either B2ST’s album Shock of the New Era or 4Minute’s record, For Muzik. Get your photo and raffle stub at the counter, pick your favorite B2ST or 4Minute member from the life-size display line-up, and take your picture with him / her at the photo booth! To be able to get more pictures with your favorite Cube Star, simply pay a minimum fee of P50.00 at the booth area. Each picture shall come out as a 4x6 print-out with an exclusive B2ST / 4Minute design and pictures shall be included in an exclusive website where all photos taken during the day shall be featured!

Details on how to access the website shall be announced during the event, the facebook page of MCA Music Inc, www.beast.ph and www.4minute.ph.

Vios makes “Happy”

It was a happy celebration at the star-studded debut of the 2010 Toyota Vios recently held at Le Pavillon. Lined-up with a refreshed design, more functional interior features, and a new 1.3 automatic transmission variant, the new Vios was rolled out in a spectacle of flashing lights and hard-hitting beats, much to the crowd's delight.

Hosting the event were the bald and bubbly Rovilson Fernandez and radiant beauty Bianca King who brought to life the "happy" theme of the auto-launch. The two reiterated the 2010 Vios' smart styling, riding comfort and optimum fuel-efficiency.

A perfect choice as an entry-level ride, the updated Vios has been refreshed with significant improvements in terms of style and sophistication while keeping intact its zippy performance and fuel-efficient design. With six colors to choose from (silver metallic, black, beige metallic, red mica metallic, bronze mica metallic and the new light blue mica metallic) and entering the market at only P600,000, Toyota's 2010 Vios launch is definitely "happy" news for anyone eager to get behind the wheel!

Anne Curtis “Breathes Again”

She’s been downloaded a zillion times over the past few weeks, but the nation’s smiling sweetheart has bounced back resiliently and as beautiful as ever since her Boracay wardrobe malfunction. After the success of her latest film, Anne Curtis continues to sizzle this summer as the muse of Chicosci’s newest music video.

The band decided to take on a different beat with their latest single “Breathe Again" and its MTV featuring Anne and directed by Bernard Dacanay serves as the perfect visual compliment.

Chicosci’s drummer Macoy Estacio says, “She definitely made the video more eye-catching and interesting. We’re lucky to have been able to work with such a beautiful and talented actress.”

Much like the ballad itself, the video features the band in its most basic form - perfectly complemented only by lights, shadows, and playful cinematography. “We just wanted to come up with a simple video that won't overshadow the song. We want the song to be the highlight—not the visuals. We did manage to put in a little surprise for the viewers, though,” guitarist Ariel Lumanlan shares.

Sergio Mendes releases new album

He's a world-renowned producer, composer, arranger pianist, band leader cultural sage and a whole lot more! The legendary Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes continues his magical ride with Bom Tempo, a beautiful slice of rhythmically fresh inspiration.

Musical legend Sergio Mendes has new Brazilian beats

Mendes remains as vibrant and vital today as he was when leading Brasil ’66 to international superstardom. Mixing modern sensibilities with the intricate language of his heritage, Mendes has composed an album that his fans are bound to enjoy while exposing his artistry to a new younger audience.

“This is bom tempo music, good times music,” says the Brazilian-born, U.S.-based Mendes. “It’s all about the good times, good weather, good tempos. The album is about the diversity, joy and sensuality of Brazilian music—songs I previously recorded and some that I never have—played by Brazilian and American musicians.”

The CD showcases songs from the crème de la crème of Brazilian songwriters and a throng of newcomers are also in the mix. "Sergio Mendes – Bom Tempo" will be released next month under MCA Music.