.:APO Experience:.
MY APO KUWENTO!!
I've been a fan of APO since childhood, during the 1986 EDSA Revolution, wherein, they are the only group who expressed their real feelings about the Marcos Government.... kinder 1 pa lang yata ako nung mga panahon na iyon, pero i loved the song that Mr. Jim Paredes composed for that great event of our history..."Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo"...kung ngayon ang uso ay ang "Pinoy Ako!"...noon, lahat ng tao, bata man o matanda ay kinakanta ang awitin na yan.... na halos parang lagi kang iiyak sa tuwa at galak dahil sa pagkamit ng kalayaan (lalim nun!)... i was young then, but i know the feeling....coz my mom always talks to me about what's happening around us.
From then on, lahat na lang yata ng music nila ay naririnig ko sa radio.....that is why they were idolized by my kuya and cousins..... lagi sila noon nagpapayabangan on how many cassette tapes they bought... the recording tapes, the live recording and even the LIVE performance sa VHS..pati concerts, talagang pinapanood ng mga pinsan at kuya ko..kaso di ako pwede sumama sa kanila :(
Those times, di ko pa talaga naiintindihan ang songs nila.. kasi nga bata pa ako nun...but when you heard them sing, mapapasabay ka sa indak ng musika nila and of course the undying humor of the trio.
When I was in elementary, i'm dying to learn on how to play guitar...pero ayaw ng parents ko... mag concentrate na lang daw ako sa pagdo-drawing..... lagi kong nakikita ang mga pinsan ko na kinakanta ang mga kanta ng APO and some of the OPM songs that hit the airwaves that time.
Until they had a show in ABS-CBN..... ung mga panahon na yon, may malay na talaga ako..... they always sing their songs and sometimes they do freestyles... most of the bands during those times in the 90s were also influenced by APO.... ang mga walang takot nilang lyrics na talaga namang nakakagising ng diwa.... they sing songs in which you can relate in real life, especially in family, relationship, community and social matters.
Me and erick were always looking for the original copies of their first albums, kaso wala na talaga....
They've been so quiet in the music industry for many years, but guys, they still exist...they are performing in and out of the country.... especially in the United States.
Some do not know them, but i guess...dapat natin silang makilala dahil sila ang ilan sa may mga pinaka-malaking contribution sa kultura ng musika natin ngayon....sila ang matatawag na OPM makers..the genre f their music never dies, actually many of theire songs are remaked and revived by our OPM new born artists of our generation... the famous "Panalangin" by Nyoy Volante and more.
All original ang songs nila, they only remake some songs in 90's just to pay tribute to the local bands who made it on top, at nakilala sa buong mundo ang musikang Pilipino... Ilan sa mga ni-remake nilang songs ay mga kanta ng ERASERHEADS (favorite ko din yan!!!). Parokya ni Edgar, River Maya, True Faith, etc.... kasi nung mga panahon na yon, hindi halos pinapansin ng mga pinoy ang foreign acts.... it means, we can make it on ourselves, basta dala ng talento, tiyaga at paniniwala sa sarili....
MY APO EXPERIENCE!!!
Until the day came for me to see them personally... Last night (March 11, 2006), Ate Eloi and I came to watch "THE APO EXPERIENCE"..... the phenomenal concert which became a big hit not only here in the Philippines, but also in other countries especially in the United States. They've been in and out of the country for 3 years or more.
Ininform ako ni Ate Eloi a week ago about this concert, akala ko di ako makakapunta...sobrang nanghihinayang ako at nalulungkot kung sakali di ako natuloy.... kasi, this might be their last performance together....Yes, it is..... pero hopeful pa rin ang lahat ng tao that they will still be together again... The reason why they need to separate ways (AS I HEARD), is that Mr. Paredes and his family are moving to Australia.
As we enter the cinema... everybody feels the excitement..... many people are waiting in the lobby.... marami pa ang naghahanap ng tickets... maraming tao, from all walks of life.... may nakita pa kaming old woman in her wheel chair who is also an APO lover.... as in sobrang na-amaze ako dun.... kahit sa CR, all ladies there are oh so excited about the show... pinaguusapan na agad nila kung ano yong ineexpect nila sa show that night...
No front acts, just a voice-over of Mr. George Javier... at sa umpisa pa lang, you can turn down on your knees sa kakatawa....hahahahha!!! Napatayo kami nung una kasi akala namin, we need to sing National Anthem, yon pala eh wala lang....hahahahh!!!...tawa kami ng tawa.... and as they were introduced, people are clapping and hold our breaths.... sobra! galing ng moment na yon!!
The concert is great, an eye-opener for everybody.... full-house! sold out tickets at may standing pa... for more than 30 years or 3 decades in the entertainment industry... sa tingin ko..wala ng tatalo sa kanila... na sa dami ng henerasyon na dinaanan nila, they still stood by their names.... it's all because of FRIENDSHIP they had with each other....they treat themselves as magkakapatid.... parang iisa lang ang dugo nila. I remember on that concert, when Mr. Danny Javier said that "ang magkakaibigan, ay higit pa sa magulang, kapatid at asawa... kasi ang magulang ay di rin natin pinili, ang kapatid ay di rin natin pinili at kadalasan ay kaaway pa sa mamamanahin sa mga magulang...at ang asawa, nagkakilala, nagkaibigan, nagkaanak ngunit sa bandang huli ay maari pang maging kaagaw din sa mana na pinag-awayan ng magkapatid sa mana ng magulang!!!!"... everybody laughed and really enjoyed... OO nga naman..may point sya dun..hahah!!!
They really have great sense of humor.... every song piece they sang, laging merong patikim for the audience.... and they tell the story of the song on how and why they composed that particular song.... they always make their audience excited and laugh...laugh and laugh till you drop..... no dull moments... ni hindi ka makakatulog dahil you will have to wait on what will happen next.
Laging nagtatalo sila Sir Boboy Garovillo and Sir Danny Javier...si Sir Jim Paredes naman eh neutral lang, that makes the group chemistry work throughout the years.. sabi nga ni Mr. Paredes "Si Boboy at si Danny, laging nagpipintasan... di nila alam na kumikita kami dahil sa kanilang pagtatalo..."... but of course, it's just a part of a show.... but in real life, they are best of friends.
They said, before they made this far..madami din silang pinagdaanan, they started late 60s....and those times, di kinikilala ang talento ng Pinoy.... people those times were influenced by West... kelangan daw, bago ka sumikat eh dapat may counterpart kang famous artist in the West.
And so, they find it hard to make it on top kasi they need to sound like their chosen counterparts.... they chosed: Neil Young (WOOOWWW!!! ang famous tagline those times daw, kasi mahinahon magsalita ang mga tao..i dont know how to express it, pero alam ko na ang meaning nun..); Beatles (the famous band on earth); Bee Gees (the trio brothers); Gladys Knight and the Pips (Motown type of Music), and more..... they sang some of the pieces of these artists from the west on their own style and gestures, na talagang kina-enjoy naming mga audience.... you can only hear the laughter inside the cinema room....
Then suddenly, a group of students from Ateneo just arrived at the middle of the show... tapos nagrewind ang trio ng mga songs na kinanta na nila.... at tinanong din nila kung sino sa mga audience ang ngayon pa lang nakapanood ng show ng APO?? and they asked 'em to their clap hands... syempre clap din ako ng hands ko di ba?? kasi first time ko din eh.... and they called us "The APO Virgins"....coz it's our first time... eh ang dami namin, most are at my age and some are students.... maybe, those are real APO lovers since then.... tawa kami ng tawa, when we're called "The APO Virgins"... and Sir Danny said, "how can you be able to leave the country, when there are so many young people here who wants to watch us again?"..... di nakaimik si Mr. Paredes... OO nga naman Sir, pano yon? we want to catch you on concerts again??
But one thing I have noticed on their faces... is the sadness in their eyes... Yes, they really performed well.. up to the last kick of their career, they really done it great... but losing someone really hurts... the trio seemed to be so sad in some ways kasi aalis na ang isa sa kanila... every piece of their song, they really reminisce those happy times when they're together performing at talagang dama mo ang lungkot nila.... but the show must go on, and they really entertained us well....
At the end of the show, they sang their nationalistic songs.... something that they could leave for their fans who believes in them from the very start... and after that, they had a group hug, at doon talaga ako naiyak.... Standing ovasion!!... lahat kami tumayo at nagbigay ng walang humpay na palakpakan!!! as in sobrang feel ko yong moment na yon... everybody were clapping pero umiiyak din pala na gaya ko..akala ko eh ako lang.... pero when you were there, talagang feel mo yung warm of applause ng mga tao.. walang nag-utos, talagang yon ang deserve ng APO...
They hug each other tightly... and people said "More! More! More!!!"... it's a kind of performance na talagang matagal ko ng gustong makita, maliit pa lang akong bata, wherein napapanood ko lang sila sa VHS and television.... It's the performance that I think most of the bands of our generation should look up to... not just the performance but the teamwork, loyalty, dedication to what they have started and of course, FRIENDSHIP...
That is what i've learned from that wonderful and great experience with APO.... I may not see them perform again.... but i may say, this is 1 of the best performance i've ever seen.... It may not be in Araneta, Folk Arts, Music Museum or Ultra..... But in that small room in Megamall.... I may say that the show beats the hundred concerts of foreign acts!!!
Mabuhay APO!! Continue sharing us your great music.. the young ones needs you...
The lineup of their original songs they played during concert:
* Heto Na (Doo Bi doo)
* Ewan
* Blue Jeans
* Panalangin
* Halina Kaibigan, 3 dekada (Kwento ng APO)
* Show me a smile****** (one of my favorite)
* Magasin (originally done by Eraserheads)
* Salawikain
* When I met You (one of the theme song ng Charms)
* Medley: Lumang tugtugin, Pag-ibig na Tunay, Tulad ka ng Tangi Kong Mahal, Nakapagtataka
* Wala ng hahanapin pa (My super favorite)
* Doo Bi doo Medley: Mahirap magmahal ng syota ng Iba, Pumapatak ang Ulan, Batang-bata ka pa, Minsan, Magkayakap sa Dilim
* Awit ng Barkada
* Kabilugan ng Buwan (23 y/o song, composed by Mr. Danny Javier... na ginawan nila ng iba-ibang version.. March version, latino version and Rock version)
* Folk songs medley: Magtanim ay di biro (to the tune of Do You Remember?); Isa, dalawa, tatlo.. ang tatay mong kalbo (tune of Uno, Dos, Tres of Ricky Martin); Pag-ibig, Masdan ang ginawa mo; Bulong-bulungan (tune of Voltes V); Ave Maria (tune of My Heart will Go On); Si Pilimon (tune of Shalala); Sta. Clara (tune of Right Here Waiting); Isayaw mo, Ikendeng Mo (tune of Stay Alive by Bee Gees); Sitsiritsit, Mama: Namamangka, Telebong (tune of Bohemian Rapsody by Queen/Freddie Mercury); Waray-waray
*Final Song: American Junk; Iba ang ating Lahi; Minamahal ko ang Aking Bayan
THE "KABILUGAN NG BUWAN" VERSION
At dahil last performance na nila ito... I need to grab the chance to meet them in person and have pics with them... Sa labas pa lang eh ang dami ng naghihintay na lumabas sila.. pero Pumasok kami sa loob ni Ate Eloi to have pics with them.
Naabutan namin sila sa backstage having their interview.... Many people are waiting outside their room, na katulad namin na taking chance to let them sign on our stuffs we have... madaming tao...madami rin ang gusto silang kausapin...ang saya sa loob.... lahat ng friends and supporters nila ay nandun.... But still, we had the chance to have them in a pic.... Kaya super hyper kami ni ate Eloi and super happy... Ang babait nila.
Mr. Danny Javier and I
I frist approached Mr. Danny, hindi naman nya ako binalewala, he signed on my diary and dvd... and have pics with him...kahit nanginginig kamay ko, smile pa rin sya.... take a look at the pic.... tabingi tuloy kuha ko..hahahahh!!! pero okay lang basta meron.
Mr. Boboy Garovillo and I
Then I approached Mr. Boboy Garovillo, cool itong taong toh.... naka-smile sya agad and the time i asked him to have a pic, OO sya agad.... tapos nakita nya ung kamay ko na nanginginig... biniro nya ako na "Sentorng-sentro yan, kahit nanginginig pa!!)..hahahahah..kaya sobra ang pagkaka-smile ko dyan sa pic na yan..hahahaha!!! :p
Mr. Jim Paredes and I
Lastly, Mr. Paredes.... ang daming lumalapit sa kanya kaya medyo nahirapan akong makalapit... but he tries accommodate ang lahat ng mga lumalapit sa kanya.... at pinagbigyan din nya ako..hehehhhehe!! tapos, nung nakita nya na hirap ako sa mga bitbit ko.... he asked somebody to take pic of us....wow! sobrang tuwa ko...hahahah!!! it shows naman di ba??
Ate Eloi's Turn
Ate Eloi and Mr. Javier
Ate Eloi and Mr. Garovillo
Ate Eloi and Mr. Paredes
*****
Kaya kami ni Ate Eloi, umuwi ng sobrang happy.... malamang 1 week namin itong pag-uusapan sa office..hahahahaha!!! ALL OUT SMILE
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