THE danger signs of a planet becoming stressed to breaking point are hogging newspaper headlines: food shortages due to environmental degradation, warming oceans that spawn more frequent storms, glacier meltdown that is causing floods... the list goes on and is frightening. Some wrack their brains for ways to help in whatever little way they can; others don’t care at all.

The good news is, there are more people than you think who do care for the environment. Take the case of this year’s Earth Day Jam, a concert celebrating the global event that is Earth Day that will include the brightest lights in the country’s music scene: Barbie Almalbis,  Callalily, Guarana, Imago, Juan Pablo Dream, Kjwan, Lou Bonnevie, Moonstar ’88 , Noel Cabangon, Pinikpikan, Radioactive Sago Project, Reggae Mistress, Rivermaya, Sandwich, SinoSikat, Sitti, South Border, The CompanY, The Philippine Latin-Jazz Orchestra, UpDharmaDown, Zelle and many more.

 In what has been an annual summit of the country’s best musical talents, Earth Day Jam 2008 will once again rock this April 25 on Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City starting at 7 pm.

For the past eight years, Bonnevie and her production outfit, Dimitri Productions, have been spearheading this global event marking the Environmental Month of April. This annual gig will bring together the country’s top musicians for a seven-hour music marathon to pay homage to Mother Earth and underscore the public clamor for governments and communities to take action.

In a presscon held recently, Radioactive Sago’s Lourd de Veyra commended Bonnevie for her “consistency in her commitment to promote this concert.” It really takes a certain dedication to produce and be able to come up with this kind of musicfest where top-drawer artists perform gratis as their own way of contributing to the protection and conservation of our environment.

Medwin Marfil of True Faith, prior to giving a sample performance before the members of the press, shared how one can help save the environment and this is by asking the musicians and concertgoers to “make sure that they hold on to their bottled water and not  just throw it, especially if it’s still half-full.”  This way, Meldwin said, we conserve on our water resources. 

Also in the same presscon, bossa-nova artist Sitti belted out a Sergio Mendez piece and declared how honored she was to be invited to take part in this concert for a cause. A certified diver, Sitti admitted that she gets annoyed by smoke belchers and hopes that the government implements a stricter policy regarding these errant drivers. Jay Durias of Southborder waxed sentimental recalling how they were unable to perform in the last two Earth Day Jam concerts since they were in the US, but now that they’re back, Durias said, “We’re glad that we’ve been asked to join the Earth Day Jam once again.”  

The concert starts with some explosive jazz, samba and bossa at full swing with the Philippine Latin-Jazz Orchestra, the vocal ensemble The CompanY, the sensational samba group Guarana and, of course, bossa diva Sitti.  The pop set follows suit with catchy hits from Almalbis, Imago, Callalily, Moonstar ’88 and Zelle. The rock scene then kicks in with three major bands—Rivermaya, Sandwich and Kjwan—with such Earth Day Jam veterans as the artist-producer-envi awardee herself, Bonnevie, backed by rockers from Razorback and Pinikpikan, plus Cabangon with his band and world-funk-ethno group Pinikpikan. Earth Day Jam won’t be complete without the reggae rastas from Reggae Mistress and True Faith along with ska band Juan Pablo Dream and the wacky Radioactive Sago Project. The lineup also guarantees a musical feast with Sinosikat and UpDharmaDown. The reunion of R&B group South Border will surely be a momentous moment. Also joining musicians onstage are speakers from environmental nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and volunteers from civic society.

On the night itself, tables and chairs promised by The Morato Business Club will make street pavements become a lively al-fresco venue where people may watch the concert while enjoying worthwhile Earth Day discounts from establishments around the performance area. For greater viewing pleasure, a multimedia stage with a spacious two-band set-up will be placed on T. Morato Avenue perpendicular to Timog Avenue, with four blocks from Scout Rallos (along Yellow Cab) to Scout Fuentebella (along Chili’s).

The organizers have also set up an envi-tents surrounding the concert vicinity which will be manned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and NGOs. Admission is free and everyone is encouraged to bring out a placard to shout his/her environmental sentiments.  So if you care about the environment, love music and want to make a difference, keep you calendar free on April 25 beginning 7 pm, and troop to Tomas Morato as the country’s leading artists sing for Mother Earth.

Pearl of the South Seas

IT’S been awhile since she debuted to a captivated society, when every major newspaper and glossy magazine lavished her with accolades.

Money Smarts for the Summer

A WELL-PLANNED summer vacation won’t do without a trip to the ATM. Before you hit the road, board the bus, or get on that plane, make sure you remember these friendly reminders from the country’s longest-running and most extensive ATM network, MegaLink.

Singing for Mother Earth

THE danger signs of a planet becoming stressed to breaking point are hogging newspaper headlines: food shortages due to environmental degradation, warming oceans that spawn more frequent storms, glacier meltdown that is causing floods... the list goes on and is frightening. Some wrack their brains for ways to help in whatever little way they can; others don’t care at all.

Reeling: In A Country for No One

THE portable oxygen pipe will never be regarded the same way again after being carried like a mortar by a man running after a bag of money. In the film No Country for Old Men, motels and murders also share heritage.

Getting on with life after a heart attack

AMERICANS who have had a stroke or a hip replacement take for granted that they’ll need a few weeks or months of rehabilitation to relearn speech or movement and to figure out how to care for themselves. But when people have a major heart problem, more often than not they leave the hospital with nothing more than a bottle of aspirin and a couple of prescriptions.