Jett Pangan and Medwin Marfil are two of our favorite vocalists. Pangan is the frontman for the iconic band The Dawn, while Marfil does lead vocals for the group Truefaith.
On July 22 both Pangan and Marfil will be part of a concept show, billed as The ’90s Live, at The Theatre at Solaire in Solaire Resort and Casino, Pasay City. The two will be joined by their fellow band lead vocalists of that era, among them are Dong Abay of Yano, Cooky Chua of Color It Red, Paco Arrespacochaga of Introvoys, Wency Cornejo of AfterImage, Naldy Padilla of Orient Pearl, Perf de Castro of Rivermaya and Lei Bautista of Prettier Than Pink.
Pangan invited us to watch this musical reunion that happens once in a blue moon. “With The Dawn still very much active in the music circuit, I consider it a rare privilege to make this ‘side trip’ of sharing the stage with some of the best vocalists and musical artists that made the 1990s a truly memorable musical decade. Please be there to share this special night of unforgettable and timeless music!”
When not performing with The Dawn, Pangan wears the actor’s hat. Recently, he took on special roles on television for A Love to Last and Wildflower, both top-rating shows for ABS-CBN. “I’m enjoying the best of both worlds,” he told us, adding, “The disciplines involved are different but both are satisfying when we talk about being an artist.”
This August, The Dawn will have a seven-city concert tour in Canada, covering Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Sunshine Coast, Toronto and Vancouver. “We’re excited to perform for the Filipino communities in North America, and I’m quite sure every one will have a blast!”
Meanwhile, Marfil had this to say about the coming reunion show: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be with my musical peers from the 1990s. It will surely be a testament to the fact that those years were a wonderful time for Filipino music in general, where many timeless songs were created and performed by exceptional local artists. We are truly proud of the music we created during that era and we’d love to share these again and again.”
Marfil said that he will be performing Truefaith’s signature anthem “Perfect,” a romantic ballad that became a huge hit in 1993.
We’re glad The Theatre at Solaire has been churning out one good show after another. We were recently entertained by Sister Act, a feel-good musical that took its final bow here over the weekend. After The ’90s Live, we’re looking forward to watch the concert of Celeste Legaspi in August.
PHILIPPINE DESIGNER WINS SILVER
Gino Gonzales won the Silver Award at the prestigious World Stage Design 2017 competitions held in Taipei, Taiwan, recently. Gonzales wowed both the delegates and the jury with his detailed creation, Measure for Measure, in the Costume Design category. China’s Wen Bao Qin bagged the Gold and Simona Rybakova of the Czech Republic took the Bronze award.
Producing great works for theater for almost 25 years now, Gonzales first showcased his promise as a creator of detailed works and masterful designs at the Ateneo de Manila University. He would create sets and costumes for Tanghalang Ateneo and Blue Repertory, while finishing his degree in Communications.
After graduation, Gonzales got a Fulbright study grant where he took up scenography at the New York University (NYU), learning about set design, lighting, sound design and creating costumes for the stage. NYU master teacher Eduardo Sicangco saw his vast potential and mentored Gonzales
National Artist Salvador Bernal also took Gonzales under his swing and gave him many opportunities to shine. Last year, Gonzales cocurated Badong: Salvador Bernal Designs the Stage, an exhibit that paid tribute to the genius of his mentor.
Congratulations, Gino.