Another boy band invasion coming up

Time for another boy band invasion. This time around the perpetrators will be a1, the British group responsible for the hits Like a Rose, Ready or Not, Everytime and others. Composed of Paul Marazzi, Christian Ingebrigsten, Mark Read and Ben Adams, a1 will be descending on local shores for a concert at the Araneta Coliseum at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7. This will be followed by another performance at the Waterfront Hotel Ballroom in Cebu City on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

The group has recently released a new album titled The A List and the show is billed as a1: The A List Tour. This is the Philippine leg of a massive promo blitz in Asia that also includes Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand. Also in connection with promoting the group and the new album, Sony Music has released a two-disc Special Limited Edition Tour Package album containing The A List and a bonus disc titled The A+List.

The new album has already produced a hit Take on Me. This is a cover of a big hit by the Norwegian group A-ha. It was a big hit in many parts of the world during the late ’80s and it looks like a1 did such an excellent job and Take on Me is a big seller again. Take note too that a1 Christian is from Norway. His father is a big pop star in Scandinavia and among the music he grew up listening to were the songs of A-ha.

Just like the first album Here We Come, the contents of The A Lists were mostly written by the guys in the group. As for The A+List, this bonus CD is one no a1 fan should never be without. Included are more originals like Miracle, If You Were My Girl, I Got Sunshine and Funkin’ Up plus a cover of the Commodores’ Three Times a Lady and a spirited Beatles medley.

a1 is made up of Paul Marazzi who was discovered while singing in a karaoke bar in Spain; Christian Ingebrigsten, a second generation pop idol from Scandinavia who studied at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts; Mark Read, a singer and pianist who has been performing professionally since he was 11; and Ben Adams, a former head cloister at Westminster Abbey who also plays the violin and the oboe.

The a1: The A List Tour is presented by Philips Audio and sponsored by Totally Cool Skechers Sport and No Fear Jeans USA. Other major supporters are the a1 record label Sony Music Phils., the official music channel MTV Asia and radio stations YES FM 101.1, The Hive 100.3, dwRX 93.1, dwKC 93.9 and dwTM 89.9. Tickets are available at Ticketnet outlets in SM Department stores and at the Araneta Coliseum.

Soul hits

Here’s a great collection of soul hits. If you like bouncing hip hop beats, smooth R&B grooves and slow romantic ballads, then there are several good reasons for you to grab a copy of Soul’d Out. The pop and R&B hit compilation has pop divas, Christina Aguilera, boy bands, O-Town and hip hop acts, P.M. Dawn, performing their biggest hits in one fantastic collection. This is a big money saver. You do not have anymore to get the individual albums of these artists. And this is not to mention the fact that you will be listening to only the best cuts with this CD.

Included in the album are Liquid Dreams by O-Town; Tell Me How You Feel by Joy Enriquez; After Party by Koffee Brown; Ms. Jackson by Outkast; Most Girls by Pink; I Turn to You by Christina Aguilera; Maybe by Toni Braxton; I Miss You So Much by TLC; I Don’t Wanna Kiss You Goodnight by LFO; I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) by Another Level; Wifey by Next; I Know What You Want by jacksoul; 24/7 by Kevon Edmonds; No More Rain (In This Cloud) by Angie Stone; Emotional by Carl Thomas; Never Gonna Let You Go by Faith Evans; Right Here/Human Nature by SWV; and Set Adrift on Memory Bliss by P.M. Dawn.

Reader’s feedback

From the mail: To Famar Pangan Santos of Minalin, Pampanga: Dia duit! Conas ta tu? Thank you for your letter and for the most incisive info you sent in about The Corrs. Unfortunately, it came in too late and I was not able to put it out in time for the two-night concert of the Irish group last week. Will check out The Best of the Corrs album and the soundtrack of America’s Sweethearts as soon as I can. More power to you and all your endeavors.

These are Same Old Brand New You, No More, One More Try, The Things We Never Did, Too Bad Baby, Nothing But Trouble, Tomorrow, She Doesn’t See Me, Scared, Celebrate Our Love, Living the Dream, I Wonder Why, I’ll Take the Tears and One in Love.