There’s no stopping Lance

If there is one word that could summarize Lance Raymundo’s life, it is serendipity. After all, show business was far from his mind when he was first thrown into the limelight as one of the image models of Levi’s. On his 19th birthday, a keyboard caught his fancy even if he didn’t know how to play it. His parents bought the keyboard for him and it was only then that he discovered he could play any song he wanted. He even composed two songs that night and recorded it in a karaoke machine.

But that fateful night was far from over. It unwittingly marked the beginning of an exciting musical career. Lance wanted his brother Rannie to provide vocals for his composition but he (Rannie) was out of town. Impatient and excited, Lance decided to sing the songs himself and was shocked to discover he could not only play the keyboards but he could sing too!

One thing led to another and Lance found himself knocking on the door of Viva Records, armed only with a demo tape filled with 21 of his compositions. Impressed, Viva Records executives offered a recording contract on the spot and Angie Magbanua eventually became his manager.

After less than two years in show business, Lance released his debut album and his hit single, You Are The One soared to the Top 5 pop singles of the country. He then toured the Philippines and the US and hooked up with top Hollywood fitness trainer Joey Luna.

Recently, Lance bagged the role of Romeo in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. His performance was hailed as one of the most truthful and even the most sensual portrayal of the tragic lover.

Lance mixed his brand of youthful eroticism with Romeo’s perpetually swooning character and evoked an insatiable atmosphere of sensuality when he walked onstage almost naked after his implied lovemaking with Juliet.

So convincing was his portrayal that a lot of people found it unimaginable that Lance didn’t take any formal training in acting. With this, Lance has proven that the future is indeed bright for him. And it seems like there’s no stopping this Shakespearean sex-god!

S Files Album Tour

Not since superstar DJ Goldie played a stellar set in 1997 in Manila has the drum n’ bass scene been at the forefront of techno music. Small clubs like the now defunct Kemistry gave it a push but in recent years, drum n’ bass has dwindled and faded.

Enter DJ SS and Warren G – the dynamic duo who packs in a punch on all their sets and is sure to get the crowd jumping. Thousands of fans in Hong Kong witnessed their high-energy performance last September when they played back-to-back with world famous DJs Goldie and Nick Warren.

Breakthrough label Formation Records founder DJ SS is known as one of the finest DJs and producers of drum n’ bass. He has released numerous tracks under different aliases including Psycho E.P., Rhythm for Reasons and the best-selling Lighter. British-born Warren G has been emceeing for 15 years, starting in the early days of jungle when it was still in its hardcore stages.

Explosive and exciting, be there to catch the S Files Album Tour featuring DJ SS and Warren G at Wherelse on March 9. Get fired up by dynamite DJ’s 63 Squad as they open the show.

The S Files Album Tour is presented by MAA General Assurance Phils., Pioneer Sound, Vision, Soul, NU 107’s Open House and Joey@92.3. It’s the first of the Wherelse but Wherelse? series. Watch out for five more shows in the coming weeks as Wherelse brings to Manila more music from the different genres of the dance scene featuring world music, funk, progressive and jazz-chillout DJs. Door entrance is P200.

For inquiries call INCUS Productions, Inc. at tel. no. 6371836 or 37.

100 years of TUP

Congratulations to the Technological University of the Philippines on the commemoration of its 100 years of leadership in Technology Education held recently. Highlights of the centennial celebration were the Mr. & Ms. TUP Centennial Pageant, Mr. & Ms. TUP Centennial Talent Competition and the launching of the Museo ng TUP sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts headed by Dr. Mar Apar, College Dean of Liberal Arts.

Other cultural activities lined up were the Investiture of Dr. Fedeserio Camarao as fourth University President of TUP, Street Dancing Parade, Lantern Parade, Arko Competition, TUP: Cada Decada Cultural Presentation, Centennial Ball and Dinner, Quiz Bee and other cultural events. Prof. Franco Velas, the Cultural Affairs Director was in charge of this exciting centennial celebration.