More ways to celebrate Valentine

Intestinal problems forced Jessa Zaragosa to cancel That Thing Called Love, where she was supposed to share the stage with husband Dingdong Avanzado. Set for Valentine’s Day at the Music Museum, the show was meant to be a spin-off of Laging Ikaw, the very first album they recorded together and a celebration of their five years as husband and wife.

The couple has temporarily put performing on hold for now, that is until Jessa gets a clean bill of health. So fans who were looking forward to watching them bask in their glow of married bliss in the show will just have to content themselves with listening to Laging Ikaw.

Although both have had their share of solo hits for many years, Basta’t Kasama Kita for Dingdong and Hindi Ko Kaya for Jessa among others, it is a fact that they belong to different musical persuasions. Dingdong was a pop idol whose forte was light love songs. Jessa, on the other hand, made her mark with lung-powered country ballads. How they were able to blend their diverse styles with such ease is the most remarkable thing about the album. But of course, love truly conquers everything. Every cut in the all-duet Laging Ikaw testifies to this. Dingdong and Jessa sound great together.

The new originals are the title cut and Panghabangbuhay, the closing song. Most interesting though is how they turned Dingdong’s Basta’t Kasama Kita into a sweet duet and how Joey Albert’s emotive Iisa Pa Lamang turned into a joyful pledge of love. The whole package is just right for Valentine season musing and also includes As Sure as I’m Standing Here, Never Thought, Born for You, Sa Aking Puso, OK Sa Akin, After All, Save the Best for Last and Ikaw.

A date with M.Y.M.P.

Not cancelled or deferred to a later date is MYX Presents Love Moves… A Date with M.Y.M.P. The show was originally scheduled to be held at the Philippine Sports Arena (Ultra) this Valentine’s Day. But because of recent unfortunate events at the Ultra, it has been moved to the Meralco Theater at 8 p.m. on the same date.

This is the duo’s first major Valentine concert. Expect to hear Juris and Chin perform such hits as their originals, A Little Bit, Get Me, Talaga Naman or their monster covers of Especially for You, Love Moves in Mysterious Ways, Tell Me Where It Hurts, Waiting in Vain and other sentimental tunes.

I suppose tickets purchased for the Ultra show will be honored at the Meralco. Just to make sure though, it would be best for ticket holders to check with TicketWorld outlets, tel. no. 891-9999 or MYX, the Filipino music channel and organizer of the show.

Classic Romance

Raymond Lauchengco will spend the evening of Valentine’s Day performing love songs at the Rockwell Tent. The show is entitled Classic Romance and features as guests Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Ayen Munji-Laurel. Tickets priced at Patron P1,500 and VIP P2,000 are available at TicketWorld outlets. Proceeds will go to the House of Refuge Foundation.

Raymond has been performing for over 20 years and has already proven his versatility as a singer. So expect a concert with truly beautiful music. It also helps that most of his songs will be filled with memories like Saan Darating ang Umaga, I Need You Back or Farewell. These were originally recorded for movies he starred in some years back but have remained huge favorites until now. In fact, Farewell, which was used in the landmark film Bagets, was recently re-issued as a single by Vicor.

MTV Bling

If you plan to stay home tomorrow, then you might as well check out the new lifestyle reality show MTV Bling. It will air for the first time at 11 p.m. this Valentine’s Day and every Tuesday thereafter with replays on Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays at 3:30 p.m. It will be hosted by Tim Yap, an eventologist-writer-editor-endorser-entrepreneur-model-actor-host (whew!).

The show will give viewers an insider’s look into why Tim is all of these things and how it would be like to live his exciting and colorful life with beautiful and exciting people. You might see Borgy Manotoc behind bars or KC Concepcion in bed or be part of a bunch of bitches on parade. Trust Tim and MTV to take what’s familiar and turn it upside down to give audiences a truly heady and exciting experience.

I do not know how romantic it will feel watching MTV Bling on Valentine’s Day. I am sure it will be fun though. So if you have nobody special to spend tomorrow evening with, then make Tim Yap your Valentine. I do not think he will mind.