Britney big winner at MTV Awards

Her private life sucked but we all have to agree that despite that, Britney Spears came up with a great album in Blackout and from what we have seen, even better videos. Proof of this came last Sept. 7 when she bagged three Moon Man trophies in this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. These were Best Female Video, Best Pop Video and Video of the Year for Piece of Me. These were the first awards she had ever won in her whole career.

This is sweet victory for the beleaguered Miss Spears who was also the talk of the town at last year’s VMA. Not because she won anything but because of her lackluster performance of Gimme More which opened the show and her flabby figure showed off in a bikini.

The other winners at the VMA were Chris Brown With You, Best Male Video; Pussycat Dolls, When I Grow Up, Best Dancing in a Video; Linkin Park, Shadow of the Day, Best Rock Video; Lil Wayne, Lollipop, Best Hip-Hop Video; Tokio Hotel, Ready Set Go, Best New Artist; Gnarls Barkley, Run, Best Art Direction; Gnarls Barkley, Run, Best Choreography; The White Stripes, Conquest, Best Cinematography; Erykah Badu, Honey, Best Direction; Death Cab for Cutie, I Will Possess Your Heart, Best Editing; and Kanye West featuring T-Pain, Good Life, Best Special Effects.

The VMA will be telecast in the local MTV channel on the following dates: Sept. 14 at 8 p.m.; Sept. 16, 7 p.m.; Sept. 19, 9 p.m.; Sept. 20, 5 p.m.; Sept. 22, 10 p.m.; Sept. 25, 9:30 p.m.; Sept. 27, 12 noon; Oct. 5, 8 p.m.; and Oct. 11, 5 p.m.

Arnel Pineda conquers Toronto

Much has been made of Arnel Pineda becoming the new vocalist of the rock band Journey. This is indeed the gig of a lifetime and I am proud that other people now know that Filipinos can rock with the best. However, I did have reservations about praising Pineda’s success too much. I believed that he got into Journey because he can do a note for note imitation of the great Steve Perry. He was just another Pinoy in full gaya-gaya mode.

Then I got a message from my friend Danny Mañalac who watched Journey in Toronto: “It was awesome. Cheap Trick started the show and played for about 45 minutes. Then Heart for about an hour. Then after a 20-minute intermission, Journey came out. They started with some new songs and the audience was just warming up. When the first note of the old favorite Separate Ways blurted out, everybody stood and was dancing and singing with Arnel.

“Then Open Arms, Faithfully and my balahibo really tumayo when he sang Don’t Stop Believing, kasi ang reaction ng audience, nakakagambala. Sobra-sobra ang appreciation nila at paghanga kay Arnel. Halos hindi mo na marinig ang boses nya dahil everybody was shouting, singing and dancing. Napaupo ako and a tear fell from my eye, kasi at that moment, I felt so proud and touched by what Arnel had accomplished. All in all, it was worth what I paid for. Everybody went home fully satisfied.

“Hanggang sa bus at subway kantahan pa rin ang mga um-attend. The thing that amazed me most was that the band played for over 90 minutes non-stop, kaya there were instances when I was worried na baka kapusin si Arnel, dahil mataas lahat ng tono ng kanta. Pero he did it wonderfully despite just recovering from a throat problem caused by acid reflux. Five or 10 percent of the audience were Filipinos and Arnel managed to greet us by saying mabuhay. I heard that they’re visiting the Philippines next year. Don’t miss the show.”

Then I got a copy of the new Journey album Revelation with Arnel as lead singer. Like Danny I will describe this as simply awesome. Sure Arnel sounds like Perry but then he also doesn’t. He has a tender but full-bodied tenor that carries over the music. It is sweet but strong and it is the distinctive sound of Journey. Check out Disc Two where he solos on new versions of Journey classics: Only the Young, Don’t Stop Believin’ Wheel in the Sky, Faithfully, Any Way You Want It, Who’s Crying Now, Separate Ways, Lights, Open Arms, Be Good to Yourself and Stone in Love.

Disc One has all the new songs and it is pure arena rock heaven but in typical Journey fashion it is also sexy and romantic. The whole CD is just incredible. The band is in peak form. And no more Perry shadow for Arnel. This is all his and I am starting to think he was just what Journey needed to hold on to the dream for another 20 years. Don’t miss out on this one.