Justin Bieber coming for show May 10

Breaking News!

FLASH: Justin Bieber (simply “JB” to his fans) will have a concert at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Concert Grounds on May 10 next year.

It’s Smart which is producing the concert in cooperation with Music Management International & AEDI which confirmed the good news.

JB fans have a good reason to rejoice after they got disappointed when Justin didn’t come with Usher earlier this year for a rumored “brief appearance” on Usher’s show also held at the MOA. Justin is managed by Usher’s recording company.

During his album promo last October in Japan, Justin was presented with various awards from the management of Universal Music in Indonesia, China, Malaysia and the Philippines for achieving sales of over 280,000 (digital combined), 30,000 of which is for combined sales of his albums My World, My World 2.0 and My Worlds in the Philippines.

Incidentally, did you know that Justin has a Philippine connection? He’s being linked to Filipina singer Jasmine Villegas. His background singers belong to a Fil-Am band named Legaci, his back-up dancers are Filipinos, and his shows usually feature the dance group Poreotix from America’s Best Dance Crew that happens to have Filipino members as well.

(Note: For sponsorship and ticket inquiries about Justin Bieber’s May 10, 2011 concert, call landline 494-4787.)

NY-NJ Pinoys to honor Nat’l Artist Levi Celerio

The late National Artist Levi Celerio with his ‘musical’ leaf and honored on a stamp

Tributes are better given to artists while they are still around to appreciate it and hear the applause and take a bow to standing ovation. But then, it’s always better late than never.

If Levi Celerio were alive, I’m sure he would love to fly (with a round-trip ticket donated to him by generous souls) to the States to be there when Filipinos in the New York-New Jersey area will honor and celebrate his life and career of the late Levi Celerio in a big concert on Sunday, Dec. 12, at Roy Irving Theater of St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey. Levi is one of the Philippines’ well-loved National Artists who was rich not in material things but in musical output.

Parangal: A Salute to Levi Celerio is presented by the Philippine Chamber Rondalla of New Jersey in time for the 100th birth anniversary of the legendary maestro who was named National Artist in Music and Literature in 1997.

“Two of Mang Levi’s children will grace the event, according to US-based musician Dante Tolentino,” said Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre in his report.

Born in Tondo, Manila, Levi had written over 4,000 songs in his lifetime, including the timeless Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit, Ang Pipit, Sa Ugoy Ng Duyan, Itik-Itik, Tunay Na Tunay, Waray-Waray, Pitong Gatang, Dungawin Mo Hirang and Basta’t Mahal Kita, plus a host of classic Filipino love songs like Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Kahit Konting Pagtingin, Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal, Kapag Puso’y Sinugatan, O Maliwanag Na Buwan, Dahil Sa Isang Bulaklak and Sapagkat Kami’y Tao Lamang.

“Levi Celerio, who is also a violinist, left behind a treasure trove of masterpieces that will fascinate even the future generations of Filipinos,” Edmund quoted Tolentino, who also heads the dctalents multimedia, as saying. “Let’s just hope that the new generation of Filipino musicians and songwriters emulate the likes of Levi Celerio so that they can also come up with songs that Filipinos worldwide can be proud of.”

Edmund pointed out that Levi’s distinctions include making it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the only person to play music using only a leaf. He had also received awards for his musical achievements in film. Levi succumbed to emphysema at age 91 on April 2, 2002 in Quezon City, only three days after National Artist in Music Lucio San Jose, with whom he had co-written several songs, passed away.

The Dec. 12 Parangal concert will feature local NY artists Maria Leonor Paliguin, violinist; Bituin Escarcha, soprano; Janice Yalong, soprano; Rosemarie Flores, soprano; Erwin Escarcha, baritone; and Amia Zalamea, folk dancer. Stage director is Elvira Reyes, with music guru Bayani de Leon as special consultant.

(Tickets are $15 apiece [advance general admission] and $20 [at the door]. E-mail [email protected] for more information.)

Fake Twitter and Facebook accounts

DISCLAIMER: For the nth time, I’m reminding everybody out there that I don‘t have a Twitter or a Facebook account, so if you come upon one, it’s a FAKE. The fake Twitter and Facebook accounts contain mostly negative items and erroneous information against the stars. Whoever is the evil mind behind it is a coward who uses other people’s names to hit the stars for whatever reason. Other victims of the “FAKERS” include Tempo’s Ronald Constantino, Jobert Sucaldito and Cristy Fermin. With the help of undercover agents, we will soon trace the source(s) of this “racket.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected] or at [email protected])