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Shangri-La Plaza’s The 5th: The new cool & hip place | Philstar.com
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Young Star

Shangri-La Plaza’s The 5th: The new cool & hip place

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Music lovers recently penciled in their gimmick calendar the Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City for a special concert by the Norwegian band D’ Sound. The acid-jazz trio, beloved of the music cognoscenti for their superb first album, "Spice of Life." Filipino fave second album "Beauty is a Blessing," and known to a wider audience for their R&B-inflected third album, "Talkin’ Talk," was flown in especially by Shangri-La Plaza for the grand launch of the mall’s new Youth Zone, called The 5th. The mall was full of guests as early as 6 p.m., when local DJs Kimosave, Decipher and Flow 44 dished out hiphop grooves at The 5th.

At the mall‘s 9 p.m. closing, concert-goers eagerly formed long, snaking lines outside the mall to await D’ Sound’s performance, a necessary security precaution by Shangri-La Plaza to ensure the safety of everyone attending the concert.

Concert-goers were then ushered into the Grand Atrium, where the stage and the surrounding fountain were festooned with colorful balloons. Even the upper levels of the mall, all the way up to The 5th, were filled with guests who perched themselves confortably.

Opening act Parliament Syndicate pumped up the crowd with their rousing acid-jazz and R&B numbers, magnified on two big screens at opposite ends of the Atrium. Guests were also treated to free drinks courtesy of Andreson’s Group, at booths around the Atrium.

Before D’ Sound took the stage, two round-trip, business-class tickets to any destination in the US were given away courtesy of Northwest Airlines by hosts Francesca and Boom Gonzales of Monster Radio RX 93.1. The two winners were Kit Vasquez and Jimmy H. Kang.

It was 11 p.m. when Simone, Jonny and Kim of D’ Sound, and their keyboardist, came on, to loud applause. The band launched into Love Is On My Way (from Spice of Life), showing the audience just what an electrifying live act they are. Simone’s pearly voice stretched out over the Atrium to bassist Jonny’s and drummer Kim’s equally strong rhythm counterpoint. The crowd gamely sang along and waved CDs of the band’s three albums.

Among those enjoying the show were TV personalities like couple Paolo Abrera and Suzy Entrata, VJ Kaz Castillo, musicians The Company, Color It Red’s Cooky Chua (with husband, comedian Earl Ignacio), Rachel Alejandro, Megan Aguilar, Barbi Cristi, Bopip Paraguya, Ariel Policarpio, JV Torres and Sam Salazar; Radioactive Sago Project frontman Lourd de Veyra; designer Ronald Pasion.

D’ Sound kept their fans in thrall as they soared through their acid-jazz, soul, funk, pop and drum and bass fusions in gems such as Beauty is a Blessing (also the title of their second album, Sing my Name, Sweet Music, Ain’t Giving Up, Down On The Street and Remember These Moments.

The band called in a Filipino guitarist Alan Casal, to jam with them on Play Me The Song. Casal had sent the band an e-mail that he would be very happy if they will let him play with them should they ever visit Manila. D’ Sound wanted to make someone happy, and needless to say, Casal got his wish.

When Simone started singing Tattooed On My Mind, the crowd sang with her. The finale song Enjoy, a cut from their second album, according to Simone, described how D’ Sound felt during the concert.

The D’ Sound special concert heralds a series of events by Shangri-La Plaza to promote its new Youth Zone and make it a hip and happening place for the young. The 5th has a keen mix of established and up-and-coming fashion labels such as Adidas, Bench, Human, Bayo, Kamiseta, In Style (which carries Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy), Tubby, M Big Men, NafNaf, Union Bay, and Plains & Prints, Shoe Salon, Cindy Carol, Defect, People are People, Whoops; specialty stores like Fun d’ Metals, The Hobby Shop, No Curfew, Time Depot (G-Shock), Wrap Shop; and cafés Frio Mixx and BTIC.

The World of Music concert series on its fifth year had the UP Brass 5 and Afro-Latin Ensemble last Oct. 19 at the Grand Atrium. A special fashion show, "Hip 2b Fab" directed by Audie Gemora was held on Oct. 20 at the mall’s Grand Atrium.

AFRO-LATIN ENSEMBLE

ALAN CASAL

GRAND ATRIUM

SHANGRI-LA PLAZA

SOUND

SPICE OF LIFE

YOUTH ZONE

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