My awesome date with NIИ

If John C. was the celebrity I had been worshipping since I was a tweener, Trent Reznor was the rock god I have adored since I was in my young twenties.  I remember when I was a DJ in a rock station, I would play his music using my own CD that I bought from the store.  Since the songs were unedited or unapproved by the programmer (meaning – not fit to play on air), I had to resort to bleeping those nasty four-letter words in the lyrics myself while they were playing on air (*sighs*—those were good times…) even at the risk of bringing on the ire of the ntc or my boss.  I did it because of my love for Trent and his music…  But as time passed, from a rocking dj, I moved on to a more conservative job and lifestyle.  Also, my taste in music changed and mellowed.  But my infatuation with Trent remained.   What sets him apart from other screaming rockers was his unique voice. His gut-wrenching screams and howls were heartfelt and real.  The belief and conviction in his lyrics and music were still there.  He wasn’t giving you b*llsh*t.  It wasn’t all flash and show.  He was real and sincere, and in that sense, he was deeply respected and admired by the old fans who remained loyal and by the newer generation as well.

NIN rockin in Manila (right)

So when I heard that NIИ would be having a concert in Araneta Coliseum on august 5, the rockgirl in me rose from its deep slumber. I immediately sprang into action and bought the necessary ticket.  I wasn’t going to hesitate to buy the seats close to the stage.  This was said to be the farewell concert tour, it has to be now or never.  It is not every day (or every year even!) that such a legendary act like NIИ comes to our humble shores – we are always being bypassed and ignored for other affluent Asian nations.

How was it? I’ll cut the story short.  The place wasn’t packed but it was ok. We had a blast and worth every centavo! Trent sang a lot of new unfamiliar songs but the ‘classics’ were there – Downward Spiral, Hurt, Closer, Afraid of Americans, The Hand That Feeds, Head Like a Hole…  and even if a lot of songs were unfamiliar, we were absolutely thrilled.  Our mouths agape almost the whole time… couldn’t freaking believe that The Awesome Man in Black was finally here… in our midst… watching him sing! Water bottles were thrown plus mic stands, guitars… Trent even threw his tambourine to a lucky person in the audience (“Ay? Panu naman kami!”)!

The Awesome Man in Black (left): I was seated at the far right of the stage. Good view. Pero sensya na. I took countless of pix but only a few shots came out well.

The next day, my friends asked me how it was. I just couldn’t describe it well enough. I was still at a loss for words… then I guess the best way to describe it was (ahem! kids, cover your eyes first): “It was like great sex!” Basta, yun na yun… haha! It was full of high energy, dripping with dark sexy testosterone… Ibang klase talaga magrakrakan ang mga kano.

But then, I also watched the 1995 Manila concert of Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, and Sonic Youth — NIИ was never anything like that… which only meant – ibang klase talaga rumakrak si Treznor!

Treznor waves goodbye (right): No, don’t retire yet, Trent. We can’t live without you, man…

As I said, I do have pix but they’re not worth posting (only worth looking at by me) so I’ll just repost pix from nin’s website. These following pix were taken by NIИ’s art director, Rob Sheridan. Click on the pix and they will lead you to their website:

Hello, SEXY BEAST! Trent sings Heresy… He screams, yells, and sweats profusely…

“Help me… I broke apart my insides!”

Final encore song was HURT: this is the SOP concert moment wherein we hold up the customary lighters and lit up cellphones with matching swaying swaying…You can see my lit Nokia at the far left.  Ano ba. Of course I’m kiddin…

BTW, those 3 pix can also be found in nin’s wp blog.

Thank you, Trent for including us in your NIИ’s Wave Goodbye Asian Tour 2009.  We will surely won’t forget this… ever! It was superbly … asteeeg!

 

a week of tears and cheers

(Note: A yellow ribbon will be placed on all my August posts as my sign of respect and sorrow over the passing of our beloved former President Corazon C. Aquino ~SL)

It has been a week since Mommy Cory died.  Everyone calls her Tita Cory. Even if I didn’t know her personally (the closest encounter I had with her was when I saw her pass by during a campaign rally for her chosen senators),  it felt like she was more than an aunt or tita.  It didn’t feel right to call her just “Tita” (In the Phils. and even in other Asian countries like Japan, that’s how you address the bestfriend of your mom or your friend’s mom).  It doesn’t feel right to call her just that.  Losing her was like losing a mom– the second time for me, having lost my real mother when i was in my late teens. Now here it is again.  The tears keep on coming.  Grief and bereavement…  Hurt, anguish, and despair over what’s freakin’ left for us to deal with, now that she’s gone.  It is really difficult to accept it. We feel like a motherless nation now– we feel so alone.

Even so… this was also a strange week wherein I got two of my wishes granted which cheered me up somehow.  It has something to do with two of my most favorite celebrities in the world  – John Cusack and Trent Reznor! One I made actual contact with and the other I get to see live in person!

I know I should be giddy and excited about it. But every time I think back about Mommy Cory’s passing, I shed hot tears all over again.  Such an emotional roller coaster week this is… along with a bipolar, roller coaster weather (rainy…sunny …rainy… sunny…) to match it.

I would like to share some of the lovely, poignant pictures that my older brother, Ito, took since Cory’s death last Saturday.  Living and working in close proximity to the places where he took these pictures, he was able to capture these historical moments superbly.  The captions are also from his FB album pages, too (If you wish to repost these pix in your website or blog, kindly ask for permission first – These pix aren’t mine… and even I had to ask permission from him. K? Thanks.):

“August 3, 2009. President Cory was transfered this afternoon to the Manila Cathedral. Thousands line up to view her remains and pay their respect at the cathedral. Meanwhile hundreds more are trooping to the Aquino residence along Times st., Quezon City.“

“They linger in front of the candles and offer their prayers to the President. And probably many are also praying for Hope and Change for the country.”

“1 am, Aug. 4. And they continued to line up so that they can pay their respects to the President at the Manila Cathedral.”

“Despite the intermittent downpour of rain, they continued to wait patiently for their turn. The line snaked in front of the cathedral and extended almost all the way to Manila City Hall outside the walls of Intramuros.”

“4pm, Aug. 4, Necrological Service at the Manila Cathedral.”

“An opportunity to earn a little money…”

“Aug. 5, 1pm. The people are waiting for the funeral cortege to pass through. This was at the corner of Roxas blvd and Quirino Avenue.”

“Finally, the coffin of Pres. Cory with the military honor guards on top of a truck.”

“L for Laban! Not anymore Loser.”

BTW, even if Cory did not have a state funeral (the family refused the offer from the current administration on account of political -and personal-differences), she was still better off without one.  I think her wake, cortege, and burial were truly well-organized, beautiful and touching.  I would like to congratulate everyone who made all these possible — the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, all the singers, musicians, choirs, the nuns, the military honors, the guards, the police, the priests, the people who lined up at the wake, and walked beside her before she was laid to rest. I would also like to commend the reporters, too, especially those from GMA Channel 7 – the Kapuso Network – that made it possible for millions of Filipinos (here and abroad) to take part in the ‘virtual vigil’ during their unselfish, tireless, almost 24/7 coverage of the events via their free online livestreaming tribute page! You all make me truly proud of being a Filipino – especially when we band together – we can REALLY make things happen!

Para kay Mommy Cory, mabuhay po tayong lahat!

 

NIN live in Manila!

I better post something that doesn’t have anything to do with jdoramas or else this personal blog will be mistaken for a themed blog.  (I AM kinda thinkin’ of setting up an extension themed blog for my jdorama posts though but with my limited time–naah! I don’t think that is feasible as of this moment…):

(For an update about what happened during NIN’s Aug. 5 concert, click here.)

I don’t listen to pop music nowadays and don’t have the slightest interest to see those international acts who came, sang and went (Rhianna, the 2 Davids-whatever-their-last-names-are, etc.).  So I’m absolutely THRILLED to hear that FINALLY one of my most admired artists is coming to the country before he retires from the face of this planet.

It’s Nine Inch Nails, man! As in, Trent Reznor is comin to town–Aug. 5, 2009 at the Araneta Coliseum! I can’t freakin believe it!  I’ve been following his tourdates and updates on Facebook and Twitter since last year and had been reading all those places around the world that he’d been touring in (it seemed like he’d been performing EVERYWHERE except here) and wishing all those times that he would at least drop by one of these days  (Kahit man lang magpa-gas para sa eroplano!!! langhya naman…) And now, thank God, this wish has been granted!

Ever since I was a dj in a rock radio station in the early 90’s which was the height of NIN and alternative music, I’ve been dreaming about this moment.  Those rock bands have come and laid low but Trent–and Pearl Jam–have always been in my heart. And it’s so wonderful that these guys are still rockin up to now. We may have (ahem*coughs*) matured, softened and mellowed down a bit–but we can still rock the house. \m/

After all these years, you still rock my world, Trent Reznor: All Emo brats and poseurs should KISS his ass and pay their due respects to His Royal Gothliness (right).

This is obviously a once in a lifetime chance so there’s no way I’ll miss this.  Besides, his tour is called “Wave Goodbye” since Reznor plans to make NIN ‘disappear for awhile.’  Maybe to settle down and start a family? He had been twittin messages saying he’s so in-luuuuv and that he’s gettin’ married.

Who’s the lucky Pinay?: Trent and fiancee, Mariqueen Maandig (left) a model-babe, and vocalist of a rock band, West Indian Girl, and get this– she’s Filipino-American(!) (i mean, helleerr! pangalan pa lang– Mariqueen–Pinoy na pinoy na).  Hay naku, Trent. Pinay rin lang pala ang hanap mo,  e di sana.. dot dot. Haha.. nevermind!

Here are some more of Reznor’s latest twits for the past 2 days:

I have been sober for 8 years today (where I am). Thanks for letting me share that with you. Proud of that.

Easy: encountering real people in the real world mostly = love. Reading bullshit online from anonymous cowards = hate.

This “being madly in love” thing is weird. Feels bad being apart.

It’s true – I’ve gone soft. Sorry everyone.

Here’s my most fave song from NIN, Closer. Directed by Mark Romanek, one of the best mv directors around. PG ALERT! -> This controversial 1994 mv is disturbing, demonic, and demented.  Ahh, the good ole days, they don’t make them the way they used to, huh?… *sighs*