OPM Then and Now: A Concert at Aratani Japan Theater
“Keep your mind open. Don’t mortgage your future by making or taking vows. Be receptive to the continuous unfoldment of the Truth in and through you. Give thanks that life is lived one day at a time, and that every day is a glorious opportunity to be strong, to overcome, to achieve, and to be happy. Now is the time of salvation,” Jesus said.
Dubbed “the hottest concert in town,” when temperatures reached 100 F, Odette Quesada, a songwriter and a singer, and her friends: Annie Nepomuceno, Erwin Andaya and Giselle Tongi headlined a concert called, “OPM Then and Now.” It was centerpieced with “Ikaw,” a haunting duet performed by Matthew John Ignacio, a masterful cellist and Ramon M. Delacruz, a masterful flamenco guitarist. It would have been such a treat to have heard more from this duo, whose rendition of “Ikaw” was excellent, soulful and deeply felt. Tears were triggered, as from this writer and others, and enduring applause and bravos were heard.
When we last saw Odette Quesada, she was introduced to us as a famous songwriter whose songs took Filipinos’ imaginations in the 80s. When I asked her how she felt about her songs being sung in the Ford Amphitheater, a resonant and a beautiful soundstage, she felt unmoved by that experience.
Unknown to this writer, she had just suffered a big loss, her husband and co-composer, Bodjie Dasig. The blah feelings authentically conveyed her tragedy.
But, tonight, two years later, much like a butterfly released from her cocoon of grief, she embraced her fans and even joked with them, “Sana mas maaga kayong nag-RSVP, akala ko hindi na kayo dadating.” Dressed in her tight black leather pants, black blazer, the garments did not convey darkness; instead, an unfolding new chapter of her story.
Her fans have been effusive in their support. They came from Rancho Cucamonga, Chula Vista, Phoenix and even Manila, and almost filled the theater. They sang to the songs familiar to them. When asked for songs, Odette obliged and performed a repertoire about all kinds of love: requited and unrequited love, love between friends, love between lovers, one-way love, and love beyond death.
She sang “I Remember You,” “Don’t Know What To Do,” “Breaking in Two,” “A Long, Long Time Ago,” “Dito Lang,” “Walang Nang Nasa Isip,” “Friend of Mine,” “It’s Crazy Feeling Love Is,” “I Start to Cry,” “I Need You Back,” “Love Me Again,” “Till I Met You” and an encore, “Growing Up.”
Love echoed and reechoed in all of her songs: “I have loved you and always will,” “Beside me, all the time,” but when she sang “Till I Met You,” heartfelt expressions of her love for her spouse were conveyed, it was as if she was stoking a campfire, with her endearing words of affection.
I loved the part of “Did You Write This Song?” performed by Annie Nepomuceno, Erwin Andaya and an Odette’s spiel, an ode to other hits “Mr DJ,” “Forevermore,” “Say That You Love Me,” “When I Met You.” It made for lighter moods, for the audience to laugh and to receive the rest of the repertoire.
And the surprise, Giselle Tongi, who performed “To Love Again” and “Farewell.” Giselle is the anchor, TV producer of KSCI-18’s Kababayan – LA and was a Plaridel Award nominee for best community reporting in television, “Road to Merrie Finale on Kababayan Today.” She showed us a different facet tonight, that she too, can sing.
Our favorites for the evening: “Crescere”, sang by Erwin Andaya, accompanied by Matthew John on the cello and a brilliant arranger, Annie Nepomuceno on the piano. Annie is not just a musical arranger, she also sings, she teaches music, she is a musical events producer, and a music publisher. I think if there were ten slots for talents, Annie got all ten.
Maganda talaga and the best part: when the audience got to sing along with the artists onstage with a generous-hearted songwriter and composer who gave herself in singing her own music. Well done, Odette and friends!