Freestyle keeps playing live

No other band in town has been able to distinguish itself with live recorded performances as much as Freestyle has these past few years. After making it big with its first multi-platinum selling album, the group went from one big concert after another where fans did not seem to have enough of listening to them do their hits live. At first these were So Slow, Before I Let You Go, Good Luv and Bakit Iniwan Na. As the band’s popularity grew, so did the number of hit songs and Til’ I Found You, Para Sa ‘yo and This Time joined the list.

There is also Freestyle’s live version of the Ogie Alcasid composition Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang. This recording became not only one of the group’s biggest sellers. It further emphasized Ogie’s growing reputation as hitmaker of the moment. Most of all, it firmly established Freestyle as a major concert draw. Fans of these guys like to listen to them live so they not only attend the concerts, they also buy the live recorded albums.

Check out Freestyle All Hits Live at the Araneta. This one has all the hits mixed with current pop favorites rearranged by the group the Freestyle way. Two medleys that show the group’s versatile handling of other materials highlight the set. A Janet Jackson Medley with Runaway, When I Think of You, Together Again, Someone to Call My Lover and Best Things in Life are Free is the opening cut. Then there is also the Acoustic Medley with Cool With You, Take a Little Time, Water Runs Dry, Angel of Mine, How Deep is Your Love and So Slow.

Other songs included in the album that you might want to hear them again are Too Close, Sweet Sexy Thing, Only Love, Tell Me How You Feel, Para Sa ‘yo, This Time, Before I Let You Go, ’Til I Found You, Play, Ride with Me, All for You, Gonna Get Your Love, Don’t Call Me Baby and You are the Universe.

Freestyle was an unknown band playing clubs in Davao City when it was discovered by Viva Records and instantly transported to Manila. The group entered the big time armed with the great songs that went into its first album. It did not take them long. Thanks to that album, all those live shows and the massive promo push, the Freestyle kind of pop music easily became a huge favorite.

Freestyle is made up of Tat Suzara (guitar), Top Suzara (also on guitar), Carlo Tapia (bass), Jinky Vidal (vocals), Nicky Cabardo (piano and keyboards) and Gerard Banzon (drums).

Freestyle performs tonight at 9 at Phenomena on Timog Avenue in Quezon City. The show guarantees that in contrast to the band’s big arena concerts, it will provide an intimate experience where the audience can closely listen to Freestyle hits and other goodies. The Big J Event Production is presented by Caltex and Mossimo with Monster Radio RX 93.1, NCADS Digital Graphics, Bisolvon and Audio Logic-The Scope of Sound as sponsors. Tickets are available at Phemonena and at National Bookstore Ticketworld.

Just in case you enjoy the evening with Freestyle, you might want to check out Phenomena’s other offerings. DVs, Parliament Syndicate and Overload on Mondays; Music at 8ight on Tuesdays; First Circle on Wednesdays; Next Level and Mulatto on Thursdays; Phat Fridays on Fridays; and High Energy Dance Music on Saturdays.

Songs of the moment

Meanwhile, here are the songs that most of us are listening to at the moment. Take note that those in the top 10 are mostly remnants of last year’s releases which Pinoys are discovering only now. Here goes: Drowning by the Backstreet Boys: Queen of My Heart by Westlife; Superman by Five for Fighting; Don’t Say Goodbye, Say Goodnight by Binocular; What If by Babyface; Hero by Enrique Iglesias; Ikaw Sana by Ogie Alcasid; In The End by Linkin Park, Brown Eyes by Destiny’s Child; and Free by the Lighthouse Family.

Over in the US of A, the big selling singles as per Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 are U Got It Bad by Usher; How You Remind Me by Nickelback; Always on Time by Ja Rule featuring Ashanti; Get the Party Started by Pink; My Sacrifice by Creed; Family Affair by Mary J. Blige; Whenever, Wherever by Shakira; A Woman’s Worth by Alicia Keys; Wherever You Will Go by The Calling; and Hero by Enrique Iglesias.