A show for Mother Earth

Last April 23 at 3 p.m., Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City, last minute preparations were taking place for the annual Earthday Jam, a musical celebrating Earthday. Tomas Morato Avenue was closed from Scout Lascano to Gandia to make way for the stage, riggers, video screens and TV facilities. Onlookers started to gather around the venue along Alfredo’s Restaurant facing Timog Rotonda. Because it was a Friday weekend, Quezon City government traffic enforcers made sure that detour signs were properly in place so as not to disturb the usual dining crowd of Tomas Morato.

From afar, the stage set-up was impressive. The Tomas Morato Business Club made sure the venue would be striking. They arranged tables and chairs to create a European café ala fresco ambience. The stage had four video screens to show various AVPs in that night.

The performers came up with an exciting evening. The concert began with video clips of man-in-the street interviews commenting on environment protection. Hosts Chiqui Roa, KC Montero and Lou Bonnevie were in high spirits as they introduced the first performer, acoustic guru Paolo Santos whose cool music segued to the more upbeat folksy tunes of Barbie’s Cradle. A jazz and instrumental segment followed as Chin Chin Gutierrez jammed with flutist Jong Cuenco in an endearing Ugoy ng Duyan remake. Another revival, Summertime, was rendered by upcoming young Eurasian singer, Mishka. Then the crowd was awed by the voices of The Company as they sang Yoyoy Villame hits.

By the time the DENR Secretary Bebet Gozun and Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte went on stage to join the festivities, the crowd had doubled. The Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department in Quezon City has actively participated and collaborated with DENR and Dimitri Productions in the staging of Earthday Jam.

Karylle jammed with KC Montero. The crowd got on its feet when True Faith sang their hit songs. Noel Cabangon created a sing-along atmosphere when he crooned Kanlungan while playing a guitar.

Director Toto Gentica had prepared well for this year’s visual effects. One could feel the emotions of the crowd when the "disaster" video clip was shown, echoing the music of Green Fields by producer-artist Lou Bonnevie. Later, Maegan Aguilar joined Lou in a feet stomping version of the Beatles’ Come Together.

Notable speakers that evening included Fr. Robert Reyes, who spoke on a "car less" day campaign, lawyer Toby Tanada who spoke on the Earth Rehab project and Nita Abaquin of the Zero Waste Management NGO group. Joel Torre and Jimmy Fabregas shared their version of a "clean" world.

When South Border emerged to do their set, the crowd became a bit chaotic. Women of all ages shrieked and people from nearby restaurants and bars came out to dance and join the party. And so it was most fitting that veteran comedian Jon Santos followed suit. His Armida Siguion Reyna act was a riot.

By this time, the media was all over the place, led by the official music channel MTV Philippines’ popular VJ Sarah Meier.

Big Band Brownbeat All Stars with the energetic Skarlet threw in a ska version of Walking on Sunshine and rock band The Dawn mesmerized the crowd with Salamat.

It was close to 2 a.m. but people were still glued to their places and the whole Tomas Morato Avenue partied. Pinikpikan closed the event with their enchanting rhythmic original pieces for a thoroughly entertaining Earthday Jam 2004.

Kudos to all the participants, Dimitri Productions (organizer and producer of the event) and major partners DENR and the Local Government of Quezon City. Participating sponsors included Nestlé Philippines, Unilever (makers of Close Up), Cemex Philippines, the Department of Tourism, Compass Internet. Other supporters invluded the Manila Water, National Solid Waste Management Commission and The Philippine STAR.

Those who missed the celebration can still enjoy Earthday Jam 2004 on May 23 over IBC 13 from 10 to 11:30 p.m.