The rhythm and blues of the night
Come Nov. 16, music fans of a broad cross-section of ages and tastes will be trooping to the Fort Bonifacio for a special 2-in-1 concert as Rihanna and Chris Brown finally make it to our shores. An early November Valentine treat from MTV, this concert brings together two of the most exciting names in the world of Contemporary Popular Music, who just currently happen to be a real-life couple. Sure, both artists have an R&B slant, but one can’t deny how they’ve crossed over to the musical mainstream, and how despite their relatively young ages (Rihanna is 20, while Chris is 19), they’re primed to be major stars for many years to come.
Rihanna, singer, model and fashion designer, is from Barbados. Songs like Umbrella, SOS and Disturbia have made her a steady favorite in most dance clubs. She has sold over 11 million albums worldwide, and along with such artists as Timbaland and Good Charlotte, teamed up with retail giant H&M for Fashion Against AIDs. She was recently in the news for helping a woman find a bone marrow donor, and her own Believe Foundation helps terminally ill children.
Chris has hits like With You and Forever; and his collaborations with artists such as Jordin Sparks (No Air) and Lil Mama and T. Pain (Shawty Get Loose) have also made their mark on the charts. Known as an excellent vocalist and dancer, he has also acted in films, and has been compared to Michael Jackson and Usher.
In order to accommodate the maximum number of people and to keep ticket prices affordable, the Rihanna/Chris Brown concert will be similar to the recent Eraserheads reunion concert. The open field at the Fort will be one throng of people, all motivated to dance and really enjoy the show, as there will be no seats facing the stage. Sections will exist, these based on the ticket prices one availed of. And for the children who are below a certain height, and for the major sponsors, there will be bleachers constructed at the sides of the venue. Other than those, it’s a free for all within sections, first come, first served, and I can imagine how some people will be going real early, just so they can “reserve” a particular “spot.” As this promises to be THE concert that gets us off our seats, it’s just as well that there aren’t any seats to speak of. Music and Dance are the particular specialties and domains of these two young artists, so we can expect a highly charged night! The special “early bird” prices come to an end on Oct. 31, and as they’re substantial discounts, if you do plan to catch the show, I’d advise you to get those tickets now.
With love, from the 19th century
Common to these three novels are how they are set in the 19th century, and beautifully evoke that time, and what part of the world it is set in.
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (British edition available at Fully Booked, US edition at National Bookstore): With one narrative strand recounting the life of Ann Eliza Young as she seeks divorce from Mormon stalwart Brigham Young in the 1860s, and one strand following a breakaway Mormon cult of today that still espouses plural marriage, The 19th Wife is an explosive novel that’s especially timely given the CNN newscasts of a few months ago of such cults and sects still prospering in New Mexico and Nevada. The double-helix narrative makes use of pamphlets written by Ann Young, creates Wikipedia entries, letters from Ann’s father — all to give that veneer of authenticity to this masterful blend of history and fiction. In the contemporary story, Jordan Scott, 20 years old and gay, returns to defend his mother (a 19th wife), accused of murdering Jordan’s father. A novel about beliefs and suffering, it deserves to be read!
Sea of Poppies of Amitav Ghosh (available at National Bookstore): The Opium Wars of the 1830s, a slave ship renamed the Ibis and transporting cargo, and a fascinating, sweeping cast of characters, these make up the Sea of Poppies, the first in a planned trilogy by Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh. Deeti (and her family) open the book, wife of a poor farmer of opium, exploited by the British trading companies; she, in turn, is abused and trod upon by her husband’s family. There’s Zachary Reid, a mulatto freedman from Baltimore working on the Ibis as Second mate. The Raja Neel and his crumbling fortune, brought to court and exiled, with all his lands and fortunes transferring to Mr. Burnham (a mini-Jardine and Matheson in the making). These are just some of the myriad of stories we get absorbed in, and there’s Ghosh wonderful ear for the pidgin English (mixed with Hindu and Bengali) we encounter. On the Booker shortlist.
The Glass of Time by Michael Cox (available at Fully Booked): For anyone who enjoyed 2006’s The Meaning of Night, here is Michael Cox’s new Victorian page-turner. Reminiscent of the books of Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins, The Glass of Time lives up to the promise of Cox’s first novel. This time out, the action occurs some 20 years after the events of Night. Esperanza Gorst arrives at Evenwood to be lady’s maid to the 26th Baroness of Tansor (Emily Carteret in the previous novel). The Baroness has two sons, Perseus and Randolph, and there’s seduction, deceit, betrayal, murder and vengeance aplenty as the labyrinthine plot unfolds. For those who never read Night, enough digressions and explanations are given so we enjoy those novel on its own. For those who have read Night, one will appreciate fully just how developed a “plotter” Cox is. A very enjoyable read.
