Songs in the key of C

C as in Cabinet, which is where all three of them work: Angelo Reyes in the defense department, Joey Lina in local government and Bayani Fernando as Metro Manila chief and, until very recently, public works as well.

It was a much-hyped, much-awaited stage debut for three of the administration’s shining stars, the concert once postponed (from March 22) because of the Iraq war. Last Monday night it was curtains up, sars or no sars.

Surprisingly–or maybe not so–the three were, in varying degrees, visibly nervous. They’d probably rather face terrorists, traffic jams and street crime than the bright stage lights, a live band and a packed ballroom, even one full of friends, family and fans.

C as in cops, good ones, who are the concert’s beneficiaries (the next concert–how can there not be an encore?–should benefit soldiers, pitched the defense chief). The three "tenors/terrors" are videoke aficionados who decided to put their vocal cords together for a legal fund for good cops. From Michael Learns to Rock (an Angie Reyes favorite) to a heartfelt rendition of Guantanamera (BF dedicated the song to "the poor people of the world") to a Lina family rendition of the Josh Groban/Charlotte Church anthem My Prayer, from Matud Nila to Wooden Heart to That’s All I Ask of You, the cop in the street and the man in uniform responding to an alarm should feel proud to be the objects of such heroic effort.

C also as in costume change, which guest Dulce had as many of as she had numbers (almost ten), as did the supporting cast of wives and children. The three stars had three costume changes each–the opening and closing identical white tux, dark suits and striped barongs.

C as in clapping and cheering, which there was a lot of, the audience truly appreciative not just of the effort but hey, they were not bad. While I will not go as far as saying that Gary Valenciano and Martin Nievera are under serious threat, Angie, Joey and BF–their stage names– certainly gave the crowd their money’s worth.

It would be unfair and surely politically incorrect for me to say who was the best among the three; suffice to say that I clapped and laughed and cheered in equal portions. I‘m sure plans are already being made for a sequel which, if it materializes, will surely draw an even bigger crowd, and launch them into an even bigger C–as in campaign which, whispers have it, at least one–if not all three–will be into very soon (if they aren’t already).