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Rico Blanco showcases artistry and evolution in Araneta Coliseum concert – gig report

Rico Blanco showcases artistry and evolution in Araneta Coliseum concert – gig report

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Rico Blanco has never done anything in halves.

A true artist, the Filipino music icon has always been ahead of his time, whether sonically or visually, and his live shows are a testament to that. Headlining the famed Araneta Coliseum for the first time in his storied career, the singer-songwriter took fans on a 3 1/2 hour multi-sensoral journey, directed by Arnold Sanchez, filled with nostalgic hits, fantastical production, new songs and fresh arrangements, and special musical guests.

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A feast for both the eyes and ears, the concert was divided into what seemed like a trilogy. Kicking off the first part of the show with snippets of 'Bandila,' Blanco was decked out in a red sequined suit with black and red fringe sleeves by designer Kaye Morales - a fitting introduction to the night we were in for. As he segued into 'Antukin,' we saw his band for the night - some of the best young musicians in the scene today - IV of Spades and Party Pace's Badjao De Castro on drums, Chicosci and bird's Eco Del Rio on bass, and Never The Strangers' Ace Libre on keys and backing vocals.

By the second song 'Elesi,' Blanco's guitar got caught up in his fringe sleeves (a normal hazard for elaborate fits). While his tech crew rushed over to fix the tangled-up axe, the former Rivermaya frontman managed the situation smoothly. Proving his years of showmanship and experience, Blanco took to the mic to keep hyping up the massive Sunday crowd before treating fans to a repeat of the second verse as he proceeded to perform more hits from the early aughts, 'Umaaraw Umuulan,'  '214,' 'Balisong,' and 'You'll Be Safe Here.' 

Violin strings resounded across the coliseum, and the lights slowly revealed Hale violinist Chino David, before Blanco took the mic again and Ebe Dancel emerged from the shadows to perform 'Wag Mong Aminin.' After their duet, Dancel shared how "Rico Blanco is not just someone I work with [at Balcony Entertainment], he's also a very good friend." The singer-songwriter went on to play 'Huling Unang Sayaw,' which was produced by Blanco, and the Sugarfree classic, 'Burnout.'

Sharing the stage and putting the spotlight on emerging talents, the concert also showcased up-and-coming singer-songwriter, Peniel. A KDR Music artist, the young musician sent fans down memory lane with her renditions of Kitchie Nadal's 'Same Ground' and Imago's 'Sundo,' and gave a peek into her original music with 'Moon's Offer.'

Midway into the show, Blanco returned with vibrant lights and a legion of shiny dancers. The optimistic 'Happy Feeling' kicked off the second part of the show, with a subtle change to Blanco's outfit - he has removed his fringe sleeves, with plain black sleeves to go with his red sequined suit. Switching up the tempo with his next songs, he was joined by more dancers and percussionists. Upping the energy in the Big Dome, the award-winning singer-songwriter beamed into the mic saying "It feels good to be back in a live venue, with live rock music!" He also took the time to shout out to the members of the audience, thanking them for coming out to support Filipino music. "We're back!"

The crowd, who came from different parts of the Philippines, some even from overseas, gave as much love and support for their favourite artist – constantly putting up their phones for a massive sea of lights, screaming and cheering their hearts out, singing along to every word.

Zild (Benitez) then materialized from crowd, channeling The Joker. Blanco introduced the young musician as "isa sa mga paborito kong artist (one of my favourite artists)". After performing 'Nagbabalik,' his collaboration with IV of Spades, the torch is seemingly passed to Zild as he took over the stage with his live band in tow, owning Araneta with his own solo tracks, 'Sinungaling' and 'Isang Anghel.'

As we entered the third and final part of the show, the star of the night donned a beaded velvet jacket to go with his bedazzled crimson fit. Opening the last set with a fiery and powerful performance of 'Yugto,' it had all the works of a grand finale – drummer, dancers, smoke, and fire.

We were in for more surprises that night as Blanco puts the spotlight on actress-singer Maris Racal (much to the delight of the crowd), who joined him for an impromptu performance of the first song they worked on together, the pop hit 'Abot Langit'. The surprises didn't stop there as Blanco shared how he really wanted the concert to be special for everyone in attendance. He then revealed that at midnight, he would be releasing a brand new track titled 'Palibot-libot,' and that we would be treated to the very first live performance of the new song.

As the night was winding down, he would play one hit after another from 'Himala' to 'Bye Bye Na,' 'Kisapmata' to 'Awit ng Kabataan,' inserting bits of Tears For Fears' 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and Cyndi Lauper's 'Time After Time.'

Confetti filled the air and the rock icon prepared to end his spectacular show. Blanco played his final songs for the night, sending them on their way home with hope and optimism with the anthemic 'Liwanag Sa Dilim,' then the heartwarming 'Your Universe.'

The musician was overwhelmed with emotion, as he shared with the last ones standing about how he had only dreamed of hearing his own songs on the radio, and here he was, years later, in the historic Araneta Coliseum, with thousands of fans singing back every word to him. 

That night, Blanco didn't just show us the depths of his artistry and range of enormous talent; he also proved how much he loved and valued the fans who came out to see him in a show which he carefully prepared for, down to the last details: from subtle outfit changes to incorporating distinctly Filipino elements like ethnic costumes and folk-inspired choreography into his sets. He made sure everyone who went to the concert had a night that would be etched in their hearts and minds forever.

As he took his final bow with a resounding standing ovation, we saw a master performer. Rico Blanco showed us how much more he had to give and offer, and what else we can look forward to from him and the musicians he has influenced and inspired in the years to come.

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