U2 Live at the Rose Bowl Global Live Webcast

Watch the October 25th concert in Pasadena- HERE

Journey in Manila DVD

Journey's Live In Manila two-DVD is now available. Filmed with RED technology, which utilizes special 4K high-definition cameras with a resolution exceeding 35mm film that gives the footage an extra dynamic quality, the DVD captures Journey's historic concert in Manila, Philippines. Performing more than two hours' worth of classic favorites, as well as new hits from the band's latest album, Revelation, Live In Manila documents the triumphant homecoming of the band’s singer Arnel Pineda.

The Live In Manila DVD, like Revelation, is being sold exclusively at Walmart in North America.

This is it!

'got myself a ticket to moonwalk the other day...

Detroit Rock City

Legendary rock group KISS is coming back to Detroit tomorrow and Saturday for a homecoming to the city that made them famous to open their current tour dubbed “KISS Alive 35” to show their appreciation to the city as well as to pay homage to their playground, the Cobo Arena which is now bound for demolition.

Gene Simmons in an interview with the press was quoted to have said when asked about their return to city, “We’re saluting the place that gave us a shot. Yes, it’s a concert but for us it means something more.”

You see, before they hit the big time they were just a struggling band from the Big Apple playing in every place and corner without some sort of direction and following until they found their way to Detroit’s Cobo Arena where they recorded majority of the songs in their landmark LP “Alive” in 1975 which went on to become their first ever certified gold- selling album. And to repeat the time-worn cliché, after Detroit, “the rest was history.”

Their love affair with the Motor City continued through the years after that as they kept on coming back every now and then wherein some highlights where when they jumpstarted their reunion tour at the now demolished Tiger Stadium in 1996. The love affair with the city also produced one of the best known rock anthems in “Detroit Rock City.”

It will be great to see them live because throughout its history KISS is famous err notorious for its live performances. I wouldn’t mind seeing this old hags of rock and roll doing their thing onstage complete with their outrageous costumes and make- ups and trying to relive their golden days. They earned their keep, they deserved it and they are legends.


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The Man in the Mirror

This Is It...

Let's moonwalk once again with the King of Pop on October 28.

Apple Bite: The Beatles Remasters

Apple Records finally succumbed to the temptation as they agreed to release a huge catalogue of the Beatles music in digital format this year in an attempt to have a bite of the lucrative market.

Although the Beatles had made it clear in one of their songs that money can’t really buy them love, surely Apple and Sir Paul and Ringo and the surviving widows of John and George will have a lot of love and moolah as they once again reap the fruits of the Fab Four’s labor.

But this Beatlemaniac really ‘don’t care much for money’ that he may have to shell out, if mediocre bands and singers can get away with it, why not the Beatles?






Review: 'Beatles: Rock Band' fun for jamming in groups


Revolution: Beatles leap into digital age


'The Beatles: Rock Band' -- Revolution 09/09/09


The Beatles remasters: The long and winding road

Eternal Flame: Oh! Susanna

Yesterday, I was surfing YouTube when I stumbled upon a video of Susanna Hoffs singing Eternal Flame which was taken in Yokohama, Japan in ‘96. I played the video and some wonderful memories came back of the good ol’ days. In spite of her somewhat odd fashion sense in the video which was obviously dated; the clothes, bad hair day and all, still I came out enamored with her.

The first time I saw her was on MTV singing Eternal Flame in the early 90s. Of course, to people growing up in the 80s Susanna Hoffs is widely known as one of the vocalists of the all- female band The Bangles who first broke out into the music scene with their version of Simon & Garfunkel’s A Hazy Shade of Winter as part of the soundtrack of the movie Less Than Zero which featured a young Robert Downey, Jr among others.

Also, a very good friend of mine loved them to death and was part of the Bangle-mania that swept the teenage girls population in the Philippines in the 80s to the early 90s. In fact, she used to cajole me to play my acoustic guitar for her while she sings Eternal Flame ala Susanna while we pass the time on the banks of the lazy Yawa River in Legaspi during our college days.

It has been 20 years since to the day that I have seen her sing on MTV and yet I can honestly say that-

I am still a fan of the song, I still like her voice and I still love those beautiful bedroom eyes.

Oh! Susanna.

Susanna Hoffs: Eternal Flame from Andy Cafa on Vimeo.

Come see Journey for FREE in NYC!

Exclusive performance in the heart of NYC!

Come see Journey for FREE when they perform at the CBS Early Show. Information about this event can be found below:

Where - CBS The Early Show Plaza 767 Fifth Avenue (corner of 59th and 5th next to the Apple Store)

When - Friday August 28th

Arrival time - no later than 11AM, performance begins at noon

So if you are in New York on the 28th come on down. Hope to see you there!!!!!

The Wizard of Mahwah is Dead

Les Paul (1915-2009)

Come Together

Dear Abbey,

“You say it’s your birthday. Well, Happy Birthday to You!”

Yes, the iconic cover of The Beatles’ "final" album Abbey Road wherein the Fab Four were seen crossing the zebra-striped asphalt on Abbey Road turns 40 today.

No album cover in the history of music has been scrutinized like the Abbey Road photo. What with rumors then that Paul McCartney had died in a car accident earlier and that the plate number of the VW Beetle parked on the left side of the road was actually a code that confirms his death.

Abbey Road went on to become one of the most successful albums in the Fab Four’s short but great career as a group. It was not only laden with beautiful songs written by the most prolific songwriters of all time but also a revolutionary one not only in their approach and arrangement but the use of technology that was available at that time that set the bar high for other bands to imitate or follow.

Hundreds of Beatlemaniacs trooped to Abbey Road today to celebrate the iconic photo’s 40th anniversary and if we are to believe the saying that life really begins at 40, we can be sure then that the legendary status of the Beatles as a pop culture icon will continue to grow in years to come…


If you want to see a live video of the famous Abbey Road Crossing in real time, click
HERE


Here's a rockin' treat from my fave Beatle, John-

Beautiful Detroit!?

"In 1950, Michigan was 1 of 8 states in America that collectively produced 36% of the world's GNP."

"Detroit was the greatest manufacturing city in the world."

Detroit native and controversial superstar - rapper Eminem paid homage to his hometown in this video of Beautiful, the fourth single from his latest chart-topping and million-selling album “Relapse.”

The said video was shot at Detroit’s famous and historic landmarks from its golden years. Now these historic buildings like the Packard Motor Car Company Plant, the Beaux- Arts train station and the original Tigers Stadium that were built prior to 1914 are nothing but shadows of their former selves.

By watching the video, one can see the sad state of the City of Detroit nowadays; down on her knees and out of luck. Detroit may recover some of her pride someday but probably will never be able to equal much less, regain her glory days. It’s sad when a once beautiful city succumbs to urban decay.

Goodnight Girl

"soft music, slow dancing,
sweet wine, mind games
brown eyes, blue eyes
masked emotions, repressed passion."

Michael Jackson: In Memoriam

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I liked Michael Jackson.

I followed his meteoric rise to the top of the world and his free fall thereafter.

I did not buy the sexual molestation allegationss that were hurled against him by people with hidden agenda that was further fueled by the media into a conflagration that consumed his fragile soul.

He was part of my growing up years; I’ve danced to his music, listened to his songs and bought his records.

I understood his eccentricities and frailties as a person.

I was able to separate the genius from the man.

Bad Company

After almost a decade of being free from the “bad” influence of his band and despite his brief flirting with Queen, it must have been lonely for Paul Rodgers to do gigs after gigs without his ol’ buddies.

This year, he finally asked the two other original/surviving members of his band to join him even if it’s just for very limited engagements in the United States. So, starting on the 17th he’s going to have some company onstage to do some crazy old school rock and roll at the Hard Rock in Florida to jumpstart their 2009 Tour.

Yes, Bad Company is back and I am lucky enough that they chose to hold one of the 10 exclusive 2009 concerts at the DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston. I will definitely watch them come hell (maybe not) or high water (Clarkston’s prone to flooding especially at this time of year, just FYI) on July 1st.



Bad Company was formed in 1973 by bandmates Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke when they decided to be free from Free. Mick Ralphs decided to hop in from Mott the Hopple while Boz Burrell abdicated the bass position in King Crimson. Together they formed one of the first rock supergroups of the 70s and had their debut album entitled, what else but Bad Company in 1974 which became a hit to rock aficionados worldwide.

I became aware of the band when a friend lent me a cassette tape entitled Slow Rock Memory in the early 80’s wherein their song “The Way I Choose” was one of the featured tracks which became one of the earlier songs that I managed to play on guitar and which to this day is my favorite Bad Company song.

So, come 1st of July, I will once again do the 1 ½ hour trek and traverse the lonely stretch of US24 aka the Telegraph Road for a pilgrimage to Pine Knob in Clarkston to keep Bad Company company and watch and listen to them rock and play the songs that I knew from the good old days.

Spandau Ballet is Back

To make the long story short--

Yes, it's true, Spandau Ballet is back sans the hair and the clothes.

The 80's band members confirmed that they have re-formed and have put their individual and creative differences aside and are now willing to work with each other again.

Although I did like their songs "True" and "Through The Barricades" back then; I'll still pick the Wild Boys of Duran Duran over their more sober, sax- playing counterpart anytime. But I guess that's just me. :)

Here's the interview from Cannes where they are working on a documentary about their lives and music--




And here's Tony Hadley-- True.

"Simply Beth-iful"

I came across this home video by Sara Hickman while trolling YouTube today. Although I am not that familiar with her career as a singer, her song, 'Simply' touches me in a very special way.

I have not heard this song in more than a decade and hearing it again is like a breath of fresh air for me. Actually, it was really bittersweet. You see, the song is a favorite of somebody dear to me and the melody is simply beautiful…

Beth, my college buddy used to sing the song in our ’tambayan.’ On some occasions, I would end up accompanying her on my old acoustic guitar while she would fill the air with her hauntingly soft beautiful voice. I even remember now of composing a short instrumental piece based on the song in her honor while under the influence of the spirit of the great San Miguel. J

We became friends during the second year of our Pre- Med-- dissected cats together, goofed around in chemistry lab, fooled our geriatric professor countless of times, good-naturedly embarrassed one another countless of times, and drank our hearts out in the evenings.

We did a lot of stuff that could make some people laugh, cry and cringe at the same time. Yes, we did smile in happy times and understood each other in silence during sad times.

So, tonight I will drink a bottle or two of my fave Bud, dust off my old acoustic guitar and play the song once again for you, my dear old friend.

I say, thank you dear friend for the beautiful memories and thank you Ms. Hickman for the lovely melody.


*Beth died in a tragic accident a month after our graduation, 18 years ago today.

Birthday Song

J.D. loses his Fortune: INXS fired frontman

In what is now considered as a complete reversal of fortune, J.D. Fortune who in 2005 won the CBS reality show “Rock Star: INXS” to become the frontman of the Australian rock group INXS was fired by the band without warning.

The switch to a new lead singer to replace the charismatic Michael Hutchence who committed suicide in 1997 did not earn the following that the band had hoped and their album "Switch" with its carrier “Pretty Vegas” failed to take off despite touring for almost two years after the conclusion of the reality show.


“I found myself really alone because I had traveled with these guys for 23 months,” Fortune who admitted to using cocaine while with the band but has been drug-free for two years told Entertainment Tonight Canada after he was given the boot in Hong Kong with a simple handshake.

The sad reality is that J.D. Fortune did not expect that his fortune with the Aussie band will end up so suddenly and is now broke and homeless, back to the very same situation that he was in before he won the said reality show.


“From the street to the air back to the street again. It’s only me,” J.D. Fortune added.

I guess that’s the way one’s fortune crumbles when you take some stuff lightly and live a life in excess of what you really can afford.

As the old saying goes, "Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess baggage, the shorter the trip."