The country’s premier rock stars Bamboo and Arnel Pineda are set to perform together for the first time in a series of concerts in the US.
The live event will be held on Sept. 17, 8:00 p.m. at Sams Town Center Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas; Sept. 25, 7:00 p.m., San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, California; and Oct. 1, 8:00 p.m., Snoqualmie Casino in Seattle.
Produced by Spotlight Media Entertainment, the concert titled First Light, is the first live concert featuring Filipino artists in the US since the world experienced lockdowns, travel restrictions, and live events cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been on lockdown for more than one year and a half, and people are eager to go out now. They are excited to go back to work and watch live shows,” Pen De Leon Manahan, better known as Ms. M, of Spotlight Media Entertainment, told Manila Standard Entertainment in a virtual junket held last week.
“People in the US are still following health protocols. And when the plans for the shows were presented to us, we made sure that the health aspect of the concert is highlighted. Before they enter the venue, we will sanitize. We also wanted to ensure the safety of the artists and the people who will attend the show,” she added.
Ms. M explained that her company produces shows based on the feedback they get from the Filipino community.
“You can’t just stage a concert for artists that you personally like. There should be a clamor from the people who will watch the show,” she said.
“With Bamboo and Arnel Pineda, we’re getting a lot of phone calls for the tickets. Some of them wanted to buy the front seats,” Ms. M added.
The concert producer, who has been in the US for more than 22 years, said that part of the proceeds will be used to help Filipinos back in the Philippines recover from the current situation.
"We have to keep strong and positive during these trying times. We can’t stop doing what we’re passionate about. I’ve always been passionate about bringing great entertainment to everyone while giving opportunities to Filipino artists to showcase their incomparable talents here in the US and growing my business at the same time. It’s the circle of life. We all need to help each other rise, especially during a storm. We all need to keep the faith,” Ms. M related highlighting the reason why she wanted to continue producing concerts amid the pandemic.
During the last quarter of 2020, Ms. M also gave life to Spotlight Media Magazine to connect the local community, and even the whole world, virtually.
“You can’t go wrong with a multi-media platform (both in print and digital forms). This way, community partners, organizations, and other entrepreneurs may still have a voice using the magazine,” Ms. M said of her back up plan while her company couldn’t produce concerts in 2020.
“We had to think outside the box. As the saying goes, ‘When life gives you lemons, make limoncello.' You have to keep creating new visions for yourself,” she ended.”‹
