MUSIC LYF: ESCAPE from this heat with TECHY ROMANTICS

Since June 2008, Techy Romantics has been playing the local gig circuit, infiltrating the ranks of Manila and Southeast Asia’s partyphiles, and churning track after track of the year’s most danceable tunes. No matter if you’re a rockstar, an indie enthusiast, or a socialite; you’ll find yourself entranced and electrified by the Techy Romantics sound.

Described as “edgy, dreamy, and trippy”, the music of Techy Romantics will have you in a feel-good, electro-pop frenzy, evidenced by the head-bobbing, fist-pumping, and foot-stomping commonplace among the crowds in almost all their gigs. Composed of Camyl Besinga on vocals, Ryan Villena on guitars, and Dondi Virrey on rhythm and beats, Techy Romantics was born with the simple aim of making original music available online. Relatively young in the scene, the group created songs that successfully fuse a potent mixture of new wave, rock, pop, and dance music.

MUSIC LYF: Titanic Soundtrack

New Titanic Soundtrack To Coincide With Theatrical Release of Titanic in 3D

Ivory Music & Video, the exclusive licensee of Sony Music in the Philippines announces the soundtrack release of TITANIC: Anniversary Edition. The release will coincide with the newly re-mastered re-release of TITANIC, the world’s most beloved and acclaimed film, in theaters on April 4, 2012.The theatrical re-release marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail (April 10th).

In commemoration of these events, Ivory Music & Video will release remastered versions of the original TITANIC soundtrack with extensive bonus material. Both feature an unreleased disc of period music recorded for the movie by I Salonisti, plus 4 bonus vintage Titanic luggage stickers. I Salonisti is the 5-piece quintet that appears in the film. Director James Cameron painstakingly researched the music that was played on the ship and hired them to record authentic music from the period – specifically, the music that all bands from the White Star Line would have been required to perform when hired to play as employees of the prestigious cruise fleet.  Arranger and music historian/advisor John Altman oversaw the process and was tasked with taking the White Star Line official playlist, arranging and recording those songs for the film. Two of the marquee songs on the disc I Salonisti: Gentlemen, It Has Been a Privilege Playing with You Tonight are “Nearer My God To Thee” which was the last song played by the band as the ship went down, and “Song of Autumn” which does not appear in the movie, but is rumored to be the actual song that the band played as the ship went down.  

REEL DEAL: The Road - Marvin Agustin SPOTLIGHT and List of US Theaters

MARVIN AGUSTIN shines in "THE  To hit US & Canada theaters May 11!!!

The Road is a psychological-horror film directed by Yam Laranas, and starring Carmina Villaroel, Marvin Agustin, Rhian Ramos and TJ Trinidad.  

The film was released in the Philippines by GMA Films on November 30, 2011 and will be commercially released in the United States by Freestyle Releasing on May 11, 2012. It will also be the third Filipino film to be distributed internationally by an American film studio after Genghis Khan (released by United Artists in 1953) and Small Voices (released by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2002).

The Road is about a 12 year-old cold case which is reopened when three teenagers went missing in an abandoned road. In the course of the investigation, deeper and gruesome stories of abduction and murders are discovered. After more than two decades, the secrets and mysteries of the road are finally revealed and the spirit lingering the dark and desolate pathway is out to make sure nobody leaves alive.

Cast also includes Barbie Forteza, Derick Monasterio, Lexi Fernandez, Alden Richards, Louise delos Reyes, Ynna Asistio, Renz Valerio, Jacklyn Jose, John Regala, Lloyd Samartino, Gerald Madrid, Allan Paule, Dex Quindoza & Ana Abad Santos

REEL DEAL: Ogie, Michael V. join forces in new talk show

This May, prepare to get loads of laughter and live entertainment on your TV screens as GMA 7 launches its newest comedy-musical-talk-show for the whole family to enjoy with PARE & PARE!

There’s plenty of excitement in this first-of-its-kind program which will be hosted by no less than multi-awarded singer & songwriter Ogie Alcasid and three-time Asian TV Best Comedy Actor Michael V.

Pareng Ogie and Pareng Bitoy, both legends in the industry for their comedic genius and impeccable showmanship, will join forces in redefining the Filipino viewers’ fascination for late-night talk shows – which can be engaging and informative, playful with unscripted comedy and will leave audiences with a memorable entertainment experience every episode. 

The content of each show differs every week including live interviews with popular and controversial figures in the country, live musical performances by some of the best music acts and hottest online sensations in the industry and exciting new segments that will be delivered by the popular comic tandem with their flawless talent and spontaneous humor.

Tropang Potchi goes to Corregidor

Taking advantage of the summer break, the kids of GMA’s Saturday morning show Tropang Potchi will go on an excursion cum educational tour around two important bastions in the country’s World War II history: Bataan and the island of Corregidor.

Join Julian Trono, Miggy Jimenez and Bianca Umali as they visit the largest cross in the whole world – the Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor), which was erected to honor the souls of the valiant soldiers who served during the Second World War.  They will also set a young Philippine turtle or pawikan into the open sea with the help of Bataan’s Pawikan Conservation Center.  

REEL DEAL: Moron 5 And The Crying Lady REVIEW

Movies are meant to remove the stress from the viewers, and this is what Pinoy comedy does best. And Wenn De Ramas, who made the box office hit Praybeyt  Benjamin, does his specialty of slapstick and dialouge comedy with MORON 5 AND THE CRYING LADY


Moron 5 and The Crying Lady bring together half-witted longtime friends Albert (Luis Manzano), Isaac (Billy Crawford), Mozart "Mo" (DJ Durano), Michaelangelo "Mike" (Martin Escudero) and Aristotle "Aris" (Marvin Agustin) were used to living moronic yet pretty normal and hassle-free lives until successful careerwoman Becky Pamintuan (John "Sweet" Lapus) accused them of killing her father and ruin everything for them. The Moron 5 are more than sure of their innocence but the life of them, they cannot find a single satisfactory argument on how to prove it especially when their opponent would do everything to punish them for whim.

MUSIC LYF: Il Divo - Wicked Game

IL DIVO's Newest album Wicked Game features some of their finest work to date including "Wicked Game", "Dov'e L'amore" (a beautiful interpretation of Samual Barbers Adagio for Strings), "Come What May" from the soundtrack of Moulin Rouge and a long awaited recording of "Time To Say Goodbye

When the phenomenon that is Il Divo were honoured at the Classic Brits at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this year, their Artist of the Decade award attested to the unrivalled success the four have enjoyed since they first announced themselves to the world with their self-titled, multiplatinum debut album in 2004. Further No 1 albums followed -‘Ancora’, ‘Siempre’ and ‘The Promise’ ¬ and at every stage, Il Divo remained true to their artistic mission: to share with the world their passion for music, and their passionate belief in it as a unifying force.

The record-breaking classical crossover quartet ¬the Swiss tenor Urs Buhler, baritone Carlos Marin from Spain, the French pop artist Sebastien Izambard and tenor David Miller from the USA first came together in 2003, the culmination of an exhaustive search by the music producer Simon Cowell to find four singers of distinctive individual gifts who could, as a group, create musical magic.

In the six years that have followed their astonishing breakthrough, Il Divo have continued to grow as recording artists and performers, and their millions of fans the world over have joined them on that journey.