MANILA, Philippines - The Apo Hiking Society, one of the country?s leading music icons, will kick off a yearlong celebration marking their 40th year on the music scene with a pre-anniversary concert, ?Apo of the Philippines,? Sept. 20,
8 p.m., at Araneta Coliseum.
The concert will celebrate 39 years of lasting friendship among Danny Javier, Boboy Garrovillo and Jim Paredes, and the music they have shared with Filipinos since the group was formed in college (when they were first know n as the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society).
Paredes is now known more to younger audiences as one of the mentors to a group of singer-hopefuls in the premiere season of reality TV show ?Pinoy Dream Academy.?
Older audiences who grew up with the group, will recall that Apo also hosted several TV shows, including their own noontime Sunday show ?Sa Linggo nAPO Sila,? which turned into the daily noontime show ??Sang Linggo nAPO Sila.?
Musical journey
Their upcoming concert is not at all a reunion or a comeback concert. After all, over the years, the Apo Hiking Society has recorded 26 albums and performed in thousands of live concerts in the Philippines and over 50 cities worldwide, including the US, Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Japan.
?We actually do an average of 30 shows every year,? says Paredes.
Despite having migrated to Australia a few years ago, he comes home when bookings are lined up.
?Apo of the Philippines? will be a musical journey of the group?s unforgettable songs such as ?Pumapatak ang Ulan,? ?Awit ng Barkada,? ?Nakapagtataka,? ?Ewan,? ?Batang-Bata Ka Pa,? ?When I Met You,? ?Anna,? ?Blue Jeans,? ?Panalangin,? ?Bawa?t Bata,? and ?Saan Na nga Ba?ng Barkada.?
?I think we have around 60 recognizable songs. Of course, not all are popular, but when people hear some of our ?less popular? songs, they are still able to identify us as the singers,? says Paredes. ?Somehow our songs have a life of their own.?
Tribute albums
So much so that two tribute albums have been produced: ?Kami nAPO Muna? in 2006 (considered the biggest-selling album in the country that year, with over 125,000 copies sold in less than six months); and ?Kami nAPO Muna Ulit? just last year.
?It is a new world out there!? says Paredes. ?Kids connect to our music, maybe not in the way I pictured, but nonetheless they are connecting. It goes to show that if you stay around long enough, you get hip all over again.?
The group has always been able to keep up with new technologies and trends. In 1987, they were one of the first Filipino groups to be recorded on CDs. Paredes has joined the blogosphere with his online musings at http://haringliwanag.pansitan.net.
?Admittedly, I don?t think we individually have great voices, but when we sing together, it?s like we?re three Clark Kents becoming one Superman,? says Paredes.
While the group has performed at Araneta Coliseum, they?ve actually only been guest acts. This time audiences will finally see them in their own concert, and are sure to be treated to the group?s signature stage presence, unique banter, wit and humor.
Paredes attributes the group?s success to three reasons: ?We enjoy what we?re doing. We believe we?re doing something greater than us.? He then concludes, with a wink, ?And we don?t have sex with each other. Sex just complicates things.?
For details, visit www.apohikingsociety.org or call 4260103 or 4265301. Tickets available from Ticketnet at 9115555.
