Ang Kalatas Volume V February 2015 Issue | Page 12

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THE MESSAGE. BRINGING INTO FOCUS FILIPINO PRESENCE IN AUSTRALIA
www.kalatas.com.au | Volume 5 Number 5 | February 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

REO BROTHERS OF TACLOBAN

'Pinoy Beatles' to rock Sydney
THE latest twist and shout
in the entertainment scene
is that the Pinoy Beatles are
coming to town.

‘Here Lies Love’ postponed
THE

Australian theatre public will be waiting a
bit longer for the staging of the much-awaited
musical Here Lies Love. Originally planned to be
staged during 2015 Vivid Sydney in May-June is
being re-scheduled to start later in the year.

“DUE to unforseen acoustical
engineering issues, the producers of Here Lies Love will
need to postpone the Sydney
season. The new dates for
the production are expected
to be announced around mid-

2015,” organisers said in a
press release.
The musical which chronicles the rise and fall of the
Philippines’ former First
Lady Imelda Marcos is the
creation of Talking Heads

founding member Byrne and
Fatboy Slim and directed by
Alex Timbers. In 2014, the
New York production won
five Lucille Lortel Awards
which recognised stage plays
shown off Broadway.

THAT’S true! The REO
Brothers of Tacloban, a
purely Pinoy band that’s
gaining a global following
as one of the finest Beatles
tribute act, will be performing
at the Burwood RSL Club on
March 22.
The show – ‘T.Y. Oz’ – is
a special thanksgiving and
charity concert for the HelpAfter-Haiyan and community
projects.
The REO Brothers is a
boy band that emerged out
of the destruction in Tacloban
when the city was hit by the
Haiyan super-typhoon in late
2013.
There is no other
Philippine band who has
captured the admiration of
the music world just a year
after breaking into Manila’s
music scene.
The REO Brothers hold
the distinct honor of holding
the first-ever performance
of a Philippine Beatle tribute
band at the famed Cavern
Club in Liverpool, England in
August last year and came
back at the invitation of
Cavern management for a
repeat concert on October to
an SRO crowd.
The REO Brothers are
Reno 24, RJ 22, Raymart 20
and Ralph 18 years old who
come from the poor, large
Otic family in Tacloban.
From the devastation of
Typhoon Haiyan, the story of
the REO Brothers Band have
become an inspiration.
With no formal music
education, they learned to
sing and play by teaching
themselves from bits and
pieces of instructions from
neighborhood friends, using
hand-me-down,
discarded
old guitars. Passionate fans
of Beatle music and other
60s cover bands like the
Beach Boys and Dave Clark
5, the brothers formed a

band and quickly gained
a reputation around the
neighborhood for outstanding
‘sound-alike’
renditions.
When their father lost his job,
they had to help the family
make ends meet by playing
in clubs, restaurants and
parties.
Unfortunately, Haiyan
destroyed
restaurants
and hotels that were the
family’s main source of
their livelihood.
Faced
with a bleak future in their
hometown,
the
family
relocated to Manila, the
boys armed only with guitars
wrapped in cellophane, some
biscuits, water to brave the
journey, and faith.
From there, their journey
didn’t stop. They are set to
perform again in England in
the annual Beatle Festival at
the Cavern Club this year.
“These poor but talented
victims of Typhoon Yolanda
have had an amazing journey,
from the devastation of
their beloved province to
the loving, adoring arms of
an appreciative audience
in Manila and because of
satellite television as well as
social media, the admiration
of music lovers even beyond
our shores,” said Tom
Banguis Jr., band adviser.
The show is being staged
by the Filipino Community
Cooperative Limited with the
support of Cebu Pacific in
collaboration with the BanagBanag Inc. Bicol Inc., CFC
Ancop Australia, Flagcom
and the Ilocano Association
of Australia Inc.
Support acts at T.Y. Oz
include Brian Lorenz, Tina
Bangel and One Voice, June
and Trinity Young and Alwyn
de los Santos. Tickets are
at $60 and $50. For details
call 0403 021 358; 0430
551 351; 9223 1288.

Search for Mardi Gras Queen of the Night
THE

Search for the Mardi Gras Queen of the Night and the Rainbow and Pink Triangle Princesses
is open to all Gays and Transsexuals of any nationality until February 10. The coronation will be held
at the Burwood RSL Club on March 1 at 5pm.

A NEW title had been added this year: The Ultimate
Showgirl aimed at showcasing the amazing talents of
Gays, Lesbians and Transsexuals.
Flagcom, the organiser of
this event once again promises a spectacular event with

a new format. As they say, if
it is FLAGCOM managed, it
must be good!
Preparations for The Mardi Gras Queen of the Night
pageant are in high gear not
to mention that organisers
are also in high spirits. The
word is out that the pageant

is a strong contender in 2015
ZEST Multicultural Awards
in the community project that
promotes social cohesion and
harmony category.
As all supporters of the
pageant know, the show promotes the practice of Safe Sex
to prevent the spread of sexu-

ally transmitted diseases. The
results will be announced in
a formal dinner ceremony at
the ANZ Stadium on February 19.
Popular celebrities had
been invited to judge including Miss Universe 2013 3rd
Runner-up Ariella Arida and

Celebrity Fashion Designer
Bing Cristobal who will fly all
the way from Manila to support the show.
Tickets can be purchased
through any FLAGCOM and
APCO Member. For more
information call Albie on
0402533587.