Yvonne Elliman, Stephen Bishop, Dan Hill at The Araneta 2011

And so we paid a scalper 2x1200 PhP tickers, instead of the original gate price--2x2650. Although we've felt remorse later, after thinking on hindsight that we could have pursued the other scalper (standing nearby) and could have launched a mini-pricewar. We could have paid for 1000 or less instead...

Anyway, Stephen Bishop and Dan Hill made it all worth it. The highlight of the night was in hearing this song:

The lyrics are bordering on sappiness, yes, but think about how the song applies to seeing your first born, especially since most pregnancies are truly unplanned today :-) I remember also the original music video for Something New in My Life (which I cant find today), which show Dudley Moore, as a new father, peeking into nursery of a hospital and seeing his twins. These lyrics accompany that scene:

a new face, a new smile, new song
and now i know i wanted you in my life all along


whatever else that i may do in my life
you'll always be something new in my life
from noww oonnn. 
i know there always will be you in my life
from now on...

Stephen Bishop's voice blend and holds together this short song. (unlike the other song that he sang, "saving on a rainy day," which is lame end-to-end. Even the tempo of that song doesnt suit his vocals).

Other quick comments on the concert for posterity:

• Yvonne Elliman should stop doing concerts. She sounds like my alcoholic grandmother. She can't reach the notes required in I dont know how to love him, and just shames herself. In the middle of the song, she had to stop the band, and ask that they lower the pitch. 

• She shared an interesting story though on how she just needs to substitute in a band one night, and then got cast as Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar the following day. 

• All three singers are lowering the pitch of their songs to be able to reach it.

• Some uncalled for attack on Stephen Bishop's physical appearance: he apparently ballooned to overweight fat over the recent years, but his legs and arms are thin out of proportion. He walks slowly minding the literal huge weight he had to carry. Also, Bishop sounds like Jonah Hill when speaking. And I think the reason he is keeping a full beard is because his upper lip is too thin.

• But Bish's voice is still there! Still can melt hearts. I wonder how he sounds on a smaller venue. They had another show at Casino Filipino the following week, cant find one review at this time. 

• I didnt know Dan Hill was grandfather old, but the voice and distinct style are still there. All of Dan Hills song have fantastic first lines, like horses bursting out of the gates. 
• To begin the night, J Michaels Whatshisname sang two songs. I think he was the lead organizer or something. Anyway, her voice is just normal. Then he asked the backup singers to sing Chain of Fools--total waste of time. Could have gone to Padi's point if we want to hear this quality. 
• WT Greer Samting-Samting then followed with a decent performance. We liked his version of All I Ask of You. 
• The concert is called Love Rocks. And the set has two whiteboards with felt paper cut up to the letter of love rocks, a la one project of a Grade 3 student  in Caloocan Elementary School. I also dont know why the concert is called Love Rocks, when the front-acts are famous for ballads. 
• The last scene that we remember is the back-up singer, who caused loud guffaws, almost a min-commotion from the audience. She had the audacity to turn her back, and show her bare back and misplaced t-back with cellulite and bilbil on the side.