Harry Potter in Concert is Coming to Manila this June!

Alohomora! Potterheads, we are in for a magical treat as the Harry Potter Film Concert series returns to Manila this June!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in concert.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third installment of the Harry Potter series, will be projected in high-definition on a 40-foot screen while a full symphony orchestra performs the musical score live. The 96-piece Filharmonika Orchestra and 48-piece Philippine Madrigal Singers will bring the magical music to life with nationally acclaimed Filipino conductor Gerard Salonga at the helm. 

Have you seen Sirius Black?

In this immersive experience, fans will be able to relive Harry's thrilling third year at Hogwarts - his first encounter with Dementors, his Patronus revealed, his connection with Sirius Black - all accompanied by the captivating music that is part and parcel of the Wizarding World.

Concert seat map.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert will be held on June 7 and 8 at the Theatre at Solaire in Parañaque City. Tickets are now on sale via TicketWorld, with prices ranging from Php 2574 to Php 7724.

Pru Life UK taps Ben&Ben as an ally to help Filipino families get the most out of life.

Leading life insurer Pru Life UK officially introduced Ben&Ben as its new brand ambassador to help more Filipino families get the most out of life at a fun-filled family day event held at The Island in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

At the launch, the company talked about how the band perfectly aligns with the company's progressive and inclusive approach in defining a family. Testament to this is the insurer’s recently announced product called PRUHealth FamLove, a first-of-its-kind yearly renewable life insurance and critical illness plan that protects up to four family members under one policy. Under this plan, family members also include same-sex or common-law partners, parents, and adoptive children.

“Like many Filipino families, Ben&Ben is diverse, inclusive, and warmhearted. They resonate with the strong family ties that Filipinos are known for representing both the traditional and modern Filipino families. We are delighted to welcome Ben&Ben into our Pru Life UK family as our new brand ambassador and ally in helping more Filipino families get the most of life,” said Pru Life UK General Manager and Chief Commercial Officer Gilbert Simpao.

The top-rating Original Pilipino Music band who serenaded the crowd with its top hits such as Paninindigan Kita, Kathang Isip and Pagtingin, is a perfect example of both traditional and progressive Filipino families who are doing great things together, recognizing their differences, and celebrating diversity and inclusivity.

The event is Ben&Ben’s first public performance as Pru Life UK’s ally to help Filipino families of different types and sizes get the most out of their lives through PRUHealth FamLove, and its unique and game changing features. The product is designed for customers to share their critical illness protection coverage with different types of family members, including single parents, cohabiting partners, LGBTQ+ partners, and adoptive family members.

The product is also the first in the country as it provides coverage should any major organs require surgery, without the need to remember the long list of critical illnesses. This is a new generation of solutions designed to provide customers with simple, flexible and future-proof protection benefits against unknown diseases. It also provides long-term coverage until age 85.

“Strengthening Filipino families through financial wellness is one of our biggest advocacies at Pru Life UK. We want every Filipino household to have peace of mind by bringing protection closer to everyone. PRUHealth Famlove, with its shareability feature, is a step forward in achieving that as it gives families an affordable and accessible life protection option,” Pru Life UK Senior Vice President and Chief Customer & Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga said.

In celebration of family diversity and championing individuality, Pru Life UK launched Famvatar, a unique digital experience that lets anyone create a personalized group avatar starring one’s family. Users can then use their unique, fun-filled chat stickers in group chats and more.

To make a Famvatar and know more about Pru Life UK’s PRUHealth FamLove, please visit www.prulifeuk.com.ph.

Where to Go to Find the Best Live Music.

Most of us haven't seen a live event in so long that even the filthiest black hole of a bathroom sounds appealing right now. During the pandemic, musicians have devised solutions such as livestreams and remote outdoor concerts, but the locations themselves remain crucial. Maybe it's the sense of camaraderie you'll find there, or the booker whose judgement you trust enough to show up without even looking at the schedule. Perhaps it's the flawless live sound, the bartender's strong pour, or the raggedly appealing ambiance that drives less committed customers away.

Your best bet is to start simple and google - live entertainment near me. Most cities feature an online 'What's On' website that lets you know what performers or bands are performing in the near future. It also aids in narrowing your search by identifying which genres are popular in each city. For example, because New Orleans is known for its music, you'll find more live jazz venues there. Whether you want to see Beyonce or an unknown local favorite band, you should be able to find out who is playing in town when you go online.

Brooklyn Steel, New York City

Brooklyn Steel.

The huge facade of Brooklyn Steel, which pays homage to its previous existence as a steel production facility, appears menacing at first glance. The facility, which is located in Brooklyn's Bushwick area, is quickly becoming one of the city's top live music venues. LCD Soundsystem opened Brooklyn Steel with five sold-out nights in 2017, and since then, the Pixies, PJ Harvey, and, most recently, Mitski on her sold-out Be the Cowboy tour have all performed there.

Stubbs, Austin

Stubbs.

No vacation to Texas' capital is complete without a stop at Stubb's, a superb barbecue place on Red River Street with a great stage in the rear. The Waller Creek Amphitheater has a capacity of 2,200 people, but it's a laid-back kind of setting where you may feel like you're hanging out in someone's garden while enjoying a show by one of the world's best bands.

9:30 Club, Washington, DC

9:30 Club.

The 9:30 Club, which has been there since the early 1980s and has been at its current location for nearly 20 years, has long been regarded as one of the country's best indie rock venues. The club, which hosted gigs from famous local bands like Fugazi and Minor Threat during the city's 1980s and 1990s hardcore scene, has been the center of the D.C. music scene for generations. The 1,200-seat theater now hosts a steady stream of major touring groups, as well as a series of secret gigs from bands like Green Day, Radiohead, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers over the years. Gwar, the Roots, and Thievery Corporation are among the artists who have performed at the venue more than 20 times since it opened. When Rolling Stone surveyed musicians and industry experts in 2013 to determine the greatest big-room clubs in the country, the 9:30 Club came in first.

Hollywood Bowl, LA

Hollywood Bowl.

Year after year, artists have made history at the 17,500-person capacity theater, which opened in 1922: The Beatles performed there in 1965 and 1965, and released The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl, a live album based on those performances; the Doors did the same in 1968; Monty Python staged their final full revue there in 1982; Kanye West chose the venue as the perfect place to perform his 808s & Heartbreak album in its entirety in 2015; and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played their final shows together there in 2017 before his death. Ringo Starr once observed of the Beatles' appearances at the Hollywood Bowl, "It was the Hollywood Bowl."

Prudential and SuperM Host Virtual Concert and Fan Meet across Asia.

Prudential Corporation Asia (Prudential), the regional headquarter of Pru Life UK, and K-pop super group SuperM threw an unforgettable experience titled “PrudentialxSuperM We DO Virtual Concert & Fan Meet” for fans across Asia over the weekend on Saturday, 7 August. The event was exclusive to the winners of Prudential’s “We DO” campaign and Dance Challenges, as well as users of Pulse by Prudential, the company's all-in-one health and wellness app, across the region.

A special treat for SuperM fans brought to us by Prudential

We DO!

The virtual concert and fan meet brought people together for an uplifting experience in these challenging times. The activity was held as an extension of Prudential’s “We DO Well Together” campaign, which aims to encourage everyone to stay well and healthy, and have fun doing it.

Since the announcement of the PrudentialxSuperM partnership in January this year, the collaboration has encompassed various ways to inspire Filipinos to attain a healthier lifestyle. These include the #WeDoDanceChallengePH where Filipinos are invited to submit a video of themselves dancing to the “We DO” song on social platform such as TikTok for a chance to win tickets for the virtual concert and fan meet as well as exclusive SuperM merchandise.

K-pop fans from Prudential’s 11 markets in Asia tuned in to the virtual concert and fan meet from the comfort of their homes. SuperM lit up the stage and united fans across the region by performing their campaign song “We DO” in their signature dynamic moves. Released in April this year, the “We DO” song showcases efforts by Prudential and SuperM to promote health and wellness, and inspire optimism and positive actions.

Allan Tumbaga, SVP and Chief Customer Marketing Officer of Pru Life UK said, “We are excited to host our exclusive, first-ever virtual concert and fan meet with the widely-popular K-pop group SuperM for our employees, agents, customers, and K-pop fans across Asia. Through this platform, we want to connect people through music and dance and inspire them to take charge of their wellbeing in a fun manner so they can continue to live well in these extraordinary times.”

SuperM, described as the “Avengers of K-pop”, held a very special fan meet activity. Lucky fans had a once-in-a-lifetime interactive experience to get up-close-and-personal with SuperM.

Lucky fans had the chance to talk (online) with the SuperM members!

The fan meet activity was followed by SuperM’s performance of the fan-favourite songs, including 100, One (Monster & Infinity), Wish You Were Here, and With You. An enormous LED screen on the back of the stage displayed a multitude of fans tuning in live and interacting with their favourite idols.

Although Baekhyun and Taemin were not physically present being enlisted in military services, they wanted to spread positive energy to fans through pre-recorded messages shown during the fan meet and actively participated in pre-recorded performances, melting the hearts of their fans at the event.

Baekhyun and Taemin were present on the big screen. :)

SuperM sends love to fans across Asia!

Kai recently tested negative for COVID-19, but unfortunately could not attend the event due to a two-week self-quarantine imposed in accordance with Korean health regulations. He sent his sincere apologies for not being able to attend the event at the last minute.

How Instagram Can Help Wannabe Singer/Songwriters.

Making a name for yourself as a musician is a real challenge; it’s a saturated industry which requires people to really stand out in order to make it into the mainstream. With so many people trying to find their big break, you need to use everything at your disposal to catch people’s attention. Social media, especially Instagram, can be a fantastic platform to help you share your music, but you need to approach it in a certain way in order to get the results you want.

Jang Geun Seuk as an aspiring musician in Marry Me, Mary (2010).

Profile
Your Instagram profile is your opportunity to tell people your story. Singer/songwriters are artists and creatives who take inspiration from their lives in order to create their music. Producing songs that people can relate to is a sure-fire way of becoming popular, therefore reinforcing your approachable image with a personal profile that is available for the public to view can only contribute towards this. Letting people know your back story helps you to build up a relationship with potential fans, which in turn leads to a more loyal following. You need to choose the theme of your profile carefully as it needs to give off a professional image too, and try to be as consistent as possible with top-quality photos.

Tools
Instagram has a number of features designed to help you boost engagement as well as increase your follower count, so it is important to make the most of these. Firstly, use hashtags in your captions to highlight what your post is about, especially focusing on the kinds of things people are most likely to search for, for example #newmusic as this will bring up your post in searches for that hashtag. The more engagement your posts get the more likely they are to appear on people’s feeds and searches too, so try to do posts that spark feedback.

Yoo Yong Min in Her Private Life (2019) - barista by day, musician at night.

Other methods you could use are holding competitions where you give away tickets to your concerts to someone randomly picked from those who have ‘liked’ your post, or getting an auto like on instagram from kenji.ai. Timing is also important when it comes to when you post; try to make sure you schedule posts at times when more people are likely to be online otherwise it could end up being buried. And finally, post regularly so that you have a constant presence on social media, as this will help your name to become familiar to people.

Networking
Your main aim on Instagram is to have as many followers as possible and one of the best ways to get your name out there is to have a presence in places where your target market is likely to be found. For example, you could contribute towards online forums that discuss new music. 'Cross promoting' aka sharing the posts of other artists will often result in them returning the favour, so you will soon start to be recognised as a reputable singer/songwriter in the same circles.

Instagram is a brilliant marketing tool for business including for those who are trying to promote their own talent to create a career. For more tips on how to succeed in different industries, take a look at therebelsweetheart.com.

Seoul Searching | Top 8 Winter Activities in Korea.

One thing I have learned from spending the holidays in South Korea for the past two years is that there's always something fun to do in Seoul (and in the neighboring provinces) - even in the dead of winter. Festivals, for one, are aplenty, and despite frigid temperatures and the bitingly cold air, you'll see people lots of people out and about, finding ways to enjoy the hard frosts and icy drafts of the winter season.

If you're visiting South Korea this time of the year, or perhaps spending your first winter in the country, here are some fun activities that you need to try. Make sure you're all bundled up though, or you'll run the risk of getting a cold!

Outdoor Ice Skating at the Seoul Plaza.
Every winter, Seoul's picturesque plaza transforms into an outdoor skating rink - the cheapest and the most popular among all the outdoor skating rinks in Seoul.

Ice skating at the Seoul Plaza.

Located in the heart of the city, near the City Hall and Deoksugung Palace, the Seoul Plaza outdoor skating rink houses one rink for for beginners and another for advanced skaters. Training lessons are offered to those who are serious about learning how to skate, and can be booked online in advance.

The skating rink officially opens on December 22, and will be operational until February 25, 2018. Admission rates are at 1000 won per person, per hour. Skating equipment can also be rented on a per hour basis.

Sledding at Supia/Ttukseom Hangang Park.
A year-round family theme park, the Ttukseom Hangang Park - also known as 'Supia' - holds the 'Snow Flower Village' program every winter.  The main attractions of this annual event is the 90 meter long and 15 meter wide Sledding Field, which offers a thrilling experience for adults, teens, and even tweens.

Sledding fun at Supia/Ttukseom Hangang Park.

The younger kids, on the other hand, can enjoy a more relaxed sleigh ride at the Fun Snow Hill, or build a snowman and join the Snowman Building Competition.

Fun Snow Hill.

The sledding hill will be open to the public starting December 16, with the admission rate at 6000 won per person. Kids under the age of 3 can enter free of charge.

Skiing at Vivaldi Park.
In a country that's blessed with shapely topography - 70% mountains, 30% coffee shops and cosmetics stores (lol), skiing is perhaps one of the best ways to take advantage of the landscape when the country freezes over.

Skiing at Vivaldi Park.

The Vivaldi Park Ski Resort in Gangwon Province is one of the most popular destinations during this time of the year. The first ski resort to offer nighttime skiing, Vivaldi Park is also the filming location of the 2016 hit Kdrama 'Legend of the Blue Sea', making it a 'pilgrimage' destination for Kdrama addicts and Minoz, aka fans of Lee Min Ho.

As seen on Legend of the Blue Sea.

Ice Fishing at Hwacheon.
If it's a laid-back winter activity that you want, then ice fishing might be your cup of tea. Hwacheon, a county in Gangwon province and of the first places in South Korea that freezes come winter time, hosts one of the most popular winter festivals in the country.

Ice fishing at Hwacheon.

Dubbed as the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, this annual event offers multiple snow-related activities which includes ice fishing and even bare-handed ice fishing. If you're lucky enough to catch a fish, you can have them grilled or prepared as sashimi at the grill area/ restaurants on site.

Lighting Festival at the Garden of the Morning Calm.
One of the biggest festival of lights in South Korea, the Lighting Festival at the Garden of the Morning Calm is one of the best ways to enjoy the nippy winter evening.

Lighting Festival at the Garden of the Morning Calm.

Located in Gapyeong, a two-hour bus ride away from Seoul, the Garden of the Morning Calm spans 30,000 square meters and is considered to be the oldest arboretum in the country. It is home to 5000 species of plants, flowers, and trees, making it a gorgeous sight in the spring and fall.

Like a miniature Christmas village come to life.

And while the trees may be naked and barren during the winter, the gleaming lights and lovely decorations add a festive glow to the garden. If you chance upon some (heavy) snowfall while visiting the garden, the place will look even more magical with the snow-covered foliage. It's like winter wonderland right before your very eyes!

Strolling around Nami Island.

Whether you're a Kdrama fan or not, no trip to South Korea would be complete without stopping by Nami Island. It's located within the direction of Chuncheon and is easily accessible via the Gapyeong City Tour Bus, the same bus that runs to the Garden of the Morning Calm. 

First trip to South Korea, December 2015.

Famous for its scenic tree-lined walking paths, Nami Island has more than 20 themed gardens, each with a unique story behind it. Nami is also home to countless types of animals, all of which roam freely within the island. Birds, ducks, geese, rabbits, squirrels, and even ostriches - Nami Island has it all.

Meeting the ostriches at Nami Island. :)

Winter Concerts.

The Korean music industry is also buzzing with activities during the last few days of the year. From Christmas concerts to music awards show, and even the Korea leg of your favorite Kpop group's world tour, there's bound to be one while you're enjoying winter in Seoul. And if you do chance upon one during your visit, don't miss this opportunity to catch your favorite Hallyu stars and Kpop idols in the flesh!

Super Show 7!

Two of my favorite Kpop groups will actually be having a concert this month. Super Junior's worldwide concert tour, 'Super Show 7', kicked off yesterday at the Jamsil Arena. The concert was originally scheduled to run for just two days (December 16 and 17), but due to popular demand, they decided to add another day, much to the delight of Super Junior fans.

Posters within the vicinity of Jamsil Arena.

Big Bang, on the other hand, will be holding the final leg of their concert tour on December 30 and 31 at the Gocheok Sky Dome. Aptly named as 'Last Dance', this will be their last concert before going on a hiatus as the boys will be rendering their 2-year mandatory military service. TOP will not be joining them though, as he has already started his military service last February.

Big Bang 

No tickets yet to the Last Dance? Get yours at Trazy!

Winter Street Food.

What better way to stay warm in the winter than treating yourself to some piping hot street food? Bungeoppang (red-bean filled pastry), hotteok (cinnamon sugar pancake), and eomuk (fish cakes) are some of the most popular street foods in Korea and they're available any time of the year. 

Eomuk, best served with lots of piping hot soup!

However, there are some snacks that are available only during the colder months and I try to enjoy them as much as I can while they're in the market. Carts and stalls selling these food items proliferate across the country as the temperatures drop, and you're bound to find one at every street corner, especially areas near bus stops and subway stations.

An ahjussi selling baked sweet potatoes.

Oddly enough, they taste sweeter than our regular 'kamote'. 

Roasted chestnuts.

Not only are these street food tasty, they're inexpensive, too! Perfect for sharing with your family and/or travel buddies!

Adele’s Hard-To-Get Game | Why Are Her Show Tickets So Rare & Expensive?

It’s nearly impossible for a fan nowadays to purchase the tickets for his favorite show, especially if Adele is the hot-star. Why? Learn about it right here!

Why are tickets to Adele's shows so rare? Is there a solution?

Did you know that Adele loves two lumps of sugar in her tea? I know I had no idea before some advanced research. But what I do now (and so do most of you) is that her shows are playing the ultimate  'hard-to-get game'..

I mean, seriously, just look at her recent tour across the US and Mexico. Did you have a shot at getting in? Well you probably haven’t. What’s even funnier is the fact that Adele's concert ticket prices are not too high. I’d even say the tag is somewhat below average given the scale of Adele’s popularity.

And yet, resellers tend to charge up to 10 times more, there aren’t enough for everyone who wants to visit the show and so on and so forth. Why?

Photo credit: Telegraph UK.

What makes Adele show tickets so special?
Let’s get this party started with some hot answers to our top question. Below are the facts. Reading through them will guarantee your understanding of the ticket situation.

Demand is higher than the supply.
Just think about the numbers – 5 million people chose to buy 25, Adele’s latest album. This fact, being one of the most successful music releases in history, narrates on how big is the hype. Add at least 5 more millions of people who have downloaded the album illegally from torrents and you’ll get the bigger picture. It’s finally time to acknowledge that the entire North America tour was only selling 1 million tickets. Bummer.

Adele has a dedicated fan club.
Most of the tickets were sold to them way before ticket booths were open for sale. Meaning those of you who were not included into the fan base list only got what was left.

Ticket distribution is heavily regulated.
This is done to actually limit the amount of tickets on the secondary market. Thus availability is narrowed down even further. Plus, the lesser the total amount of tickets, the higher the prices.

Is there a way out?
Or should I say a way into the concert hall? Services like TicketCrab offer a fine array of solutions to music lover and Adele fans from all over the world. How? Digital resellers usually have lower rates and as such the tickets are cheaper. As a bonus users get access to the following functionality on TicketCrab:

Favorite events are easily tractable. You have the power to organize lists of shows you wish to see in the way you find fit.

Personal alerts and notifications will ensure you know all about upcoming shows way in advance, this way you will get empowered to purchase the ticket before anyone else does.

Geo-based event trackers. If there’s something cool going on in your area – you will know about it from first hands. Neat, right?

All in all, the digital era of easily accessible online services is destined to change the way we are used to have fun as well. TicketCrab is a fine example of innovation to rock the world of music shows.

Unwrap Hope | Bamboo and Tattoo Home Broadband give smiles to children of Ormoc.

Ever wondered what your favorite stars and celebrities do during Christmas and the New Year? Here's a peek at how rock icon Bamboo celebrated the holidays.

Tattoo Home Broadband together with celebrated rock icon Bamboo gave the children of Brgy. Tambulilid Elementary School in Ormoc, Leyte plenty of reasons to smile with gifts of toys in time for Christmas.

A fitting finale to a successful run of Bamboo's Christmas concert Believe: Christmas at Home with Bamboo, the concert became the prime vehicle to be able to collect over 2000 toys for the benefit of the kids in the said barangay. After the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda, Tattoo, through Globe Telecom's Bangon Pinoy program, gave its commitment to restore and rebuild 100 homes in Ormoc, in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. And with the holiday season Tattoo chose to give importance to the children of the community who were left most vulnerable after the calamity.

Bamboo’s concert Believe: Christmas at Home with Bamboo held at the Music Museum is part of Tattoo’s #UnwrapHope project with an end goal to give over 2000 kids toys as gifts for Christmas

Everyone who wanted to watch the concert purchased toys in exchange for the tickets. On the other hand, those who simply wanted to share a simple Christmas message posted their video greetings on Instagram with the hashtag #UnwrapHope. Each video post was also equivalent to a toy that Tattoo donated on their behalf. And as a special treat, a creative selection of these videos were compiled and revealed during Bamboo’s concert.

Bamboo together with Tattoo Home Broadband's Jurist Gamban holding some of the stuffed toys that will be given to the children of Brgy. Tambulilid in Ormoc, Leyte.

Following the collection of toys was the gift wrapping activity held at the Globe Tower where employees, Tattoo customers and Bamboo's fans alike helped each other to wrap and put a bow on every single toy. The gifts were sealed with Christmas cards from the kids of Taguig Elementary school.

Bamboo, together with the whole Tattoo team, Tattoo subscribers and fans alike
worked together to wrap over 2000 gifts for the kids.

As Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Gilbert Simpao said, "What better way to end a blessed year right than to give back. We feel very lucky to have this opportunity to make kids happy especially after what happened with typhoon Yolanda. And this is just the beginning as we commit to return in time to rebuild of their homes".

Brand new toys were shipped to Ormoc in time for the gift-giving celebration with Tattoo and Bamboo.

And just like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, Bamboo and the whole Tattoo team and Globe employee volunteers arrived at the elementary school bearing gifts of joy in the form of truckloads of toys.

"We will forever be thankful that these children welcomed us and allowed us to be a part of their Christmas celebration. But we don't only want to be here just for the holidays. We are here for this community for the long haul and we look forward to making more children happier in the near future," continues Globe Vice President for Tattoo Home Broadband Business Jurist Gamban.

Joining Bamboo, Simpao and Gamban in the recent gift giving was Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto, and Globe Vice President for Nomadic Broadband Business Dong Ronquillo alongside Globe employee volunteers who gave their time and effort for this meaningful cause.

The children gave the Tattoo team a warm welcome and even had a chance to dance with them. Kids received toys from huggable stuffed dolls and building blocks to action figures.

The kids of Brgy. Tambulilid gave the Tattoo team a warm welcome and eagerly waited for their turn to receive a toy.

Tattoo together with Gawad Kalinga are now in the process of preparing in time for the building of the Tattoo-GK village in Brgy. Tambulilid this January. Apart from 100 houses, the village can also count on Tattoo's support with livelihood programs designed for sustainable living. Tattoo was able to raise funding for this project with their donation of 100% of their sales from their sticks and home broadband plans for November and December.

Bamboo and Jurst Gamban handing out the gifts to the children.

Bangon Pinoy is Globe Telecom’s enterprise-wide disaster response initiative that aims to have a unified system for donations, relief efforts, and corporate social responsibility programs across products and services. It is an integrated program that allows communities devastated by calamities to benefit from various efforts geared towards rebuilding and rehabilitation. It was first introduced by Globe in 2009 after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng wreaked havoc in the country.

For more updates visit www.globe.com.ph/BangonPinoy.