MISSISSAUGA, Ontario(April 15, 2007) -- Last night’s APO Experience concert at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario started on time, surprising a few latecomers expecting a usual “Filipino time” start. They didn’t miss much of the APO as there were Filipino-Canadian artists (Clarissa Miranda, Josie de Leon, Leander Mondoza and Rico Callao) providing a highly entertaining opening act, with piano accompaniment from Joshua Tamayo.

The APO started their two-hour non-stop performance shortly after 8 pm accompanied by a five piece band from the Philippines. It was vintage APO as they entertained a multi-generation audience coming from the Greater Toronto area. APO’s Jim Paredes asked first time APO concert goers to clap their hands and were surprised by the large numbers who responded. He had to ask the question a second time to make sure the audience didn’t misunderstand it and still got the same heavy response. “We have a term for you,” APO Danny Javier told them, “APO Virgins! And tonight you will loose your virginity!”.

Most people in the audience got teary eyed as they sang along with APO’s classics such as “Ewan”, “Pumapatak ang Ulan”, “Mahirap Magmahal ng Syota ng Iba”, “Blue Jeans”, “Salawikain”, etc. The mood at the Hammerson Hall quickly switched from homesickness to festive joy, however, when the APO interacted with their audience and did their usual sets of jokes and gimmicks. My wife almost died laughing when APO’s Boboy Garrovillo started singing the theme song of the movie “Titanic” with his hands stretched sideways mimicking the pose of the movie’s female lead character, Rose. The song was interrupted by Jim and Danny singing and praying “Ave Maria”. “Rose fell from the ship and died, and that’s why we’re singing Ave Maria”, Danny told a disgusted Boboy amidst deafening laughter from the crowd.

While most of the jokes were rendered in Tagalog, even the non-Tagalog speaking people in the crowd were having a good chuckle from them. My fourteen-year-old son who is an APO Virgin said he seemed to understand most of the jokes even though he doesn’t speak Tagalog. He said he was particularly thrilled watching the parody of their hit song “Doobidoo” which the trio sang ala Frank Sinatra, Beyonce and Hagibis.

APO fan, Vero, wrote in the APO’s online forum at at http://www.apohikingsociety.org:
“APO's recent concert here in Mississauga was fantastic, nostalgic and truly entertaining. After three decades, “Wala pa ring kupas ang tatlo” (the group is still as vibrant as ever). Hey, Filipinos in Winnipeg, make sure you watch their concert. It’s guaranteed to be enjoyable and entertaining.”

APO summarized their three decades of togetherness that started during their high school days at the Ateneo de Manila in their song “Tatlong Dekada”. That they have been singing and entertaining Filipino audience in and outside the Philippines for over thirty years is not evident from the manner in which they sang their classics. “Plakang plaka pa rin ang dating”, according to a man beside me, who I figured may be in his mid 50s.

APO’s contributions to the music industry are best described by a fan comment in their online forum: “Truly, they are royalty in the Philippine music industry, defining the times through songs. They paved the way for other bands to what is now called the OPM (Original Pilipino Music). In both English and Tagalog, their lyrics are poetic melodies, signifying emotions and asking the questions current with the times.” Need I say more?

(Rey Carolino for Ang Peryodiko)