By Kynesha Robles
Rico Blanco headlined his first ever solo concert at the Araneta Coliseum last Sunday night produced by KDR Music House.
As the crowd moved through his genre-defying discography, Blanco established once again his superstar OPM status.
A total rockstar on stage, the musical genius and visionary captured the entire stadium in what can only be described as a spellbinding awe through his soulful performances. But Blanco only remained true to who he is. “Tumatanggap kami ng mga requests. ‘Wag kayo magpaloko sa Araneta, ako pa rin ‘to,” he joked.
Blanco asked multiple times to shine the spotlights away from him and into the venue so he could see his fans clearly. Despite the large arena, Blanco made sure that the concert was intimate and meaningful to each of his fans. He joked with the crowd, and at one point, the crowd teased him back by chanting “iiyak na ‘yan” during his emotional closing spiel. The entire night, the Araneta Coliseum shook in celebration, applause, and laughter. “‘Yung concert ko, half angas, half comedy.”
Blanco also surprised his fans with a debut performance of his new song “Palibot libot.” According to him, the surprise midnight release of the song after the concert was a last-minute decision, and it was his first time to debut an unreleased track to a live audience. The song, which he wrote earlier this year, was inspired by his character from a series he filmed in La Union.
The multi-hyphenate also shared the stage with fellow talented artists. He performed “Wag Aminin” with Ebe Dancel and “Nagbabalik” with Zild, who also performed some of their own songs. Peniel serenaded the crowd with her song “Moon’s Offer” and her cover of some OPM songs. Blanco also shared a spontaneous duet of “Abot Langit” with his girlfriend, actress and singer-songwriter Maris Racal.
“This is something I’ve been doing all my life, but I never dreamed of this,” he motioned his arms to the jampacked venue as he bid a hesitant goodbye. The concert lasted for four hours, but it still ended too soon. Fans, and Blanco himself, did not want the night to end. “Wala bang curfew?” he asked as the clock struck close to midnight.
Blanco also handled unforeseen technical difficulties flawlessly. “Second song pa lang, nagkagulo-gulo na,” he joked. Aside from technical difficulties, his flowy sleeves, reminiscent of cowboy frills, occasionally snagged onto his bright teal guitar. Neither stopped him from carrying out the show into perfection.
After almost two years of virtual performances and projects, Blanco said he ensured that the night was special for everyone. “Parang isang buwan akong nagkulong, hindi ako lumalabas,” he said, in accordance with COVID safety protocols and his rigorous rehearsals.
When asked about his plans post-concert, Blanco enthusiastically shared his plans to stay in La Union for the meantime. He noted that he will return to the city for future gigs, but he was looking forward to relaxing in the surf town. “Mukhang napakasimple ng ambisyon ko, but I just want that steady life.”
