OPM fair in Cebu opens Nov. 24

Because the bulk of music events are held in Manila, not a lot of fans from the provinces—especially in Visayas and Mindanao—get to take part in them, said Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) president Ogie Alcasid.

Thus, Alcasid noted, OPM should mount more events outside the capital, like the OPM Fair 2013 which opens today at the South Road Properties Open Field in Cebu City.

“Instead of having fans travel to Manila, we will go to them,” he told the Inquirer. Alcasid said then Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan helped organize the first OPM Fair in 2011 at the Quezon Memorial Circle. This year’s event is funded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cebu City government.

The whole-day fair will gather over 20 acts in a culminating evening concert. Among the Manila-based artists in the roster are Jim Paredes, Ryan Cayabyab, Mike Hanopol, Jessa Zaragoza, Lolita Carbon, Cooky Chua, Bayang Barrios, Yano, Tippy dos Santos, Bloomfields, Brownbeat All-Stars and Urbandub; plus OPM officers Noel Cabangon, Dingdong Avanzado and Mitch Valdes.

Participating Cebuano artists include A27, Drop Decay, Pain in the Neck, Dymphna, Cuarenta and Powerspoonz.

Games, raffles and other music-related activities will be held at the fair. A band competition called INDIEmand will pit 10 Cebu-based amateur bands for a shot at winning P10,000 and a one-year OPM membership.

Another highlight of the festival is the “My OPM Playlist Exhibit: A Thematic Exhibition of 365 Songs from the Playlists of Influential Filipinos.” The exhibit will display portraits of select artists and their lists of favorite OPM songs, old and new.

Part of the proceeds from the fair will be donated to “Yolanda” survivors through the Cebu City Red Cross Chapter and the Cebu City Medical Center. For details, log on to www.opmfair.com.ph. Allan Policarpio