BLACK Eyed Peas at the MoA grounds. We could swear the earth shook. enie reyes
The Black Eyed Peas show at the SM Mall of Asia open grounds in Pasay City last Tuesday was special.
The gig, part of the tour “Where Is the Love? This Is the Love,” was one of the last few for the Grammy-winning group before another indefinite “creative hiatus,” like the one they had between the studio albums “Monkey Business” (2005) and “The E.N.D.” (2009).
(Fans need not fret; the quartet has repeatedly stressed that it’s just a much-needed break so that its members—apl.de.ap (Allan Pineda), Taboo (Jaime Gomez), will.i.am (William Adams) and Fergie (Stacy Ann Ferguson)—could focus on their private lives and individual careers.)
“This [show] really means a lot—it’s like a graduation for us before we take our break,” said female vocalist Fergie, almost breaking into tears.
The group made sure to deliver the music and visual spectacle that would be remembered by Pinoy fans for years.
Following the opening acts was a sound and equipment check that took at least an hour. But when the bass started rumbling and blue lasers darted across the stage, the impatient sighs turned into excited shrieks.
With lights and effects straight out of the sci-fi movie “TRON,” an army of robots that transformed into speakers marched onstage and entertained the crowd of about 25,000 with a dance routine. BEP came out punching the air to the electro-rap party tune, “Rock That Body.”
Dressed like futuristic space soldiers, the group kept the fans jumping and jamming by dishing out one hit after another. The set list featured tracks from five of their six albums, like “Meet Me Halfway,” “Just Can’t Get Enough,” “Joints and Jam,” “Pump It,” “Shut Up,” “Don’t Stop the Party,” and “Don’t Phunk with My Heart.”
One of the wildest moments came when will.i.am emerged in a full-body cyborg costume to Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna.” He proceeded to a DJ booth at the end of the stage runway. Then, hoisted via a circular platform, he played a series of tracks from Usher, LMFAO, Journey, and Guns N’ Roses, turning the concert grounds into a huge dance club. We could swear the earth shook.
Fergie provided a refreshing change of tempo with her solo hit single, “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” In a “galaxy dress” with lights, the lone female member showed she could not just rock; she could also turn sweet.
Before doing the inspirational 2003 hit, “Where Is the Love,” BEP asked everyone to form a heart with their hands.
Apl’s moment
Toward the end of the two-hour show, apl.de.ap took the spotlight, introducing to the public his “We Can Be Anything” campaign. A collaboration of the Apl Foundation and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, the project aims to build over 10,000 classrooms nationwide in the next two years.
US Ambassador Harry Thomas delivered a speech in support of apl.de.ap’s advocacy. To resounding applause, Thomas said, “Apl.de.ap is a proud American and a proud Filipino … Tonight, I’m asking apl.de.ap to serve as my personal advisor to ensure that we can continue to educate young people.”
Apl proceeded to perform his own compositions — “Mare,” “Bebot,” and “The Apl Song.” And then, turning emotional, he dedicated the last song to his two brothers who have passed away. His younger brother Arnel committed suicide and then, in 2009, the youngest, Joven, was gunned down.
A good, good night
After the show’s more sentimental moments, the group turned up the heat again. “Let’s rock,” apl urged the insatiable crowd. BEP then performed its more recent singles, “Boom, Boom, Pow” and “The Time (Dirty Bit).”
All hell broke loose as the infectious keyboard riffs to “I Gotta Feeling” pierced the humid air. And finally, with a burst of confetti, BEP capped off what has been — as the song goes — “a good, good night.”