Pop, rock, laughs at PDI anniversary

The Yuletide cheer was unmistakable at the Inquirer’s 26th anniversary party held on Friday at its Makati City office.

The program was packed with a balanced roster of guest performers: pop singers Sheng Belmonte and Ron Antonio; alternative pop group Absolute Play; pop-rock acts Kitchie Nadal and Barbie Almalbis; rock ’n’ roll bands Letter Day Story and Roots of Nature, and folk singer-songwriter Noel Cabangon.

Belmonte and Antonio teased the crowd with songs that combined naughtiness and romantic bliss. Absolute Play had vocalist Murielle Tanchanco, who’s only 12, singing in an offbeat manner with avant-garde and punk attitude.

Nadal and Almalbis were stunning… beauties and talents.

Letter Day Story was brimming with energy and passion. Cabangon had many in the crowd singing along to his thought-provoking lyrics.

There was outrageous comedy, too, in the person of “Eat Bulaga” cohost Jose Manalo, who dished off-the-cuff jokes, some of which poked painful fun at press freedom.

The merrymaking extended till almost the wee hours, as Roots of Nature’s all-hits covers kept a group of revelers dancing like there was no tomorrow. Pocholo Concepcion