The nine-piece folk-pop ensemble Ben&Ben will hold its first digital concert tomorrow, Dec. 5, in an audiovisual spectacle that weaves elements that have never been done in a concert before. There will be a massive stage with a revolving apparatus and a narrative that will accompany the band’s stellar set list. It’s going to be one memorable show streamed online. But will it be the same as watching live?
“That’s one of the reasons the show has many layers,” said Paolo Valenciano, codirector of “Kuwaderno” concert. “Miguel (Guico, lead vocals and acoustic guitar) kept telling us that since we’re not having an audience face to face and people are watching it through their devices, how do we compensate for that? How do we engage them in ways that the band will still connect with their audience?”
Valenciano and theater veteran Maribel Legarda took on the challenge to mount the digital concert that aims to cross the physical boundaries brought by the coronavirus pandemic.
What the two directors, the band and the dozens of people who worked on the show created is a sort of open house for Ben&Ben fans.
“The fans are sort of like the key element also. You can’t be a musician or a performer without the fans. They complete the whole experience,” she said.
“It’s like seeing from the eyes of the fans or how the fans have experienced their music. The narrative is like that. It’s not like a play that the story is fleshed out, it’s still a concert. We just see elements of that coming out as the whole concert is unfolding,” said Legarda, who is the artistic director of the Philippine Education Theater Association.
Collaboration
Legarda and Valenciano were mum on the visual details and the narrative of the “Kuwaderno” concert, but one thing was made clear about the show: “You really feel the love for the Liwanag when you watch this,” Valenciano said.
That, and the fact that while the spectators will be in their homes watching from a screen, the show will still provide the intensity of emotion that matches the amazing sound of the band.
The two directors, three production teams, 14 dancers (some from Ballet Philippines and some contemporary dancers), three actors, dozens of creatives and technical staff have worked behind the scenes and on stage to bridge the gap between the band and the fans. Lights designer Shakira Villa-Symes, playwright Liza Magtoto have also worked to make the show a feast for the senses.
The production number is so big that it takes 14 people to turn around the periaktoi or the revolving scenery, said Legarda.
The concert is also a collaboration, with different creatives working to mount an online show. Legarda said that Valenciano was the eyes of the concert who oversaw the structure of the show, while Peta brought the story arc and the dramatic moments.
Legarda said she’s not used to codirecting, but that she did so in “Kuwaderno.”
“Tita Maribel is a veteran so there were times that I was nervous to bring up ideas. I would tell her, ‘Tita, I don’t know if this will work,’ ‘Tita, I don’t know if this is better.’ She was very open to my suggestions,” Valenciano added.
“I think that stays true to the concept of the album. [Ben&Ben] had collaborated with some of the best artists in the industry and that kind of environment influenced the whole production,” he said, adding that the inclusivity of the band to its fans also extended to the production team and the people around Ben&Ben.
“Kuwaderno” hopes to bring in hope and light to fans and other people during these tough times, but Valenciano said that as a member of the concert scene, the show also gives him hope of mounting great shows during a pandemic. INQ
“Kuwaderno: An Online Concert” will be streamed on Dec. 5. Tickets are available at ktx.ph.