Manila Review!

Constantine rocks Manila

First posted 04:52am (Mla time) Dec 03, 2005
By Ronald Mangubat
Inquirer



Editor's Note: Published on page A2-3 of the December 3, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

FOR MORE than an hour, thousands of cheering fans screamed and shrieked as Constantine James Maroulis of "American Idol" fame rocked Greenbelt 3 in a free concert recently, bringing with him a pastiche of energetic, upbeat songs that sent some ladies wailing.

Audience

Surprisingly, while most of the audience belonged to the younger generation, some old folks joined the Constantine mania. We caught a hip septuagenarian woman stomping her feet and screaming as the 29-year-old Greek-American performer did his famous head-banging movements.

It was more than just the long, tousled locks and the sly grin-it was his intense, raw energy and roguish sex appeal that added up to his magnetic magic.

Stage presence

From the moment he took the stage up to his encore, Constantine held the screaming audience in the palm of his hand.

This artist had stage presence, a skill he probably mastered even as a student (he holds a degree

in fine arts, majoring in musical theater and minoring in voice from the Boston Conservatory) and as the lead vocalist of the post-grunge rock band Pray for the Soul of Betty.

He knew how to work the crowd, and even inserted dramatic pauses in between the last bars of his songs. He winked, stared, gyrated and raised his arms-and the screams never stopped!

Constantine's most applauded numbers were Khani Cole's "You've Made Me So Very Happy," Seal's "Kiss From a Rose," "Every Little Thing" by The Police and "Moon Dance," recently popularized again by Michael Bubl‚.

While his voice may not be as cool as the Canadian crooner's, Constantine's rougher version added grit that further enhanced his rugged appeal.

Best musicians

The rock artist expressed his thanks to members of his all-Filipino band, headed by the show's musical director, South Border's Jay Durias, and to his Pinoy back-up singers. "I tell you, they're the best musicians I've ever worked with," he exclaimed.

When he expressed his joy to be in the country and commented, "I think I want to live here," a middle-aged woman, with typical Pinoy humor, unbashedly shouted: "Our house is big! You can live with us!"

For his encore, Constantine chose to sing Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," his fitting tribute to the immortal British quartet.

By that time, most of the people in the crowd were already singing along with him, as the "American Idol" finalist sang his last notes in dramatic falsetto.

If it's really hard to please the Manila crowd, Constantine Maroulis did it with flying colors!