SB19, Bini, Flow G trade bars, dance moves at thanksgiving concert

Contributed

As they routinely do in the lead up to the final chorus of “Salamin Salamin,” members of the P-pop girl group Bini stood in line and performed a sequence that seemed to echo the traditional dance of a thousand hands.

But only this time, when they dispersed, it wasn’t Gwen who emerged from behind the formation, but Justin of the boy band SB19. The packed crowd at the Araneta Coliseum promptly lost it.

Amid an eruption of cheers, Justin made his way, front and center, joining Aiah, Colet, Gwen, Jhoanna, Maloi, Sheena and Stacey (Mikha was sidelined with an injury). Without missing a beat, he pulled off every cute dance step with the biggest, giddiest smile on his face.

“It was such an honor sharing the stage with you, Kuya Jah…Were you nervous?” Stacey asked Justin at the recent Puregold “Nasa Atin ang Panalo” thanksgiving concert.

“I got very nervous because, finally, I debuted as part of a girl group. Bini Justin po! Bye-bye, SB!” he teased, before taking a bow. “Joke lang. Ey!”

It was a moment Justin was looking forward to, so much so that he already had the choreography memorized when they all met for rehearsals the day before. “I just want to thank you for having me in this performance,” he said.

With a roster featuring brand endorsers Bini, SB19, hip-hop artist Flow G and pop-rock band SunKissed Lola, the concert was sold out quickly. The fans trooped to the venue knowing more or less what to expect—individual sets of well-loved hits from their respective idols. But a collaboration between the two biggest P-pop groups probably wasn’t on their bingo cards.

Surprise numbers

As it turned out, it was only the first of many surprise numbers among the night’s headliners.

The hit song “Pasilyo” by SunKissed Lola—whose performances were displayed through videos shot in a studio—played on the giant LED backdrop. As the chorus kicked in, Stell of SB19 emerged from beneath the stage and picked up where the band left off.

Perhaps the most exciting male vocalist in recent years, Stell put his own spin to the romantic, jazz-inflected kundiman ballad. He started out gently, taking his time with the delivery. Every so often, he would shift to his head tone or end a line with a tasteful run. As the song surged into its climax, Stell, soaking in the moment and the wailing guitar, swayed about onstage, as if slow dancing with someone.

“If you know this song, sabayan niyo po kami!” he told the crowd, only to launch into a series of riffs and unleash a piercing high note that left us wondering: “Now, how do you expect us to sing along to that?”

He ended the song with flourish, pumping his arms to the cadence of crashing cymbals. And with a quick final spin, the lights went off. While he doesn’t have an official fanbase, like SB19’s “A’Tin” or Bini’s “Blooms,” Flow G’s artillery of kalye hip-hop bangers has an undeniable appeal that can easily rouse any audience. Hits like “Burgis” and “Moon” had everyone bopping and vibing. For good measure, he invited onstage hip-hop icon Gloc-9 for a duel on “Bahay Yugyugan.”

Hip-hop collision

What ultimately brought the house down was the frenetic hip-hop collision among Flow G and SB19’s Pablo, Josh and Ken in “High Score.” As if the flames shooting up from the stage’s perimeter weren’t hot enough, the four rappers pumped up even more fuel, trading bars and playing off each other’s flow.

The crowd roared as they began charging down the runway. While they all had their own swagger, Ken was especially hard to ignore. Amid the thrashing beats and swirling interplay of sounds, he was completely in his element. He leapt and lunged and stomped. He beat his chest, threw his head back and, with a knowing nod, cheekily flexed his arms.

Camaraderie

Bini returned the favor in SB19’s set. The girl group’s dancing often reflects the fun, catchy and feel-good nature of its songs. But in the hard-hitting dance anthem “Gento,” Sheena, Colet, Stacey and Gwen showed that they, too, have angas all their own.

Throughout the night, the artists made sure to thank each other for the rare opportunities to share the stage. They acknowledged not only their own fans, but everyone else who trooped to the venue to watch them showcase their wares.

Bini gave A’Tin a shoutout as did SB19 to the Blooms. Sheena named Flow G’s followers as “Flow-ers.” We saw Maloi mouthing a couple of lines to “Rapstar” and jokingly call herself “Flow M.” Seeing everyone strut their stuff during rehearsals left Jhoanna in awe and feeling inspired to do her best. Meanwhile, Flow G, thanked Pablo for helping his song “We Made It” go viral on TikTok. To close the show, SB19, Bini, Flow G and SunKissed Lola (via video) gathered to perform the Puregold theme song, “Nasa Atin ang Panalo,” which fittingly encapsulated the sense of camaraderie among headliners and fans alike. After all, when the spirit of collaboration prevails over competition, everyone wins in the music industry.