Awit Awards on One Long, Stormy Night

Last night, instead of having our Motion Picture Marketing class inside our regular classroom, we spent it at the 20^th Awit Awards Awards Night at the NBC Tent, The Fort, Global City. We got our free tickets (I don’t know if they actually sell them; maybe they’re all just free) from our Professor—Guy Concepcion. He got them from one of the MBA students who I think works for WishCraft, the organizer of the event.

(Christian Bautista, Toni Gonzaga, Bianca Gonzales, Bobi Escasa, M.E.)

The ticket indicates that the show would start at 7:00 PM. In reality, the show started at 8:30 PM.

My friend and classmate, Neva, was unable to attend the event so I had an extra ticket with me. I invited my sister Bobi to join me. She did. After about 1,001 second thoughts (if we would go or not—rain was heavy all day), we finally left the house by 7:45 PM.

One good thing about the heavy rains that started yesterday morning and extended all day and the suspension of classes and even work at some offices was that traffic was very light all the way to The Fort! So we got there by 8:00 PM and I was still able to have a donut (my lunch and dinner!) at Gonuts Donuts before we went inside the tent.

We left the car parked right outside Gonuts.

At the entrance of the tent, there were so many people just standing there. There was apparently a period when they stopped allowing people to enter. We had to wait a few minutes just standing around. After about something like 7-10 minutes, we were finally let in.

We were led to seats marked “recording companies.” My classmates (Joe, Marj, Shar, Cecile, and Sir Bobby) were already there. Guy (our prof) wasn’t around yet. Joe later told me that they arrived at 7:00 PM.

Sir Bobby had to leave even before the show started since he still had work that night and had some important meetings he couldn’t miss. (He’s the one who works for PAGCOR; the one I mentioned in “Wanders on a Saturday Night.”)

Guy arrived just as Sir Bobby was about to leave.

I went to the restroom with Bobi. It was located at the back, all the way behind the stage, so we had to go through guests, artists, production crews, and bouncers first. As we were leaving the restroom, the Philippine National Anthem started playing signifying that the show was finally going to start. We tarried a bit backstage, checking to see if we recognize any of the celebrities who were there.

They started the show with different bands alternately playing on two different sections of the stage (extreme left and extreme right). They played songs from the album KaminAPO Muna. That excited me a bit since I liked the songs in that album.

Toni Gonzaga, Christian Bautista, and Mo Twister hosted the show.

Other artists who performed in between the awards were:

• Francis M
• Parokya ni Edgar
• Kala (I was amazed to find out last night that their guitarist Lyle Pasco was also our schoolmate! I was even more amazed to know that he’s a pioneer MBA-JD student! Wow! Imagine mixing MBA, law school, and a band! They won two awards last night. Lyle and their lead singer, Mike Grape, approached our little group last night since Lyle is friends with Joe. Of course, introductions were made and pictures taken.)
• Kamikazee (their lead singer was rather funny with his try-hard sexy dance routine)
• Sitti and The Company (they sang songs by Jose Mari Chan and Cecille Azarcon)
• Pepe Smith
• Bamboo
• Gary V and Gabriel Valenciano
• Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez

(I forgot the rest)

(the lead singer from Parokya ni Edgar, some guy, and Francis M) 

(The Company as they sang with Sitti) 

(Sitti Navarro) 

(Sitti with The Company)

(Shereen Regis dressed up like Madonna during her earlier years in show business) 

To name several award presenters: 

• Gary V
• Jose Mari Chan
• Sitti
• Chris Cayzer
• Raymond Lauchengco
• Rachelle Ann Go
• Andrew E
• Ogie Alcasid

(Raymond Lauchengco and Rachelle Ann Go) 

Shar left at around 9:30 PM. Marj at around 10:00 PM. Joe at about 10:30 PM. Guy left between 11:00-11:30 PM.

I was left with Bobi and Cecile (she’s our vicinity neighbor so she hitched a ride home with us). We decided to finish the show . . .  (They announced upcoming performances and I just wanted to watch them—Gary V is one of my faves!)

We were somewhat celebrity smitten last night and had our pictures taken with some of them. (Pictures to follow—still with Joe, Cecile, and Bobi)

 (my sister Bobi with Bamboo)

(Bamboo with M.E.)

(M.E. with Chris Cayzer) 

The show finished at around 12:45 AM. It took so long since there were numerous intermissions between awards and performances. Everything had to be “just right” since it is going to be shown on TV on August 19 (ABC5?).

To view the entire list of finalists, click THIS!

To view the 20th Awit Awards Pre-Awarding Ceremony Winners, click THIS

The rest of the 20th Awit Awards winners in artistic and performance categories soon to follow (I felt my stomach growl so I’m going to find something to eat now).

(Gian Magdangal won once) 

(Gary V won twice) 

To view more pictures and Francis Magalona's blog about the show, click THIS!