Earth,Wind, and Fire..Live in Davao, August 24, 2008!

Yup! For the first time in the history of that famed city of the south, residents there got the thrill of their lives when a band of known international fame and caliber, the highly popular Earth, Wind and Fire did a live performance at the sprawling parking lot of SM Davao City.

The city celebrates its famous annual thanksgiving festival called "Kadayawan Festival" at about this time of the year. It is a yearly festival to celebrate and showcase the bountiful harvests and other blessings that the almighty has bestowed on the residents. Aside from the regular colorful street dancing competitions, this year's celebrations will be the most remembered because the undying and truly adored group that has entertained the world for decades now, the Earth, Wind and Fire, joined the festivities and performed live in the city.

But hey, I have an even better scoop for you. There were fans who could not afford the stiff Php2,500 ticket per head for the concert, so they settled (and at least they were allowed) to watch at the back of the walled venue. Since the stage was elevated, the ecstatic fans were still able to get glimpses of the night's highly anticipated concert. And you know what, the band members took notice of the poor fans at the back portion of stage who were yelling, and dancing, and singing along as the group performed on stage. So, they would occasionally turn towards them all throughout the night's performance, to the satisfaction and delight of this backstage crowd. My whole family and some of our neighbors were there with that crowd to try to get a free view of the concert. They got more than what they expected!

Here now is the biggest scoop of the night!

What must have been a planned picture taking session with the fans after the concert was botched...but not after a concert staff made a call for some of the backstage fans to come in for some pics... and hey, not after my youngest daughter, Carlota, on hearing the call, made an immediate bee line to where the band members where standing. It was too late for anyone to stop her 'coz she was already hugging no less than Philip Bailey, one of the lead singers of Earth, Wind, and Fire. And guess what? She got her picture taken with the guy! Out of the thousands of fans who were there that night, Carlota was the only fan lucky enough to get a picture taken with Philip, also the only photo session of the group that night at the concert venue. This is one memory thread that my daughter will be so proud to recall for the rest of her life. On coming home, she got into the computer and excitedly sent me these pictures via ym photoshare.