Fil-Can Events
True Faith, Wency bring ‘90s Pinoy sound to Canada
Photo: Facebook Page of Wency Cornejo
TORONTO – Filipino easy listening band True Faith and singer Wency Cornejo entertained intimate crowds with the music of the 1990s during their recent Canadian Tour 2014 in the cities of Toronto and Montreal.
The artists rocked Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton during the first part of the tour.
Wency Cornejo, formerly of the band After Image, serenaded fans with hit songs like Habang May Buhay (While There’s Life), Forevermore, Without You and You Made Me Believe. Wency and band mates Mark Velasco and Victor Nicolas also tugged at the heart strings and patriotism of Filipinos with a medley of Heber Bartolome’s Tayo’s Mga Pinoy, and Pinoy Big Brother theme Pinoy Ako, among others. Cornejo noted that such medleys are always well received by Filipino immigrants. By the way, Cornejo came prepared with his Barong Tagalog, the national costume of Filipino men, during the rendition of this medley.
Meanwhile, True Faith fired up the concert halls with their energetic executions of past chart toppers Perfect, Awit Para sa Kanya (Song for Her), Sumasarap ang Gising (Waking Up is GettingSweeter) and Dedma (I don’t care). Despite coming down with flu-like symptoms in the middle of the tour, Medwin Marfil, the band’s lead singer, gave infectious and uplifting performances in Toronto and Montreal. Other band members equally matched his energy with brother Eugene Marfil on acoustic guitar/ vocals, Bimbo Yance on bass guitar, Allan Elgar on lead guitar, Jake Lumacad on keyboards and Benedict Esguerra on drums.
How do you know if the audience loved you or hated you? When they love you, they stay after the concert hoping to get a photo opportunity with you or perhaps an autograph on their souvenir shirts or CDs. Well, fans were in queue after the show wrapped up for autographs, photo souvenirs and to personally wish Cornejo and True Faith a safe trip on their way home to the Philippines.
The Canadian tour was produced by Connie Kriaski, publisher of Pinoy Times newspaper in Calgary.
Shairah “Shy” Garrido, 2013 Hamilton Teen Idol and a student at JDL School of Performing Arts and Grace Vergeniza, vocalist of the Blacksmith Band in Montreal, sang duets with Cornejo and True Faith in Toronto and Montreal. Garrido and Vergeniza were winners in the Facebook contests initiated by Benchmark Management. Post concert highlights can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/
In Toronto the front acts were LCPD, Uppercase, Inah Patrizia, Partida, Kate Jose and JDL. Opening numbers in Montreal were rendered by Addictive Remedy, Kontrapelo and Frozen Flame.
The presenting sponsor was TFC The Filipino Channel with major concert sponsors Ria Money Transfer, Bellas Lechon Restaurant, Eric Ylagan of RBC Mortgage, Cuisine Sante, Kubo Magazine, FV Foods and Cusina Lounge and partners JDL School of Performing Arts, Action Honda, FilCore Support Group, Somethin Sweet 4U, Live Music Photography, Timeless Images, Prestige by Night, Music Box Music Bar, Bistro Manila and Radio Insect Records. Media partners were Philippine Canadian Inquirer, Canadian Pinoy Radio Montreal, Dark Matters Media, Planet Philippines, Pinoy Events, Pinoy News, Filtown Radio, Talakayan Radio, Tinig Himig Radio, MStudio and Showbuzz Magazine. Sponsors in Montreal were Souvlaki George.
Benchmark Management Group led by Cheryl Cantonjos organized and managed the Toronto and Montreal concerts would like to thank everyone who supported the event.
