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Benefit gig for Ely Buendia


More than 20 artists and bands will do a fund-raising concert for singer-composer Ely Buendia, who had undergone two angioplasty operations after having a heart attack. The concert is scheduled for Sunday, January 28, at the Eastwood Central Plaza, Eastwood City in Libis, Quezon City. More musicians had volunteered to perform for free, but the organizers had to turn them down because of the limited time allotted them for the use of the venue, which they also get for free. So from the original plan of starting the concert at 4 p.m., organizers decided to start earlier at 2 p.m. to accommodate all the bands. Among the performers are Sponge Cola, Parokya ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Rivermaya, Itchyworms, Chicosci, UpDharmaDown, True Faith, Greyhoundz, Cynthia Alexander, Dicta License, Join the Club, Moonstar 88, Ciudad, Paramita, Makatha, Salindiwa, Swissy, Julianne, and Teeth. Buendia's friend Francis Magalona, singer Kitchie Nadal, and the band Razorback will also perform. The organizers were Rivermaya band members Mike Elgar and Japs Sergio, brother of Pupil bassist Dok Sergio; She Elgar, Mike's wife; Julie Pacañas, former Eraserheads road manager; Joyce Bernal and Ricky Lee. Julie Pacañas said they wanted to help Buendia with the hospital bills and his maintenance medication which they said were quite costly. "Dalawang hospitals yun, maintenance pa, ilang months din yun.. walang gigs, so we though of giving him a benefit show," she said. She said in the Asian Hospital and Medical Center alone, Buendia had spent more than half a million pesos. She said at first they have no plans to inform Buendia about it, which they admitted is impossible because he would surely learn about it through the media. She said she first brought the idea to Buendia when the composer was still at the Asian Hospital. Buendia, however, didn't agree at first, saying he had already bothered so many people. In a text message to Julie Pacañas, the singer-composer said he was speechless, adding that many people had already helped him and his family since his heart attack. "Pero wala na siyang magagawa kasi andito na to," she said. She even jokingly told Buendia that if he would not get the proceeds of the concert, she would get it instead. Buendia only learned of the benefit concert two to three days earlier. - GMANews.TV
Tags: elybuendia