The Christmas Album #1 in Philippines!

The Philippines gave Libera a great welcome gift! Not just their warm greetings. Or their sunny weather. Or their screams at the Meet & Greet. Or their enthusiastic applause at the concert.

The Philippines gave Libera a #1 album! The Christmas Album entered the charts this week as Top-Selling Album Overall and Top-Selling Album Foreign! Congratulations Libera!

And what a great birthday for Josh! Happy 17th birthday! It's the best age so far!!! :D

Libera on Manila TV News

The Children's Hour donation ceremony was covered by GMA News in the Philippines. Thank you to Jimmy Riddle for finding this news video and to Inna for posting it to YouTube! :)

It shows the boys arriving and talking to the Filipino kids. They are so cute! Then they show some of the interview. 

Kavana: I think it's great that what we do is what we love. And then what we do is put to such great cause with changing lives, with building schools, building playgrounds. I think that to do that and to be called an Ambassador of Goodwill is just such a privilege.

I think they ask them what Filipino delicacies they like, and Liam, Ralph and Kavana agree "mangoes." lol.

Then we see part of the video of Libera's 2009 performance of "Bayan Ko." A few people in the Pines have seen that, but most of us haven't. Wish that were part of a bonus DVD in the future. :)

This is another article about it on PEP. The best part is they say Michael is "cute as a button." :D

Libera Is Headed to Cebu

Libera just tweeted - "Fantastic welcome in Manila. Thx to all who came to PICC. Looking forward to visiting Cebu & performing @ Waterfront hotel on Fri."

PolyEast Records tweeted - "Libera will be flying later to CEBU."

Have a safe trip and lots of fun! :)

Manila Concert

Entrance to PICC taken by Enyu

Well, I just woke up here in Chicago, but in the Philippines it's an exciting evening. It's the Manila concert night! :D Yuki just tweeted us the concert song list. So many great songs! And there is supposed to be another Meet & Greet after the concert! Josh's dad and Ralph's parents are there! Hope every one has a great time.

1. Jubilate into Libera - solo Cassius & Barney then Eoghan & Luke
Speech: Barney & Cassius on Josh & Jonathan being oldest
2. Joy to the World
3. Still, Still, Still - solo Ralph
4. Song of Life - solo Ralph
Speech: Cassius & Michael with Moose
5. Sanctus
6. Salva Me - high salvas Matthew R-A
7. Stay With Me (go, Daniel!) - solo Daniel & Cassius, descant MRA
Speech: Jude introducing musicians
8. Veni Emmanuel - solo Josh & Ralph
9. Exultate - solo Stefan

Interval

10. Carol of the Bells
11. Gloria in Excelsis
Speech: Barney with Cassius on keeping robes clean, big hoods
12. The Fountain - solo Ralph
13. Eternal Light - solo Stefan
14. Sing the Story - solo Luke
Speech: Liam on voices changing & with Libera since age 8
15. Ave Verum - solo Carlos
16. In Dulci Jubilo
17. Glory to Thee - solo Eoghan
Speech: Nano Ben on learning songs in 2 months, thank you in Tagalog
18. How Shall I Sing That Majesty - solo Stefan & Eoghan

Encore: White Christmas - solo Stefan
Encore: Tagalog song "Himig ng Pasko" (Hymn of Christmas) - solo Ralph & Isaac

Yuki's Concert Program Song List 

View of stage with special effects screen in center and 1 of 2

 projection screens on side so audience can see Libera better.

Hannah's view from 4th row back

Front & right side. Hi Mummy-san & Yuki! :D

Sam Coates & Ben Crawley working. :)

Hannah's pic of far right side

Pics of Hannah's concert program

The concert started off with the playing of the UK and Philippines national anthems and a word from Robert de Ocampo. Hannah said the concert was so good she had palpitations and goosebumps. lol.

There was a Meet & Greet after the concert, but only 150 people were allowed to go through the line! Hannah was #151. :( So Yuki helped her ask Andy Winter, and he let her through the line! :D

Thank you to Enyu, Yuki & Hannah for the pics! :) If you repost any pictures, please give them credit.

The Libera Playground

Look at all the TV news cameras!

This is so great! Libera attended a donation ceremony today for Children's Hour. This is a charity that "aims to provide marginalized Filipino children with a better life; giving them better access to quality education, quality health and nutrition and a quality way of life." They ask people and corporations to donate at least 1 hour of salary or earnings each year. Pretty simple, and it's easy for everyone to do. :)

First the British Alumni Association donated P150,000 to Children's Hour. This is Former Finance Secretary and British Alumni Association Chairman Roberto de Ocampo, British Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie, a distinguished member of the British Council, and Children’s Hour Executive Director Evangeline T. Mayuga.

Then they announced that a portion of Libera's Philippines concerts proceeds is being donated to Children's Hour to construct the Libera Playground in Calauan, Laguna. Stefan, Barney, Eoghan, Ciaran and Tom got to unveil the plaque along with some cute kids from Calauan, Laguna. Aw. Pull the cord! :)

This plaque will be displayed at the playground. It reads, 

Libera Playground

Donated By: British Alumni Association

(Under the Chairmanship of

Former Secretary of Finance

Roberto de Ocampo)

With the Special Acknowledgement of LIBERA,

the chart-topping London boys choir

whose concert in Manila as

Ambassadors of Goodwill

helped raised funds for this project and

foster Philippines-UK Friendship.

Children’s Hour presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Libera and the British Alumni Association for their donations and acts of goodwill. Stefan got to accept on behalf of Libera. :)

They showed the video of Libera singing "Bayan Ko" in the Philippines in 2009. Then there was a press conference with Kavana, Ralph, Liam, Cassius and Michael answering reporters' questions!

Congratulations Children's Hour, Libera and British Alumni Association, and thank you for the work you do in helping the Philippines disadvantaged kids. 

Thank you to Libera360 for the excellent article about this ceremony! You can read the full article here. 

JB wrote to me to let me know about this Facebook page that has more pictures. Um, I don't know who owns this FB page, so just stay on this photo page. And he said not to go to the blog page cause it has viruses. But it has soooo many cute pictures of this event. Too many to post all the pictures. Here's a few. Check out the rest here.

The press conference - Kavana, Ralph & Liam

Cassius & Michael

I love Kavana's eyes! :)

And Ralph's eyes. :)

For all the Liam fans! ;)

We know Cassius is very poised in front of the camera.

Look how cute Michael is with all those microphones in his face.

Philippines Fun

This is the posting where all the fun stuff outside of the concerts and autograph signings will go. Of course we are hoping for a lot of great behind-the-scenes pictures from Libera. And maybe the boys will do a blog about their adventures. :)

This picture was posted by Libera360. They said that after the M&G at the Block, the boys "were treated to a lavish welcome dinner complete with a cultural show after which the Libera entourage were invited to try their hands (or feet) at the Philippine traditional 'Bamboo' dance, the Tinikling." The winners of the dance-off were Eoghan and Kavana! Excellent! We need a video of that! :D

Manila M&G Videos

Thanks to Eric Paulin for posting these Manila Meet & Greet videos! This is the first signing group.



Second signing group. When he asks Jude what his name is, Jude says, "I'm Jude. I'm his brother," and points to Luke. lol. He also gave Josh a birthday present. A Liberians PH 2012 calendar with fan messages written on the back. :)



And Libera leaving The Block walking through the gauntlet of screaming fans. hehe You can hear someone ask them, "Who's your favorite in the new batch." They say, "Ben Fairman, Eoghan McCarthy, Barney Lindsell, Dylan Duffy and Matthew Madine." He then tells them Eoghan is pronounced "Owen." I'm just impressed they've memorized everyone's last names. :)