New Philippines Tour Poster

Libera posted a newer version of their Philippines 2011 Tour poster. The title says "Libera Flyer as of September 30." This one does not give information about the Christmas Album, but it does show a lot more sponsors at the bottom. :)

Manila and Cebu Meet & Greets

UPDATED October 3, 4

Awesome news!!! There will be a Meet & Greet/Album Signing on Sunday, October 23 at 4:00 p.m. at SM City North EDSA - The Block, North Avenue, Quezon City! This is the largest mall in the Philippines and the 3rd largest in the world! It has a large oval courtyard with skylights that is a popular place for events and product launches - like getting Libera boys to sign your new Christmas Album!!!! :D

Thanks to Hannah for the link to the Astroplus Facebook page and to Liberians Philippines for clarification on the exact location. :) Hope lots of people get to meet Libera! They are so awesome in person! :)

There will also be a Meet & Greet/Album Signing on Thursday, October 27 at 5:00 p.m. at SM City Cebu, Northwing Atrium, Juan Luna Avenue at the corner of Cabahug and Kaoshiung Streets, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City. This is the 4th largest mall in the Philippines and the 11th largest in the world!

Thanks to Fan de LoK for the information! :)

London, UK Concert!

UPDATED September 30, October 3:

Premium tickets are sold out! Hurry and get your seats before they're ALL sold out!

It's official!!! Libera is having a concert in London!!! It says, "Libera presents a concert, to include music from our new Christmas Album." Yay!!! Tickets are available on TicketWeb here or call 08444 771 000. The date and location is

          Friday, November 25, 2011, 7:30 p.m., doors open 6:45 p.m.
          St. George's Catholic Cathedral
          Lambeth Road, Camberwell, Greater London, UK

Tickets are
          30.00 BPS - Premium Seating  SOLD OUT!!!
          17.50 BPS - General Seating Full Price
          10.00 BPS - General Seating OAPs & Children 16 & under

This is where they performed last year in November 2010. It is so exciting for the UK and European fans! I'm guessing it would be a Christmas concert like the one next month in the Philippines. So the UK would get to have their own Christmas concert, too. And much closer to Christmas. :)

November 25th is the day after our Thanksgiving Day, so people from the US could go! We usually get off school part or all of Wednesday and all of Thursday and Friday, so if parents can get off work... Just sayin'. :) 25 relatives will be descending on my house that week. Sigh. lol. Yeah, I'll look forward to hearing how everyone else liked it.

And thanks to Fan de LoK for the link! :)

Songs of Praise Videos

Our friend, Michael from the UK, got to go to the Songs of Praise 50th Anniversary concert. I previously wrote about the fans' point of view here. He also recorded the show that was on TV and put it up on YouTube in 2 parts! Thanks so much, Michael!

Part 1 - The queue is so huge! I guess that's what a line of 7000 people looks like. lol. The concert was at the Alexandra Palace which is nicknamed the Ally Pally. lol. This is where the BBC had its first broadcast 75 years ago! I noticed that the show is in a different order than is listed on the program from the week before. You first see Libera at 4:20. Good thing the boys are used to long rehearsals and keeping their robes clean while waiting around all day. :) You can see Steven Geraghty, Sam Coates, Sam Abouelfaid and Simon Lewis on the 3rd row with them. And you can see another former Libera member, Simon Beston, singing on the opposite side at 16:05. Andrea Bocelli is amazing! Before we found Libera, my mom and I used to sing along to his CD's while driving to church to warm up for choir. Sometimes we still do. He goes so high and has crazy breath control. On one song the last note is held out for 24 beats. :D



05:10 - "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer"
09:30 - Katherine Jenkins - "Love Divine"
14:38 - "O When the Saints Go Marching In" - great view of Libera & Kavana is really fun to watch!
17:10 - Andrea Bocelli - "Ave Maria"
24:00 - "Angel Voices Ever Singing" with organ




Part 2 - 

00:00 - LeAnn Rimes - "Give"
07:45 - Beverley Knight - "I Am Not Forgotten" - love the string interlude!
15:00 - "I Stand Amazed" - the crowd really loved singing this one! We sing this in the US, just not as jazzy. hehe
19:05 - Katherine Jenkins - "Jerusalem"
21:50 - Andrea Bocelli - "Amazing Grace" - this is...amazing!
26:50 - "To God Be the Glory"
31:25 - "Happy Birthday"

There were 27 Libera boys + 5 former members (Simon B. was on the opposite side) -

3rd row - Steven G., Sam C., Sam A., Jonathan, Sam, Liam, Sammy, Tiarnan and Simon L.

2nd row - Josh, Ben, Kavana, Isaac, Orlando, Jakob, Daniel, Nano Ben, ???, MJ and Henry 

1st row - Alex, Luke, Tom, Barney, Carlos, Michael, Ralph, Matt, Eoghan, Cassius & Matthew

WHO IS THE LITTLE NEWBIE ON THE 2ND ROW BEHIND EOGHAN?!!! :D Thank you to Inna for her excellent screen captures. She worked really hard on them. You can see more at her blog here.

Christmas Album Song Samples

UPDATED: October 2, 3

If you don't live in the Philippines and so haven't gotten your Libera Christmas Album yet, ;) you can listen to MP3 samples on Amazon UK here. They are short, so they just make me want more. Thanks to Leslie for the link. And I'm noticing the different cover for the MP3 album! I love the frosty, icicly-ness of the standard CD cover, but the MP3 cover makes me think of Bethlehem and starry Christmas night. They're both great!

And now PinoyLiberian1 has upload a song sampler to YouTube that gives you about 1 minute of each song! Excellent! I'd listen to both sources, because they play different parts of the songs.



Almost all of these songs I've heard my whole life, but now they've all been "Liberated." It's a lot of beautiful harmonies but also really cool arrangements that make them fresh and new. It's great to see that Fiona Pears is playing violin on the album! We got to see her on the Libera 2010 US Tour and have missed her. And Tom Cully is listed as contributing behind the scenes! Cool! 

01. Joy to the World - Great harmonies, nice flow to the music.

02. Still, Still, Still - Want to hear Ralph's solo! Hannah described it as you lying under the stars in the Shepherds' Fields in Bethlehem. Can't say it any better than that. :)

03. Carol of the Bells - I LOVE THIS! I already loved the song, but the harmonies I'm hearing from Libera make it awesome.

04. Veni, Veni Emmanuel - Daniel's voice is soooo perfect! And I like that it's in Latin. 

05. Once In Royal David's City - Most of us are used to little Josh starting out this song on the Aled Jones video, but you gotta admit Eoghan has an amazing voice! Can't wait to hear all of this song!

06. O Holy Night - Another beautiful song with Ralph. Not sure who is singing the harmony with him. I like the tempo of Libera's version. Sometimes this song can drag a bit. Glad it's been "Liberated!"

07. White Christmas - Stefan sounds great! Guess not everyone gets a white (as in SNOW) Christmas. We usually do in Chicago, but I always have to go to Florida for Christmas, so I see it before and after. My dad sings, "I'm dreaming of a sandy, white beach Christmas." lol.

08. Corpus Christi Carol - This is a new song for me, but I'll take anything with Ralph and Mini James, separate or together, and learn to sing along. :)  Is it me, or do they sound especially great in this sample?!!!

09. In Dulci Jubilo - I want the piano accompaniment to this! Can you hear how cool this arrangement is?!!!

10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Mini James and Ralph again. We heard this one before, but I love it. Hope, hope, hope you're still with Libera and visit the Philippines, James! Love your voice! :D

11. Sing the Story - We got to hear Luke solo during the US Tour, and now everyone else gets to hear how great he sings.

12. Coventry Carol - Wait til you hear Josh on this! It's so low and full. Just awesome! It's so different from younger boys' high voices we're used to hearing solo. I can't wait to hear how Ralph and Stefan sound with him, too!

13. The First Nowell - Freddie solos, but I can't hear him much on this sample. He sounded great in Canada and US 2011, so this should be great, too.

14. Jubilate Deo - Oh my gosh, flashback to the tour concerts! Jakob, Jakob, Jakob! I love your voice!

15. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks - Cassius solos! Beautiful voice! Want to hear more!!!!!!

16. Lullabye - We heard this one before, but Josh's voice is so great. Add in Jakob and Ben. What more could you want? Um...the whole album!!! :D

Libera Philippines Ad

Libera posted a TV ad to their page. It shows Cassius saying, "Hi, Philippines. We're very excited about coming back." He got a hair cut and looks so cute! And you can hear some of their Christmas songs in the background! Thanks, Libera!

The Christmas Album Soloists!

If you live in the Philippines, you probably already have the new Christmas Album. Hannah is the first person I heard of who got it. She did not get the Deluxe one, but it still has the picture cards. So does the Deluxe just have an extra silver ornament? She bought hers at the SM Megamall Record Bar. It's also available at Odyssey, Astroplus and Tower Records. She said her favorite song is "Still, Still, Still" and that Stefan's voice on "White Christmas" is reason alone to buy this album! Josh's voice in his solo is very, very low. :D

And thanks to Libera360, we have the soloists list. I count 11 different names! :)

01. Joy To the World

02. Still, Still, Still - Solo: Ralph Skan

03. Carol of the Bells

04. Veni, Veni Emmanuel - Solo: Daniel Fontannaz

05. Once In Royal David's City - Solo: Eoghan McCarthy

06. O Holy Night - Solo: Ralph Skan

07. White Christmas - Solo: Stefan Leadbeater

08. Corpus Christi Carol - Solos: Ralph Skan & James Mordaunt

09. In Dulci Jubilo

10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Solos: James Mordaunt & Ralph Skan

11. Sing the Story - Solo: Luke Collins

12. Coventry Carol - Solos: Joshua Madine, Ralph Skan & Stefan Leadbeater

13. The First Nowell - Solo: Freddie Ingles

14. Jubilate Deo - Solo: Jakob De Menezes-Wood

15. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks - Solo: Cassius O'Connell-White

16. Lullabye - Solo: Joshua Madine with Jakob de Menezes Wood & Benedict Philipp

Wow! What a great group of soloists! I really like that this album reflects a lot of the different soloists that make up Libera. There isn't just one person who gets all the solos. I'm sure Ralph and Stefan will be as amazing as ever, can't wait to hear Daniel, Freddie, James, and Jakob again, and I'm really looking forward to more Eoghan, Luke, Cassius, and Josh! I think it's really awesome that they're highlighting the "big boys" more now! Their voices are all so deep and rich and full! I can't wait to hear the album!!!!