Serving 'American Pie' in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - The night of March 2, 2011 will be remembered as the day “American Pie” was served here.

Iconic singer-songwriter Don McLean took to the stage at the Araneta Coliseum and after exchanging a few pleasantries with the audience, went directly to playing the Buddy Holly tune “Everyday.” It was a simple affair from the get-go, no fancy backdrop and just the straight-on rock and roll ensemble set up of electric guitar, bass, drums, piano and McLean’s trusty acoustic guitar. Still, these were enough for McLean to transport the audience back to the days when folk and the music of lyrical geniuses reigned.

McLean then proceeded to play the mid-tempo "Winterwood," a cut off his 1971 hit album “American Pie.” Though his first hit album was released at the onset of the 70’s, the immediacy of McLean’s voice, though mellowed by the years, still remains.

This the reason tunes like “If We Try,” a beautiful ode of a ballad that’s one of the best in his catalog, are all the more relevant. We overheard a Don McLean fan note that the singer jumped over a whole stanza -- a senior moment for McLean? – but nobody from the audience seemed to care about it. Apparently, the folks were more than thrilled to listen the country-folk hero mine his catalog of hits and then some. The singer also brought the old-school boogie of “Tulsa Time” with his graying, but solid backing band.

Ironically, it was the slow songs that got the crowd excited; beginning with the familiar notes of “And I Love You So,” to which with pride, the songwriter told, was one of the covers that Elvis Presley did in his [Presely's] last album. McLean, with his acoustic guitar, is golden and by his lonesome is able to capture his audience with a hushed intensity that is all the more punctuated when a familiar tune, like “Wonderful Baby, comes along.

Among his surprises was a slow burning cover of Nazareth’s “Love Hurts,” and prompting the night’s first sing along with “Crying.” Naturally the audience was ecstatic when “Vincent” came up – to which the Manila crowd, while listening intently, managed to applaud between stanzas.

So, what more with his iconic song “American Pie”? By then, singing along to the chorus was unavoidable.The 1971 classic hit has the distinction of being the longest song to have reached number one at the Billboard charts, clocking in at 8 minutes and 36 seconds – but nobody noticed it in the concert.

Indeed, that's what happens when time stands still.

source: manila bulletin