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Manila Bulletin devider devider Stephen Speaks lead singer to hold PH concert tour for Marawi soldiers

Stephen Speaks lead singer to hold PH concert tour for Marawi soldiers

Published Jan 18, 2018 04:15 am
The lead singer of the band behind the hit songs "Passenger Seat" and "Out of my League" is set to hold a series of concerts in the country for the benefit of soldiers who were wounded in the recent Marawi crisis. Stephen Speaks (stephenspeaks.com / MANILA BULLETIN) Stephen Speaks
(stephenspeaks.com / Casey Hanson /MANILA BULLETIN) In a press briefing held at Luna Hall, Philippine Army Officers Club House, Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City on Wednesday, American singer-songwriter Rockwell Ryan Ripperger, lead singer of the three-man band Stephen Speaks, said the series of concerts which will be held in Manila, Ilo-ilo and Boracay, Aklan is meant to show his appreciation and gratitude to the Filipino people who helped launch his singing career in 2003. The Stephen Speaks "Alive to Fight" Tour in the country will run from January 18 to February 17, 2018. "When I was a kid, the Philippines helped me launch my music career and was so supportive of me and we wanted to do a benefit. That’s the least I could do to help out, give a little, a little back to a country that has given me so much," Ripperger told reporters during a press briefing at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Ripperger said that in the United States, news about the five-month Marawi siege also spread like wild fire thus sparking his interest to help soldiers wounded in the heavy fighting by giving a portion of his earnings from the concert. He said he planned on the concert while the war was still raging in Marawi City. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ray Tiongson, on the other hand, said the benefit concert will boost the morale of the wounded troops. "Right now, we have, still have around 96 personnel who are still confined both in the Army General Hospital and in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Medical Center in V. Luna, so (this concert) will definitely boost their morale," Tiongson told reporters. "This will also help them recover fast so that they could still serve our country," he added. The Stephen Speaks "Alive to Fight" Tour will be held in the following venues: SM City Iloilo 4PM (Jan. 18), University of San Agustin Gymnasium in Iloilo (Jan. 19), meet local musicians 5PM (Iloilo) (Jan. 21), St. Paul University in Iloilo Jan 22, Playback Music Festival (Manila) (Feb. 10), back in Iloilo (Feb. 11), Boracay (to be announced) (Feb. 14), and Fort Bonifacio (Feb. 17). (Francis Wakefield)
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