Alex Eala was described as "superb" by Jeff Clark, the frontman, vocalist, and guitarist of TOAST, the tribute band for the 1970s soft rock band Bread.
Jeff praised the Filipina tennis player during the Toast: The Best of Bread concert held on August 12, 2026.
The weather may have been chilly outside because of the habagat, but inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the atmosphere was toasty as Filipinos warmly welcomed the band.
The singer also praised Filipinos for their hospitality during Bread’s first performance in the Philippines.
'"We've never been here before and we were so kindly welcomed by you. Thank you so much.
"We're here to play Bread songs tonight.
"We're here to celebrate this music and we're here to celebrate Alex Eala," said Jeff, who elicited cheers from the audience.
"Congratulations, Alex. That's superb!"
In July, the 21-year-old tennis player became the first Filipino to reach the third round of the women’s singles at Wimbledon.
She then advanced to the fourth round, or the round of 16, becoming the first Filipino tennis player—male or female—to reach that stage of a Grand Slam.
Jeff also said about performing in Manila: "What a wonderful place to play."
TOAST REPERTOIRE
Memories came flooding back for Pinoys who watched the concert which lasted until around 11 P.M.
Concertgoers sang along to Bread's beloved songs: "Aubrey," “Make It With You,” “If,” “Baby I’m-A Want You,” and “Everything I Own."
Robb Royer, a founding member of Bread, gave a video message where he thanked audiences for coming to watch the concert of TOAST.
This tribute band was founded by Jeff Clark in 2017.
The concert gave Pinoy fans a chance to relive the music of the iconic group that was popular during the '70s.
Before performing the popular song "Aubrey," Jeff asked the crowd who among the audience members were named Aubrey. He saw hands go up and people cheered.
He said, "Wow! There's a lot of you. Let's play a song for you then."
He then gave a poignant rendition of "Aubrey."
To liven up the atmosphere, Jeff asked the crowd to sing along as he instructed men and women to compete against each other.
Before singing “Let Your Love Go,” Jeff asked the women in the audience to sing, “No, no, no,” while the men were told to sing, “Yes, yes, yes.”
After performing the song with the audience’s participation, Jeff quipped, “That was beautiful.”
He then told the audience to decide the winner and “work it out among yourselves in the parking lot.”
Throughout the night, the tribute band entertained the audience with Bread’s most recognizable hits, including “Diary” and “The Guitar Man.”
Toward the end of the night, Jeff introduced one of their performances by saying, “This next song is dedicated to those of you who love freedom.”
The band then proceeded to sing “Mother Freedom,” while a video played on the big screen showcasing beautiful tourist destinations in the Philippines, including the Banaue Rice Terraces, Palawan, Taal Lake, and Rizal Park, as well as breathtaking aerial views of beaches, waterfalls, and lakes.
Afterwards, the members of TOAST waved goodbye and left the stage as if to signal the end of the concert.
However, audience members still waited for the band to see if they would do an encore.
The members did return on stage and Jeff told the crowd: "This next song, we heard that it became popular here over the years so we worked it up just for you. This is just for you." They then sang "Take Me Now."
For their last song, Jeff reminded everyone that "goodbye doesn't mean forever."
They ended their Manila concert by performing "Goodbye Girl."
During the concert, Jeff thanked the crowd at the Big Dome as well as their loved ones and the crew who made the concert possible.
"We appreciate you. We appreciate our wives who let us do this.
"You could have been somewhere else. You chose to be here. Thank you for that," said a grateful Jeff.
OPENING ACT
Noel Cabangon served as the opening act and he admitted that he was part of the generation that grew up listening to songs of Bread.
"You're hear to listen to the soundtrack of our lives. Yung generation of the '70s, maririnig natin ang mga kantang iyon.
"Bata pa lang ako nakikinig na ko ng music ng Bread. Part iyon ng kinalakihan kong musika," said the OPM artist.
He performed "American Pie," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko," "Kanlungan," and "Tuloy Pa Rin."
Get a chance to see TOAST when the members perform again on August 15 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
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