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Saturday, September 25, 2004
Regions rock on
Our schizo bedfellow forgive us, but beer and rock music are both forms of nourishment, eh? Kara Mae Muga Noveda takes us to a musical feast. Don’t look at me, but I’m burping tunes, sweetie.
Late in the night, the lines are long, the sweaty bodies and mouths rowdier by the minute: truly, rock concerts are not literally for the faint of heart.
After two local indie explosions and the cease-operation of an alternative radio station—feisty rock music survives in this region in a few notable pocket concerts.
While critics of rock, here and abroad, argue what year to put on rock n’ roll’s tombstone-- a nationwide initiative sponsored by Red Horse Beer begs to differ by continually searching for the next big band.
On its fifth year, the Muziklaban promises the same juicy deal to ambitious musicians: a music video, recording contract, and one hundred thousand buckaroos. For vigilant sound-trippers however, all these remain to be seen and heard. After all, winning young talents have to deal with monetary realities and what’s pop-cool (read: face value first).
Still, it is fortunate to witness this tradition live on to another year. So on a cool Sabado all-nighter, I celebrated with my friends. Booze and live music painted the usually quiet northern town red.
Orosia Food Park in Consolacion opened its doors to some contending eleven champion-bands from different Visayan provinces. Spread throughout the grassy area were their spirited spectators including standout punks and dreadlocked dudes—a sight to behold for the senior others dining at the restaurant.
Starting late as expected, bands started performing a set of three songs.
Said to have bested a thousand other auditionees, this magic eleven may have been judged as the cream of the crop, but a few of them still did not manage to escape audience boo-boos; Cebu bands had popular home court advantage. Save for the Attack of the Giant Fetus, whose good funk element and brave instrumentals somehow failed to click with the crowd.
It was the bahag-clad folk of the Bahaghari, in contrast, that sent people stirring and shaking in all-island ska glory. It’s excitement like this that makes our island truly deserving to be named the reggae capital of the Philippines.
As the playlist stretched, there were amusing beer-drinking games separately for the males and females in between. Theatrics came in with the Metallica-inspired Four Horsemen from Ilo-ilo.
Dressing up to their biblically-alluded name, they wore Gregorian hoods for the performance.
Nevertheless, it proved to be a ladies’ night. Lady rockers on the vocals sang “A” for attitude.
Amateurism aside, the powerful lady of the Cebu’s first placer band Grape Shot brought so much soul to their original composition, “Chicago.”
Unfortunately she and their song are relative unknowns as of yet. It is still a female voice that led the punk-ska band, Eye Me and the Royal Scavengers from Tacloban and soon to the capital as they earn the sole right to represent the Visayas in the upcoming Muziklaban finals.
The victor announced and beer supply running low, aficionados wave a good luck sign to the winning band. It’s a long way off and as in the triumphant shout of Urbandub’s vocalist Gabby Alipe during the 2003 NU Rock Awards, we sound off: Bisaya represent!
(September 25, 2004 issue)
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