Friday, October 26, 2007 Rivermaya still rocks! By Nelson C. Bagaforo
FORGET about Rico Blanco! Rivermaya still rocks even without him and will continue to rule with the band's renewed commitment to stay true to its music and its fans.
On Saturday, the three members of the band -- Mark Escueta (drums), Mike Elgar (guitar) and Japs Sergio (bass) -- were in the city to perform at Studio 23's Bay Break Nationwide Jam '07 at Mergrande Ocean Resort.
Yes, Studio 23 is giving its all-out support to the group, who performs its station ID song "Sumigaw" penned by Escueta.
The band's audition for new vocalist is also being aired on the same station through its Sunday program Rivermaya: Ang Bagong Liwanag.
"This is our first gig outside Luzon without Rico (who resigned from the group in April, this year). I hope people from Davao will continue to support us," Escueta said in an interview before their performance.
Their Dabawenyo fans did not disappoint them. Regardless of the distance of the venue, a sizeable crowd flocked to Mergrande (formerly Villa Victoria) to watch the live performance of their favorite band.
That night, as they performed, an energized Rivermaya has proven it never lost a frontman, instead it gradually produced three -- in the persons of the three remaining members who could also do the vocals, other than playing their instruments while performing on stage. The energy, the passion is still there -- an authentic Maya loved by thousands of fans.
They performed tracks from their all-new five-song EP, entitled "Bagong Liwanag", which hit the market in August, including "Sayang," which the band described as an open letter to the fans through a song written by Sergio. The EP album is doing well in the market.
The response was just overwhelming, with fans screaming as they sang along with the band.
Yes, they have proven once again that they are indeed the "Banda ng Bayan," as music fans all over the country dub them.
For Escueta, the remaining founding member of the band, there's no reason at all for them to stop even as they are trying, and doing their best, to cope with the "most difficult times of our career."
"We are still in the process of getting back on our feet. Mahirap mawalan ng kapatid, lalo na't marami na kayong pinagsamahan sa matagal na panahon. But we have to move on for those who believe in us (referring to their fans and friends in the music industry)," Escueta, who cannot hide his disappointment over Blanco's leaving, said.
"Masama ang loob ko the way he left us. We were never given a reason, basta't ayaw niya na. He left us unprepared," he said.
Blanco's resignation from the group also shelved some major projects, including the release of an Asian album.
Rivermaya was set to sign an international recording deal and release a follow-up album in Asia in mid-2007 when Blanco unexpectedly announced his resignation.
"But we will push through with the Asian album. Warner is just waiting for the release of our new album in December," he said.
Rivermaya will launch a new album in December under Warner Music Philippines.
"With the new album is the newest member of our family," Elgar said.
The newest member of Rivermaya joins the family this week. The grand finals night, after a grueling two-month search for the right brother through special auditions, was held Wednesday night at the Music Museum.
The invitational event, presented by Smart, Samsung and San Miguel Beer, in cooperation with PLDT and Human, will be broadcast in a two-hour special on Sunday at 9:15 p.m. on Studio 23.
"By Friday, kasama na namin siya sa studio. We're very excited. Kahit sino ang manalo, he's very welcome sa grupo," Elgar said Saturday. (This article was written Tuesday when the winner of the search has yet to be revealed.)
