Filipino bands worth a look-see

By Clarence Yu
Contributor

BEING a club show band is a delicate act, and in most cases, we only see the performances of these bands, but we never get to know them in depth.

In most situations, audiences like them for what they play on stage and, after awhile, start to slowly think no more of these bands than just mere entertainment.

These bands, and their collective members usually play for a living, and it’s easy to discount the fact that they have their own lives, experience, frustrations, and most of all, opinions.

Meet Shayne and Brown Union. Think of the real Rhythm and Blues, Pop, Motown and Funk. Hark back to Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Earth Wind and Fire and Angela Boefill. Led by lead vocalist Shayne, the band performs to standing crowds regularly at Aruba Metrowalk, Tropezz at Greenbelt, and the recently closed Bagaberde in Pasig. Rarely will you see such an excellent caliber of musicianship since the days of Music Hall in Greenhills in the 1990’s.

Highlights of their set include cool renditions of 70’s and 80’s standards. “We usually play Top 40 music,” says male vocalist Tobey Padilla. “We call it ‘Chopsuey’ in short,” he adds.

“Filipinos do love listening to sentimental and dance music of 70’s and 80’s and they never get tired of asking the same old song over and over again and we feel happy with it every time we sing those songs,” Shayne says.

And just because they play Top 40 music doesn’t mean they are confined to this genre, at least in terms of influences.

“I count Marty Friedman and Allan Holdsworth as my main influences,” mentions guitarist Erwin De La Cruz. Marty Friedman of the thrash metal band Megadeth? “Yes,” he confirms.

On plans of making an album, “yes, but as of now, we are still waiting for a recording company that will recognize and believe in our talent,” says Rommel Bandiling, bass player and musical director. “We have our own compositions. We have a few and 3 of those are now being played in our gigs: ‘Wonderful life’, ‘I Love You’ and ‘Sadness.’”

“We’ve gotten several offers to play abroad, but often turn them down because we just can’t give up on the Philippines,” drummer Ferdinand De Leon says. “It’s sad too that, unlike here in the Philippines, artists abroad get good support from their government,” adds keyboardist Arvin Martinez.

“We’re too focused on political issues here; instead of focusing and rebuilding a good nation and meeting the needs of every Filipino. We hope that one day, the government can support us in the arts and culture and music industry by bringing back our very own music like Kundiman, Sarswela, Balagtasan and stage plays like Florante at Laura and encourage all the composers to start writing their own songs again,” Bandiling adds.

“Hopefully, people can come to see us and find that there is more than one dimension to this band,” says Shayne. Indeed, with influences ranging from the Jackson 5, to Kundiman, Shayne and Brown Union very much deserve your listening attention.

Another Filipino show band I met is known as “First Five and a Half.” They are of a different breed of show bands in the country since they are more known to split your guts as you laugh through their whole tight set.

Unlike any other show band I’ve seen before, this band will do something unexpected and totally improvised comedy on stage.

The band boasts a wide range of knowledge in songs in their set lists, from rock, pop, AM music to OPM. From getting onstage in skirts, to starting the song with lead vocalist Arf running out into the street while singing, you’ll surely leave the bar with your sides splitting in laughter.

“Our set list depends on the crowd that we examine before we start the gig. The repertoire is quite wide: we can play little bit from the 60s, 70s, most 80s, some 90s and contemporary music,” says drummer Edgar Manuel who counts Steve Gadd (drummer for Eric Clapton) as one of his influences.

The band normally breaks out into improvised jams, much to the laughter and amusement of the crowd.

“Anything goes with this group, spontaneously. It’s like inuman sa kanto….people respond more, they feel its not just a show,” chimes in bassist Kin Garcia. “And we try our best to make them feel part of us during the set,” says lead vocalist Arf Fausto.

But this couldn’t possibly be what they want to do for the rest of their careers?

“We have original material. Recording an album is easy nowadays,” says guitarist Bong Dimalanta. “What we want is a company that will support us, not just record us.”

“We feel that there is a lot of hope in the air,” vocalist Ritci Austria adds. “The Filipino music industry is maturing: compared to before, OPM definitely has a lot more airtime and a following.”

“But then, most of the hits are revives,” counters Manuel. “That’s why I stopped listening to the radio a few years ago and concentrated on the music I love: jazz and blues. As a serious musician, I hate the machine/programmed type of music…it’s so blunt.”

This comment gets a blank stare from keyboardist Mike Abedin who is responsible for some of the keyboard sequencing on some of the songs the band does. Of course, you can tell it’s an inside joke.

Aside from that, you can be sure that the musicianship is top par and is definitely worth a look-see. The band normally plays Mugen Bar at MetroWalk in Ortigas.

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