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ON June
12, 2005, the founder of Pinoy Rock, the band Juan de la
Cruz (JDC), staged the Pagkalas concert at the
World Trade Center
in Pasay City. It coincided with the nationwide
celebration of Independence Day. v As the title
suggested (bolt out, disengage), it was the band
members’—Joey “Pepe” Smith, Mike Hanopol and Wally
Gonzalez—way of ending a certain period in their
near-senior citizens’ lives. v Smith told this writer in
an earlier interview, “It could mean anything from
retirement to starting again a new chapter in our
lives. It could also mean being independent from vices
and all the negative vibes around us.”
We
thought that was the end of it all. No more gigs
together. Let the young guns carry on the fight.
We’re
glad we were wrong.
Because
what happened for three nights (May 2 to 4) at the
Nicanor Abelardo Hall (Main Theater) of the Cultural
Center of the Philippines was something to be etched in
the nation’s music history.
The
three pillars of Pinoy Rock reunited again for the
Fiesta ng Musikang Filipino: An OPM Chronicle, which was
meant for a good cause: to infuse much-needed funds for
the construction of a deep well and the completion of a
greenhouse project at John Mary Vianney Galilee
Development and Retreat Center for Priests in Tagaytay
City. The now sexagenarian Smith quipped, “That’s where
we’re going to retire.”
With
Dondie Ledesma on bass, Wendell Garcia of Pupil on drums
and lawyer-keyboardist Wowee Posadas, JDC performed its
classic hits “Beep-Beep”, “Balong Malalim”, “Kahit Na
Ano’ng Mangyari”, “Titser’s Enemi No. 1” and, for the
staple final song, “Himig Natin.” Gonzalez was solo on
spotlight when he did his originals, the still haunting
instrumental “Wally’s Blues” and the equally
heart-wrenching “Free Spirit.” Hanopol did “Laki Sa
Layaw” and “No Touch.” Smith, well, had new original
punch lines.
But it
wasn’t all loud guitars and drum beats. For three
nights, they were joined in by the 40-piece Manila
Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), conducted by Rodel
Colmenar. Besides melding Pinoy Rock with a classical
sound, MPO did a widely applauded instrumental version
of “Hallelujah” by rock band Bamboo.
We can
say someone nearly stole the show from JDC. It was
special guest Lucia Micarelli, an internationally
renowned Korean-Italian violinist who was introduced to
the Filipino audience last year when she performed with
Josh Groban at the PICC. We learned that Micarelli has
been performing with Groban in his various world tours
for years, as well as with the nearly 50-year-old
British rock group Jethro Tull.
She
captured everyone’s hearts, including Lea Salonga on the
second night, with her version of Antonio Molina’s “Hatinggabi,”
Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Tocatta” and Led Zeppelin’s
“Kashmir”.
As front
acts to JDC, each night had younger Filipino bands from
different generations. For the first night, Friday,
there were the hypnotic Armi Millare, vocalist and
keyboard player of Up Dharma Down, and Ebe Dancel,
vocalist of Sugarfree.
Like any
other firsts, it was just normal to have sudden
“abnormalities.” There was about a 20-minute power
breakdown while JDC was performing its first song “Kahit
Na Ano’ng Mangyari,” the anthem of its first reunion in
1981. As soon as Smith took over the microphone and sang
the line, “H’wag nyo nang pansinin/Ang mga politicians
[Don’t mind the politicians],” the microphones, guitars
and other electric-powered instruments went silent. A
technical problem occurred backstage, some kind of
system overload.
It was a
producer’s nightmare, but Smith was in his unusual best
self, whatever that means. All the musicians left the
stage, except for Smith, who entertained the crowd with
his street-smart junkie comic spiel.
“Ang
ganda sa CCP, no? I won’t say sorry, ha, it’s not our
fault kasi. But don’t worry, we already called the
Ghostbusters,” he told the delighted crowd. After about
15 minutes of playing standup comedian, out of
exasperation, he sat in the middle of the stage and,
from the inside pocket of his jacket, he produced a
sleek, metallic liquor bottle. He invited the audience
before taking a swig: “Pinakamaganda n’yan, mag-inuman
na lang tayo [The best thing to do while waiting is
let’s all just drink up].”
And so
as soon as the power went back to normal, most members
of the audience were more than receptive, as though
nothing happened.
On the
second night, Radioactive Sago Project performed four
originals, plus its version of Anakbayan’s “Jeepney
Rock.”
It was
followed by The Jerks. With these two bands that we’ve
grown accustomed to in smoky bars in Malate and
Quezon City,
there was that usual urge to order beer and sisig from
the CCP ushers. Then again, that exemption to the rule
can be enjoyed only by the late, great National Artist
for Literature Nick Joaquin. At least, Smith was allowed
to drink on-stage, a privilege given to a future
National Artist for Music.
On a
more serious note, Chikoy Pura, vocalist of The Jerks,
wore a shirt with the printed face of the still-missing
Jonas Burgos. As he joined JDC in the singing of “Himig
Natin”, there was a sympathetic loud applause when he
altered the lines with, “Ako’y may kaibigan, Jonas ang
pangalan. Handa na ba kayong lahat, upang siya’y
tulungan....”
On the
third and final night, Sunday, Mike Hanopol didn’t
perform. We learned that Hanopol has been a devoted
pastor for a couple of years now, which might explain
his absence.
Instead,
there was Gonzalez’s still-active blues-rock group Wally
and Friends, with guest bands Sino Sikat, the
ever-fascinating The Dawn and a Filipino folk singer
based in
Australia.
For the
JDC hits, guest vocalists Marc Abaya of Kjwan and Kevin
Roy of Razorback gave what seemed to be the most
powerful performance of their lives. Seeing these two
rock stars of today with six-foot-tall veterans Smith
and Ledesma reminded us of Frodo and his pudgy partner
beside Gandalf the Wizard.
The same
final night also had the longest and most riveting
performance of “Himig Natin”, with Gonzalez prolonging
the fade-out solo guitar instrumental as Micarelli
jammed like a Bourbon-fueled Janis Joplin with a violin.
With
this preserved image in mind, the marriage of Pinoy Rock
and orchestra music has become a reality, and like
Mozart’s and Bach’s, the sound of Juan de la Cruz will
never fade away.
And even
if Smith seems serious about retiring to that retreat
house for priests in Tagaytay, concerts like Fiesta must
have a repeat. n |
