RIVERMAYA ROCKS!

“Am I real? Do the words I speak before you make you feel? That the love I lay for you will see no ending. Well if you look into my eyes then you should know. That there is nothing here to doubt, nothing to fear. And you can lay your questions down cause if you’ll hold me. We can fade into the night and you’ll know…”



These were the lines we’ve heard from the Rivermaya main man – RICO BLANCO. A pause – then screams (mostly comes from girls) then slowly, you’ll hear the crowd singing the chorus “the world could die and everything may lie still you shain’t cry. Cause time may pass but longer that it’ll last I’ll be by your side… forever by your side…” All hands were up and swinging from left to right as if someone was there guiding us.

07 May 2006 at RCA Bangkok, Thailand. A Rock Concert was held featuring the RIVERMAYA as the main band. The show started at 6pm with some other front acts from Thailand and Malaysia. It was good though, specially the one from Malaysia. A band called “Love Me Butch.” I’ve described them as “clean rockers.” Yeah, they really look tidy though they’re sweating so much while they’re doing those rock moves. It was fun watching them and listening to their music. Though it just seems like noise to other people, I did appreciate it. I mean, you’ll just have to see the music the way those rockers see them, right? Then you will feel, its not noise at all, it makes sense, actually.

Anyway, back to Rivermaya, they were scheduled at 9pm. Most of the Filipinos, like us, went there as early as 5pm. But most of them just roam around while some other bands were playing. As for me, I decided to watch all the bands that performed. Then as night is gradually approaching, little by little, you can see those Filipinos coming from every direction and started to occupy the space allotted for the viewers. It’s a dance floor. No chairs. Just a free space where the people can jump and dance as they please. Good thing was that I am already in the front row with my friends so we got the best view of the band.

Exactly 9pm, Mark, Rico and the other two new band members of Rivermaya walked up the stage. As Rico strums his guitar, you can hear the crowd go wild. We were shouting “Rivermaya! Rivermaya!” Rico just smiled, then he started to sing. And he started to rock on. Everybody is jumping to the beat and head banging. As I look at the back, I saw a lot of people. Filipinos, Thais and Westerners. Everybody is having fun. Then, a chanting begins “TAGALOG! TAGALOG!” Without further ado, Rico together with his bandmates started the intro of ELESI “Pag automatic na ang luha, tuwing maghahatinggabi…” The crowd grew wilder. All the girls, including me of course, were screaming and shouting and singing the song with them.

In the midst of the noise, a thought came to me, that all of the Filipinos there, no matter what profession were in, we are all sick. HOME SICK. And during that time, it felt like were healed. WE ARE HOME. We have a Filipino band performing in front of us and it really feels good. They even played the “Lupang Hinirang” but in tune with their songs, of course. And somehow you will feel, Filipinos are not really hopeless at all. Inspite of all those things that’s happening back in our country, we still have a lot of things to be proud of.

The concert went ok. They sang the medley of 214 and Balisong. Then, they’ve got some of their new stuffs with them. Hard rock, man! After that, they waved their first goodbye but no one in the crowd allowed them to go. Everybody shouted “MORE! MORE!” So they gladly obliged and sang the Spirits Theme Song “YOU’LL BE SAFE HERE,” When Rico was singing the last line of the song, no small noise or sound can be heard.“…put your heart in my hand, you’ll be safe here…” aaaaahhhhh! Same thing happened with their second goodbye. Just this time, they sang the patriotic “Awit ng Kabataan.” Rico even said we should explain it to the foreigners in there. “Kung gusto nyo kaming sabayan, bakit hindi nyo subukan… ang awit ng kabataan… ang awit ng panahon…” Wooohhh! Everyone is jumping spontaneously. That was my first time to be in a secular rock concert but I never felt scared that time. Maybe because I felt that everyone there is just longing for a clean fun – a “Filipino-thing” – and since their giving it to us, no one ever thinks of doing violent things. During their third goodbye, they said their thank you to all of us there. Specially for the support given to them because they won in the MTV Asia. After the speech, they rendered us one of their first songs which made them popular in the Philippines. “Isigaw mo sa hangin… tumindig at magsilbing… LIWANAG SA DILIM”

The fourth goodbye was the real one. Maybe the crowd realized that the band had already been very generous that’s why they didn’t request for more. After the show, I went to Starbucks near the concert place to get my things which I kept there. Unexpectedly, Rivermaya also went there. Without my knowledge, as I am as excited as ever, I talked to one of the crew and asked for water. She pointed the corner and said that I should ask the man who’s also drinking there. So I went there and said, “Pwede pong makiinom?” (I spoke Tagalog knowing that most of us there is Filipino) Then, the man in pink shirt turned and said “Pwedeng pwede po. Basta ikaw.” NYAY! It was Rico Blanco. Haaay! I was shocked. And he even served me a glass of water. Quite a nice guy. When I finally came back to my sense, I shake hands with him and said “Good job man! Galeng galeng… we really enjoyed it!” He replied, “Talaga? Nag-enjoy kayo? Thank you ha… ang saya nga dito eh..” What comes next is the natural thing to expect – PICTURE TAKING! Nayahahah :D