The Winnipeg leg of the North American Tour of the three ’90s-originating band/artists The Youth, Glenn Jacinto of Teeth, and Westdon “Dong” Abay of Yano and Pan was held at Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba on December 7, 2013. My band haLf man haLf eLf, followed by fellow local bands Famathou and Transfusion, opened the show.
It was a real treat especially for the longtime fans of Philippine Alternative Rock music as the visiting performers played many of their ’90s-popular songs: “Mukha ng Pera,” “Basura,” and “Multo sa Paningin (Multong Bakla)” by The Youth; “Laklak,” “Prinsesa,” and “Shooting Star” by Jacinto’s former band Teeth; and “Senti,” “Es Em,” and “Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo” by Abay’s former band Yano. The Youth played also a couple of songs (“Laruan” and “Ang Anghit Mo”) from their latest album. My band haLf man haLf eLf also wowed the crowd with our brand of Classical New Wave music, playing original songs like “For Her Brilliance,” “The Never Ending Sun,” and “Remembering “Lorain’” and original arrangements of “Just like Heaven” (The Cure), “Canto de Maria Clara” (The Camerawalls), and “Rhythm of the Rain” (The Cascades).
The event was also a personal one for me, having been able to play once again with some of my longtime friends in the Philippine music scene. The members of The Youth—particularly Alfredo Manuel “Dodong” Cruz (vocal/guitar), Robert Javier (bass/vocal), and Joseph Carrasco (drums)—were friends of mine stretching to our teenage days in 1988; we hailed from the same area in the Philippines (Pasay and Makati area) and they and my former band Half Life Half Death had played together at countless concerts in the 1990s.
Final Note
The Youth has released four full-length albums: The Youth (1990), Album na Walang Pamagat (1994), Tao Po (1997), and Pirata (2012). As a solo artist, Dodong Cruz released Eksperimento (1997).
Teeth released three albums: Teeth (1995), Time Machine (1997), and I Was a Teenage Tree (1999).
Yano released three albums: Yano (1994), Bawal (1996), and Tara (1997). Abay’s next band, Pan, released one album, Parnaso ng Payaso (2002). As a solo artist, Dong Abay released Flipino (2006) and Rebulto (2012).
Acknowledgment:
Thanks to Jhayzon Paredes (local concert producer), Chris Pangan (sound technician), Jhun Villanueva (sound assistant), Arnel San Jose and Edwin Larosa San Jose for the pictures.
