Pinoy indie music thrives outside Manila

ILIGAN band Such: Songs about dreams and relationships in a desolate tone

In just four hours, we saw the vitality of the band music scene outside Metro Manila, at a free concert held last week in this lovely seaside province.

The show, sponsored by the local government and ambitiously titled “Libertad: The 1st National Indie Music Festival,” ushered in the celebration of the 67th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing of the US liberation forces that ended World War II on this side of the Pacific. At first we thought the idea preposterous—a “national” indie music fest with just eight bands, five of them Leyte-based.

We were proven wrong.

Though the first two bands, Repapipz and Kwadro (both from Tacloban), clearly needed more confidence, it didn’t mean their music was of inferior quality. The punk-driven sound of Repapipz fitted snugly into the themes of its songs, one of which, “Sabog,” took a dig at drunkards. Kwadro, meanwhile, had a flair for melodic grunge and funk.

Two other Tacloban groups, Pizkatz and Banana Project, were no less engaging. Pizkatz’s members jumped around in their skeleton, cat, military, dragon and ghost costumes while playing ska music with Visayan lyrics.

Banana Project, fronted by singer-songwriter Rex Makabenta, likewise performed an all-Visayan repertoire remarkable for its vivid views of romance. One song used the image of bed sheets as a refuge for lovers; another track discussed the nagging ways of a lover; and the last was about looking for a soulmate.

Still another Tacloban band, The Guerillas—whose lead singer Jerby Santo was also the concert promoter—had an upbeat though moody sound laid over serious lyrics like the dilemma of Overseas Filipino Workers.

Chickoy Pura, first of the main acts, represented Luzon. Musicians in the crowd, who idolized Pura, reminded us that he is, indeed, an enduring example of an indie artist who has never lost his principles and vision.

Soft side

He opened with “Beep Beep” as a tribute to the Juan de la Cruz Band, segued to an original, “Reklamo Nang Reklamo,” threw in The Beatles’ “Come Together,” before running through

PIZKATZ from Tacloban: Ska with Visayan lyrics

four more originals that reflected his social consciousness (“Sayaw sa Bubog,” “Rage”) as well as a rarely seen soft side (“Kundiman,” “Bitterly Watching a Breaking Heart”).

The five-member Such, representing Mindanao, traveled from Iligan by bus and boat for 24 hours just for the gig. Its indie rock sound tore through the night at a frenetic pace as female vocalist Kushella Lluch sang about dreams and relationships in a desolate tone.

The last band, Smooth Friction, took us completely by surprise. Representing the Visayas, the Cebu-based group pushed humor-laden music to another level even as its songs talked about erectile dysfunction and other serious issues.

The band took pains to explore an array of sounds—blues, psychedelia, metal, Latin rock—that could stand on their own, but generously functioned as a springboard for “serious mischief,” as Pura described the band’s music.

Vocalist Val Amodia looked menacing with his stocky build and bald pate, but he sang like a harmless dude channeling Frank Zappa while guitarist Danny Mumar cranked out Hendrixian riffs.

All told, the show was a revelation, a cause for celebrating the wellspring of talent around the country that deserves more exposure.

The promoter vowed to carry on next year with more acts; the heavens seemed to give its blessings when it drizzled momentarily during Pura’s set.