Indie Showcase: TEVANNY

TEVANNY (credit: Caren Tevanny Mangaran)

It is high time the spotlight be focused also on our indie bands and acts. They form a deep well of diverse and amazing talents in the local scene. I will be showcasing once in a while an indie band or act that to my mind deserves a look and more attention. So below, let’s get to know TEVANNY.

1. What is the origin of your band?
Caren Tevanny Mangaran – The band started after General Luna. I wanted to have a band where I can be in between rock and prog metal (since I also have my prog metal band Sanctus from way back).

I had a couple of line-up changes until I got the final four completed (including myself) which form the current members of TEVANNY.

2. What are the band’s musical influences?

Caren Tevanny Mangaran – There’s really a lot but to name a few: Dream Theater, Nightwish, Tool, A Perfect Circle, Steve Vai, Meshuggah, Mr. Big, Within Temptation, Deftones, Bjork, Sevendust, Soen, Primus, Skunk Anansie, Halestorm, Rush, King Crimson, Lamb Of God, Mastodon, 10 Years, Rishloo, Porcupine Tree, Karnivool, Dredg, My Dying Bride, To/Die/For, Zwan, Puscifer, Jack Johnson, Soulfly, Julie Dexter, Cryptopsy, Jamiroquai, Tori Amos, Enya, Sarah Brightman and more. It’s a mix of rock, metal, and other genres.

3. Can you describe your style of music to the unfamiliar?

Caren Tevanny Mangaran – I usually say it’s just plain rock, but we can say we have elements of metal and a bit of prog. I wanna say experimental because we are still incorporating other sounds, too, but our style is not all-out instrumental.

4. What do you think of the current local scene?

Caren Tevanny Mangaran – We really have a lot of great musicians and it surprises me in every gig I have been to or been a part of to discover these new acts and talents. You would realize that some of them are also like us who are independent and have been there for many years and you are hoping that you could hear them on the radio or see them in big music festivals or events. On the other hand, I’m really thankful to have followers from the U.S. and U.K. and our songs are even played on local college radio stations and podcasts in the U.S. The support we have been getting from the foreign media and artists from other countries is really overwhelming.

TEVANNY (credit: Caren Tevanny Mangaran)

I remember that I got to be the only Filipina finalist for the Queen of Strings International Guitar Competition last 2015; it was online, though. But the experience and the appreciation from foreign artists were epic! ReverbNation was also a great way of having your music out there. We actually won the Hard Rock Rising Artist 2016. It was really great to have experienced those things and be noticed by different artists from different countries.

Right now we are being invited by Skunk Records for an opportunity and we are working on it. I guess the local music scene is fine. It fits the pop or the mainstream acts as they call them. I have been doing this for more than 20 years and I am still here writing songs. Creating new stuff is really a priceless thing!

5. Any upcoming gigs you would like to promote?

Caren Tevanny Mangaran –

* November 30, 2016 at Saguijo

* December 16, 2016 at Saguijo

* February 25, 2017 at BSP Camp Pagsanjan, Laguna