URBANDUB lead singer-guitarist Gabby Alipe
Cebu’s pride, the hard rock act Urbandub, made it to the lineup in Tanduay’s First Five (TFF) nationwide tour this year, which kicked off on March 30 and 31 in the cities of Legazpi and Naga, respectively.
“My bandmates and I belong to that generation of schoolboys who grew up listening to the Eraserheads, Rivermaya, Wolfgang and Parokya Ni Edgar (PNE),” Urbandub lead singer-guitarist Gabby Alipe told the Inquirer recently.
Urbandub completes the Tanduay pack that includes their childhood musical icons—Wolfgang, PNE, Kamikazee and ex-Rivermaya frontman Rico Blanco.
“We’re thankful to Tanduay because they chose our band among the younger batch,” said Alipe.
Free concerts
Now on its fifth year, TFF helps keep the live music scene going by bringing free rock concerts to the provinces. On the average, the tour covers 30 key cities every year.
Blanco was part of the first TFF in 2008, right after he left Rivermaya and went solo. At this year’s TFF launch, he emphasized that Pinoy rock—which is part of Original Pilipino Music (OPM)—is not fading away, contrary to the perception that most of the younger generation prefer foreign and local solo acts and other diversions.
“It’s a matter of opinion, but for me, Pinoy rock is here to stay,” he said.
KAMIKAZEE vocalist Jay Contreras
The revitalized Wolfgang is on its second year in TFF. Vocalist Basti Artadi said, “I experienced the rock scene in the 1990s and I can say that nowadays, the audience is still there, andwith the same intensity. It’s just a younger crowd.”
Jay Contreras (Kamikazee) and Chito Miranda (PNE) agreed that corporate sponsorship helps them reach out to their fans in the provinces.
“Listeners can always access our music on the Internet, especially on YouTube, but it’s different if they experience it in a live setting,” said Contreras.
“The excitement, the rush, the sense of being together, the energy from the audience and vice versa—nothing can replace the high of a live concert,” added Miranda.