Blog

Joey G., short for Joey Generoso, held his solo concert titled Side Ko Lang… at the New Frontier Theater on November 5.

Best known as the frontman of the premiere OPM band Side A during the 90s up to his departure in 2015, Joey G. took the Filipino crowd on an exceptional trip to the 80s and 90s with an exceptional live concert presented by Random Minds.

Indie pop band Project: Romeo from Cavite was the opening act for the evening. They performed covers of “Panalangin” by Apo Hiking Society, “Burnout” by Sugarfree, and their original song “Tugon”.

Wearing a stylish set of all-black jackets and jeans, matched with a pair of shades, Joey G. made his appearance to the crowd. Backed by a magnificent live band, composed of Tat Suzara, Rickson Ruiz, Mark Decena, Donna Moreno, Roji Soriano, and Music Director Bobby Velasco, the concert was an enjoyable treat for fans.

They played medleys of the top hits from the 80s straight up to the 90s including “I Feel For You” by Chaka Khan, “The Search Is Over” by Survivor”, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith, “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins.

Side Ko Lang… might have sounded a tad bit controversial as a title, given the circumstances, but the concert was anything but. As Joey G said, as if alluding to his departure from the band, “Wala akong side. If anything, I’m on everyone’s side”. The concert was meant to show his different strengths. More than anything, it was a celebration of his enduring career in music, and he made sure the crowd enjoyed every bit of it.

Juris, who admitted she is a big fan of Joey G., graced the stage for a moving duet of “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”. She also performed “Di Lang Ikaw” and “I’ll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me”.

The energy was at an all-time high when he played the classic Side A songs like “Tuloy Pa Rin”, “Hold On”, “Tell Me” and for the grand finale (which everyone was screaming for), “Forevermore”.

Special thanks to Random Minds!

By Sandra Mae Laureano

The walls of the SM Skydome echoed with thunderous applause as the American rock band, Saosin, unleashed a sonic storm, igniting the stage with an unforgettable performance last November 3.

Kicking off the electrifying, full-house evening—the first of the two-day concert of Saosin in Manila—was the Thai alternative metal band Defying Decay. They roused the crowd, setting the adrenaline to fever pitch and laying the groundwork for an explosive night of rock euphoria.

Amidst an atmosphere crackling with anticipation, Saosin exploded onto the stage, delivering a powerhouse opening with hits like “It’s Far Better to Learn,” “Sleepers,” “Lost Symphonies,” and “Bury Your Head.” Lead vocalist Cove Reber took a moment to express profound gratitude to the Filipino fans, acknowledging their unwavering loyalty over the years. Memories of their last show in Manila in 2010 intertwined with the present, the fans’ voices echoing the passion that bound them together.

Reber’s words resonated through the venue as he delved into the band’s journey, recognizing the evolution shared with their fans over the years, despite the ebb and flow of life.

The night roared on with Saosin’s explosive rendition of Smashing Pumpkins’ “Zero” and their own hits like “I Can Tell,” “7 Years,” and “Voices.” Yet, it was their song “You’re Not Alone” that shook the very foundations of the arena, ending the evening in a triumphant crescendo.

SAOSIN LIVE IN MANILA was presented by PULP Live World. Special thanks to PULP Live World for the invitation to the show.

The loudest screams last October 31 or Halloween night are not in horror houses nor in theaters for a horror movie, nor any Halloween Party but it’s on SM North Edsa’s Skydome with Silverstein as they returned to the Philippines after 3 years!

The Canadian rock band from Burlington Ontario, which was a part of the emergence of the pool of rock and emo music of the early 2000s, shook Manila again, highlighting their hits of 20 years of music in one night.

Band members Josh Bradford, Paul Koehler, Shane Told, Billy Hamilton, and Paul Marc Rousseau, brought the house down as it clashed again with the “emo capital of Southeast Asia”, proving again that this was never a phase with us, as mosh pits, wall of Death and non-stop singing with the band blanketed the night.

Our Heroine

Silverstein did not hold back in being loud that night as they matched the energy of their fans who waited for them to come back. The setlist was carefully curated and connected with the rock/emo enthusiasts, with screamo attached that just mutes all senses you get when you listen to it.

“We told you it wouldn’t take us 10 years to come back!” vocalist Shane Told told the crowd during one of the many many pauses they had that night to interact with the fans. They recalled that the last time they were in the country while singing on stage was during the deadly eruption of Taal Volcano last January 2020. For safety, all flights going in and out of the country were barred and they remained in the country longer than anticipated. “It could have been worse but we f*cking love it. You guys were the kindest, and sweetest people ever so thank you for having us back here, and thanks for being with us tonight!”

The crowd was on the edge throughout the evening and wanted to set loose with the band as they kept on promising that there would be the opportunity to let it go and unleash everything with a Wall of Death. A wall of death is a type of moshing in which the audience splits into two parts on either side of the venue, before each side runs towards the other, crashing the two sides together. We don’t see this that often in our country as safety was always a big thing in concerts here, sometimes even more than necessary but as the night went deeper, the songs got wilder, and more songs were sung with all the lyrics by the crowd. It was never surprising to see the Filipino crowd sing in perfect lyrics with the artists, even shocking the band with how perfect and in sync they were all throughout the evening. Like we swallowed the whole music catalog of Silverstein for breakfast like it wasn’t decades worth of music.

It was the pandemic that stopped the band from coming back here sooner as all artists have, and the ensemble did not fail to thank the Filipino fans for their support during the worldwide lockdown. “By the way, thank you so much for all the love you gave us during the pandemic… all the live streaming we did… we heard you, we saw you, we video called some of you, it’s a beautiful thing to know, we had that love. When we were sitting at home, with nothing else to do, our show here in Manila was the last thing we were thinking!”

The band was having so much fun on stage that they opened drinks and called to the crowd, “Tagay!?” Cheers indeed as it’s obvious that the Philippine bug got this band good, who even asked if anyone had dried mangoes in their pockets while remembering that those were the tastiest snacks they had in the Philippines!

Misery Made Us

“All the hardships in life, all across the world… we all found something together and that is music,” Shane called to the crowd. “That is the scene, that is this community. So for us to be here, halfway across the world and everyone in this room who is smiling right now is what it’s all about.”

A bit of a hiccup with the sound system stopped the show for a bit but the band took the opportunity to talk to the crowd instead, and they expressed that they never took any of the moments they had in the music industry for granted, pointing out they’ve been doing this for 22 years already.

Two decades and more in the music scene and all the tours they’ve done all across the world and the Filipino fans still reigned impressive as Shane stopped singing during a part of one of the most known songs, “My Heroine” and let the crowd sing. A frenzied, “Oh my god!” from Shane and the rest of the band’s awe that a crowd didn’t need any backing from the vocalists for the lyrics was truly a spectacle. The most awaited mosh pit happened during “Smile in Your Sleep” and it was nothing but a respectful chaos. Everyone pushed and pulled but after the song ended, the camaraderie and respect for each other showed, clapped each other’s backs, and threw high fives to each other who joined in the chaos.

The Wall of Death was orchestrated by Shane Told himself and the crowd was more than ready to clash as the final song, “The Altar/Mary” took over, as it’s the final moment to let go of everything. Witnessing a display of what Silverstein’s music can do to the crowd with its powerful finish, you will see again that rock/emo was never just a phase and all it needs is a reminder that it is part of who we are as the sad generation that coped with music and healed together in the trauma bond we all shared during the 2000s.

We will always be the emo kids, and artists like Silverstein are there to remind us that we all made it to this day and all it took for us to cope were sad songs, eyeliners, tight band t-shirts, fists in the air, and long bangs. Stitches with hearts and angst music anyone? We know you’re up for that. Long live the emo kids.

Words by Arielle Elep; Photos by Kerwin De Dios

Rock your hearts out and burn the stage with the most legendary riffs you wouldn’t want to miss as SLASH, featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, brings The River Is Rising – Rest of the World Tour ‘24 to Manila!

SLASH will perform live in Manila on March 12, 2024, at the New Frontier Theater, with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators for The River is Rising – Rest of the World Tour ’24.

Stay tuned for more information to be released regarding the show via MakeItLive.

Presented to you by PEACE Integrated Marketing, SIN YE LONG, Jasper Entertainment Production, and MakeitLive Asia.