It is rather funny how I have seen The Cab perform twice, have experienced the fun with my Davids (Archuleta and Cook) on not less than two occasions, attended some battle of the bands and I have not even seen Urbandub, not even once. How the flipping heck did that happen? Why did I allow that to happen?
Number 1. We all have this notion that foreign acts may not get to come back to our country and we would only get that one chance of a lifetime to see-slash-meet them so we are taking chances. Most especially if they aren't Maroon 5 or The Script or to teens, Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift or to K-peeps, Bigbang or Super Junior big that would make them very marketable and would fill the whole arena, sold freaking out. Some are even too huge (see Adele and One Direction) or not too mainstream (underground/indie foreign bands/artists) that the chances of getting them to have a one-night show in here are pretty thin though we are not to close the doors. It could happen, we just cannot tell when.
My point here is that with the local bands, one would think that they are totally "tangible". They would have bar gigs (Saguijo being the famous) and conduct mall tours here and there. One may even get to bump with them as you walk around public hangouts like Bonifacio Global City/Highstreet, Eastwood...if you'd get lucky. There would be so many opportunities. But the truth is, they are not as reachable as they would have seem. Or maybe the other element is playing a major role. And that element is your own self. And your excuses.
Number 2. Local gigs start late. (No, that is not called Filipino time for crying out loud. Filipino time is "on time". And don't even get me started.)
I've been wanting to see Urbandub since high school but being a girl obsessed (just to a certain point. lol at the defensiveness.) with bands and their music has its down points.
A) You can't possibly go on gigs alone (that is too risky).
B) I don't have a boyfriend to drag into going to concerts. (This, I don't really mind lol)
C) Studies always come first (This is a choice.)
Number 3. Security. I don't know if it's our hospitable nature that producers would keep the foreign artists so secured with loads of body guards and bouncers during the stay or we just want to look good or whatever. But what is overwhelming on their part is what's lacking with the locals. It just wasn't that organized (security-wise), sorry to say, most of the time.
What's the deal with this band, anyway?
Urbandub is this underrated band from the queen city of the South, Cebu and I have been wanting to see them play ever since I get to know their music back in my latter years in high school. Don't get me wrong, though. They are actually huge. I've heard from the people who has gone to that South Station gig (in Alabang) that it was only that night in months that they had that kind of a huge crowd beating the likes of Slapshock, Wolfgang and even Gloc-9. I've never been more proud. It's just that they deserve all the attention and even more than what they actually got. But still, for as long as you're making music, good music, I think it doesn't really matter to them. It's that self-fullfillment on their side that matters to them the most. Every new admirers other than the good old fans who had stuck with them from the underground days up to now is just an icing on the cake.
Every time they were to have a show nearby it's either I was too busy with a project/it was raining real hard they won't allow me to go/I have no one to go with.
Now that I am done with school, I am not to pass on with the opportunity when it knocked somewhere close to where I am currently having my job. Or not. To be honest, I still am contemplating to go up until the last minute. Then I decided that I've got nothing to lose, anyway, and it is one off the bucket list to finally (after years of waiting) "experience" them so... after our office hours (and overtime), I went straight to the venue to check it if has started and gladly, it was yet to start when I arrived. Let's get it on.
I decided to stay for 6 songs (longer than it has taken me to wait on them, actually) for it was late and I still have work the following day, not to mention my travel back home would usually take 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the road situations. And I need not to finish the whole set to know what they are capable of. They have always been awesome especially on a live show, or so I was told before, and now I can attest to that.
The Setlist (before I left the venue)
1) An acoustic version of a song I did not know (what a shame, right?) but it has that "Long time, no see.. Long time to be away from each other. It's been a long time, but I still remember us." lyrics that I really just adored even from hearing it that first time.**
2) Soul Searching (the fing bass. Darn. I missed Lalay Lim's graceful bass playing. But she needs to pass because rest.)
3) Frailty (I'm glad I was able to see them live doing an acoustic sort of performance at first. Then at the middle started to build up to the intensity that I truly love. Rocking hard!!!! This is actually my phone's caller tone.)
4) The Fight Is Over (loudest cheers because the song and the funny yet sensible banter. Self-explanatory)
5) Endless, A Silent Whisper. I just love his banter where Gab said "We should never take our loved ones for granted."
6) Alert The Armory (but I already left before they even started singing)
I'm glad they sang most, if not all of my favourite songs from them. Seriously, were they able to read my mind? If I wasn't dressed in my office attire, long sleeves, skirt and heels and all I would have rocked out hard. But I was dressed inappropriately for a place like that. If I was an alcoholic drinker I would have gotten a better view of the stage. Closer to the middle. But I won't drink (I can, I had but I won't. See, there is always a difference. Ha ha.) I may loathe how the people nearby smoked to death but all the pluses of this moment is way greater than the minuses.
It didn't stop me from singing along and enjoying the set.
I'd love to see them perform again, with Lalay next time. I missed the harmonies (although there's John to fill that part) and she is actually my favourite Udub person, also, she's one of my musical heroine so to speak. Thanks to Russel of Fastpitch for filling her part up, though.
End Notes:
Knowing how my blogs are usually posted "real-time", some I even have drafted on the day of the occurence that is share-worthy... this is quite a late post. I have plenty of blog ideas prior to the end of the month of June but have decided to post them this month instead. We'll see in the coming days.
Title of the post is as inspired by a song of the same title off the band's recent release, The Apparition. It wasn't their most successful to date but it is critically acclaimed for its boldness, tackling major social issues like politics and religion and not just love and relationships which is mostly the theme of their previous works.
Photo taken days before the actual gig. The stage is set early on. Apparently I wasn't the only one that's excited to see them.
** Knowing me, I did resort to Googs to see if that first song that they did is sort of a cover song or whatever but I've checked even the second Search page (desperate lol) I couldn't find it anywhere. Well okay, if it is from the new studio album that they are working on, dang, I can't wait to grab a copy of that.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld
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