Why We All Need to Watch Rivermaya's Reunion Concert
ILLUSTRATION: Igi Talao
If we had to name an OPM band that has stood the test of time and to this day overflows with talent through its music and live performances, it would have to be Rivermaya. The release of the band’s self-titled debut album and first single, “Ulan,” in 1994 marked the beginning of one of the biggest—not to mention colorful—success stories in the local music scene.
Legend has it that Rivermaya started when film director Chito Roño and former manager Lizza Nakpil held auditions to bring together the most talented young musicians within radius to form a superband. This audition process is all too familiar today, with every K-pop group being a collective of the finest pop aspirants, but in the rock scene—and especially back in the day—it’s just not the way things are usually done. Everyone knows rock bands are formed either over a round of beer and drunk conversations, or when friends jam in someone’s garage and realize that they have one common desire: to play music together.
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But the legend about Rivermaya is true. There was an audition process, which left a bad taste in the mouths of traditionally formed bands born in the underground scene. It didn’t help that the eventual all-star lineup consisted of pretty boys from well-to-do families, or that management thought it would be nice to send caged maya birds along with press releases to the media during the band’s launch, drawing the ire of animal activists.
While the original, auditioned lineup changed even before Rivermaya launched its first LP, two out of the five members did lend their considerable talents for that debut offerings: then keyboardist Rico Blanco and bassist Nathan Azarcon, who became the band’s revered formidable main songwriters.
Azarcon soon brought in schoolmate Bamboo Mañalac and Bazurak bandmate and friend Mark Escueta. Perf de Castro, who owned the rehearsal studio where they practiced, soon joined the band. They became Rivermaya’s frontman, drummer, and guitarist, respectively.
It was obvious from the get-go that Rivermaya was going to be something big. “Ulan” was a beautiful thunderstorm that conquered the airwaves. Other songs from the album likewise enjoyed massive radio airplay and garnered positive reception from both critics and fans. If the catchy “Ulan” drew listeners’ ears closer to radio speakers, “214” was probably the first Rivermaya song that sent shivers down their spine. “Awit ng Kabataan” made them rock out and peace out at the same time, and eventually became the anthem of a generation.
Comings and goings
Before the sophomore album Trip was released in 1996, De Castro had already left the band, with “artistic differences” being cited by sources as the reason for his departure. He focused on his other band Triaxis. Blanco then became Rivermaya’s new guitarist. Still, “Trip” was quite the album, spawning hits such as “Himala” and “Kisapmata” and other noteworthy singles like “Princess of Disguise” and “Flowers.”
Only a year after “Trip,” yet another album, Atomic Bomb, unleashed another surge of anthems into the world: “Elesi,” “Hinahanap-hanap Kita” and “Kung Ayaw Mo, Huwag Mo,” among other choice cuts.
The band toured around the US and Canada in 1998, the same year Bamboo left the band. It was a letdown for fans, but it wasn’t the end of Rivermaya. That just wasn’t possible.
Blanco took over vox duties. Nathan and Mark stayed on, too. Rivermaya released Free, their fifth album in 2000. Limited CDs of the album were given away, literally for free.
Over the past three decades, the band has undergone several lineup changes. There might not be any other mainstream OPM rock band that has changed members as frequently as Rivermaya. Let’s not even talk about the changes in management; that might not be a story everyone wants to hear, or remember.
Past members include Japsuki, Daydream Cyle and Peso Movement’s Japs Sergio; Kakoy Legaspi, who co-wrote “Balisong” and has also played guitar for the likes of Barbie’s Cradle, Dong Abay, Cynthia Alexander, and Peryodiko; Jayson Fernandez who, in true old-school Rivermaya fashion, bagged his role as a vocalist through a televised audition process; Overtone’s Norby David; and more recently, Ryan Peralta who is now with PDO Project and owns Drumstart, a company that offers facilitated drumming events.
At some point, Bamboo returned to the Philippines after spending time in the U.S. and formed his eponymous band, (which also included Azarcon in the lineup), and then became a solo act. Azarcon , meanwhile, became part of Pinikpikan, Kapatid, and formed Hijo, before returning to Rivermaya. Blanco, eventually realizing he wanted to be his own singer-songwriter and not just a part of a band, launched a very successful solo career.
But that doesn’t mean Blanco wasn’t proud to be part of Rivermaya. In the cover story for the May 2000 issue of Pulp Magazine, the frontman of the then trio known as Rivermaya said, “What matters is that 20 or 30 years from now, laos na ang lahat ng band ngayon but I’ll still be proudly holding our albums because I had the chance to do what I wanted to, and I did so.”
Banda ng Bayan
And here we are, 30 years after Rivermaya was formed. Many of us still keep memories of the band and their songs that have seeped into our subconscious.
Mike Elgar, formerly of the band 7-Foot Junior, remains the band’s guitarist in the current lineup, with Aiman Borres as a session keyboardist and original members Azarcon and Escueta.
Despite several changes in the band’s lineup and management and a string of controversies hounding them over the years, Rivemaya soldiered on, riding the ebb and flow of a career in music in the Philippines. Is there an OPM band more resilient or with more staying power? Probably not. Unlike the caged mayas that eventually died during that failed PR stunt many years ago, the band has lived the life of a phoenix, rising from the ashes with renewed strength to live through another cycle, over and over again.
Maybe they should consider renaming themselves to Riverphoenix. (*Chuckles, then scoffs at the idea).
Rivermaya has survived because, after having been released into the wild, the band members got to work to put out a dozen records, thousands of performances, numerous awards, and eventually earned a place on the pedestal in the local music scene reserved only for the best of the best. Their legacy continues through their music and performances, and they continue to evolve with its current members, still affecting legions of fans and influencing newer generations of musicians.
This month, it’s now time to recall where it all began and relive the memories.
We now have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear and watch the classic lineup—Bamboo Mañalac, Mark Escueta, Nathan Azarcon, and Rico Blanco—perform the songs that captured our attention and conquered our hearts while listening to them, probably on the radio that very first time. There have been a couple of club gigs and even a “secret reunion” in the past that saw Blanco—along with de Castro—onstage with current members, but not with Bamboo.
This might be the last time we will ever see Blanco and Bamboo perform with Nathan and Mark, belting out the anthems we’ve cherished and loved through all these years. It would be interesting to discover what more these four talented performers can bring to the stage after all the collective experiences they’ve had together and separately as part of other bands and projects over the years. Surely, they’re better and wiser now.
OPM, and most especially RIvermaya, fans should see the show, not just because of FOMO or nostalgia. Missing out on this reunion concert would be like refusing the opportunity to rekindle a romance with your long-lost love just when you’ve found each other again. It’s one of those things you’ll likely regret if you let it slip by.
So do yourself a favor and allow yourself to become part of history. Rivermaya: The Reunion, presented by Live Nation Philippines, happens on February 17 at the SMDC Festival Grounds. Tickets are still available at smtickets.com and SM Tickets outlets.
