December 13, 2006
BSC Gymnasium, Malaybalay City
I would have titled this post “welcome to the parokya ni edgar experience” in reference to a line from the Galactic Lady Intro, which opened the band’s first two album Khangkhungkerrnitz and Burugudystunstuguduystuy. I changed my mind thinking it would be too lame and generic (just like the concert title Jammin’ Sa BSC with Parokya ni Edgar), truly not fit to describe an evening that literally rocked the senses of every “parokyanos” in Malaybalay.
Malou, James Paulican and I entered the BSC Gym a little past 8 PM and immediately purchased beer in plastic cups. We’re just in time for the second front act which happened to be Mokoy Cudal, Joey Cunanan and company (sorry guys, I didn’t catch your band name). The five-piece band unleashed a hard rockin’ set comprised of four songs, two of which I recognized-Black Crowes’ Hard To Handle and Buckcherry’s Crazy Bitch. Up next was the Malaybalay City Water District Band. With a standard show band line-up (guitar-bass-keyboards-drums-two female vocalists), the band dished out standard show band staples from The Corrs, Heart, Yeng Constantino (!) and Rainey Fatima. I don’t really dig their set though it provided a little breather while James buys our second round of beer. After the MCWD Band, lights dimmed a little while some roadies are fine tuning the instruments.
After a little while, wild cheers erupted from the crowd as the Parokya boys are seen on the wide screen climbing the stairs of the gymnasium’s stage. It got even wilder when they finally hopped on stage, strapped their respective instruments and Chito walked in while occasionally waving and flashing the devil’s horn sign to the crowd. Mayhem followed as PnE opened their show with their first hit single Buloy. Its good that we’re standing in the middle of
the jam-packed gymnasium because it is where the action is (translation:mosh pit!). And the only way to really enjoy a concert like this is to let go of all your inhibitions. So all night long we were jumping, slam dancing and singing along with the giant and appreciative crowd. Next song is Mang Jose which resulted to more head banging. Chito then announced that their next song is Para Sa ‘Yo, then the band launched into the chorus of Manny Pacquiao’s song of the same title (…para sa yo ang laban na to….).bwahaha! They did sung their own Para Sa Yo after that brief filler though. Being a consistent hit maker for more than a decade, Parokya’s songs are memorized by almost all of the audience by heart. I guess the band performed sixteen of their biggest hits—Buloy, Mang Jose, Para Sa Yo, Silvertoes, First Day Funk, Halaga, Gitara, Harana, This Guy’s In Love With You Pare, The Yes Yes Show, Don’t Touch My Birdie, Mr. Suave, Inuman Na, Papa Cologne, Sayang and Sampip. They even did Kamikazee’s Narda , stopped after the first chorus, then Chito thanked the audience for supporting the other pinoy bands (Kamikazee, Spongecola, Rivermaya, Hale, etc.) because the music scene now is as alive as the early 90s when the hit charts were all dominated by the pinoy rockistas. Throughout the show, Parokya’s famous sense of humor is very much evident through Chito’s antics, wisecracks and witty remarks. After singing Don’t Touch My Birdie he told the audience “pag tumawa tayo sa mga bastos na kanta hindi ibig sabihin nun bastos tayo…meron lang tayong sense of humor.” After their fifth song he announced “bago kami magpa-alam….” The crowd
jeered thinking the show is about to end. He then proceeded…”bago kami mag-paalam aawit muna kami ng maraming kanta!” PnE’s back-up vocalist Vinci was not around that night due to school commitments. According to Chito “priority namin ang education so wala ngayon si
Vinci kasi ten years na sya sa college, ngayon pa lang sya ga-graduate”. They did The Yes Yes Show with guitarist Gab doing Vinci’s rap part, generously helped by the audience who knew the song word for word. In the middle of the show Chito told the crowd ‘yung gustong mag-CR, mag-CR muna kayo at mag-jajamming lang kami dito.” He then sang their latest hit Gitara and the classic Harana (which was given a twist called Harana Part 2) backed up only by the two guitarist, Gab and Darius. It seems like they don’t ever want to stop as Chito announced “ang problema naming ngayon, last song na sana namin ito pero ayaw pa naming bumaba. Kaya isipin nyo na lang last song na namin to!” then proceed to sing more songs. The night ended with my personal all time-favorite Parokya song Sampip.
After it was all over, my shirt was already drenched in sweat, my voice a little hoarse and I barely notice that almost three hours have gone by. When the gymnasium lights were turned on, wide smiles of satisfaction can be seen on everyone’s faces. That night Parokya gave one hell of a (Yes Yes) show and every one did have a good rockin’ time.
