By John Victor D. Ordoñez, Reporter
Concert ReviewSa Wakas: 20th Anniversary CelebrationEbe DancelMarch 31123 Block in Mandaluyong City
THE MUSIC of Sugarfree continues to resonate with fans across age groups — an easy observation to make during the weekend’s concert which saw the band’s former vocalist Ebe Dancel at his very best performing Sugarfree’s iconic hits to mark 20 years of the band’s iconic 2003 debut rock album Wakas.
The rock band’s frontman reunited with its original drummer Mitch Singson to perform the album front to back along with the band’s other songs that became staples of Original Pilipino Music (OPM).
Mr. Singson — who now plays drums for alternative rock band Ciudad — picked up his sticks once again to play alongside his former bandmate for the second time this year after having left the iconic rock outfit in 2006.
This was the second show dedicated to the album’s 20th anniversary, as the two OPM icons had played a sold-out show back in January, also held at 123 Block in Mandaluyong City.
Sa Wakas has maintained a loyal following over the years, spawning such hits as “Burnout” and “Mariposa” that continue to garner millions of streams online.
No less than Sandwich, another iconic local alternative rock band, opened the show.
The ensemble of Raymund Marasigan, Diego Castillo, Myrene Academia, and Michael Dizon played their face-melting hits from the Sandwich discography such as “2 Trick Pony,” “Butterfly Carnival,” and “Betamax.”
During the set, Mr. Marasigan reminisced about the time he produced music for Mr. Dancel during the early days of Sugarfree.
Mr. Castillo chimed in as he recalled a few occasions when he played guitar for Sugarfree, punctuating his recollection by playful singing the line “Huwag kang tumingin nang ganiyan sa akin,” from “Burnout.”
Cheers erupted as the Sugarfree frontman kicked off the night’s setlist with the song “Prom,” a staple of the mid-2000s alternative Filipino rock music.
“We started the band in 1999 and to this day we still check up on each other as we became really close friends,” Mr. Dancel told the crowd at the concert, referring to his relationship with Mr. Singson.
“I think we became closer when we weren’t bandmates anymore since there was less pressure that was there when we wrote songs together.”
The rock vocalist recalled the times when they used to hand out demos of Sugarfree’s music to the different radio stations hoping to have their songs played on air.
Energetic acoustic guitar playing, smooth lead electric guitar riffs, and tasteful drum fills captured Sugarfree’s distinct sound during the set, despite the fact that only two of the original members played that night.
Mr. Dancel’s vocal range was on full display at the show, as he seemed to sound even better than the studio versions of Sugarfree’s hits.
The band also played revamped and polished renditions of “Huwag Ka Nang Umiyak,” “Mariposa,” and capped the show with the OPM heartbreak classic “Burnout.”
Fans were also treated to deeper cuts of the Sugarfree catalog such as “Unang Araw” and “Fade Away.” The duo showed an unspoken connection and chemistry as they freely improvised guitar, vocal, and drum melodies between song refrains.
The frontman thanked the many fans who came from across the country to watch him perform the band’s songs which are rock anthems of the mid-2000s. He noted that some fans came all the way from the province of Laguna to see their favorite Sugarfree songs performed live.
“It’s hard to believe that we’ve played in so many places with names that we could not even pronounce,” Mr. Dancel said of the band’s heyday. “We are grateful to have found our sound and to still be in the music scene after all this time.”