Opening a concert with not one but two of the performer’s biggest hits is not usual practice in live shows.
The rationale is simple: to raise the expectations of the audience, and therefore rooted to their seats, up to that moment of climax when the chart-toppers are traditionally played towards the end of the concert.
However, the local rock band Aegis is not about following conventions.
In the mid-90s, Aegis was labeled “baduy” as its power ballad style seemed out of place among the prevailing power chord-driven rock anthems on the airwaves.
Fast forward to the present. Aegis has just celebrated its 25th year in the music business, firmly securing its place among Filipino hitmakers with songs that are certified OPM (Original Pilipino Music) classics and karaoke staples.
The band’s music even made it to the theater with the hit stage musical Rak of Aegis produced by the Philippine Educational Theatre Association (PETA).
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Aegis continued to defy expectations in its recent anniversary concert billed The Christmas Bonus held at The Theatre in Solaire, Parañaque City.
The band kicked off the night with “Luha” and “Halik.”
It was surprising that Aegis decided to start the evening with their two biggest hits.
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One would expect the band to play these arena anthems at the tail end of the show, perhaps as the encore to close the night on a high note.
Maybe Aegis wanted to maximize the vocal power of singers Juliet, Mercy, and Ken Sunot early on during the show, ensuring they had more than enough in case their voices wore out.
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“Luha” and “Halik” are not the easiest songs to sing anyway given their vocal intensity.
However, Juliet, Mercy, and Ken’s voices remain top-notch and in peak form despite their age and years of performing.
They certainly proved this during the concert, hitting low and high notes without skipping a beat from start to finish.
Or Aegis perhaps aimed to get the show right off to a rousing start—and they did!
The orchestral arrangement by the Manila String Machine gave “Luha” and “Halik” added vigor and new layers of emotion to songs that are heart-wrenching to begin with.
The drawback of this strategy was that it deprived those who came to the venue late to witness the performance.
It’s worth noting that the concert, which started at exactly 7:00 p.m., took place just a few days before Christmas—a period notorious for horrendous traffic in Metro Manila.
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TRIBUTE TO PAST HITS
With “Luha” and “Halik” out of the way, Aegis went on to perform cover songs that pay homage to Filipino music and the band’s influences.
Aegis performed “Ang Bayan Kong Sinilangan (Cotabato),” “Usok,” and “Gising na Kaibigan” by the iconic folk-rock band Asin, the anthemic “Hallelujah” by Bamboo, the reggae classic “Kapayapaan” by Tropical Depression, and “Pagsubok” by Orient Pearl.
The band’s rendition of Freddie Aguilar‘s signature “Anak” gave the song a rock feel without stripping it of its classic folk beauty.
It’s not all Aegis as the band invited Felip, also known as Ken, of the popular Filipino boy group SB19, to serve as one of the special guests for the night.
The crowd, particularly the young audience, showed the young performer lots of love, screaming their hearts out and cheering him on as he dished out two songs— “Criminal” and “Palayo.”
Aegis came back to perform the soaring tracks “Faithfully” by Journey and “I Will Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meatloaf.
The crowd danced as the band performed the bouncy pop hit “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus.
Aegis followed it up with their song “Munting Pangarap” from the band’s 1999 sophomore album Mahal Na Mahal Kita under Alpha Records.
A NEW FAN IN JOSE MARI CHAN
The band was on a roll, playing the socially relevant songs “Dukha,” originally recorded in the ’70s by Judas and composed by Vic Sotto and Chito Ilacad, and Freddie Aguilar’s “Bulag, Pipi at Bingi” written by Snaffu Rigor, before retreating to the backstage for a short break.
Taking over the stage was popular singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan who sang two of his biggest Yuletide hits “A Perfect Christmas” and “Christmas In Our Hearts.”
Having Jose Mari Chan in an Aegis concert might sound like an odd fit, but the legendary balladeer shared he has become a new fan of the band after watching and listening to its songs backstage while waiting for his turn to perform.
A consummate performer, Jose Mari entertained the audience in between songs by telling stories and cracking jokes to keep the mood light.
He also told stories about his youth while growing up in Iloilo, even showing off his mastery of the Ilonggo dialect.
On a more serious note, Jose Mari, dubbed the “King of Philippine Christmas Carols,” reminded everyone to spread kindness and cheers in the spirit of the holiday season.
TIMELESS ACT
The concert entered the homestretch with Aegis performing its hit “Basang-Basa Sa Ulan” with the crowd singing along heartily with the band, followed by another powerful track in “Sayang Na Sayang.”
Aegis capped off the evening with “Christmas Bonus,” the Yuletide staple “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” with Jose Mari Chan, a cover of The Dawn’s “Salamat,” and a sped-up version of the band’s original hit “Sinta.”
Speaking of “Christmas Bonus,” generous members of the audience started handing out cash gifts to the band while they were playing the song—a scene common in bar shows.
Credit also went to the rest of the band members Stella Pabico (keyboards), Rey Abenoja (vocals, guitar), Rowena Adriano (bass), at Vilma Goloviogo (drums), for their tight playing, steadily driving each song through shifting beats and tempos.
If anything, The Christmas Bonus Concert proved that Aegis remains on top of its game, still very capable of rocking out relatable emotionally charged tunes all seasons of the year, and with songs that would endure for decades more to come.
