THIS RIVER STILL RUNS THROUGH IT | Classic Rivermaya rocks Vancouver
by Pearlsha Abubakar-Quebral, https://www.facebook.com/, https://www.facebook.com/BusinessMirror/ · BusinessMirror- Pearlsha Abubakar-Quebral
- September 22, 2024
- 4 minute read
At their Reunion Tour in Vancouver on September 8th, Rivermaya behaves just like the Canadian weather, which has been pretty unpredictable as of late. Isn’t Rivermaya supposed to get older? Maybe they’ll be shuffling across the stage, struggling to keep up with all the chord and rhythmic changes. Maybe they’ll sing their simpler ballads instead.
But one of our country’s biggest bands is still as spry as ever, on stage and off, as when the charismatic lead vocalist Bamboo takes his octanol-fueled act through the crowd on two occasions during the night. This nature-defying explosion of energy goes on for more than two hours that it doesn’t seem like more than thirty years have passed since the release of their eponymous debut in 1994. Such a wonderful surprise to see him, Rico, Mark, and Nathan still looking like they’re fresh out of college, albeit with some additional poundage acquired from some extended summer vacation. What energy, what license to fun that they allowed for themselves! Bassist Nathan in particular literally looks very licensed, wearing a security guard’s uniform, complete with name badge. “I feel very safe here,” Mark remarks behind his drums, to audience laughter and applause, while also referencing one of their hit songs (which, ironically, they don’t even sing that night.)
The doors open at 5 pm at the PNE Coliseum on Renfrew (seating capacity of around 17,000). Still, it’s not until around 8 pm that the buzz is finally felt as people arrive in one heavy stream, to a curtain of white with an image of the band’s name in big block letters animating across a bluish background. The lights go out and the curtain lifts off at around 8:45 pm to reveal the foursome taking their places on stage, battered by wild applause all around.
Much of what we hear throughout the night comes from two early albums: Trip (1996) and Atomic Bomb (1997) and throwing in some of their greatest hits – “Ulan,” “Elesi,” “Awit ng Kabataan,” and their encore “Himala” – you have more than enough to keep the audience on their feet. Bamboo can bend anything to his will, it seems, including the audience, who sings along to the anthemic choruses in the loudest voice possible whenever he asks us to. He even looks like a monk at one point, in his gray tunic and shaved head. That, and him filling up the coliseum with periodic shouts of “Van-coooo-vvvver!” followed by our appreciative screams, will surely give any self-respecting Quiboloy a run for his kingdom.
Such strong vocal chords Bamboo has, and as pliant too like his name suggests! I have only ever listened to their records, and whenever their big hits were playing on the radio back in the day. It is my very first time to hear the raw power of his voice, and while they are powerful, they can also go soft and soulful in a split second, as in “Ballroom Dancing” and “Flowers.”
No love appears to have been lost among the boys, between Bamboo and Rico in particular. This is a reunion tour, which means that at some point in time, their union was broken. All water under the bridge now. Rico is given a rousing welcome by the audience when he first takes to the stage. We are only too happy to follow him when he instructs us to turn our phone lights on or sway our hands to the beat. While he is a force to reckon with in his own right, he graciously gives the spotlight over to Bamboo, who in turn shines it on everyone else, wiping down Mark’s cymbals, smiling and pointing affirmatively at Nathan whenever the funky bass licks are let loose, giving props to the San Francisco-based Filipino sessionists at the horn section on stage left.
But Rico and Bamboo’s chemistry is quite special. They give and take, do harmonies together, and have once again linked arms as musical brothers, at least for tonight.
Of note is their performance of “Panahon Na Naman,” whose chorus lends itself to some very familiar hit songs. The band manages to sing TFF’s “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” Crosby Stills & Nash’s “Our House,” Eheads’ “Fruitcake,” some Oasis, and even a little Spice Girls on top of all the modulation in a way that feels like an inside joke. But we all get it: they are having fun (and this old geezer is singing along).
The crowd rouser “Awit ng Kabataan” sees big bouncy balls floating across the audience field, most likely inspired by the interactivity of Arcade Fire’s concerts. When one of them almost touches the ground, I run towards it and toss it back up in the air. And just like that, I am a college student again, free of burdens, hanging out with friends, and having a good time. All in all, a great night to play me a River instead of crying me one.
Playlist as I remember it:
Monopoly (Trip, 1996)
Kung Ayaw Mo Huwag Mo (Atomic Bomb, 1997)
The Princess of Disguise (Trip, 1996)
Hinahanap-Hanap Kita (Atomic Bomb, 1997)
Ballroom Dancing (Atomic Bomb, 1997)
Sunny Days (Atomic Bomb, 1997)
Ulan (Rivermaya, 1994)
Luha (Rivermaya Greatest Hits, 2001)
Bring Me Down (Rivermaya)
20 Million (Rivermaya)
If (Atomic Bomb)
Fever (Atomic Bomb)
Kundiman (Trip)
Hilo (Trip)
Flowers (Trip)
Panahon Na Naman (Trip)
Elesi (Atomic Bomb)
Nerbyoso (It’s Not Easy Being Green)
Awit ng Kabataan (Rivermaya)
Balisong (Between The Stars and Waves)
Encore: Himala (Trip)
#Rivermaya #TsikenStarrProduction #reuniontour #vancouver
EDITOR’S NOTE: Now based in Canada, Pearlsha Abubakar-Quebral is a seasoned music journo best known for her time with Pulp magazine. This review was originally posted on her personal Facebook page. Photos by her husband, music video director Robert Quebral.
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