THE University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) gymnasium in Davao City was filled with cheers, laughter, and some beautiful sing-alongs of the audience as Hale and Parokya ni Edgar performed their nostalgic songs live last Saturday, June 3.
The concert, which was tagged Inuman Session, was filled with college students and young professionals who grew up listening to the songs of the two bands.
While the audience waited for Hale and PNE to come up onstage and perform, they were first entertained by great Davao-based bands, Lost Tribe and Nairud sa Wadab. The performances of the these homegrown bands woke up the upbeat vibe of the people at the audience, making them scream and cheer up when Champ of Hale came up on stage.
Hale performed their famous songs Bahay Kubo, Blue Sky, Broken Sonnet, and The Day You Said Goodnight as the audience sang with them waving left and right their lit cellphone torches in the dark.
Before Parokya ni Edgar performed, the audience at the VIP area were asked to stack away their monoblock chairs in order to just stand up and be nearer the stage. The people were just very glad to oblige and were screaming in excitement in no time when Chito, the vocalist of PNE came up on stage.
Being in the music industry for more than two decades, their songs had been known in the Philippines by the 90’s kids. With the Moonstar 88’s guitarist as PNE’s guest guitarist for the night, the band also performed another song famous to the 90’s kids which is Torete.
People were entertained, not only by the songs performed but also by the humor of Chito with punch lines like “May trauma na ako diyan sa mga video-video na ‘yan,” meaning his leaked sex scandal with then-girlfriend and now wife, Neri Naig.
He also distributed a number of water bottles to the audience much to the excitement of those who were able to receive it.
PNE performed the classics Buloy, Harana, Maniwala Ka Sana, Para sa Yo, and This Guy’s In Love with You Pare.
Inuman Sessions, which was brought by Bace Productions, was still welcomed warmly by the Dabawenyo fans even when Martial Law was declared a few weeks after announcement of the concert. The audience felt safe with the tight security put up inside and outside the venue together with inspections done at the gate and the gymnasium entrance.
