Bisrock bands embark on a campus tour

The Bisrock fever swept through three universities in Cebu recently. Dubbed as ST101 or Student Tour 101, the concert series rocked University of Cebu (June 21), University of San Carlos (June 22) and University of the Philippines in the Visayas-Cebu College (June 23).

ST101, an on-campus organized by Big Wave Productions, featured homegrown purveyors of the Bisrock ("Bisaya Rock") genre such as Aggressive Audio, Faspitch, Urbandub and a guest band for the UP event, Balde Ni Allan.

Urbandub is making waves in the national music scene. According to Urbandub's website, the band, which was formed in 2000, kicked off their music career with a struggling start. Years passed, Urbandub's promising career took shape, with their kind of music starting to attract listeners. Urbandub caught the attention of major music label EMI Music Philippines, when their song "Soul Searching" won Best Song in the NU107 Rock Awards in 2003. Their album entitled "Influence" won album of the year in the NU107 Rock Awards in 2004.

According to their official website, Faspitch was formed in 2000 as an abstract-metal quintet with a goal to take their music to the next level. Individually, they have been training and improving on their skills as musicians. Some of their songs are "Stay This Way" and "A Day Before Pisces".

During the UPVCC event, the school's very own band, Balde Ni Allan, an ethno-rock group of students from UP and one from USC, also performed. The band was formed in August of 2003 as a music group for a UP organization, playing acoustic sounds using indigenous instruments. Balde Ni Allan became a full band when they joined the Red Horse Muziklaban battle of the bands in 2005. After making it to the semifinals, gigs outside school came pouring in. You can catch their gigs at Kahayag and Handuraw Café.

Karlo Mongaya, UPVCC Student Council chairperson, said, "Ang idea na gusto namo ipatumaw: basta UPian, iskolar sa katawhan, aktibista, pero kahibaw pud mulugar og lingaw. (The idea that we want to send across by holding this event is that although you are a UPian, a scholar and activist, you also know when and how to have fun)."

The message of that night was fittingly expressed by Urbandub's vocalist and guitarist, Gabby Alipe: "Continue supporting the local Cebuano music so that it will continue to grow."