The Sinulog Bisrock Rakrakan Experience

Ninety-eight degrees and rising was the experienced warmth for the live rendition of Bisrock songs popularized by Aggressive Audio, Mantequilla, Indephums, Makadawa, Phylum, Assembly Language, Agipo, D'Kazins, What's The Frequency, Gangrene, and the rest on the list of 17 bands at the "Sinulog Bisrock Rakrakan."

Admirers of Bisrock bands and supporters of "BisrocKabataan" program aired over 93.1 Smash FM converged last Thursday for the first-ever "Sinulog Bisrock Rakrakan" experience at the Associated Labor Union-Vimcontu Broadcasting Corporation compound.

Though it is a first for a Sinulog-related event in line with the activities for the feast of the Holy Child, the Rakrakan was already a sophomore input after the tremendous success of the "Bisrock Rakrakan (ala Woodstock)" for dyLA's 39th anniversary last September 27, 2006.

Ninety-eight degrees and rising was the experienced warmth for the live rendition of songs in the Bisaya rock genre popularized by Aggressive Audio, Mantequilla, Indephums, Makadawa, Phylum, Assembly Language, Agipo, D'Kazins, What's The Frequency, Gangrene, and the rest on the list of 17 bands.

Close to a thousand people were already at the venue at around 6 pm, and Republika (Tingog Kabataan) was already performing when a power fluctuation rendered a fuse busted. The spectators had to stand by for the next two hours. "Biliba gyud nako ka-fayter sa mga Bisrockers. The situation didn't damp their spirits. Willing kaayo sila nihuwat sa pagbalik sa power. Nura'g naka-remind ni nako sa una kon unsa kadako ilang pagsakripisyo nga nagpasinguwan aron ipatagamtam ang kainit sa ilang suporta bisan duna'y bagyong Milenyo," DJ Ram Dizon assessed.

The concert featured the best of today's Bisrock bands who already carved names both here and the national scene, but who all "go home" to Smash where the crusade to support Visayan independent music began like D'Kazins whose vocalist Jhelsea Maine Flores led her pack to play with gusto and confidence before a shrieking and growling audience.

What's The Frequency main man DJ Ram Dizon folded his black wings ala angel of death this time, but still got that prowess to amuse a crowd with his rendition of the Royal Rumble (prrtttt…three points!). KDB is sure-fire fave for the riffs and echoes and delays and halls crafted by Regene "Ejing" Vilvestre, while Republika blast all the more with the unwavering passion of Choy Navasquez. Assembly Language has already come this far and proved they could sound like a British rock and roller. And Agipo which will be holding an album launching this Saturday, the 27th at the Handuraw Events Café (in time for their first anniversary as a band) shone with their brand of musicality. Performance-wise, Jorge "Bisoy" Tapales, the vocalist and composer for Agipo, tops the list for "most at home" with his audience. Phylum, Gangrene, Mantequilla, Indephums, The Ambassadors (I love the way the bassist swings his guitar!), Aggressive Audio and Missing Filemon all came home to Smash where they were "first heard and taken seriously".

Aside from the very supportive LBC Kwarta Padala and free Globe SIM packs given to the first 1,500 spectators (each SIM pack came with a P50 load), brand new mobile phones were also up for grabs that night as a way of thanking and "honoring" the support and the vital contribution of Bisrock fans in upholding local independent music.

The Sinulog Bisrock Rakrakan was hooked up live via Cebu's Rock Fortress and now home to Bisrockers - 93.1 Smash FM, with broadcast time extended 'til 3 a.m. and was hosted by DJ Ram and his partner Bré Ambungan.