Kamikazee wins five Awit trophies

Scene-stealing, stage-stopping rock alternative band Kamikazee proved that band domination still rules local music when it won the top two plums plus three other awards at the 20th Awit Awards held recently at the NBC Tent in The Fort, Makati.

Kamikazee went home with Song of the Year honor for the huge hit Narda and Album of the Year for the rock album Maharot. Aside from the top trophies, Kamikazee scored other major citations: Best Performance by a Group Recording Artist and Best Rock for Narda and Music Video of the Year for Martyr Nyebera.

“Salamat sa lahat ng may tainga. Salamat sa lahat ng mga Pilipino… at Pilipina,” half-joked Kamikazee frontman Jay Contreras who delighted the crowd with his stage antics during the band’s live performance. Contreras rolled himself down the Awit stage and showered beer taken from a member of Session Road while performing before a mixed crowd of artists and music fans.

It would have been Kamikazee’s night all throughout had the members of the group stayed and claimed all its five trophies. The band already left during the announcement of the last two big awards by presenter Billy Crawford. Ito Rapadas, vocalist of ’80s act NeoColours and now a Universal Records executive, received the trophies in behalf of the boys and generically uttered, “Mabuhay ang musikang Pilipino.”

Other major plums are: Best Performance by a  Female Recording Artist (Lani Misalucha, I Live For Your Love), Best Performance by a Duet (Mon David & Bituin Escalante, Alone Together), Best Performance by a New Female Recording Artist (Amber, Manila and Sitti, Para Sa Akin), Best Performance by a New Male Recording Artist (Gian Magdangal, Himala), Best Instrumental Performance (Jerome Rico, Agua De Beber), Best Rap (Ngayon Ang Taon, Jungee Marcelo), Best Jazz Recording (Skarlet, Skarlet), and Best R ’n B (A Single Soul, Reuben Laurente).

Although the Awit production was meant to be a diverse showcase of local talents, the biggest crowd drawers were the rock numbers. 

The show kicked off with an APO Hiking Society medley with Imago, Sugarfree, Spongecola, Itchyworms and Sandwhich singing their own renditions of APO hits which graced the Kaminapo Muna album, which was later named Best Selling Album of the Year.

Parokya Ni Edgar rapped its way with Francis Magalona and Gloc 9, in an equally cheers-drawing number.

But the performance side of the local Grammys belonged to Juan dela Cruz Band, honored as Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino in a special citation. Minus Mike Hanopol (who was in Canada), Pinoy rock royalties Pepe Smith and Wally Gonzales performed Ang Himig Natin preceded by separate tribute performances by Kjwan and Razorback in honor of the band that, as the 20th Awit placed it, single-handedly bankrolled rock in the Philippines in the ’70s.  “Dapat matagal na ‘to ha. Ba’t ngayon lang ‘to,” Smith said when he accepted the special award.

Meanwhile, another tribute citation was given to the late Yoyoy Villame for his contribution to OPM. Other bands that made the show a rock powerhouse were Bamboo and The Dawn which delivered a mini-medley of their hits.

The pop realm was also well-represented through numbers from Gary Valenciano who won the Best Performance by a Male Recording Artist (In Another Lifetime), and a duet from Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez and Christian Bautista and Rachelle Anne Go. The CompanY and Best New Female Artist Sitti performed a Bossa medley classic OPM hits.

Kala went home with several trophies: Best Performance by a New Group Recording Artist and Best World/Alternative/ Bossa Music for its debut single Jeepney, plus a couple of  People’s Choice Awards (won through text votes).

The Kring Song, recorded by Jose and Wally, beat Willie Revillame’s Boom Tarat Tarat for Best Novelty, while Gary Valenciano’s In Another Lifetime won over Nina’s Someday for Best Ballad. For the Best Song Written for Movie/TV/Stage Play, Majika triumphed over the more familiar Di Na Nag-iisa, TV theme for Darna.