MANILA, Philippines - In a rare festival appearance, The Dawn is slated to sing its massive hit Salamat as the finale of the upcoming Fusion fiesta — billed as the first Philippine Music Festival –- at the MOA Concert Grounds on Friday, Jan. 30.
“We couldn’t think of a better song than Salamat to say thank you to all the Filipino musicians — for their inspiration, for the songs that transcend generations, and for keeping the Filipino spirit alive through their music,” said Gladys Basinillo, CEO of Carat Philippines which is behind the Fusion fest. “And we couldn’t think of a better band than The Dawn to add the final flourish to the night.”
It was Gladys herself who lured The Dawn to perform at the public festival, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of music fans.
The iconic band is a much in-demand and beloved part of the private-events circuit. “We’ve played everywhere,” said The Dawn frontman Jett Pangan, “fancy ballrooms to racetracks, river barges and yachts to museums, tents by the sea and art-deco theaters, cathedral-like tents to Macau casinos.” The Dawn also probably holds the record of having played all the major arenas in the country — from ULTRA to Folk Arts, and even the CCP Main Theater to Araneta Coliseum.
“Actually, Fusion is a good way to say thank you to all our fans who have stayed with us all these years. We rarely get a chance to perform for them like this,” Jett said. Unbeknownst to its legions of fans, The Dawn is a sought-after band for sales conferences, launches and all kinds of company celebrations, thanks to The Dawn’s roster of anthemic songs.
“We totally enjoy each performance,” explained Jett, “and we aim to be as punctual, professional, and pleasing in every sense of those words. We just like to ‘bring it.’”
In preparation for the Fusion fest, according to Jett, The Dawn has been in non-stop rehearsals to re-arrange its signature songs.
The Dawn finale will be just one of the many must-see highlights of the night. “Fusion will be all about bringing something unexpected, new and fresh,” said Gladys. “It will feature unique never-before-seen collaborations and then some.”