Presented by: Garahe
Reviewed: 4 February 2023
Filipinos now have one more reason to be ranked as one of the happiest people on Earth, and that reason is Garahe, a sensational new Filipino garage band.
Garahe (pronounced gah-rah-hay) is the Tagalog word for “garage”, a fitting name for this local band whose second sold-out concert was a celebration of joy itself. With both English and Tagalog being official languages in the Philippines, Garahe featured tracks in both tongues, combining original numbers with covers of popular Filipino rock and indie artists from the ‘90s – ‘00s such as Yano, Side A, Cynthia Alexander, Eraserheads, Razorback, Moonstar88, and Rivermaya.
You didn’t need to understand the words to feel the beat and absorb the electricity. Vocalist Danee could rock the devil gate drive with her Suzi Quatro-esque voice. Her energy and stage presence worked the crowd into a frenzy numerous times and had the predominately Pinoy crowd singing out loud to many of the better-known tunes. Danee fronts the six-piece band comprising lead guitarist JC, who made his multiple electric guitars sing, Ton on bass, TJ on rhythm guitar, Japs on percussion, Paolo on keyboards, and surprise crooner Eugene on drums who got the girls screaming in his brief vocal solo. Their interactions and smooth transitions make it difficult to believe they only came together last year.
Another bonus surprise of the night was a celebrity dance performance by Aira Bermudez. A popular actor and dancer across the archipelago, Aira is best known as the former leader of the Philippine dance group, the SexBomb Girls. Her solo performance to open the second half of Garahe’s concert proved she’s lost none of her talent or appeal since migrating to Adelaide one year ago.
From sweet ballads to heavy rock, Garahe were high octane entertainment that invested in their audience, inviting them to sing along, dance and, most importantly, just have fun. They succeeded on all accounts and most notably, appealed to all age groups. They’re a name to watch out for as they deservedly expand their fan base even further beyond the Filipino community. Say it with me: Garahe.
- Follow Garahe on Facebook
Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet
Venue: Marion Cultural Centre
Season: ended
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