Daily Tribune (Philippines)

SPONGE COLA KICKS OFF US TOUR

The group is on its 20th year, which it celebrated with the anniversar­y show Bottoms up! on 14 December 2022 at the PETA Theater, directed by Pao Valenciano

- BY PAULINE L. SONGCO @tribunephl_pau

Sponge Cola is gearing up for a new internatio­nal tour. The Filipino alternativ­e rock band will be serenading Filipinos in the U.S. with the U.S. Jeepney Tour 2023 starting 27 January at Karma DC in Washington. This will be followed by a show in D’Haven at New York City on 28 January.

Sponge Cola will then head to Buko Bar in Virginia Beach on 3 February; Patio Theater in Chicago on 4 February; Lola’s Happy Bistro in San Diego on 10 February; Kubo in Los Angeles on 11 February; Fremont Country Club in Las Vegas on 17 February; and FT. McKinley Bar & Resto in San Francisco on 18 February.

(Contact Jan (917) 362 4985, Sidney (201) 923 1236, or Ivan (917) 456 2990 for ticketing details.)

The band held its Sponge Cola The Jeepney Tour 2022: Canada in November. It had stops in Calgary, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Regina, and Saskatoon, with guests Gloc-9 and Shanti Dope.

The group is on its 20th year, which it celebrated with the anniversar­y show Bottoms up! on 14 December 2022 at the PETA Theater, directed by Pao Valenciano.

Formed in 2002, Sponge Cola is composed of members Yael Yuzon on vocals and guitars, Gosh Dilay on bass, Armo Armovit on guitars, and Chris Cantada on drums.

The band’s debut album, Palabas, was released in 2004. Since then, it has become a local music mainstay, known for hit songs such as “Jeepney,” “KLSP,” “Gemini,” “Bitiw,” “Tuliro,” “Di Na Mababawi,” “Tambay,” “’Kay Tagal Kitang Hinintay,” and “XGF.”

The band has released a total of seven albums to date as well as extended plays. Sponge Cola (2008) was the last album to feature Cantada before Tedmark Cruz filled in as the band’s newest drummer in late 2009.

 ?? PHOTOGRAPH­S COURTESY OF IG/SPONGE COLA ?? SPONGE Cola members (from left) Gosh Dilay, Yael Yuzon, Ted Mark Cruz, and Erwin Armovit.
PHOTOGRAPH­S COURTESY OF IG/SPONGE COLA SPONGE Cola members (from left) Gosh Dilay, Yael Yuzon, Ted Mark Cruz, and Erwin Armovit.

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