Rivermaya roars back with epic reunion show
90s pop-alternative rock band Rivermaya gave a memorable performance, playing a mix of orchestrated songs and guitar riffs.
The original members of the band, Rico Blanco, Nathan Azarcon, Mark Escueta, and Bamboo Mañalac, performed with great energy at the SMDC concert grounds in Parañaque City on Feb. 17. Live Nation Philippines presented the concert.
The Titos and Titas of Manila made sure to commemorate the historic event by wearing customized shirts and headbands with the face of Rivermaya. As someone who grew up listening to their songs with my brothers, attending this concert was an emotional nostalgia rollercoaster.
As the lights dimmed and the guitar strummed, Rivermaya took center stage and started the show with the energetic tunes "Monopoly" and "Kung Ayaw Mo, Huwag Mo."
After playing the first two songs, the band performed other classics, including "The Princess of Disguise," "Hinahanap-hanap Kita," "Ballroom Dancing," and "Sunny Days."
While belting out "Ulan", the crowd sang along with Bamboo singing to the lyrics "Pinaglalaruan ng baliw at ng ulan, At sino'ng 'di mapapasayaw ng ulan? At sino'ng 'di mababaliw sa ulan."
Before performing another song, Bamboo took the time to express gratitude to their fans who had supported them from the start.
"Maraming salamat. Thank you for being with us tonight. People from the front and yung mga nasa likod, we feel you! It's the spirit of this whole thing; we're making history together. So, thank you so much," Bamboo said.
(Thank you so much for being here tonight. We appreciate everyone, no matter where you're sitting, and we feel your energy. Together, we are making history and are so grateful to have you here.)
As Rico played his solo on "You'll Be Safe Here," the crowd cheered and waved their phones, creating a beautiful light show.
They played a classic song called "Luha," followed by "Bring Me Down." The crowd was getting more excited, and the night became more exciting. However, during their "20 Million" performance, they experienced a technical issue where the audio cut out while Bamboo was singing.
A technical problem caused a short break, during which the band came down to greet fans in the VIP section.
After a short break, they resumed their concert and performed the songs "If," "Fever," "Kundiman," "Hilo," and "Flowers." Rico thanked the fans who attended the show and dedicated the song "Panahon Na Naman" to them.
"I would like to dedicate this next song to all of you; it's a small thank you for all the love, all these years," Rico said.
During the concert, the band played a set of classic songs, including "Elesi" and "Nerbyoso." At one point, a group of Higantes made an appearance on stage while the band performed a fan-favorite song called "Awit Ng Kabataan." The Higantes were accompanied by a marching band, adding to the excitement of the performance.
After a short break, they resumed their concert and performed the songs "If," "Fever," "Kundiman," "Hilo," and "Flowers." Rico thanked the fans who attended the show and dedicated the song "Panahon Na Naman" to them.
The crowd watched in awe as Bamboo kneeled at the center of the stage, admiring the fireworks.
After playing over 20 songs for their fans, Rivermaya ended their two-hour show with the hits "Himala" and "Kisapmata."
Celebrities Dominic Roque, Judy Ann-santos, Daniel Padilla, Sarah Geronimo, Matteo Guidicelli, and Kaila Estrada enjoyed the concert. Jolina Magdangal-escueta, together with children Pele and Vika, also cheered for Mark during the show.
Rico's girlfriend, Maris Racal, admired him by bringing a banner with the sign "RICO MY OPPA."