The Scene Around: IISA

07/14/2018 02:05:43 PM

Two months prior to staging, I attended a press conference of this concert. It was the third staging of the famous triumvirate in recent memory of the local music scene. Three singer-songwriters that sent a full-flock of people coming to Music Museum twice in 2016, and the upcoming concert promises to bring a sound that is more grandeur, and a larger venue yet filled with intimacy – just like their bar gigs.

Fast forward to the ninth of June. It was a rainy Saturday in the metropolitan area, but nonetheless – and as cliché as it sounds, the show must go on. The third outing of Johnoy Danao, Ebe Dancel, and Bullet Dumas is ON that night. Accompanying them are the Manila String Machine and a back-up band that featured the likes of drummer Mark Villena. Also, Reese Lansangan also served as their front act.

As the pre-production meeting progresses, people – specifically, performers – are starting to arrive at Kia Theatre in Araneta Center, Quezon City. Everyone was starting to prep up and do some last-minute dry runs and tweakings while some are trying to remain up-to-date with the Game 4 of the NBA Finals (obviously, then-the biggest headline maker in the whole world of sporting news).

The tech rehearsals lasted for quite six hours and a lot of people backstage became witnesses on the magic about to unfold come show time. On how the mainstays face the crowd by either a spotlight alone or with the eloquence timing of the orchestra. All in all, more than 30 songs were billed to be part of acts.

Afterwards, some VIP ticketholders were able to get inside before 'open house' hour and treated for a meet-and-greet session.

Clock ticks at 6:00 PM, and as a lot of us are doing massive and rush errands, the outskirts of Kia Theatre were already piled up with concert goers. Everyone is in adrenaline rush. Even the 'cats and dogs' didn't become a hindrance for music lovers of various ages to come over and witness 3D on their third biggest show – the first in over two years.

And while the seats were starting to get filled, dinner was served for the hardworking men and women. Afterwards, some of the performers were still bracing themselves for a long night as they do some of their pre-gig rituals

It was probably the longest four and a half hours of their lives from the get-go with Reese Lansangan, the opening number of the trio which was Burnout, to their respective sets that has expanded with banters and superb-live versions, much to the raucous rainfall and clamor of the people. Kia Theatre was in full-house after the announcement of 'sold outs' and last-ditch giveaway winners, plus several celebrities in attendance that has made IISA one of the talk of the towns on Twitter during the evening.

Danao, Dancel, and Dumas performed their rendition of Florante's “Handog” that concluded the program on a goosebumping-high note. The crowd wanting more than what they just witnessed but too bad, the clock was about to strike midnight. So will there be a fourth coming show? We can never tell, people.

Author: slickmaster | © 2018 The SlickMaster's Files