A week in the life with The Dawn 
[A personal chronicle by Renrick Pascual of The Dawn’s New York sojourn] 
  
FOR A kid that was brought up in the 80s, I grew up hearing 70s rock music that my aunts and uncles listen to on the radio. Radio station DZRJ-AM – the Rock of Manila – introduced my virgin ears to punk rock and reggae music through songs by The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Police and The Wailers.  This was the first time that I was able to hear a different type of music in the mid-80s. Well, at least different than the music I used to hear on the radio.  
               Along came the legendary radio station DWXB102. Also known as the station that dared to be different, XB became my favorite because the DJs played songs that they particularly liked and not songs from a list from some type of format that most of the other radio stations followed.  WXB102 used to be a station that played pop music but after switching their format to new wave music the station started to have a cult following.  
               I remember reading an article from a magazine labeling WXB's transition "from cute to cult!"  By the way, the term "new wave" is derived from the saying "the new wave of bands from UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand."  The station played songs by relatively unknown bands at that time like U2, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Church, Icicle Works, etc.  WXB also spun records by Fra Lippo Lippi, The Bolshoi, Flesh For Lulu, Railway Children, Xmal Deutschland, and a lot more "new wave" bands.  
               Although the above were unknown bands in the Philippines, they were very popular in their home countries and eventually were popularized by WXB thru extensive airplay and mass promotion. Some of the local bands even included a few songs from the foreign bands to boost up their repertoire and spice up setlists.  WXB was one of the first stations that played songs from local underground bands that suddenly started coming out of garages.  My main grudge with the station was they never mentioned band names and sometimes purposely omit the song title, too. Some of these bands are worth noting but there is one band, The Dawn, that stuck to my head and one song in particular, “Enveloped Ideas,” became a persona! ! l favorite.  
  
The dawning of The Dawn 
               At first I couldn't believe that The Dawn were a Pinoy band and “Enveloped Ideas” was penned by Pinoys much less sung by a Pinoy.  There were a few incidents that I can't even differentiate a local band from a foreign one.  The Dawn instantly became my favorite Pinoy band at that time and Carlos Balcells, Jett Pangan, Junboy Leonor and (the late) Teddy Diaz became my favorite musicians from that era.  There were times I compared them with The Fab Four.  I have seen them several times ---  from their first two free gigs at an a-go-go dive along Ermita called Superstar to the WXB-sponsored Sneak Attack series of gigs at The Atrium in Makati, to the Metropolitan Museum shindigs, the rainy Concert ! ! at the Park gig, a school-sponsored gig held at San Sebastian College, to the free gig at the SM City rooftop and finally headlining the San Miguel Beer sponsored concerts called Ultrastorm and Oktoberstorm, their first major concerts. 
               Synchronicity's Alvin Apuan and I always talked about bringing the band here for a series of gigs.  After all we have always been huge fans of the band so the production outfit decided to bring them over for everyone to enjoy and let the Pilipinos in the United States experience something that we've have experienced for years. The next several days with the band will be one of my most memorable experiences. 
  
The Dawn in America 
               The band's plane touched-down at JFK Airport in Brooklyn, NY at around 4:30 pm on the 6th of September, a Saturday.  An entourage consisted of myself, Synchro's head honcho Alvin Apuan, Synchro San Jose's Galo Bugnot, Jesse Gonzales of piNOISEpop festival in Frisco, and Synchro NY's Edwin Ochoa were the welcoming party.  By the time we got there, which was a couple of minutes late due to the notorious NY traffic, the fellas were already waiting outside by the curbside, bags and instruments in tow.  I was a little awestruck because I am going to finally meet the band again in person after all these years.  The last time I got the pleasure of hanging with them was backstage at a show in San Sebastian ! ! College some 13 years back.  This was when they were still a four-piece crew, and were relatively having their baptism of fire in the Pinoy rock scene and were just getting a much deserved recognition for all the struggling years.  
               If my memory serves me right, this was also a few months before Teddy Diaz' untimely demise. I was looking forward to seeing them again, as a 6-piece band, with two guitarists and a keyboardist.  The last time I saw the Dawn live was way back '88 in Oktoberstorm at the Ultra with Rage Band and Identity Crisis, who coincidentally, were also part of the burgeoning local new wave scene.  Dodo Fernandez, their session keyboardist and a founding member of another 80s new wave band, Khumbmela, was the only lad from the band that I was in contact with thru email via the Pinoyrock egroups.  After exchanging pleasantries and congratulatory remarks for having their first ever successful gigs in Northern California! ! , we loaded their luggage and gears, boarded the Synchro van en route to their hotel in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. 
  
Jersey, NYC hang out stop 
               We all rested at the hotel for a few minutes and after that decided to take the band, minus Jett, who decided that he's not up to it, to a nearby diner called Denny’s along route 22 in NJ for dinner.  I noticed that Francis and Junboy are not meat-eaters and it surprised me.  It's very seldom I meet Philippines-based Pinoys that are either vegans or non-red meat eaters.  After all, I was one too for a while but just couldn't resist eating adobo, nilaga and menudo.  After a few chits and chats we headed to my friend Gem Cristobal's place somewhere in Hasbrouck Heights.  Gem is the younger sister of Third-G Cristobal, who is a guitarist and a founding member of another 80s new wave band Introvoys! ! , who also played a few gigs with the Dawn. 
               The band decided to unwind and did a few songs minus the vocals. Several members of Gem's other band, Soulcapsule, jammed with Carlos all night.  We were all tired after a couple of hours and decided to hit the sack.  The next day, a Friday, we picked the band up early afternoon and took them to the Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ to catch the last ferry going to the Statue itself but unfortunately we got there late and missed the last trip.  The fellas just decided to take pictures all over the place. Coincidentally, we took pictures of the downtown part of NY and right in the background was the World Trade Center area, which is just across the river.  
               This was the closest the band could get to the famous Twin Towers, who both succumbed to terrorist attacks just four days before.  Friday night was a busy night for me.  I organized a pre-gig at a club in Hoboken called Love Sexy with local bands Zigbin, Midnite November, Red Siopao, Split Endz, Nodisco and AUBO on the bill.  The Dawn was scheduled to perform that night, too.  They decided to play two songs, “Salimpusa” and “Papaano Naman Kami,” a tune that they never did in any of their shows.  After the show, the band signed autographs and posed for pictures for fans outside the venue.  A few dozen people got a glimpse of what was to come.  It was already way past 3am so the whole c! ! rew decided to pack it up and took the band to the hotel.  We all had a very long day and tomorrow will be the busiest of all.  That is something to look forward to. 
  
Manhattan date 
               We got to the venue, Club Speeed - yes it is spelled with three e's - situated on 39th street in midtown Manhattan, exactly five blocks from the Empire State building.  The doors opened with a welcome of 80s classic tunes by Gazebo, Fra Lippo Lippi, The Bolshoi, Strawberry Switchblade and Xmal Deutschland among others.  What would be more appropriate than playing music from the same era where the band started.  After all, it was 80s night for most of the crowd. 
               Before the Dawn came on stage I decided to play a tune that most people from the crowd would be familiar with, Seona Dancing's “More To Lose.” The song got the large crowd pumped-up and with a thunderous round of approval it became a queue to the band's entrance.  They opened-up their set with “Kalayaan,” one of several songs from their latest album called Prodigal Son.  They stormed through an array of old and new tunes alike from previous albums including “Abot Kamay,” “Salimpusa,” “Alam Ko Alam Nyo,” “This Is The Time,” “Standing By Your Side,” “Lift Me Up,” and “I Saw You Standing There,” with the last three, again from their latest release. 
               Classic tunes from the first three albums – “Love Will Set Us Free,” “Beyond The Bend,” “Dreams,” “Behind Shadows,” “Little Paradise” and “I Stand With You,” were also part of their two-hour long setlist.  After taking a break for a couple of minutes, they came back for an encore to do “Iisang Bangka,” “Enveloped Ideas” - where a fan actually grabbed the mike from Jett and did his own rendition of the song with his own lyrics, “Magtanim Ay Di Biro” and “Salamat” coupled with several cover tunes namely, U2's “Pride,” The Clash's “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” and Jerry Lewis'  “Great Balls Of Fire.”  
               What's a Dawn gig without the band doing songs by artists' that inspire them the most.  Three of my all-time favorite Dawn songs, “Babaeng Mahiwaga,” “Susi” and “Living Seed” were also played with the last two having that Carlos Balcells trademark bass solos that got females from the crowd swoon and shouted sweet remarks to the ultimate bassman, well, just like the good ole' days.  
               Seeing them again after all these years brought up tons of memories.  Even though Francis and Atsushi were phenomenal axemen that night, I still missed Teddy.  This was the first time I ever saw Atsushi perform but I have seen Dodo and Francis with their former bands, Khumbmela and After Image.  Jett was just like his old self, same with Carlos.  The fellas didn't look liked they aged at all and some of them even looked slimmer from the last time I saw them on video for the album launching earlier this year.  Junboy sounded a little different with his drumming.  Maybe he was adjusting to the style of the present lineup or maybe he just outgrew his old, somewhat-punk style back in the days.! !   I guess I just have to get used to him playing with a double-bass pedal.  Altogether I did enjoy the show but in cases like this it is never enough.  Who knows when will be the next opportunity for me to see this great band live again. The gig ended a little over 11 pm, with the band doing a setlist of over 20 songs for more than two hours.  We started to pack up the backline and brought some of the instruments to the vans outside but the night is still young and there is so much time to burn.  
               In NYC 11 pm is just the start of a long night of partying and that's what the fellas did, minus Francis, dancing, drinking, socializing and even signing stuff with fans and friends one floor up at the after-party.  Francis decided to hangout with us outside while we started to load the stuff to the vehicles.  After a little labor Francis and I walked halfway down the street block to a deli to grab a bite.  We ordered tuna sandwich and munched our food while chatting with a couple of my friends who happened to be there to relax. 
               I've always wanted to talk to the most visible band member of the Dawn in the Philippine music industry, the famous Francis Brew of NU107 fame. I asked him a few tidbits about Philippine-based bands and who the cool musicians are.  He also gave me tips on the best places to grab munchies in Manila after a long and arduous night at a bar or club.  I think he can be very instrumental and helpful in terms of getting radio airplay in NU107 and recognition for US-based Pinoy bands. His "In The Raw" segment in NU has opened-up the door for indie bands, local and foreign alike, that can be somewhat compared to the Pinoy Rock 'n Rhythm show of RJ-AM back in the 70s. 
  
More NYC hangout 
               Sunday was a memorable day for the band.  This was the day were they will get to hangout and see the legendary punk dive CBGB's for the first time.  My production outfit, Brown Culture, held an after-party gig at the CB's Downstairs lounge for the Dawn including two local Fil-Am bands, Dante's Lament and Sons Of Brando.  Jett, Francis, Galo and I decided to get some beverages and kill a little bit of time since we got there early.  Cuppa Cuppa, the coffee shop which is only a couple of blocks away, was one of the many spots all over the east village that cater! ! s to students, poets and musicians.  After a few minutes we walked back to CB's to set-up the equipment for the jam. 
               Carlos, Junboy, Dodo and Synchro's Edwin drove to Flushing Meadows in Queens to check out the famous US tennis grounds.  The US Open was going on the same week that the band were in NY and the men's finals was being held at the Arthur Ashe court that same night.  They wanted to watch the game but unfortunately the tickets has been sold out for weeks.  Sushi was the only band member that wasn't with us.  He left the hotel very early to do a little sightseeing in Manhattan and hangout with a couple of his friends.  Sev! ! eral band members got to see and smell the inside of the punk mecca courtesy of my Pinoy skinhead pal Chris, guitarist of NY-based streetpunk band Urban Riot.  There was a punk gig, consisting of bands from all over, going on at the main club while we we're having our little shindig downstairs.  The guys bought souvenier stickers and shirts and even chatted with bartenders and people working for the club.  Dodo even took pictures of some of the punks and skinhead hanging-out in front of CBGB's. 
               Before leaving for a midtown tour I told the band that they should take a group picture in front of the light post where the pioneering punk band the Ramones had one of their first publicity shots.  I told them stories about how the punk scene became full bloom at the club.  It's kinda ironic because CBGB's was at first known to have bands that played 60's and 70's music.  After all that's what the name of the club stands for -- Country, BlueGrass Blues.  Now the club is well-known to cater to music from different genres and bands from all-over the world.  
               The Eraserheads played at the CB's Lounge during their first ever New York tour three years ago.  After a few more pointers and pictures we took off to the midtown area.  On our way 
uptown, Sushi texted Junboy and asked to be picked-up from the Port Authority bus station on 42nd street and 8th avenue.  We drove from the eastside to the westside, stopping frequently and even taking more pictures at New York City landmarks like the Empire State Building, The Plaza Hotel, Radio City Music Hall, the IBM office on 57th street (so Jett has something to show his wife who works for the company back home), FAO Schwartz (the most expensive toy store), Trump Hotel, Grand Army Plaza Park, Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center and NBC Studios.  
               The last stop of the tour was the Strawberry Fields area of Central Park where the Imagine Memorial for John Lennon is at.  The guys weren't able to see the memorial because it was too dark.  The park was already closed because it was already 2:30 am.  A park police drove by and told us that the park is closed so we headed to the Dakota Mansions, John's former apartment, for more picture taking.  I took several shots of the band as they stood in front of the alleyway where the former Beatle was shot.  Francis and Jun! ! boy felt sad while we were there and a couple more band members were feeling weird just standing on the spot where a famous musician died.  I too feel the same way everytime I'm in the area.  We all headed to the van to get back to New Jersey to pick-up their stuff.  The Synchronicity fellas decided to move the band to a hotel somewhere in Queens, directly across the street from La Guardia Airport. 
  
Monday, and onwards 
               Monday was going to be a rest day for the band.  The last couple of days were hectic for the band and they do need a well-deserved rest.  The next day, Tuesday the 11th, was supposed to be another day for the band to go around the city and other tourist spots.  I had plans to call the Synchro fellas to give them directions of how to get to the World Trace Center area to catch the ferry that goes to the Statue of Liberty.  
               We attempted to go the Statue and Ellis Island last Friday but we missed the last boat.  I was on my way to work when I heard some people talked about the Twin Towers got hit by a plane.  At first everyone thought that it was a twin-engine Cessna and it was an accident.  By the time I got to my job a second plane hit the south tower.  Everyone knows that this is an act of terrorism and panic occured all over the city.  I tried to call the band at the hotel but wasn't able to go through.  Dodo was already awake when the attack happened.  He woke the other members of the band so everyone was able to witness the events.  Everyone was in shock!  My first instinct was to find out if Sushi was safe.  I remember the band told me that he was still in the city staying with a friend in the eastside.  I also remember he mentioned something about checking-out the Twin Towers first thing Tuesday morning.  Good thing he was still in his friend's house and haven't made it out yet.  He was able to witness the tragic event while on a rooftop and even took pictures of it.  Sushi wasn't able to make it back to the hote! ! l right the same day.  All the bridges and tunnels were closed and most of the trains stopped service.  He was stranded in Manhattan but I know he is safer where he's at that moment.  I too was stranded so I decided to go the band's hotel to see what the plans are.  The guys had a meeting about the tour and some even considered canceling the whole thing for the safety of everyone involved.  Nobody knows if the Chicago leg will still push through because all the airports were closed.  
               After a band meeting a couple of days after, they decided that the show must go through but the airport were still closed so the only way to get to the Windy City was to rent a van and drive.  Several people, including me, were looking forward to that.  It would've been the ultimate roadtrip like the good ol' days.  The day that we were to leave for Chicago, Neil Pasia of Brownodds Productions called Alvin and told him that the Mayor of the city decided to cancel all events all throughout for security measures.  Everyone was a little sad because we were all lo! ! oking forward to the trip and experience.  Maybe sometime in the future Dawn fans in Chicago would be able to finally see the band.  
               At this time the Seattle show has also been cancelled by the producers but the Los Angeles and San Diego shows were still pushing through.  There were also plans for another San Francisco show.  The big problem now is how to get the band a flight back to the left coast.  Airports just started booking flights again but everything was on a first come, first served basis.  Alvin finally able to book a flight to San Francisco and the band was to leave Saturday the 15th, the same day they were to play in Chicago.  
               I was sad to see them go but was glad that all the hard work is over.  We will always have good memories about the ten-day New York experience.  This is the first time that I got involved so much in a tour like this since my high school days back home.  I realized that friendships came in fruition and dreams became reality.  I hope that the Dawn will come back again in the near future and show everyone what Pinoy rock is all about.  Like what the song said, “Salamat… sana tayo'y magkasamang muli!!” 

[This article also appeared on The Indie Rockzine Vol 4] 

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