Rakrakan in Dubai

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN Middle East capped 2009 with the Rakrakan Fest 2009 which was attended by thousands. Callalily, Itchyworms, Brownman Revival and Wolfgang kept the crowd’s untiring energy at its highest peak for hours at the free standing venue, East Hall of the Dubai Airport Expo. The “rock concert,“ first staged in 2005, has evolved into an annual reunion of Filipino expats in the Middle East. In its previous legs done in Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Rakrakan did not only showcase the best of Filipino rock acts per se, it also brought together the Philippines’ modern-day heroes in a celebration of music. This year, the team embarked on a brave venture to combine four of the Philippines’ most sought-after bands in their own respective genres.

As ABS-CBN Global managing director for the Middle East Eduardo Garcia said, “For the last five years, we’ve been doing the Rakrakan Fest every first Friday of December and as we traditionally do, we give you only the best taste of Pinoy music.”

Starting the night was the youthful Callalily. The talented young guns had set the tempo so high with their alternative singles and passionate preludes. They got the ladies screaming and the gentlemen singing along. Their impressive performance gave the assurance of a promising future for Philippine music. Quirky and catchy — that’s Itchyworms for you. The group invited great vibes and the audience willingly engaged them. This is the band whose songs Pinoy would sing over the highs and lows of their lives. It was Itchyworms’ second time to perform in Dubai but this was definitely its first with this magnitude.

The unlikely crew of Brownman Revival showed why they made it to the fold in spite of being a reggae act. The nine-piece band gave grooving twists to most-loved OPM (Original Pilipino Music) as well as wicked flavors to its own compositions. The desert winter was taken over by the cool and comforting Philippine breeze throughout the whole stretch of its set. They spontaneously played Filipino Christmas carols to the delight of the crowd. It was during their set that Philippine Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates Grace Princesa went onstage to greet all who were present.

More than anything, the audiences at the Rakrakan Fest 2009 were predominantly part of the “wolf pack.“ More people began to gather and were entranced song after song. The unforgettable moment was when lead vocalist Basti Artadi paused in Natutulog Kong Mundo and the crowd filled in the next lines. It was a total uproar from front to back of the concert hall as thousands clapped and sang in unison: A truly hair-raising experience. Each of the band members couldn’t pick the right words to describe how great they felt.

In this YouTube era, where people can conveniently watch their favorite bands perform at their own convenience, this convergence of rock aficionados at the Dubai Airport Expo is exceptional as it is exhilarating. The global and national crisis they are going through took the backseat for a good five hours — all in the name of Filipino pride. Other nationalities came to rock with much amusement. Some Filipinos came all the way from neighboring countries just to see their favorite bands. And everyone would agree that Rakrakan Fest 2009 is an event that truly lived up to their money’s worth.