Rico Blanco and Bamboo, both open for a Rivermaya reunion gig?

I was surfing through the net for some Rivermaya news when I came across two articles which states that the possibility of a Rivermaya reunion would no longer be far fetched. Well honestly it got me excited at first. And then I had mixed feelings. Rivermaya as they are now and the respective careers of the once Rivermaya band members are currently still rocking it out in the OPM music industry. Though I guess in their own ways, they never achieved the kind of success that they reached as a collective group, but still the fact that they are still making great music with different musical directions to explore means that they are here to stay, with or without the support of the "Old Rivermaya" fans. In recent years, Rico Blanco and Bamboo Manalac had always consistently said no to the thought of a Rivermaya Reunion....... until now. Albeit with differing views.

On Bamboo's willingness to reunite with his former Rivermaya Bandmates, this is what he had to say as per entertainment portal PEP:

"How about a reunion album? Now we do something different, na gumawa kayo ng new material tapos gawin yung concert, because we all have evolved, we have changed in time, you know what I mean? Because I've been singing that for the past how many years? We have evolved and changed. So, sa akin, get us in the studio, that's gonna excite me more. Pushing forward."

He further intimated that doing a live reunion show singing the past hits just for the sake of earning big bucks does not motivate him.

Rico Blanco for his part took the question with a different approach. As reported on the entertainment news portal PUSH, Blanco had this to say:

“I think, it has always been a question for us eh, where as at the start of my solo music career I always said no because I wanted to focus on new work, gusto ko umandar, gumawa ng bago but now I am a little more relaxed, a little more open to the idea of Rivermaya. I don’t think it will affect my career as a solo artist because my fans have been so kind enough to embrace my new music and every time I come up of something they always appreciate it so yung fear ko na hindi maappreciate yun, I have gotten over that so yeah, I am open to a Rivermaya reunion.”

Blanco also further added that over time his views on the subject matter changed, because he now accepts  that there's just a certain segment of Rivermaya fans who are in for the nostalgia above all else: 

“It’s just the fact na I think I realized it’s a different market. People asking for a reunion is a different market and it’s not going to affect my audience, my core audience nowadays who wanted new music for me. I think having a reunion concert with Rivermaya has always been a step backwards parang I am moving forward and it’s a step backward, no. Nowadays I realized it’s just a different market who want to be nostalgic. I guess we can give them a night or two to relive the glory days but that should not stop me to enjoy doing what I am doing which is creating new music and giving fans what they like, new material and I have shows, I play my old songs but its really the new songs they want.”
 

Uhm, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I mean in the sense na there’s still Rivermaya. “They still have an album, they’re still touring, still doing their thing, ‘di ba? So, it’s just weird to say a reunion na buo pa sila, right? "Ako, I said, it doesn’t excite me in that sense to do a reunion show." Pero okay sa kanya ang isang ideya: "How about a reunion album?" “Now we do something different na gumawa kayo ng new material 'tapos gawin yung concert, because we all have evolved, we have changed in time, you know what I mean? “It doesn’t excite me na we’re gonna sing 'Ulan' again na kami lang, you know what I mean? “Because I’ve been singing that for the past how many years? We have evolved and changed. So, sa akin, get us in the studio, that’s gonna excite me more. Pushing forward!” Mas gusto ba niya ng mga bagong kanta? “No, I mean, that would be my idea, that would be exciting. But just to do a reunion show, for me, it’s just making a buck and it doesn’t motivate me,” dagdag pa niya.

Read more at: http://www.pep.ph/news/43479/bamboo-nixes-possibility-of-rivermaya-reunion-show-suggests-how-about-a-reunion-album/1/1#focus
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Two very contrasting views indeed. Bamboo's take is akin to what the Eraserheads did recently for Esquire Magazine, where they recorded a two track album that came as a free item in an Esquire Magazine that featured the Eraserheads as the cover story. That story featured an in-depth account of the Eraserheads reunion show at London. Blanco's take on the other hand is more of engaging the nostalgic side of things just to give the die hard Rivermaya (original line up that is) fans a trip down memory lane.

Rico, Nathan, Mark, and Bamboo

Being a long time supporter of Rivermaya and all its members, my stand on that matter is that yes why not a Reunion concert? But let's tweak it a bit. Instead of all the original members doing a 15 to 20 song set list, why not bring in all the current bands (Rico Blanco as a solo act, Bamboo as a solo act, Nathan Azarcon's Hijo, and Mark Escueta's Rivermaya, as well as Perf de Castro) that the original band members are playing for nowadays and make them actually be a part of the show. We can start of with the original members doing a 5 song opening number, then one by one let the current bands that they are in play a song or two respectively, and then for the finale, reunite all of the original members for a swan song. By doing this, at least they would be accomplishing the task of introducing their new sound to the old Rivermaya die hards. I'll be the first in line if a show such as that would finally be produced for Rivermaya. Bamboo's new material suggestion is also nice, and who wouldn't want that? How about the show's tickets would also come with a digital download of that new track that Bamboo is proposing. We'll be getting the best of both worlds if that happens.

But at this point I think it's going to be a tall order because it would be unfair for Mark, Norby, Mike, and Ryan (the current incarnation of Rivermaya) to shoulder the weight of the popularity of that one night show. I'm all for a reunion concert/project. But maybe now is not yet the right time.

What is more important for me however is reading this statement (with regards to if his past band mates had learned of his change of views about the reunion concert) from Rico Blanco:

“I don’t know and everything’s good. I am open with the boys and it’s a matter of someone… you know producers have been approaching me for years na about a reunion concert but no one has really been serious, you know. May black and white, may details.”

One of these days a Reunion concert will happen. But that is in the future to look forward too. What's important is let us support what Rivermaya and its past band members are doing now. For Rico, Bamboo, Nathan, Perf, and Mark.

“Because I’ve been singing that for the past how many years? We have evolved and changed. So, sa akin, get us in the studio, that’s gonna excite me more. Pushing forward!”

Read more at: http://www.pep.ph/news/43479/bamboo-nixes-possibility-of-rivermaya-reunion-show-suggests-how-about-a-reunion-album/1/1#focus
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Uhm, I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I mean in the sense na there’s still Rivermaya. “They still have an album, they’re still touring, still doing their thing, ‘di ba? So, it’s just weird to say a reunion na buo pa sila, right? "Ako, I said, it doesn’t excite me in that sense to do a reunion show." Pero okay sa kanya ang isang ideya: "How about a reunion album?" “Now we do something different na gumawa kayo ng new material 'tapos gawin yung concert, because we all have evolved, we have changed in time, you know what I mean? “It doesn’t excite me na we’re gonna sing 'Ulan' again na kami lang, you know what I mean? “Because I’ve been singing that for the past how many years? We have evolved and changed. So, sa akin, get us in the studio, that’s gonna excite me more. Pushing forward!” Mas gusto ba niya ng mga bagong kanta? “No, I mean, that would be my idea, that would be exciting. But just to do a reunion show, for me, it’s just making a buck and it doesn’t motivate me,” dagdag pa niya.

Read more at: http://www.pep.ph/news/43479/bamboo-nixes-possibility-of-rivermaya-reunion-show-suggests-how-about-a-reunion-album/1/1#focus
Follow Us: @PEPalerts on Twitter and Instagram | PEP.ph on Face