11/29/2024 02:59:30 PM
Before we discuss how monumental this event became for the band and everyone who witnessed their silver jubilee moment, let's take a short look at some of the events in their recent era.
Around late September of 2017, pop-rock band Orange & Lemons made shocking waves through a surprise set at The Smiths Night at Mow's bar in Quezon City. Shortly after, their official reunion announcement became a massive resounding news story, considering they were gone for a decade – specifically, at the height of their ultimate peak of success as a band.
Nearly two months later, I saw the newly-reformed trio live at a gig at an Offshore Music gig staged in Route 196 – with Ely Buendia jamming with them on stage for 'This Charming Man.'
Then, in August 2018, they mounted the Moonlane Festival with Gabi Na Naman Productions at Century City Mall in Makati City. That rainy Saturday evening didn't stop fans from the stormy star-studded lineup that includes O&L, along with other bands like Pupil, <s>andwich, Ithcyworms, Join The Club, We Are Imaginary, and Autotelic, among others. It was also one of the big shows I've worked on as one of the production staff.
Then came the first press event I attended for them in May 2019 as the Bulacan-based act launched 'Pag-Ibig Sa Tabing-Dagat,' their first single off their budding all-Filipino album La Bulaquena which was eventually launched three years later.
Amid trips of the love van, which was supported by many and, at one time, marred by a viral controversy, Orange & Lemons soldiered on for the ride and thus, made it to their Silver Anniversary through a one-of-a-kind concert titled Now & Then.
The stage was set at the Metrotent Convention Center on a Friday night (18 October 2024), the same venue where Urbandub waged its massive Endless concert before their 2015 hiatus, tons of festivals and conventions for so long. Thousands of music lovers from different generations came by to see the group of Clem Castro (lead vocals and guitars), new member Jared Nerona (keyboards), and the Del Mundo brothers (Ace on drums & JM on drums) strut their stuff off their discography comprising four albums: Love in the Land of Rubber Shoes and Dirty Ice Cream, Strike Whilst The Iron Is Hot, Moonlane Gardens, and La Bulaqueña.
But the quartet didn't come alone as Julie Samonte (the front woman of Blind Stereo Moon) joined them in acoustic guitars for all 3 1/2-hour, 33-song show that was divided into four sets. Then, there's also Clem's nephew who flew all the way from the States who played in violin for the La Bulaqueña song, and Karlo Papa (one of their band crew which also plays for the parody band Nirvanda) in the percussion for the final song A New Day.
Despite some mishaps on the house speakers, some missing elements on their set list – and probably miscues on the timing of some of their songs (yeah, something we laughed about when we crossed paths in one of the gigs later that month), Now & Then was a concert that is far from typical. They curated their numbers as if they were just in their monthly (or bi-monthly) special 70's Bistro show, with their biggest hits appearing out of nowhere, rarities showing everywhere, and no encore or anything that is outside their usual repertoire. No front act was billed, too, since it's a long show for the main act that ran from 8:00 to 11:30pm.
The sets were placed as if they were chapters of a book of stories, which can be summed up as a following: LITLODSADIC as a one-way ticket to their own version of Narnia; La Bulaqueñaas a detour homage to their grassroots with such grandeur; SWTISH being its first wave of climax of the band's journey in a locomotive-pace; and Moonlane Gardens being the ultimate destination after descending from the mainstream summit – the signature sound that truly defined the band on its art form.
Certainly, there's no 'saving the best things for last' right there as everything is scattered and meant for everyone – OG fan or newbie – to stick around from start to finish.
Reaching the quarter of a century milestone isn't such an easy feat for any band – let alone for a bunch of guys from the towns of western Bulacan who scratched and clawed their way to finally have their first taste of success, but to a very overwhelming degree which led them into their sudden exodus from the scene. Hell, the climb back was certainly worth a shot because what should've been a just one-off thing didn't turn out to be just another 'for old time's sake' agenda.
You may complain they should've stuck together since '99, but as cliché and romantic as it sounds, Orange & Lemons' love for making music was indeed damn sweeter the second time around. Cheers for the more tunes incoming and for the love van to keep on rolling.
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