My friend Ryan once invited me to watch The Dawn gig in a bar in Makati. It’s a free gig, you just have to sign in on their Yahoo group, so I did. The gig is on a bar named SaGuijo. It is located in Guijo street in Makati. It’s a small bar. I took time getting use to it knowing that The Dawn will play there. I used to watch the band playing on a large venue with thousands of screaming fans. But that time is different. I thought how would a crowd could fit in this small bar.

We arrived early. On the entrance, they’ll check if your name is on the list (that is what the Yahoo group is for. Your name on the list is a free entrance.) SaGuijo is a bar-former-house, as I saw it. They converted the house into a bar which gives it a unique and ‘homey’ appearance and ambience.

There are two front bands before The Dawn played. The Dawn entered the small stage with a small horizontal black paint on their eyes to give their performance an 80s setting. And the crowd gathered at the front, near the stage to get a closer look at the band. I can’t believe at that time that I’m watching them that close. I can even strum Francis’ guitar while he’s playing. It was like watching a practice or a garage jam. Those are the reason why I enjoyed the gig. I guest anyone inside the bar had the same experience as I did that night. The band even talk sometime and have fun with the fans like they’re just having a practice.

We also saw Raimund Marasigan, former drummer of the Eraserheads and current frontman of Sandwich, watching the gig from outside the bar, taking a peek.

The event also had a contest, on “the most 80s get-up/fashion” for the fans.

The band played songs from their album Tulad Ng Dati, which compiled classics with new arrangements and four new singles.

At the end of the night, we approached the band while packing up and asked to sign our just-bought-cd. I really wanted to have some pictures with Francis but I got really shy, hehe. And just as I thought the night was over, on our way to the parking, Ryan said we look for JB, the band’s drummer. He said JB promised to give him his old cymbals. And when we found him, JB, packing in his car and we approached him. Ryan introduced us and JB recalled him. He is friendly as he was before. We approached him before at the back stage of Earthwake concert. And at the SaGuijo night, we even had a chat with him.

That maybe the simplest ‘Dawn gig I’d watched, but it was the best. I will never forget the night, and the feeling.

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