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October 21, 2023 – The Teeth came to Davao City to celebrate their 30th Anniversary and my band, AcidRadius got to play as one of the front acts.
The Teeth is one of those bands I grew up listening to. In fact, I might have to admit that they were one of my early inspirations. Laklak was also one of the songs I learned how to play guitar on my own.
I even created my own jazz-based rendition which my bandmates quickly shut down. That song was so simple and so open to interpretation that I just had to do it. I followed that up with learning how to play Prinsesa and Me.
That fueled the dream to start composing 3 to 4-chord songs. I mean if they could do it, why couldn’t I? I made a ton of crap songs that I have long since forgotten.
Getting to play as a front-act for my childhood heroes was a dream come true. Seeing the original members with the addition of Dok Sergio onstage really brought back a lot of memories.
Early Morning Sound Check Weeds Out Technical Issues
We were scheduled to do our sound check at 7:30AM. The lights and sound system was provided by Techno Core. Our soundcheck went without a hitch. We were able to dial in our perfect sound thanks to Pete Espinosa’s bat-like ears.
I played through a Vox while Glenn chose the Mesa Boogie. I also initially had issues with my Zoom G5n but managed to resolve it thanks to Pete’s expert advice from offstage. My constant issues with my G5n has made me rethink going analog starting with the MS-50G+.
This was also the first time we were going to play with Chocko on drums so our pre-shows jitters were off the scale. But basing it on our previous rehearsals, he was a good fit. Onstage, during the sound check, we got to witness just how good he was.
We were all smiles after our sound check.
Program Starts at 6 PM
People started arriving at 6 PM which, I’m sure, not too many are used to doing.
Gigs in Davao City start late.
I hope this becomes a precedent that changes things in the long run. I’d like to hit the stage and get home early.
Plastic Butter
The first to hit the stage was Plastic Butter. They warmed up the crowd with their eclectic sound. Now, I’d seen them the night before when they played at South Republik so I was familiar with their set.
Four Core
The Four Core girls were strutting in front of their cellphones recording a Tiktok performance for uploading later. These girls looked gorgeous but the bands were busy listening to Pete Espinosa give a guitar lesson to mind the girls too much.
They were young, exuberant, and looked the part of divas.
I hope they manage to get one of these so they can make even better reels in the future.
I don’t know why there was only three of them then but they still somehow managed to wow the crowd with their fantastic voices.
Mushroom
Next out of the door was the band Mushroom. I don’t really know much about them except that they played some covers and one original song.
They isolated themselves and were huddled in another part of the dugout, trying to figure their parts out before they got onstage.
Virmuda
For the most part, each band kept mostly to themselves. The one person who would kind of unite everyone was Pete Espinosa and his guitar lessons.
While one of the guys in Virmuda was off to the side, smoking out of the half-open window, the others were listening to Pete. They also lent him a small amplifier like this one so we could actually hear notes come from Glenn’s JCraft strat:
I should probably get myself one of these for backstage situations like these in the future:
AcidRadius
Despite having issues with our monitors, we managed to get through our set great. Everyone we knew told us we sounded great. I think we can safely say that Chocko being in the band, raised our level a notch.
We played rignom, sa ilalim ng buwan, kung di rin lang, halika na dito, and one moment please.
The Dukes
The Dukes had a tremendously loud set. And I don’t just throw the word loud lightly. They played nu-metal covers which left ears ringing. It was a spectacle. You had to be there.
The Teeth!
Teeth finally hit the stage and they didn’t waste time pleasing the crowd. They immediately launched into a bevy of familiar songs. Old songs that evoked nostalgia. The crowd was singing along to songs they were familiar with.
All the guitarists in attendance were locked onto Jerome Velasco’s Yellow Jazzmaster. At the end of the night, everyone wanted one. It was all we could talk about for a week.
Me?
I want this one:
Yes! It’s a mini Jazzmaster.
I also want this: a mini Strat. I’ll try to talk about it in a future post.
The show ended with their timeless hit “Laklak”.
The lights went up and people started heading for the dugout section where the Teeth stayed for a good 2 to 3 hours signing whatever the audience wanted signed. They also posed for pictures.
All in all, the show was a success. People were happy. That’s what’s most important.
Here’s hoping AMECS brings more events to Davao City.
Days Leading Up to the Gig and The Teeth’s Lasting Effect On Me
Everyone knows I’ve had some trouble keeping my weight down. The Teeth 30th Anniversary gig is the one gig that made me rethink my dietary choices.
So, I started cutting rice from my meals and even went out to jog nearly every morning.
I’m glad I did that. Had I not done it, I probably would’ve looked like an absolute blob onstage on The Teeth 30th Anniversary gig proper. Not something I really want for myself. Or my band.
I lost 20 lbs from the time I first learned about the gig to the actual day. I just need to lose 20 more and I’ll be back to fighting fit physical form.
Save for that one time, I haven’t had rice since. I’ve also started eating salads and changed my diet to something healthier.
The Teeth doesn’t really know who I am even though my band performed as a front act but they have affected me from when I first heard them in 1995, I saw them again in 2014 when they first got back together, and now, I managed to come full circle by having my band front them.
I wish Lyle could’ve experienced the show. But there was no way his mom and I were going to let him ruin his eardrums at an early age. So, we’re buying him these for future gigs:
Here’s hoping that The Teeth gets to play their 40th and 50th anniversary and that my band gets to front them again.
If not, I’ll be content watching as part of the audience.
Pictures were shot by: MycoGraph Photography
