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Wait for it…
So, I finally went to watch Glaiza De Castro’s band and it just happened to be an acoustic gig.
An acoustic gig with a full band set-up.
Glaiza De Castro’s star power is unmistakable. She has the ability to draw a crowd, but can she truly perform?
I waited in anticipation and hung out with the rest of the band in the dressing room, a floor above the actual stage. I did not want to get disappointed. You see, I’ve been a witness to some celebrities (actors/actresses) who thought they could sing but they really couldn’t. In fact I can count only a handful of these actors or actresses who can actually hold a note. The first few actors/actresses who can actually perform that come to my mind are Tuesday Vargas and Baron Geisler.
When call time came, I followed the band downstairs and headed backstage, near the side entrance.
One thing is evident: the majority of the crowd came to see her. Pictures were taken, gifts were given, kisses were blown, hugs were hugged. Glaiza gamely tried to appease each and every one of her fans patiently. Other celebrities I know would’ve already passed them off to their assistants or shouldered past them but she didn’t.
One fan, a guy, who gave her his shades to wear was close to fainting, muttering how down-to-earth she was. He was freaking out. I haven’t seen that in a long time in the band scene.
So what does she sound like?
Even though Glaiza is regarded as a solo artist, her band plays a huge part in delivering the type of music she performs. I kept changing places trying to find the right balance of sound so that I could hear the band perfectly but the acoustics of the room weren’t really that good but the band seemed to play really well. They even managed to entice the crowd to sing along to the songs.
Glaiza’s voice sounds ethereal. Spooky, enchanting, breathy, a little bit raspy, there are a lot of words I could possibly use to describe it but I think the best would be “otherworldly”.
I don’t really know if she used a gadget to make her voice sound like that and I wasn’t close enough to see her rig so I’ll just believe that she sounds like that in person.
Kudos to her band too. JP (Jean Paul Verona) on guitars sounded a little bright but everything he did on guitar that night is worthy of closer scrutiny. Watching and hearing this guitarist weave his lines will teach you a lot more than 12 sessions under a guitar teacher in those guitar schools offered up in malls.
IQ Quirante on keyboards provided the necessary ambient sounds to complement Glaiza’s voice and JP’s guitar. Overall, I think he added the right amount of meat to the very feminine music this band provides.
Abe Billano provided the necessary beat to drive the music forward and it reflected the racing hearts of their fans while Vic Narciso kept the groove going with his bass lines.
Overall, it was an impressive performance by an impressive band.
So, Glaiza changed the way I view actresses who believe they can sing. She can definitely sing and I definitely have to get a copy of that album soon!
After their set, the hall seemed to empty out as the throng of loyal fans followed her out. I’d really hate to be the band following her performance.
At the end of the night, my brother and I served as Glaiza’s bouncers but then that’s another story for another time.
Photo credits: Chynna Ortaleza