Rivermaya makes a return to live television via ASAP Natin ‘To
RIVERMAYA – The band’s classic lineup made a highly anticipated return to live television on Sunday, January 14, 2024, via ASAP Natin ‘To. The quartet, consisting of Bamboo Mañalac (vocals), Mark Escueta (drums), Nathan Azarcon (bass), and Rico Blanco (keyboards, guitars, vocals), took a nostalgic journey, marking the first time in decades that all four members performed together on one stage.
The band’s ASAP appearance garnered mixed reactions from netizens, with their performance quickly going viral. Rivermaya is now gearing up for a reunion concert scheduled for February 17, 2024, at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City.
In the ’90s, Rivermaya, like many other bands, was a regular guest on ASAP, using the platform to promote new albums, showcase their latest singles, and announce upcoming shows. Introduced by Janine Gutierrez, Darren Espanto, and Maymay Entrata, the band launched into a performance of “Elesi,” a track from their third studio album, Atomic Bomb, released in 1997 by BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc.
After Bamboo departed from Rivermaya following the U.S. tour, Rico Blanco took over his role. Rico oversaw the band’s changing lineup of members until he departed in 2007 to pursue a solo career. Despite these changes, Rivermaya persisted, with Nathan and Mark, alongside longtime guitarist Mike Elgar, continuing to play and record as Rivermaya to this day.
The upcoming reunion concert is a special event, reuniting the classic lineup that fans from decades ago came to cherish. Bringing the classic Rivermaya lineup back together proved challenging, as the members initially seemed hesitant about performing together for old times’ sake. However, on November 6, 2023, it was officially confirmed that Bamboo, Mark, Nathan, and Rico were reuniting for a concert, fulfilling the wishes of their dedicated fans, both old and new.
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