December Avenue on their return to the live stage in Dubai, plans for 2022: "Definitely surreal and nerve-wracking"

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December Avenue on their return to the live stage in Dubai, plans for 2022: "Definitely surreal and nerve-wracking"

December Avenue are looking forward to the comeback of live shows and had a massive headstart this past weekend.

Fresh off their return to the stage at Expo 2020 Dubai, spirits have been soaring high for the 'Kung 'Di Rin Lang Ikaw' act. The sound of cheering ringing in their ears, blending with the anxiousness that made their heart rates rise, still make their palms sweat. It was the kind of thrill that was familiar, yet surreal at the same time.

Being part of the first World Expo ever hosted in the MEASA region, December Avenue represented the Philippines, alongside Darren Espanto, as part of the 192 nations from across the globe that are taking part at the 5-month long event. They played the Jubilee Stage, a 3,000 pax arena, and stole the hearts of many, but this is only the beginning of their rise toward the better normal.

Bandwagon caught up with December Avenue to talk about the group's recent Dubai experience, how it felt to return to the stage before a loving crowd, and their plans for 2022.

BANDWAGON TV


What was it like being back onstage in front of an audience for the first time in nearly two years? 

Definitely surreal and nerve-wracking. We’ve always had an assumption that we’ll only be able to get back on stage in front of a live audience by 2022 or later, so this definitely is a favor for us. We really missed that feeling of being in front of a live audience and feel an exchange of energy, this show made us feel all of those again. For the duration of our show, COVID-19 was non-existent, it was just us and the audience.

How did you all feel, leading up to the concert? Any pre-show jitters? 

We were all anxious. Haha. We honestly didn't expect a lot of people to go out and watch us since it's their first day of the week (Sunday). We can’t describe our feelings backstage. The crowd was massive. We can already hear them scream and sing our songs in between acts. But once we started playing and interacting with everyone in the audience, we all came back to our senses and it felt like 2019 again.

What’s it like in Dubai now? 

Apart from the people wearing masks, everything seemed to be back to normal. They’re all going about their lives the way we did pre-pandemic. They’re 95% vaccinated already. We even heard that they’re going to get rid of the face masks soon. They are on a roll!

Tell us about how you guys booked this gig in the first place. Did you have any hesitations prior to leaving the country? 

Actually, we have no idea. Haha. Koi Busalla, our manager, just notified us a week before we flew, and it got us all excited and nervous at the same time. Regardless of how we were chosen, we are all grateful to represent our beloved country. Performing live again in front of a crowd is already a victory. We are forever thankful for the experience. 

There were no hesitations as we trust our vaccines and all the precautionary measures that everyone had to undertake to keep everyone safe from COVID-19. This was an opportunity that we couldn't miss. We are always locked and loaded. 

With open-air shows slowly happening in Metro Manila, are there any plans to play shows before you head out to the US for your next tour? 

We definitely want to do few more shows before we leave for our second US Tour. We’re just waiting for the gov’t to let us gig again. For sure most of the venues are just waiting as well. But yeah! We want to do more shows before we head to the US. 

What is your hope for the Filipino live music scene in the coming year? 

We are all excited to perform again around the metro and around the country as well. We also hope that concert goers would be more educated on how to handle this pandemic. Protocols should be mandated at all times. Everyone should be a responsible individual. 

We are all praying for our music industry to prosper and come back stronger next year.

Besides the US tour, what’s in line for December Avenue this 2022?

More songs. More projects. More shows! And another Canadian Tour is on its way right after our US Tour.