I have been living away from Manila for 11 years now. In the first few years of settling down, when people would ask, “Where are you spending the holidays?” my reflex response would be, “I’m flying home,” referring to the Philippines. Now, home is a mixed, loaded word. Singapore, with all its cleanliness and efficiency is where my husband, two children, and I feel contented and peaceful. But every now and then, there’s that itch for a less polished, more grounded experience. (See what I did there?)
The Itchyworms played their sixth show in Singapore, entitled Akin Ka Na Lang Singapore 2025 to an audience of 600 that filled music venue Timbre+ One North, last Saturday, November 8. And Jazz Nicolas (lead vocals, drums), Jugs Jugueta (co-lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Kelvin Yu (bass guitar), Weckl Mercado (guitar), and Michael Vargas (guitar and keys) were a roaring success. After Singaporean opening act ICEBOX concluded with an impressive and youthful cover of 'Huling El Bimbo', and as director Quark Henares (who directed two music videos of the band, 'Penge Naman Ako N'yan' and 'Freak Out') was DJ-ing the last in-between set, people rushed the front where high tables had been set as a barrier two or three feet from the stage.
Mind you, this is not typical behaviour for Singapore concert-goers who usually sit politely so as not to block anyone’s view at the back. Immediately after singing 'Gusto Ko Lamang sa Buhay', frontman Jugs cracked jokes with the audience not to call him "Teddy" (his co-host in the noontime show It’s Showtime!), and requested organisers Requiem Rising to move the tables closer to stage so more people could join in front “para mas masaya”.
Prior to their arrival, I managed to ask Jugs about treasured memories of Singapore.
“We played in Music Matters back in 2019. That was the first time where non-Filipinos took photos with us and asked us for autographs! It was mind-boggling for us.”
Nowadays with almost 30 years in music, it’s hard for the band members to move around without getting swarmed. This did not stop Jugs from jumping into the crowd to during 'Ayokong Tumanda'. Multiple phones flashing all at once didn’t deter him from mingling and stopping to smile while continuing on with the song. And as he clambered back onto stage, he quipped, “In fairness, di nanakaw wallet ko.”
This was the underlying current throughout the concert - casual and unserious, just like The Itchyworms’ happy signature 60s pop-rock style with Mersey backbeat drums. You can tell these guys are at ease jamming with each other. When I asked Jugs about their bond and the longevity of the band, he told me,
“We started as friends, not as a band. We hung out together not because we had to, but because we wanted to. We grew up together, we became better musicians at the same time. Endured 10 years of anonymity together before our first hit song. What gets us through bumps on the road? The friendship. And the maturity we have now. We understand, consciously or subconsciously, that we are much stronger together. Also, our new members Weckl Mercado and Michael Vargas give new life to songs that we have been playing for over 20 years, and we are inspired by their youth and point of view. They are also master musicians.”
Midway into the set, there was a raffle for a free guitar and a hard-sell pitch to buy their tote and vinyl Noontime Show album. Those with proofs of purchase could request for a song, with a few rejections such as “‘Golden’?... Hell no!” This request segment ended with a beerhouse favourite, Extreme’s 'More Than Words'. People were hopping in place, drinking San Miguel and Red Horse; and those in the back had sizzling plates of Iskina Cebu lechon.
In this moment, looking around at all the shiny happy people, I felt I was no longer in Singapore, but at an open-air Tiendesitas-like spot on a balmy afternoon with friends. Before ending the show, the band thanked the support of Pinoy Nurses Singapore (a 10,000-strong Facebook group), asking them to raise their hands: “Wow, andami niyo ah!”, posed the question: “Masakit ba yon pag di kayo makauwi [sa December]?”, then proceeded to intersplice Christmas songs before wrapping up with their much-awaited hits 'Beer' and 'Akin Ka Na Lang'.
Manila may be three and a half hours away from Singapore but with one show, I was back instantaneously.
written by: Amanda Lapus Santos
Santos is a visual artist who has been based in Singapore since 2014. She is the founder of the Singapore Filipino Creatives Community, PiNoise.
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