Alagad in UAE and the point of no return

  DUBAI – More than a decade ago, Alagad was just a group of five struggling young musicians who didn’t have anything to their name except one goal: To become a popular band. “We walked from Laguna to Cavite just to borrow instruments. Some of us saved our lunch money to buy our own guitar, and we often walked three kilometres just to attend band practice. Sometime we’d beg the jeepney drivers to give us a free ride to our gigs,” recalled Tristan Alintanahin, Alagad’s founder. Alintanahin spoke to Expatmedia.net ahead of Alagad’s acoustic performance at Blue Diamond Lounge at the Royal Falcon Hotel in Dubai on Monday (May 22). “We’ve known each other since we were little and we’ve stuck together through the ups and downs,” said the 27-year-old guitarist, adding that much has changed particularly after his five-member group moved to the UAE. Now the group has 40 original songs in their portfolio, with a 12-track album set to release this year. The group is also busy doing gigs in Al Ain, Dubai, Ajman and Abu Dhabi. Alintanahin said he gave up his job as an aircraft mechanic five months ago to become a full time musician for Alagad, a Filipino word for disciple. It's a calling that is hard to resist, and one that he shares with rest of the band members Armand Jay De la Rosa, Ace Khristian Samonte, Reygel Parao and Alintanahin’s wife, Maricar. “We’re disciples to love songs, rock and roll, jazz, pop… anything that people would like us to be,” Alintanahin said, adding that the name Alagad reminds them that there is still someone higher up watching over them. Alintanahin talks to Expatmedia.net about their gigs, goals and unforgettable moments. Tell us about your first gig in the UAE Our first gig here was during church service. We were in the music ministry and church choir. Was it tough breaking into the UAE music scene? We made money performing at birthday parties for friends. Our talent fee was takeaway food and Dh100. That gradually increased to Dh150, which went up to Dh200 and then Dh500. Now we are paid a little more. What do you do with your earnings? We use it to invest in better audio systems and equipment. What was your most memorable gig? There’s too many, I can’t possibly pick one! I guess all our gigs are memorable since we get to perform as a group. Once, we had a gig during Mariel’s birthday and there was a storm outside, but we still went out there and waded in the floodwaters. UAE-based Filipino band, Alagad. SUPPLIED What are you busy with nowadays? We’re releasing an album late this year. We already have 40 original songs just waiting to be heard. What’s the title of the album? Point of no return. It’s subject to interpretation. For us, it means we didn’t make it this far just to give up! How would you describe your music? It’s inspirational. We tend to write songs that lift up people’s spirits. Who would you say are your top 3 musical inspirations? Sugar free, Silent Sanctuary, Parokya ni Edgar and Gary Granada. What do you love about being musicians in the UAE? There’s a lot of opportunity here and the talent fee is obviously bigger. There are also fewer chances of getting duped by talent agents since the laws here are strict. Also, there is very little competition here because everyone else is busy with their full-time jobs to really devote time to becoming a recording artist. The media here are also very approachable. What is the most difficult thing about your job? Juggling up to three gigs in one day. Don’t you want to become resident musicians in clubs? We prefer what we do now because we have a better chance of expressing our music. When you are a resident band, usually the company will control your image and band identity. What’s a typical day like for you? Everyday is a surprise, although my routine includes setting up our equipment at the venue, performing, packing up and then rushing to the next gig. When we have just one gig, we go home and have a band meeting. After that we reward ourselves with a movie, or something fun during our free time. What’s your dream gig? To hear people singing along to our original songs. I can already see that it’s going to be an emotional moment for us. What’s your message to people out there? Never, ever give up! Don’t listen to people who will try to discourage you. Just focus on your dream.

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What: Alagad One Acoustic Night When: May 22, Monday Where: Blue Diamond Lounge, First Floor, Royal Falcon Hotel, Dubai Tickets: 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