It has been about 25 years since Rico Blanco, Bamboo Mañalac, Mark Escueta and Nathan Azarcon last performed as a unit.

And yet, when they first gathered and rehearsed for their upcoming reunion concert, it seemed as if the lyrics, the chords and the music all came flooding back.

For Bamboo, it felt like something “ingrained in his core memory” had unwittingly come to the surface. Much to his surprise, Rico found himself playing and singing the songs “automatically.” The whole experience was, as they say, “like riding a bike.”

“As a musician, there’s a sense of fulfillment when you’re with skilled and talented people like these three. I don’t know how many rehearsals we have had until now. But whenever we’re playing, I’m like, ‘This is why we were able to do a lot of nice stuff back then,’” Rico told the Inquirer in a recent press visit to one of the band’s rehearsals for “Rivermaya: The Reunion.”

Looking back, Rico couldn’t help but miss the “chemistry” and “instinct” that made playing with Rivermaya such a joy. What the four of them had, he said, was something “alive.”“They make me sound better. Whatever I’m doing, they kind of fill the holes here and there. It’s like a moving, living thing. I have worked with some of the best session musicians in the country who made me feel similarly. But the ideas come from me; I have to direct,” he pointed out. “But with these three, everyone’s doing his bit, everything is moving. And I kind of missed that.”

OPM rock icon

Formed in 1994, Rivermaya burst onto the music scene with its self-titled debut album, which spawned the hits “214,” “Awit ng Kabataan” and “Ulan.” The group sustained the momentum, cementing its status as one of OPM’s iconic rock bands by expanding their repertoire with one would-be-classic after another like, “Elesi,” “Kisapmata,” “Hinahanap-hanap Kita” and “Liwanag sa Dilim.”

In 1998, Bamboo left Rivermaya to focus on his studies and, later on, form his own band. In 2007, Rico followed suit. The group has since undergone a number of lineup changes. And while Rivermaya persisted through the years, fans couldn’t help but yearn for the magic the original lineup brought.

‘Biggest show yet’

But at last, after years of constant clamor, Rico, Bamboo, Mark and Nathan will share the stage in what is dubbed as Rivermaya’s biggest show yet. “Rivermaya: The Reunion”—the first local concert venture of Live Nation Philippines—will be held on Feb. 17 at the SMDC Festival Grounds in Parañaque City. Visit Livenation.ph.

“Live Nation presented to us a show worthy of bringing us back together... I understand the fans, how we sort of left things unfinished. This resolves it. This is our way of saying thank you, because they have been clamoring for a reunion for years. It didn’t happen, somehow. But here we are,” Bamboo said.

Excerpts from Rivermaya’s interview with Inquirer and select broadsheets:

The news did make the fans really happy. Mark: We’re so thankful to those who have been requesting this show for years. The fans didn’t get tired of waiting. We’re excited to see them all again.

There are those who have never seen us together live during the 1990s. And because there are new fans who discovered us through streaming and technology, this is going to be their first time seeing us play together. It’s exciting for them and for us.

Rico: I’m happy it’s happening. It’s not that we didn’t want to. But if you ask me, it’s just that we don’t know how. I’m surprised as you are. But let’s enjoy it. Things have fallen into place. If you’re a fan of our music, I would hate for you to miss this, because I don’t know when something like this is going to happen again. Let’s see each other on Feb. 17.

What can the fans expect?Bamboo: Expect a lot of joy. A celebration. We will have family in the audience. It’s going to be a family affair.

I was just excited going back to the studio and sort of seeing all the pieces back; seeing how we transformed some of the songs, and how we changed ourselves on a certain level. It’s so interesting.

Mark: There are a lot of fans from the 1990s who have families now. They can bring their children with them. Some of them even named their children “Maya.” So yeah, it’s going to be a family affair.

How hands-on are you guys when it comes to the conceptMark: We’re pretty much the music director.

Rico: But having said that, we’re also working with Live Nation, which has been hooking us up with an international team for the creative direction and production, so it’s our first to experience this.

Bamboo: We have had meetings with them and they have been fruitful and creative.

In terms of arrangement, do you plan to give the songs a different twist, or you just plan to play the songs as they were recorded?Bamboo: That’s where experience comes in. We all contribute, give our opinions and throw them into a pot. We try stuff out. If it works, it works; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. There’s an ebb and flow. There’s a good energy that goes around.

Rico: The goal is just to have the best show possible, given the constraints and limitations. So we will just figure out the best arrangement to come up with the best show possible.

Bamboo: I came here with utter confidence. I have full trust in these three creative individuals. We can hold our own individually, but together, that’s what makes it special. It’s fun seeing how crazy, interesting and far we can take a song; how we can revisit a song and bring the best out of that.

Who’s singing who? Is Bamboo sticking to the songs he recorded? Will Rico do the same?

Bamboo: I have to plead the fifth. I can’t reveal that!

Rico: We don’t want to spoil that!

Is it going to be focused solely on the music, or will there be a theme or narrative?Rico: It’s not just putting together a bunch of songs with no reason to it. There will be a few Easter eggs there if you know where to look ... if you’re a real Maya fan.

Do you still have creative differences?

Rico: Oh, it’s easier now. We’re more mature and know how to handle artistic differences and each other’s suggestions.

Bamboo: The blueprint is already there, the songs are there. And we know them.

Any song you particularly missed playing?Bamboo: There are certain songs in the albums that we didn’t usually play often. And now, revisiting and playing them—that felt good.

How did it feel revisiting those songs now that you’re more mature and experienced?Bamboo: Now, at least, personally, I’m like, “Oh, I’m wearing big boy pants now and I can sort of handle the songs.” Back then, you’re like, “OK, what am doing?” You’re just sort of in the moment. But now with perspective, with experience and everything... I’m like, “Now I wanna give it a second shot.”

Rico: I just picked up the guitar when we recorded our second and third album. But now I have years of experience playing it, so there’s a different approach, like you have a second shot at these songs.

Is recording a new song a possibility?Bamboo: I don’t walk and chew gum at the same time. This is a full plate. This is our focus. I promise you, after rehearsals last night. I went home, lay in bed and, for 40 minutes, the swings swirled in my head, round and round and round.

Rico: That was me this morning.

What are some of your fond memories with the band?Bamboo: It was a special time. We don’t deny it. When my family heard this was happening, they were happy for me. It didn’t hit me that way at first. But their reaction made me realize its significance. That’s how special this moment is.

We spent a lot of quiet times together, too. Going on van rides, talking about music, sharing music with each other.

How would you describe Rivermaya’s journey?

Bamboo: One thing that ties us together is the belief that we do this for love. We’re soldiers of music. We love our people as well. We do this for them. It brings joy to them, it brings joy to us. It’s overwhelming. Sometimes, I’m humbled by the reception and the love we get when we play gigs out of town. It’s that kind of joy and I’m just thankful.

What would you tell your younger selves?Rico: I would tell myself to rest a little bit. It was too gigil, always in the studio, writing. But there’s time for everything. Now I tell the young artists I manage to take a break. I tell them to stop thinking about music for a while, and go on vacation. That’s healthier in the long run, because it’s a marathon.

But at the same time, parang masaya pa rin naman lahat. Ayaw mo pa rin baguhin.

Bamboo: That’s what I would say. I have no regrets. It’s just life. There are ups and downs, hardships and joys. But we’re here.

Nathan: It’s all part of the journey. If it weren’t for the things we experienced, we wouldn’t have the songs. Now, I live a clean and healthy lifestyle. But if I were clean back then, maybe we wouldn’t have been able to create and do the stuff we did. INQ