Pinoy rock bands dominated radio and television in the late 90s and early 2000s. At its forefront was a slew of female-fronted bands who lent their voices, words, and instruments to produce the anthems of a generation.

On November 26, Acel Bisa of Moonstar88, Hannah Romawac of Session Road, Aia de Leon of Imago, Barbie Almalbis of Barbie’s Cradle, and Lougee Basabas and Kitchie Nadal, both of Mojofly, came together for Tanaw, delivering a four-hour concert filled with emotion and nostalgia.

SEE ALSO: INTERVIEW: Pinoy Rock Queens On OPM, Coming Together for TANAW, and More

From Lunch to Launch

It started over a meal. On September 14, the ladies gathered for lunch and posted their photos online. Kitchie was absent as she’s based in Spain but was edited in the comments section. Fans were quick to send love and requests for a concert. Understandably so, seeing them all at one table is probably the 90’s kid equivalent of seeing The Avengers eat shawarma. Gabi Na Naman Productions then picked up and produced the concert.

Fans and Family

These rock icons grew up in the music circuit. Acel, the oldest in the line-up, started singing at 18. She’s currently 46. They now carry different last names and have transitioned from cool girls to cool moms. But even after several decades, their voices, instrument expertise, and stage presence remain phenomenal. And they look as youthful as they have in their heydays.

The artists have grown, and so have the fans. During the concert, Lougee joked about how the audience probably had to contact their parents to look after kids, and the reaction confirmed she hit the nail on the head. Over and over, the artists gushed about how unbelievable it was to go from venues like Mayric’s and Club Dredd to selling out the posh halls of Solaire.

The show was a family affair.

Acel’s parents came to watch because finally, there was no smoking or drinking, or cramped spaces. Her Dad is 91, her mom is 80, and it was their first time seeing Acel’s gig. Hannah introduced her daughter to the audience. Taking a cue from Hannah, Barbie had her two kids and husband come up. She pointed to a lot of family on their seats: her dad, her mother who turned older at midnight, mother-in-law who styled her for the occasion, future in-laws, and three brothers with a shout-out to youngest Mark who bought tickets to her show for the first time in her 25-year career. Lougee’s niece Sam ran up to hand her a poster filled with messages from Sam’s classmates and teachers.

The onstage crew was also family. Ali Alejandro is Mojofly’s drummer and Lougee’s husband, Karel Honasan who plays bass for Barbie is her in-law. Hannah’s brother, also a member of Session Road and an event staff, dashed to deliver tissue when she cried.

Top of the Bops

When a concert has Moonstar 88’s Sulat as the opener, you just know the rest of the night is going to be glorious. Acel’s set continued with One Love, her first project as a solo musician in 2008 after leaving Moonstar in 2004, and a rendition of Your Universe, a Rico Blanco-original she recorded as part of the Between Maybes movie soundtrack. As the first notes of Torete played, the crowd went ecstatic with recognition, and the venue needed no prompt to sing along.

Hannah was a ball of uncontainable energy as soon as she walked onstage. Leaving You and Blanko played back-to-back, with Hannah admitting that she was purposely delaying her speech to avoid the tears that came inevitably with talking. She shares that her ”why” for doing music has evolved. Now at 44, she’s giving music another go-to model bravery and showing her teenage daughter that she can chase her dreams regardless of age. Cool Off and Suntok sa Buwan rounded off the set.

In the video shown in-between acts, Aia said the best part of music is when it means something to people other than one’s self, that it’s beautiful when people sing an artist’s song to them. There was no lack of that for Aia as she sang Akap and Sundo. A funky cover of Spoliarium and Taralets kept the set fresh and fun.

Barbie brought her different eras: Torpe from her days as Hungry Young Poets, Tabing Ilog from Barbie’s Cradle, and soloist Barbie Almalbis with Say Goodbye. Hardcore guitarist Barbie also made an appearance with a Metallica Master of Puppets interlude.

Kitchie has been based in Spain for the past five years with her husband and son, but couldn’t pass on the opportunity to hold a concert with good friends. The Kitchie Nadal Medley is an essential addition to any karaoke session and watching it live felt like the holidays came just a bit early. Huwag na Huwag Mong Sasabihin was interspersed with Spanish translations, followed by Same Ground and Bulong.

The last solo of the evening went to Lougee, who played Rally, Tumatakbo, and Mata
Her dream of playing a drum duo with husband and drummer Ali Alejandro finally came true. She quipped, “Ang bilis ng panahon, kabanda ko lang yan noon, asawa ko na ngayon.”

Duets and Collaborations

Lougee recalled being a huge fan of Mojofly before becoming its vocalist and called on the band’s original vocalist Kitchie. Together they sang Kitchie’s favorite Mojofly track Another Day.

The duets continued with Hannah and Aia mashing Imago’s Rainsong with Sheryl Crow’s Strong Enough. Acel and Barbie performed Moonpools & Caterpillars’ Soon, with Acel on double duty on guitar and harmonica.

The night would not be complete without all six coming together as a mega group. Lougee, Kitchie, and Barbie were on guitars, with Barbie in charge of solos. The others switched up their instruments – Acel on keys, Aia on bass, and Hannah on drums.

Playing homage to Pinoy rock heavyweights, they played Sampaguita’s Nosi Balasi and Francis M’s Kaleidoscope World, followed by a heartfelt rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide. They exited for a moment before heeding requests for an encore with Rivermaya’s Panahon na Naman. By the end of it, they were met with rousing cheers and a standing ovation.

Thinking Back, Moving Forward

The women of Tanaw are sisters in music, motherhood, and faith. They speak of each other with fondness and admiration so warm it radiates. Hannah shared she was content with being a mother and an athlete and leaving music behind, but the rest showed her there was still something more for them.

These ladies are not stopping anytime soon, still releasing original tracks which they also performed at the concert. Acel’s Buhangin was released in April this year, while Barbie’s Days Are Long came out last year. Aia showcased Tao Lang which has yet to land on streaming platforms. Kitchie sang a song she did not mention the title of but notes it’s a life update of what has happened since the last time she was in a Gabi Na Naman gig where she announced her pregnancy.

With the concert done and dusted, the ladies have high hopes for the future – more songs, more collaborations, and more gigs together. Lougee put it best when she talked about her music journey, which likely encapsulates how it is for everyone else – it wasn’t a smooth journey, but true passion persists at the end of it all.

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The TANAW concert was presented by GNN Entertainment Productions. Special thanks to GNN Entertainment Productions for the invitation to the press conference and event.