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UPDATE: Corrected the song performed by Marshall 150 from “Yugyugan na” to “Super Proxy”

     THE University’s annual battle of the bands ended the Thomasians’ long wait when the finals of SoundCheck took place last November 23 at the Quadricentennial Pavillion Open Area.

     12 of the best college bands competed for the championship trophy in the event hosted by James and Andre of Monster Radio RX 93.1.

     The participating bands were judged with different criteria and were required to perform one cover and one original composition.

     Judges were Chito Ilagan, artist and repertoire director of Polyeast Records Philippines; Krina Cayabyab, alumna of the University of the Philippines’ College of Music and daughter of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab; and Reli De Vera, drummer of Sinosikat.

     Eiros’ Meat from the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery lit up the stage with the hit single “Yugyugan Na” followed by their original composition “Sumayaw,” which was acclaimed by a judge as “an excellent composition.”

     Members of the College of Science Glee Club, the band No U Turn, performed a duet with the songs “Huling Sayaw” and their original composition called “Friendzone.”

     Hunio, formed last June, represented the Faculty of Engineering. The band uplifted the Faculty’s pride with “Seasons” and their own composition, “Arcadia.”

     The comeback cats from the College of Architecture, Pen on the Knees, offered something new to the Thomasians: a mixture of Jazz and Rock with Up Dharma Down’s “Oo” and their own composition “It Will End Today.”

     St. Raymund Peñafort building-based band Se7en Streams from the Faculty of Arts and Letters carried the Artlet flag with Urbandub’s very own “The Fighting is Over” and these future economists’ own “Summer Nights.”

     Starting off their performance with a story as to how their band was formed, the Conservatory of Music’s pride 3/4 Band started their journey for the championship with the famous OPM song “Beep Beep.” They caught the judges’ ears with their own composition entitled “Alimangong Pula.”

     Supporters of the College of Commerce and Business Administration’s Emphasis marched to the Quadricentennial Pavilion to witness their bets perform with the song “Hiling ng Paramita” and their original composition “Hindi Ko Masabi,” a sure hit among the crowd.

     The all-girl Peptide Band from the College of Education ended the long wait of their supporters, who were seen carrying a tarpaulin that night, by performing the songs “’Di Bale Na Lang” and “I Can Fly.”

     The Arpeggios, the University’s future artists and representatives of the College and Fine Arts and Design, started the ball rolling with Moonstar 88’s “Gilid” and their very own “I’ll Never Let You Go.”

     Future accountants of Take All Arms of the AMV-College of Accountancy proved that they can do more than mathematical equations with  their take on “Endless, A Silent Whisper” and their own composition, “Up Against Your Nightmare.”

     The Faculty of Pharmacy’s Wicked Mum was highly applauded when they gave an all-out performance with their own composition, “Hands of Infinity.”

     Lastly, the College of Nursing’s Marshall 350, performed on-stage with their song “Tipsy,” which they said are “para sa mga taong nagmahal at nabigo.” They also performed “Super Proxy”

     Aside from the 12 bands, some of UST’s talented musicians were also present to perform: the Conservatory of Music’s Viden, SoundCheck 2010 Champion Read Between the Lines, SoundCheck 2011 Champion Watching the Wheels (formerly known as Sugarplum Fairy), first Thomasian Idol  Jessamae Gabon, and the Thomasian Idol 2012 finalists.

And the winner is…
     The 3/4 Band of the Conservatory of Music outshined the other bands as they were named the SoundCheck 2012 Champion, with a total score of 90.40%.

     “Last minute na kami gumawa ng music tapos hindi pa kami sikat kaya nagulat kami na maraming sumuporta sa’min na kapwa naming Music [students] at iba pang department,” Band Vocalist Romula Callangan said.

     The judges highly praised the band participants with one saying, “I congratulate UST for having so many talented musicians.”

     “Ang hirap ng judging process dahil each band has its own quality na very different from the other bands, pero yung nanalo, they really deserved it,” Judge Krina Cayabyab said in an interview. She gave the winning band a 99%.

     As winners of the competition, 3/4 Band received a cash prize of P20, 000.00, a chance to have a music video and to be the Thomasian band ambassador, a recording single from Chito Ilagan, and an opportunity to perform before the Thomasian community at Paskuhan.

     In the Top 5 after 3/4 Band are as follows: Emphasis (87.87%), Se7en Streams (87.53%), Pen on the Knees (87.47%), and, tied on fifth place, Hunio and Wicked Mum (86.60%).

     SoundCheck was part of the Conservatory of Music week, presented by the Student Organizations Coordinating Council (SOCC) and the Conservatory of Music Student Council (CMSC). Project heads of the competition were Rafael Enrico Sy, assistant secretary of SOCC; JP Domingo, public relations officer of SOCC; and Sherry Ann Cantor, president of CMSC.

By Charry Fatima D. Garcia
Photo taken by Fay V. Refuerzo