Here's a blog from one of my bestfriends and former bassist... its really cool, you should read it. nakakinggit.
Shadows Fall In Boracay
Mar. 18, 2008 6:20 PM - 0 comments - [ post comment ]
Filed under: Features
I first saw the guys of Shadows Fall around 4pm or so of Thursday. They were walking down the path of restaurants, dive shops, and resorts and I must admit that I did not recognize them from photos ive seen of them but more so from the way they were dressed. 4 guys dressed in black with long hair and tattoo’s. I guess you could say that they weren’t exactly what you would expect of vacationing tourists on an island like Boracay. Seeing Brutal Grace walking a few meters behind them made me sure that they were indeed the band.
Anyway, I didn’t speak to them yet and didn’t wanna be some fan stalking them so I just let it be knowing that I would see them again with the opportunity of getting to hang out with them later on in the day. Sure enough, at around sunset as I was walking to my happy hour bar, I saw them again shooting a video of the sun setting over the clear waters surrounding the island. At this point I thought hey why now and approached them saying “hey man you guys are Shadows Fall!”. Immediately, the one holding the camera turned my way and asked me to say that again into the camera! Once done, he explained to me that they were shooting a video for a DVD which is currently in the making. To my great joy, I asked if I would then be part of the up coming DVD and he said “You bet man”! [strawberry] yeah! Im appearing in a Shadows Fall DCD!!!
After a brief chat and letting them know that I was promoting their concert in Manila, they thanked me for being a part of the show and I carried on walking to my destination. A couple of hours had passed, along with too many drinks in me to count, I was headed back to my resort to chill before dinner and my night out. On my way with Pat and Ga of Kerplunk Studios, we spotted them again! This time, they were all together along with a couple of friends and their tour manager and Brutal Grace, they called out to me and so I stopped by for a quick hello. It was far from the usual friendly Boracay encounter anyone would have as this one Filipino guy with them started harassing me. The [strawberry]! He must of thought that I was one of them vendors trying to sell them something or I don’t know what the [strawberry] but he started questioning me about why I was wearing a sarong over my shoulders. I guess to him I looked like a freak flasher and was ready to pull out my cock for a free show. When I said [strawberry] that No”! he went on to asking me if I was asking them for money. By this time, Brian, the singer of the band, stood in between us and stopped any trouble that may have been brewing. He apologized for his friends behavior while their drummer stood up and said “Hey man everything’s cool he’s just drunk. At the very same time that he said this, their tour manager and lights man, a very large black man, came up to me and asked me if there was any trouble. At that moment I thought he must have been their personal bodyguard and was ready to [strawberry] pounce on my ass! But I shrugged it off and said [strawberry] this man I don’t need this [gooey brown stuff]”. I mean, after all, it was happy hour and I was pretty drunk and just stopping by because they called my attention. In the end, I walked away a bit irritated but whatever man, its cool and I wasn’t looking for any trouble anyway.
Later on that night, I saw them again only this time Vernon was there and as he introduced me formally to the group, he informed them as well that I was with odysseylive and that we played a role in promoting the concert and had done this and that for them. The Filipino [strawberry] wasn’t there (apparently he was too wasted and was getting into trouble and so he was put to sleep, I never saw him again ☺ ) and I was happy to join the band without any harassment. I got to sit with them and properly meet the rest of the band. I was able to have a chat as well about the band and their history and how long they’ve been around and who was first with the band and who followed.
I also asked Brian if there was anything I could hook them up with while on the island to which he replied that he wanted a bit to smoke. I let him know that I had a smoke on me but nothing to smoke it in. Quickly he offered to head back to his resort to grab a piece, a bit embarrassed I let him know that if he wanted to, I would take him out to the beach. Brutal Grace had even said “Hoy Miggy grabe inutusan mo yun vocalist ng Shadows Fall”. But I just let her know that I didn’t exactly ask him to go and get it but that he had offered. Minutes later he was back with a smile on his face. So, with the vocalist of Shadows Fall we walked out to the beach, sat on the sand, loaded, sparked, and chatted while passing the bowl back and forth. It was [strawberry] awesome man! There I was, this kid, not even entirely familiar with the band, smoking out with this world class singer of a famous heavy metal band! I don’t think I can quite repeat the conversations we had but what I can say is that it was really cool listening to him tell me that he’s really happy in the band because all he does is run around the stage screaming into a microphone while the rest of the band have to study all these parts and time measurements and what not while he just [strawberry] around”.
It didn’t take too long before we were ready to head back to the group. On the way, I let him know that my group was sitting just over by the side of where they were and he even decided to join us for awhile. After a few photo’s were taken over some small talk, he headed back to the band and we stayed on out by the beach.
I actually never saw them again and was still in Boracay Saturday night missing the concert. Too bad, Ive got friends that joined them after the concert at the after party and a whole bunch of others who were there at the concert. Not to mention all the photos and videos ive seen of the show!
All in all it was a great experience meeting them and hanging out with them and having the random chats that we did. I am sorry that I missed the show but perhaps my experience with them is really enough to have had a Shadows Fall experience even without being at the concert.
