GMA Brandtalk
Tracking
Archives
Rocking out on the cello with Break of Reality
Through the efforts of Ayala Malls and the US Embassy, mall goers on a busy Friday night were treated to affecting music for free as part of "Urban Beats."
The free concert last Feb. 3 coincided with the National Arts Month and though it might not have been specifically staged for it, it accomplished the task of making aural art accessible to the public.
Three cellos and drums build the rather rousing music of American band Break of Reality. "Cello rock band" doesn't get thrown around as a description often, but in this case, it's a perfect fit.
Where the large, upright instrument usually evokes classical music and a little jazz, Break of Reality experiments with the cello to surprising results.
There's their famous rendition of the Game of Thrones music and the skillful cover of "Lateralus" by Tool, which they admit they love doing because of the difficulty of playing a song not actually meant for the cello.
Break of Reality covers the opening music for HBO's Game of Thrones pic.twitter.com/gQnvI7RHT8
— Aya Tantiangco Miura (@ayaruim) February 3, 2017
Break of Reality does "Lateralus" by Tool! pic.twitter.com/pPNvcGASP0
— Aya Tantiangco Miura (@ayaruim) February 3, 2017
Hearing these and more in the middle of a mall after a long week felt like eating a large slice of pie (or cake, if you prefer that)—soothing and satisfying. The meringue (or icing, if you're having the cake) are the people stopping to look and listen from two floors up.
"Everyone is so warm and receptive to our music. You guys are such nice people, we're having a blast," the band's drummer/percussionist Ivan Trevino told the crowd.
The enthusiasm in their playing is infectious and the skill hints at a certain nerdiness in their love for music. One almost wants to buy a cello after listening to them, as an attempt to replicate the joy they radiate while they were performing.
Break of Reality was founded in 2003 and have seen a few changes in the lineup.
The most current iteration with Trevino, Patrick Laird, Laura Metcalf, and Adrian Daurov visited the Philippines, arriving just in time for Miss Universe on January 30.
The band, however, had a more low-key week filled with music workshops and outreach programs. They visited Zambales and Manila, connecting with students through music from January 30 to February 3.
Together with US Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim, the band also went to visit the Philippine General Hospital to help distribute gifts and perform for patients and staff.
The Philippines was the last stop on their Asia Tour and their performance on February 3 at Palm Drive Activity Center in Glorietta 2 was their closing show.
Prior to their performances in Manila and Zambales, the band was in Malaysia and Japan. —KG, GMA News
