UAE-based Pinoy band member finds inspiration in family

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates — To support his family, Rommel Perico works as an artist, instrumentalist and a disc jockey at the Peach Garden in Hilton Al Ain.

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) since 2006, the 44-year-old is playing with the Mystique Band, a sequencer five-piece band where he is the leader.

“Kumakanta at tumutugtog ako dahil sa pamilya ko,” Perico shared in an email. “Gusto kong mapagtapos sa pag-aaral ang mga anak ko, magkaroon ng magandang buhay, at syempre ang makatulong sa aking mga kapatid at magulang.”

Perico started performing with bands in the Philippines during the 1990s. He had been a drummer in his first group, the Pure Hearts Band. When the band disbanded, he joined another, the Vox-B Band, where he would its keyboardist for the next nine years.

The Vox-B Band stands for the “Voice of Bicol.” It was through the said band that Perico was able to perform in Singapore, Bahrain, Dubai, Holland, Hong Kong, and Japan.

“Ang pinakamatagal kong nakasama na banda ay yung Vox-B Band. Halos nine years kaming magkakasama at halos parang pamilya na ang turing ko sa grupo,” Perico said.

He came in the United Arab Emirates through the Level 4 Band, where he was again the keyboardist. The band played at the Maharlika Club & Restaurant in President Hotel in Karama, Dubai, for four years.

Aside from Level 4 Band, Perico was also the keybroadist for the Mystique Band.

“Usually, our audiences are the Americans, British, Australians, Europeans, and Arabs,” he said. “Of course, hindi na mawawala ang Pinoy.”

Perico said he prefers performing in front of foreign guests because he learns more from them. He also always researches for new songs to keep him updated “on what is trending.”

“Mas maganda mag-perform ‘pag mga foreigners ang audience dahil lumalawak lalo ang kaalaman ko sa stage kung papano madala ang crowd at sa klase ng mga songs na kailangang kantahin para sa kanila,” he said.

“Binabalik-balikan rin nila kami at ini-invite minsan sa bahay nila para i-treat at ipasyal,” added Perico, who also said he takes care of his voice by not eating mangoes, pineapples, cakes, chocolates, and ice cream, and getting a lot of sleep. — KBK, GMA News