Music-loving OFW levels up, organizes two-night musical event in UAE

Staying true to his passion, an overseas Filipino worker in the United Arab Emirates has organized another musical event to showcase Filipino talent in a foreign land.

Ronald Galvez, graphic communications manager of the Al-Futtaim Group, first organized a live music event in the middle of the Al Qudra Desert for his family and friends in 2010. It has turned into a semi-regular thing ever since.

For the upcoming event scheduled on December 1 and 2, there will be two firsts:

"This time, the Sessions DXB will feature a band from the Philippines: Agaw Agimat," said the 40-year-old Galvez, who billed the upcoming show as "Musika '90."

"I personally met Renmin Nadela, the band manager of Agaw Agimat, during my vacation in Manila last August and introduced our music community here in Dubai. He liked the idea of setting up a themed concert in collaboration with international artists/musicians to motivate and elevate the local band’s performances in live music," Galvez told GMA News Online.

It will be also the first time that the event will be held on two consecutive nights to accommodate more performers.

“The local bands here are very enthusiastic and eager to perform live but we cannot accommodate them in a single event with 20 bands/groups. I spoke with Agaw Agimat and ask if they are willing to make it as ‘UAE Tour’ and they were more excited!" Galvez said.

The Dubai-based bands are the Betaslave, Elemento, Herbalution, Oreo’s Bite, Skintillaz, Sons of Asaph, Techpenz, The Gravity, Timmy Cruz, Underratedz and Whodo. They will be performing at The Fridge in Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, Dubai on December 1.

Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi-based bands are the Anneknown, Ehem featuring Ella, Hazmat, Kalijuali, Sinkopado, Wardah, K8Screw, with guest acoustic duo; Steven & Nick and child singers; Zahraross & Alliyah. They would be performing the following day, December 2, at the C#5 in Al Mariah Mall, Abu Dhabi. —KBK, GMA News