All-Pinoy band rules Saipan’s summer jam

GARAPAN, Saipan – Rock band members by night, and overseas Filipino workers by day. That’s Rated R, an all-Filipino band that bagged the top prize in Beach Road Magazine’s second Summer Jam & Glam in the US territory of Saipan on August 30. "What mattered most was that we enjoyed playing for the crowd, and it’s enough for us to transfer that energy to the crowd," Ross Cesar, the band’s 40-year-old drummer who works as a salesman, told GMANews.TV in an interview after the competition. Rated R bested five other bands: Iskupz, $5 Haircut, Vyruz Band, Scarlett Theory, and D is for Grape Drink. Aside from being this year’s first place winner, Rated R also bagged the IT&E texters’ choice award. Rated R’s name is not a euphemism for a motion picture containing some adult material. The letter “R" has lots of meaning to the group that practiced only twice days before the battle of the band. "First, most of us were ‘rejects’ from other bands so we formed our own group. Second, most of our instruments are ‘repossessed’ by pawnshops," said Cesar, who said the greatest birthday gift he ever received was winning the band competition. "R stands for rock," said one of the three judges after listening to and watching Rated R’s performance. Rated R was an instant crowd favorite as they performed "Tensionado" by Soap Dish, but the judges were more receptive to their performance of "Seven Nation Army" by White Stripes. The five-man band also treated the crowd to a rock version of "Careless Whisper," a George Michael original, before capping off their performance with "3 Stars and a Sun" by the late Filipino rapper Francis M. whom they paid tribute to by wearing shirts from his clothing brand. "We didn’t expect to win," said Rated R bassist Budz Camacho Yabut, 24, of Caloocan. Yabut works as a computer technician. Rated R band almost disbanded because of priority issues – as some were busy playing in a basketball tournament – but they put their acts together days before the summer jam. This teamwork, they said, paid off considering that this was their second year to join the band competition using the same name. They placed only sixth among the 10 bands that competed last year. "We swallowed our pride and we practiced and here we are. We will always be Rated R," said Cesar, who hails from Cavite. Phonani "Gener" Lazona, Rated R’s 27-year-old lead vocals from Pasay, made a mark with his signature shades. Lazona works as a diver. Silverio "Jon" Artates, 31, guitar and vocals, and Mark “Bhadz" Badal, 24, lead guitar and vocals, complete the band. Artates, of Santa Rosa, Laguna, works as a sales representative. Badal, from Tarlac, is a computer teacher. Bagging the second and third place were Scarlett Theory and $5 Haircut, respectively. Two other bands also consisted mainly of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans: Iskupz and Vyruz Band. In between rock performances were fashion shows that feature back to school clothing for children, teens and professionals. Last year, the all-Filipino “High Pitch Band" won second place in the same band competition. Saipan is host to about 10,000 Filipino contract workers and Filipino-Americans. - GMANews.TV