Pedicab’s lineup has stayed steady since their start: Diego Mapa on lead vocals, synthesizer and percussion; Raimund Marasigan on synthesizer, percussion, vocals; Mike Dizon on drums and percussion; Jason Caballa on guitar, percussion and vocals; and RA Rivera on sampler, synthesizer and vocals. Mapa makes a unique frontman, exchanging rock star swagger for a certain beaming boyish charm, even when he’s spouting lyrics laced with innuendo. Every member seems vital to the Pedicab experience, though.
When Pedicab first started up on the scene, audiences were ecstatic: every set, whether in the crowded confines of Big Sky Mind or the now-defunct basement darkness of Gasoline Alley, was an instant party, where people actually would wave their hands in the air like they just didn’t care, losing their minds to numbers like Konti Na Lang and Dito Tayo sa Dilim. Driven by a dance beat and brutally simple yet enormously effective and infectious guitar lines, as well as chant-along choruses, the appeal of the band was uncomplicated, irresistible; one might even say primal. Shot through with a sense of humor, these were songs that one could scream along to gleefully without thinking about it too much. Maybe it was rare that a listener felt like a Pedicab song really connected with their deepest concerns, but you know, sometimeshell, most of the timeyou just want to enjoy yourself.
Happily, two full albums, a bunch of videos, and countless gigs later, the essence of Pedicab is still the same. Undaunted by time or the changing fortunes of the music industry, they’re still making music, rehearsing (and uploading the rehearsals on YouTube), Tweeting, Instagramming, taking pan de sal breaks, flirting with Korean DJs, adding more cowbell, and not letting even such things as a power outage during a Cubao gigwhich actually made Dito Tayo sa Dilim even more appropriate get in their way. In short, they’re still having fun, and as a result, so are we.
They’ll be launching their new EP, “Kaya Mo Mag-Sando?” tonight, 9 p.m., at Cubao X. It features six brand new tracks, including the carrier single Otomatik. Other tracks on the EP are: Kaya Mo Mag-Sando?, Ang Apoy, La Liga Filipina, Insekto and The Shot. Judging from the YouTube videos, their new stuff is as good asmaybe even better thananything they’ve ever done (Insekto and The Shot are early favorites of mine). The EP should be available in stores right now too, if you can’t make it to the gig tonight.
Although really, you should go and see them live. It’s more fun that way.