Tata Aguiero, Embercore’s vocalist, speaks in between songs during their 8th-anniversary gig at Southrock Skatepark in Calamba, Laguna. Photo by: Kimmy Baraoidan

Longevity and endurance are hard to come by these days with fast-changing times, disposable things, and instant everything. Embercore built itself from the ground up. Since 2007, the group has been putting piece by piece together with buckets of sweat, long hours of practice, and a few lineup changes. Embercore has worked hard to be where they are now.

It’s halfway through the summer, and the barely moving Calamba traffic – with people from all over heading down to private pools and hot springs in Pansol for their summer getaways – built up my anticipation for this event. It took me two hours to drive from Los Baños to Calamba on this humid Saturday afternoon, May 9, 2015. On a normal day, it would only be a 15- to 20-minute drive. Upon entering the premises of Southrock Skatepark, I saw a tarpaulin of the event hanging at the gates. Audience and band members were sprinkled in the area, hanging out, having a smoke or a bottle of beer, chitchatting, waiting for the gig to start. Near the entrance of the indoor skate park, members of the UP Jammers’ Club were manning the ticket table. Tata Aguiero, Embercore’s vocalist, was busy coordinating with people, making sure the sound system was all set up and the band lineup was A-OK, high-fiving every now and then with friends and acquaintances inside and outside the venue. One by one, the other members arrived, people started to pour in, and the show was on its way.

Tata Aguiero belts out a song during their 8th-anniversary gig at Southrock Skatepark in Calamba, Laguna.
Photo by: Kimmy Baraoidan

Embercore bassist Caloy Monasterio looks at drummer Lester Faraon as they start a song during their 8th-anniversary gig at Southrock Skatepark in Calamba, Laguna. Photo by: Chris Quintana