Red Horse Beer’s Pambansang Muziklaban lit up the stage in Sta. Rosa, Laguna Saturday with shattering sets and rambling riffs in the search for the next best Filipino band.
Showcasing local rock acts, the world’s no. 1 strong beer hit hard and heavy by bringing back the country’s top rock competition after a four-year hiatus.
The scene at the grounds of Paseo de Sta. Rosa was a culmination of a year-long competition that started in 2024 with preliminaries to determine who gets to represent the different regions to the nationwide battle of the bands.
The 12 bands that took the stage competed in two categories – Lakas, which bannered hardcore rock bands, and Aklas, which featured bands that play alternative rock.
After hammering hardcore hits, Daks Not Dead from Batangas came out on top in the Lakas category, while Interstate from Cebu ruled the Aklas field. Both bands took home P500,000 in cash prize from Red Horse Beer, its press release said.
“Hindi pa rin kami makapaniwala dahil ‘yung mga nakasabay namin na mga competitors, napakagagaling. Hindi talaga namin in-expect,” shared the Aklas champion Interstate’s bassist Mark Brian Nebril.
Together with his bandmates, Ly Unabia on vocals, Christian Patultol on guitars, and Adrienne Batiquin on drums, Nebril admitted that their preparation leading to the Pambansang Muziklaban Finals was all-out.
“Mental at physical ‘yung preparation namin during practice at studio time. Kinailangan talaga ng disiplina at determinasyon,” he said.
Lakas champion Daks Not Dead, on the other hand, shared the mentorship they went through prior to the finals from Red Horse Beer evangelist bands.
“Malaki ang naitulong ng mga mentors namin. Lahat ng mga advice na binigay nila, sinunod lang namin para maging 100 percent todo ‘yung maipapakita namin sa entablado ng Red Horse Beer,” vocalist Mat Piamonte said.
With fellow members Rudolf Aboloc on guitars, Ben Avelino on bass, and Ian Carreon on drums, Piamonte said their band still has a long way to go, but is thankful to their supporters as well as the competition’s organizers.
“Ngayong nanalo na kami, tuloy-tuloy lang ang abante at pag produce ng kanta. Sa lahat ng sumuporta sa amin, salamat. At salamat sa Pambansang Muziklaban at sa Red Horse Beer, the No.1 strong beer in the world,” he added.
The thousands of rakistas that showed up to watch the grand finals also saw rocking performances from top local bands, including Wilabaliw, Chicosci, Greyhoundz, Razorback, and Dilaw.
Previous Pambansang Muziklaban champions also took the stage as 2018 Aklas grand champion Happy Three Friends played a striking set while 2004 grand champion Mayonnaise closed out the night, and gave the crowd a performance to remember.
For more details and promo updates, follow www.facebook.com/redhorsebeermuziklaban. ||
