Lolita Carbon: Gising na Kaibigan Ko

Levy Abad

Lolita Carbon at Canton Buffet 

Another awesome night of Lolita Carbon’s performance at the Canton Buffet restaurant (1111 Logan).  Indeed, she rocked the night by singing songs that touched the hearts of listeners by taking them “back in time and to places and embraces that they thought they left behind” – one of the lines from Kenny Loggins’ song, Your Heart Will Lead You Home. The place was packed with people wanting to be with an artist who shaped the musical taste of folks from 1978 up to the present. As for me, as I’ve mentioned in my previous article Lolita Carbon : Pagbabalik, I started learning to play the guitar with the song Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran.-( https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6911373698588055422#editor/target=post;postID=6987261598158523200;onPublishedMenu=overview;onClosedMenu=overview;postNum=1;src=postname )

Thanks a lot to Jhayzon Paredes, concert organizer, for taking time to personally invite me to come and watch. I was really happy to be there and saw a lot of friends enjoying folk rock songs of Lolita Carbon. I saw Raffy Ramiro and Bernie Carlos performing on stage and doing some covers like Hotel California of the Eagles. Raffy was really a great sessionist. He is a versatile musician. He plays the saxophone, lead guitar and sometimes he even plays the drums.

The highlight of the night was of course, Lolita Carbon. She started with the song Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran, which is an ASIN classic song. Although the group has many hit songs to their credit, the song that I really like is Gising na Kaibigan ko, which calls on people to wake up from slumber. The song starts with some philosophical questions like "Nakita mo na ba ang mga bagay na dapat mong makita? Nagawa mo na ba ang mga bagay na dapat mong ginawa?  Then the next line calls for action, "Kalagan na ang tali sa paa, imulat na ang iyong mga mata, kaysarap mabuhay lalo nat alam mo kung saan papunta." What an amazing song made even more meaningful by the songwriting skills of putting tomes of Philosophy in a verse.

People started singing along with "Gising na kaibigan ko! Ganda ng buhay ay nasa sa iyo. Ang oras daw ay ginto, kinakalawang lang pag ginamit mo.” This song really compels one to think and reflect on life and its purpose. I love it when Lolita Carbon said that she lived her life to the fullest, by sharing her talent and the positive message of her songs. In the diaspora, migrants often think of life, endure uncertainties, face the challenges of living so far away from the old country and overcoming obstacles. I’m sure some of the folks shed tears while listening to this song. I remember back in the days of the dictatorship in the 80s, Gising na Kaibigan ko took on a different meaning of urging people to move and fight for freedom.

Another song that struck a chord with the listeners was Pagbabalik, where the lyrics says "Sa gitna ng dilim ako ay nakatanaw, ng ilaw na kay panglaw halos do ko makita, tulungan mo ako ituro ang daan, sapagkat ako’y sabik sa aking pinag-mulan."  Then Lolita belts out with the crowd in unison" Bayan ko nahan ka? Ako ngayo’y nag-iisa, nais kong magbalik, sa iyo Bayan ko, patawarin mo ako, kung ako’y nagkamali, sa landas na aking tinahak."  The songs really gave me goose bumps since I haven’t been home for years now. Listening to this song seems to stop time and brings me back to my high school campus in Laguna. In the Philippines this songs has a different effect to its audience. It inspires you to move and serve the country, but here in the diaspora, it makes you miss family friends, home town and motherland even more.

I was trying to absorb the impact of the songs in silence in one corner of Canton Buffet when Kuya Felix Pao, the owner of the place greeted me and asked, “Are you performing?” I told him I was just there to reminisce and support Ate Nene or Lolita Carbon.  I am happy for Kuya Felix and Ate Evelyn for a successful event that saw a lot of people supporting the concert. One thing I cannot forget though was when Ate Nene announced before she performed "Levy, thanks for writing an article about the first event." I never saw that coming. Her sensitivity is intense. All along, I never thought that she would bother remembering it in the midst of her busy work. Well, Ate Nene, now I know the reason why you are capable of creating great songs.  It comes from your strong empathy. You are blessed indeed.

In the event gave me an opportunity to hang out with some of the pioneers in the community like Kuya Jerry Bueno, Arman Reyes- Musician, Maxie, my writing buddy Alfie Mella (Alfie just published a book titled, ”Can You Hear the Sound of a Falling Leaf?”),  Mar Mance, who  sang the song Balita with Lolita on stage, Jun Avila, siblings Florence and Evita Lammawin of the BIBAK community and many more.  After Lolita Carbon’s performance, I hang out a bit to listen to the “last act” by the Transfusion band comprised of the following Arwin Bautista-vocals, Pedong Santos- drums, Mark Sibomet-bass, Giboy Trillana-keyboard and Al Federis -guitar . I congratulated Kuya Bernie Carlos for a successful night, bid farewell to Raffy Ramiro, then headed home to write this article.

Well, Ate Nene, thanks a lot for making our brothers and sisters in the Manitoba diaspora remember who we are, for bringing back memories and making everybody happy. I wish you the best and God bless. Hanggang sa Muli!