Akin to the previous concerts of bisrock bands, local counterparts have always served as opening number guests, entertaining the audience prior to the final performance of the star concert band like the Urbandub.

The 3 four-member bands dished out 4 songs each in their new style of singing, accompanied by the prevailing voluminous sounds of guitars and the full beating of drums.

Urbandub?s concert was scheduled to start at 8:00p.m.. However, the ?phenomenal? 4-member band has started their show at 10:40p.m. It lasted exactly for one hour of continual belting out of rock songs to the delight of the youthful audience. This is aside from the earlier performances of the 3 local guest bands that lasted for more than an hour.

At the start of their show the singer beckoned the concert enthusiasts, mostly teenagers and young adults to come near the stage. Some have responded. They moved and rushed forward and started dancing with the beat of the songs.

The invited band has rendered a total of only 12 original songs culled from their line of well-received albums called ?Birth?(2000), ?Influence?(2003), ?Embrace?(2005) and ?Under Southern Lights?(2007). Their track ?Soul Searching? won the award as ?Song Of The Year? in the NU107 Rock Awards 2003. The collection later also bagged the ?Album Of The Year? in the NU107 Rock Awards 2004.

Started to form in 2000 and forced to be independent band due to the lack of support from major recording companies, Urbandub tried the worldwide approach thru the modern technology. The existence of a website owned by one of the popular cellphone companies has provided ample space for the country?s Independent Artists Club for global exposures of their song compositions. Here the band can upload every new song that they?ve composed and recorded. Via the internet, their songs have become hits in other countries where there? also exist a new trend of young music lovers of rock songs.

During their recent three-day concert in Singapore at Esplanade Hall, which features on weekends different bands from every country in Asia, it was learned, some teenagers sang their songs by heart even before they (Urbandub) could start their concert. With their new found popularity en route to the facilitation of their songs/compositions at nokia?s Independent Artist Club?s website, their vision to retain their principle of independence has been achieved.

The group however, did not take chances. They have kept Lighter Records as their management arm and guide. Currently under the Emi Music Philippines, Urbandub is allowed by EMP management to record their albums in their home soil in Cebu.

Its members, who were all graduates from San Carlos University, are Gabby Alipe (vocalist/guitarist), Lalay Lim (bassist), John Mendoza (drummer) and John Dinopol (lead guitarist). Their newly-acquired success should served as an inspiration to all struggling artists, not only in Luzon, but most particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Urbandub?s concert was sponsored, among others, by the Philippine National Red Cross-Southern Leyte Chapter, Ads Pacific Unlimited, Floi Quin Pensione, City Govt. Of Maasin, Southern Leyte Times, SLEM Coop, JQD Construction, Bayantel, STI College, Maasin Country Lodge, Nacional Tires and Services, Le Mars Electronics, Kinamot Restaurant, Supercha, Maasin Cable Television, San Miguel, Panny?s Bakeshop, Mr.Donut.(Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

About the Contributor:

Mr. Quirico M. Gorpido Jr was an erstwhile Correspondent/Contributor to the following weeklies and dailies: Tacloban-based regional weekly a 33-year-old The Reporter for many years(now defunct), a Cebu-based weekly The Visayan Express(now defunct),Cebu-based daily The Freeman(1994-1998) now a sister publication of The Philippine Star, Maasin-based weekly The Southern Leyte Times for three years, Tacloban-based daily The Leyte Samar Daily Express(2000-2001), Cebu-based daily the Cebu Daily News(2002-2003), Tacloban-based weekly 7-year-old Tribune(2003-2007).