Agsunta on upcoming concert: “It’s time for us to give back to people”
Agsunta is a decade old and growing stronger.
The hugot band is gearing up for a free concert on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at SM City Tanza, Cavite to mark their 10th year in the OPM scene.
The band—composed of Jireh Singson for vocals, Josh Planas for bass, Mikel Arevalo for guitar, and Stephen Arevalo for drums—makes the most out of this special day by doing what they love in their hometown.
Time has definitely flown for the band, yet they take great pride in the path they’ve walked hand-in-hand.
In an interview with FreebieMNL and other entertainment media, the members pedal back on their beginnings, the challenges they faced, and the overall journey of Agsunta.
Agsunta vocalist Jireh reminisces, “Yung 10 years, e, yun na yung nabuo na yung kaming apat.
“Nagsimula kami [noong] College. Nagsimula kami na trip-trip lang, mga ganun. Jamming-jamming lang ‘tapos ‘di naman namin akalain na papalarin kaming magkaroon ng space dito sa industriya natin. So ayon, siyempre, sa tagal na rin namin, hindi nga namin napansin, e, actually. Parang time flew by so fast.
“Sobrang grateful pa rin namin and dahil nga 10 years na kami, parang feeling namin it’s time for us to give back to people kaya gusto naming bigyan sila ng malupit na free na concert sa SM Tanza sa Cavite.
Agsunta’s 10th-anniversary special concert is also tagging along musician Nef Medina and P-Pop boy group 1621BC as special guests.
How Agsunta keeps the bond tight
Like a family, they have had moments of disharmony, and the group is honest about being no stranger to conflict. They admit encountering one another’s differences in many instances.
Jireh opens, “Maraming mga clashes, maraming mga setbacks, maraming mga pangyayari na hindi mo inaasahan…
“Lahat naman ng mga banda, lahat naman ng mga grupo, kahit family, di ba? Kahit mga relationships, lahat naman yun laging mayroong setback, lahat yun merong mga ganyan-ganyan. Pero mag–e-end lang ‘yan or magkakaroon lang ‘yan ng kahihinatnan kung magdedesisyon, di ba? Ganun lang ‘yan.”
To them, maintaining a healthy relationship weighs more than any other hurdles they are to face. They make sure to end their discussions with all grudges squashed.
Jireh continues, “Siyempre, all in all, alam naman namin lahat na kahit ano pang mangyari, ang kailangan lang talaga naming isipin is kailangan, buo kami.
“Kami, ang nasa utak lang namin lagi, ito yung talagang binuo na namin, and panghahawakan talaga namin ‘to kasi talagang naging para na kaming magkakapatid.
“Tumanda na kami sa isa’t isa… ito [si Stephen], nakita ko ‘tong sobrang totoy pa talaga as in high school ka lang noon, e. ‘Tapos ngayon, mga binatilyo na kami. Kumbaga normal-normal sa magkakapatid na merong mga ganyan. May mga tampuhan pero family is family, always.”
This is also why it has never come to the point where Agsunta leaned on the thought of disbanding.
Entering a new chapter
Following the end of their contract with Star Music, the Agsunta looks forward to sailing into a new chapter, but this time, with more autonomy in their work.
From maining song covers with #AgsuntaSongRequests, “Kung ‘Di Na Ako” and “Alas Dose” hitmakers are aiming to step-up their game after a 2-year interlude from releasing more music.
As of now, they are sticking to creating original songs rather than doing song covers.
In fact, the band is all set for an upcoming release on April 8, 2024.
But there’s more to the surprise! Agsunta, known for their mapanakit songs, reveals that they are experimenting with shifting their signature into something different from the usual.
Jireh reveals, “Actually, meron kaming ilalabas na song na sobrang iba naman sa naging image namin.
Kasi, itong song naman na ‘to, para naman ‘to sa mga in love. Kumbaga iba na. Hindi na ‘to masakit, ano na ‘to, pampakilig. Pampakilig na song naman yung mga ginagawa namin.
“Marami rin kayong dapat abangan na masosorpresa kayo.”
Words Pamela Torres
Banner Art Paulo Correa
