Voice

A wave was passing through the crowd around me. Hypnotized by the music. Eyes locked on the performers onstage.

Sa saliw ng musika ng Kjwan, Imago, Spongecola.

Heads were nodding. Feet were tapping. Whole bodies were attempting to defy gravity, bouncing off the ground in time with the beat.

Purple lights. White lights. Red lights and yellow lights fading on and off the stage. Shouts and yells from the crowd. Raised hands given a voice of their own. Rock! Peace! FREEDOM!!

Sa saliw ng musika ng Giniling Festival, Hilera, Up Dharma Down.

Something in the lights. Something in the bass. Something in the spirit of the crowd was tugging on me. As if I should have been there performing instead of standing with my friends on the grass, a spectator ion, a mere member of the faceless crowd.

When the music really gets into you, you wouldn't care about what other people would say. Raise your hands. Sway your body. Shout. Jump!

Sa saliw ng musika ng Paramita, Dicta License, Stonefree.

I could have danced like Imago's Aia. Could have sang like Hale's Champ. Could have played the keyboards like Up Dharma Down's Armi. Could have played the guitar as well as Spongecola's Yael. Could have composed songs like they all did. Could have performed. Could've pleased the crowd. If I chose to.

Sa saliw ng musika ng Chicosci, Radioactive Sago Project, Hale.

I could have done those things. I would have done those things if I wasn't stuck to the scientific world. I should have listened to my father when I was younger. I should have bought a guitar instead of a keyboard. Chiyo said if I learned to play the guitar earlier, I would have been very good at it now. I was her best student, she said. I had a natural instinct for strumming. A natural passion for creating music. A natural passion to please the crowd. A natural passion for performing onstage.

To make the crowd spirited manifestations of the sounds I'm making. To express my thoughts and feelings through songs heard on the radio. To make a mark. To be remembered long after I'm dead. To do what I want to do. To touch people's lives.

Sa saliw ng pagsayaw ng "I Like You" ni Jackie Rice at ng kanyang mas magagaling na backup dancers... (Extra Rice! Rice all you can! sabi ng audience)

But I'm stuck here behind your monitor. Stuck with words without beat and rhythm. No drums, no bass, no lead guitar. No trumpets, keyboards, nor synthesizers. But I have a voice here in my blog. My audience may be few, and I might not be able to make you raise your hands and yell. But with the right words written at the right time, I may touch your hearts like any song can.

Rock! Peace! FREEDOM!

I dare to dream. I may not rise to stardom, but I'm not standing idle either.

Sa saliw ng pag-awit ng "Stars are Blind" at "Crazy For You" ni Katrina Halili... (In fairness, natibo ako sa kanya.)