Kamikazee Band will grace Eastern Visayas SCUAA 2007

By RYAN BABON
October 23, 2007

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar  –  As part of Calbayog’s hospitality to visitors, the Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (TTMIST), as this year’s host of State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) Meet, will showcase Kamikazee band concert on the evening of October 23.

The concert will be at the Socio-Cultural Center of TTMIST at 7 PM. The ticket costs at P50 for SCUAA athletes and P100 for non-athletes.

The concert is sponsored by SKR Productions, the Office of City Mayor of Calbayog City through Mayor Mel Sarmiento, and Cinemar Traders.

The sponsors have closed the talent fee of Kamikazee at P180,000 according to Bon Calvara of SKR Productions.

Athletes from different delegations are excited to watch the said concert. Maria Rose Tizon commented she is looking forward to seeing the band’s members in person. Delegates are claiming that this is the first time to happen in SCUAA.

The band arrived Calbayog noon and had an audience with the TTMIST president and Calbayog Mayor Mel Sarmiento at the TTMIST President’s Lounge.

The coming of SCUAA according to Mayor Mel Sarmiento is a gift to the SCUAA delegates and athletes during his speech on the opening program.

In an interview, Jay Contreras, the vocalist of Kamikazeee, said, “Sobrang masaya, I’m excited! This is my first time here in Calbayog. And I’m expecting a lot of audience tonight.”

Kamikazee has been in the music limelight with their pop-rock hit songs Narda and Dobbie. The band is composed of five members who met in college at the College of Fine Arts of the University of the Philippines. They are Jay Contreras (vocalist), Jomal Linao (guitars/back-up vocals), Led Tuyay (guitars), Jason Astete (bass), and Allan Burdeos (drums).

Kamikazee's early gigs were mostly campus events in UP Diliman like the annual UP Fair. Before they were signed, they went by the name "Kamikazee Cornflakes," which was eventually shortened to its current state as "Kamikazee". Their early shows included renditions of the songs "Tsinelas", a cover of Ariel Rivera’s "Sana Kahit Minsan," and Britney Spears’ Lucky. They were known for using expletives and suggestive movements in their UP Diliman performances.

Kamikazee released their first self titled album in 2002. The album's carrier single was a rock cover version of the Britney Spears song "Lucky". In 2005, the band released 'Chiksilog' as part of the compilation album Rok On!. In 2006, they released their second album, Maharot. The carrier single of the album was 'Narda', which is thought to be about the fictional Filipina heroine Darna but is actually about a guy who is dreaming for a girl he couldn't reach. 'Narda' was hugely popular in 2006, and was one of the most played rock songs on the radio that year.