I am normally not a concert bug, but when ‘Santana’ decided to play at Madison Square Garden, I did not hesitate to get tickets. During my teen years, his music was “it” in all dancing parties. I remember those times (about 30some years ago), when our dancing parties were held in houses.
The living room would be emptied of stuff, with chairs lined up against the wall, leaving the center space for dancing. The place was dimly lighted except for occasional colored lights strategically placed. At other times, ‘katol’ was the only light you could see, thus adding some aroma effect. (incense wasn't that popular yet) The sound system were mostly vinyl long playing albums or the 45 rpm type.
Anyway, the party would start when most of the chairs would be filled up by the ladies and the music would commence. At the sound of the first note, the guys would rush to their choice of ladies and extend their hands to invite them for a dance. The lady would then reciprocate by touching the guys hand, who will then lead her to the dance floor. After the music ends, if the guy was a gentleman, he would return his dancing partner to her seat; otherwise both would just separate at the dance floor, leaving the woman to find her way back to her seat.
I would remember those times at a party, when at the note of a Santana song, two to five hands would be in front of my face. I would look up to choose who I would be dancing with, but the guys were smart because they would turn their faces away with hands extended for the invite. I would presume that this behavior was a testicular game. Well, at this point, I really didn’t care, just as long as I could dance to the music of ‘oye como va‘ .
Santana and his band really brought out the memories in me. This time, I did not have to wait for any guy to dance with me (although my husband was beside me). When Santana would play a familiar song, I would gyrate in my seat, move my head (now I know what a head bang is) and sometimes clap my hands or click my fingers to the beat . I would have wanted to stand but desisted from doing, so as not to distract the view of those behind me. I just made a joyful but loud noise on my own. After the 2 hour show, my adrenalin was still high and I was still smiling as we took the train back home.
Recalling the parties we had, and comparing them to my children’s were totally different. I remembered when my first born son Wiggy, asked to have a party at home. My role was just the food and he would do the rest. That night turned out to be a total revelation.
Early in the evening, my son and some of his friends were jamming at home. (My son had his first Pearl drum set when he was 15). I didn’t understand his music, but I guess they were today’s sound by the look of the guests’ faces. Some girls came by themselves to the party, which during my day was totally unheard of. (a guy had to pick you up chaperoned or would be dropped off by a parent). Since I prohibited hard liquor, san mig beer and soda were their only drinks. Punch was passe. After their jamming, they ate and after that,the whole night was spent on talking…drinking …talking…and drinking …..and .. talking… I was waiting for the dance to start, but there wasn’t any, to my surprise. My son and his brood of guests were having a blast just by talking and laughing and making fun. No dancing, no katol, no dark lights. Surprisingly too, no sweet /slow dancing. This meant, no wall flower. Ask a teener what the word meant and he wouldn’t have a clue. (Actually when one is considered a wall flower, there were few or no invites from the males--very discriminatory)
Fast forward 15 years after my son’s party, present day 2008, I am now at a Brooklyn bar, sipping a margarita in a plastic cup. With me is my daughter in law and a few of her friends. The bar is dimly lit, and scores of young adults in their 20's are inter mingling with each other. While we wait for my son and his band to perform their gig, we squeeze our way through the crowded bar towards the rear side where a pool table was situated. A few yards right behind the pool table was another closed area where the bands would play. Tonight it would be my first time to hear my son play with his band in America.
I have heard him play in the Philippines with other Filipinos, but this is the first time I would hear him play with three other nationalities . Moreover, it was a first also for me to be in a bar in the U.S. Half a drink later, Wiggy's band<> started to set up. We then proceeded to the next room and situated ourselves near the stage. Just as the room was filling up, the band started to play. The momentum gradually started building up, and by the second song, people started dancing. I could not contain myself and even moved with the rhythm. The whole evening came with the euphoria such that of Santana at Madison Square Garden. My adrenalin remained at its peak that evening as we came home. I am so proud of my son.
Click to this site and you will know what I'm talking about.
http://www.myspace.com/thegloriousveins
Whether it's a Santana or The Glorious Veins, for as long as you feel the beat, you just got to let go.
