I Belong To The Zoo waiting for right time to hold first solo concert: ‘Narealize namin na time na’
After 10 years as a band, I Belong to the Zoo is finally ready to take the stage for its first major solo concert, marking a new milestone in its musical journey.
During an intimate media conference, the OPM band opened up about what took them so long to say “yes” to holding their own major concert, admitting that they initially lacked the confidence to fill a venue on their own.
“To be completely honest, yung Cornerstone matagal na kami pinipilit pero hindi lang talaga— personally hindi ako confident na mapupuno namin yung concert. We were happy with what we were doing na may bar gigs at lipat-lipat ng gigs,” Argee Guerrero told PUSH ABS-CBN.
He added, “But for the past 2 to 3 years, yung Cornerstone sila yung, ‘Kailangan sila mag concert. Kelan gusto niyo ng concert?’ Ayaw naman nila kaming ipagawa kami nang hindi kami 100% na gawin yon. Nagkataon lang na when they asked us to do the concert, medyo ready na kami to do the concert (now)”
For the band, the thought of holding a major concert had always been at the back of their minds, especially as they approached their 10th anniversary.
“Actually 10 years na kami as a band. It’s always on the back of our heads po kasi eh—deserve ba natin ng major concert? O kaya na ba natin? Parang ganun. But for some reason, this year, yung sinabihan kami parang sige, game, go na tayo diyan,” Argee said.
Lee De Veyra, meanwhile, agreed that a major concert felt like the natural next step for the band, especially with the number of songs they have released over the years.
“Parang next nga talaga dapat ang major concert. Ang dami na natin material parang kaya na natin. Medyo unti-unti tumaas na din ang confidence level. Kasi sa totoo lang medyo shy type kami lahat eh. Kung may concert na kami lang pupuntahan parang uy grabe sobra naman nakakapressure. Pero yun nga, narealize namin parang hindi, time na. Kaya na natin,” he expressed.
I Belong to the Zoo will hold its first solo concert on October 24 at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. Joining the band for the milestone show are fellow OPM artists Janine Teñoso, Reese Lansangan, Barbie Almalbis, and Clara Benin.
Beyond celebrating a decade in the music scene, I Belong to the Zoo hopes the concert will give listeners a chance to connect with the songs that have accompanied them through different experiences, particularly matters of the heart.
Lee said he hopes every concertgoer will find at least one song in the band’s discography that reflects their own story.
“Yung mga manonood sa concert namin, gusto ko maidentify sila sa at least isang kanta namin. Kasi pinagusapan namin, feeling namin, may kanta sa mga sa discography namin. May kanta dun for everyone na makakarelate ka. Maybe ikaw yung kaibigan or mismong ikaw yung protagonist ng kanta, parang ganun. Sa lahat ng mga sulat naming kanta, feeling namin makakarelate kayo,” he stated.
Argee echoed the sentiment, hoping the band’s music would resonate with audiences through the different experiences they have had in love and relationships.
“Gusto namin iparating na there’s an I Belong to the Zoo song for most of your experiences I guess, with the matters of the heart. At gusto rin namin na, whenever you watch our performance, gusto namin na safe space siya,” he said.
“Gusto ko ganoon ang feelings kapag I Belong to the Zoo na parang isa siyang yakap dun sa, kahit isang tao lang na nanonood. It’s a personal experience for me, parang ganun.”
Tickets for I Belong to the Zoo’s first solo concert are still available via TicketNet outlets and the TicketNet website, with prices starting at ₱1,000. Here are the ticket prices:
PANSAMANTALA – ₱4,000
NEVER ME – ₱3,600
COURAGE – ₱2,800
PAGOD – ₱1,500
MASAYA – ₱1,000