Phenomenon-inspired Pinoy band in UAE wows audience with pop, RnB

AL AIN, United Arab Emirates — In the early 80s, a phenomenon called Reverse Speech—referring to those strange backward messages in rock and roll music—gained worldwide fame. It was discovered by David John Oates, an Australian hypnotherapist and public speaker, to describe a form of human communication. After years of research, the phenomenon is now known to exist in all forms of human speech.

It also inspired a name for an all-Filipino pop collective here.

“Thinking that it's kind of cool, we decided to call ourselves the Reverse Band,” said the group's leader Richelle “Rhean” Lilac. “Our music represents our feelings and our passion for it runs deep within our souls.”

She was narrating a story she read online about a patient who was put into sleep. “The psychologist had asked questions to him and his answers were recorded.

“Then afterwards, the recorded conversation was played in reversed. The words—some of which are 'happy,' 'sad,' and 'troubled'—depict the thoughts and true feelings of the patient,” she said.

Aside from the 26-year-old Lilac, other members of the group include Katrina Concepcion, 28; Florence Rafols, 31; Antonio “CM” Restituto, 34; Francis Rivera, 38; Jesther Ibarra; Sonny Laysico, 33; and Boy Cuison, 47.

Since 2012, Reverse Band has been regularly performing for Cheers Discotheque at the Al Ain Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

“Most of our listeners are Pinoys, Arabs, Europeans and Americans. Most of them commented that the band is awesome and talented,” Jean Jugo, director of food and beverage of the said hotel, shared in an email.

The Reverse Band plays a variety of pop and RnB, depending on what type of crowd is present in the bar.

“For the first part of the evening, it tends to make the music mellow and soft. Then it goes upbeat after the third set until closing to accommodate the dancing crowd,” Jugo said.
 
Though they enjoy performing in front of a crowd, Lilac said sometimes it can also be challenging.

“We do get very crowded every weekend. With more people, it tends to get very smoky and warm that our monitors barely reach our ear,” Lilac said.

But despite of that, the Reverse Band still try to be as professional as they can be.

“We try to accommodate all the requested songs on a first come first serve basis so that no one will get upset,” Lilac said. — KBK, GMA News

Photo from the group's Facebook page.