CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 27 April) – “Chada” means “nice,” “pretty,” or anything that gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. It is also an expression that is associated with Cagayan de Oro. It is only but fitting that a concert here be aptly titled “Chada.”
The CHADA concert performers at Limketkai Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City. Photo: Susan Claire Agbayani
Kagay-anons and residents of nearby towns and cities trooped to Cagayan de Oro last Saturday (April 21) for CHADA: First CDO Millennials Music and Arts Festival and were regaled by numbers from crowd favorites The Youth, Jireh Lim, the Dong Abay Music Organization (or D.A.M.O.) – which is fronted by the vocalist of defunct band Yano – and Mindanao-bred Joey Ayala with his group Bagong Lumad. They were joined by fairly new group Pub Forties; and The Voice alumnus Kokoi Baldo, who hails from Negros and was a sought-after act in Boracay Island (before its closure, that is).
Homegrown artists though proved that they could hold their own vis-à-vis the sought-after Manila based acts. The audience was treated to topnotch performances by Dodu Abrio and the Viajeros, Fran (of Bukidnon), Fused, Dahong Laya, Guilty Parties, One Broke, and Maria Ana and Wally (MAW).
The 15-year-old Fran from Bukidnon. Photo courtesy of SIRCH Event Productions
Held at the Atrium of Limketkai Center, CHADA was mounted by SIRCH Event Productions and was hosted by Arpee Patriarcha and DJ Sexy Casey.
The festival/concert’s producer, Chris Bautista, said that they would definitely have similar productions in the future. “CHADA opened so many doors for us. We are looking at more projects with the same goal, which is to raise funds, too, for worthy causes,” he said.
Manila-based performers, especially those who have been around for two or three decades – such as The Youth, Dong Abay, and Joey Ayala – remarked how Cagayan de Oro has changed through the years and decades since they first stepped foot on Kagay-anon soil.
Ayala noted the very warm reception they keep receiving whenever they perform here. “Ang mga tao dito, very warm. Ibang-iba ang personality. Mababa ang stress. Dito, medyo laid-back,” he said.
Joey Ayala at CHADA. Photo courtesy of SIRCH Event Productions
He also noted that their performances were patronized by “three generations.”
Ayala said: “The first time I came to CDO in the 1970s, it was not like this. When you have good memories of a place, keep them, because you can never go back. Everything changes.” (Susan Claire Agbayani / Contributor)
