Letting Go, Moving On

I've never felt so good watching my band play up onstage. The album launch that happened last night is one scenic event I will surely want to remember. We have never prepared something as big as that before. Credit goes to Thrina and the rest of the band who made great strides and effort make the Album launch happen. I know that it was not easy for them to come up with the program and at the same time be holed up in the studio for the past few days practicing for their set. I learned that they even spent the wee hours of the evening in the last two days prior to the album launch practicing. As I've made mentioned in my Facebook blog entry, this might very well be my last gig with the band before I leave them temporarily to take care of other personal stuffs. It was a very fruitful 5 year run. And I will always be thankful for those who believed and supported us every step of the way. During the whole set of the band, I was standing and watching them intently from afar with my arms crossed, enjoying every moment, every sound, each music that flowed through the entire evening. I didn't even had to keep myself busy because usually I do the photography stuffs in our gigs so that I could update our site. But tonight, I purposedly chose to concentrate on just watching the band's performance. I wanted to savor it all before I start missing them soon. And as I intently watched them, I could not help but ponder and recollect on the road that we took to reach whatever standing that we now have. The growth that we have achieved in all those years of perseverance and unwavering faith.

Thrina (vocalist/guitars) grew with the band. There is no perfect personification of the band's growth without Thrina in mind. We started our music when she was still as young as 15 years old. Now, she's on the brink of graduating the academic life and preparing herself to face the world out there. All those years I've been egging her to start learning to play the guitars, last night, she finally donned her guitar and was strumming like there was no tomorrow. She totally blew the house down bantering with the audience. She owned or rather through her, the band fittingly owned the evening. If there was a right image that I would want to remember her with the band, her performance that night was definitely it. But music wasn't the only thing that I tried to impart to her, along the way, I've also imparted tons of life's learnings to her as well. Some that could be of use to her, some she could improve on.

Adonis (drummer) was the other longer serving member of the band. His knack for songwriting is what rejuvenated our band to accomplish the new album. Sure I could write the lyrics and Wilbert could still provide the music, but the youthful sound that Adonis is creating brings new dimensions to the band. I was able to recruit him to the band when our original drummer went down with an appendicitis and had to leave the band for health reasons. But even long before he joined our band, he has already been writing songs with his church. But getting him with us, I would like to believe that he also has learned quite a few tricks under the direction of Wilbert's songwriting while I try to help out in lyric writing tips. But for me, the greatest gift that I have ever imparted to him is the Job that he currently holds in a prestigious company. This is beyond music.

Erickson (lead guitarist) on the other hand was Adonis' personal recommendation when we lost our original guitarist. I could remember that at first it felt awkward for him fitting in with the band when he was the new guy around. He brought his own style just when the band was playing under Wilbert's shadow. And he brought himself up to improve his craft, plus under the guiding influence of Wilbert, his improvements makes him worthy as Wilbert's successor. His guitar works on the band's songs are also valuable. If this aren't impressive enough, I don't know what are. But this actually does not impress me as much as I'm impressed with his level of faith. You can never take this guy away from his Church's music ministry commitments. With that, I take a bow.

Doris (bassist/backing vocals) is the latest addition of the band. But even if she just recently joined us, her whole time with the band is as if she was there from the beginning all along. She provides the tie that binds them all. Coming in, she gives the band balance. I've been long looking for another female member for the band. And my eyes had always been set on Doris since before. There is a lot of music in her. A lot of songs in her that I believe the band has yet to cultivate. The future of the band's songwriting department surely belongs to her. It is just so sad that I won't be able to stay with the band for her for a longer period of time. But I trust the other members of the band to be there for her.

It is hard to let go of such a beautiful thing. But sometimes we need to move on in order for a certain group or a certain team to grow. I know the last time I left an organization, things got messy. I wasn't able to train the successors quite well on how to combat opposition. But Thoughts And Notions will be different. I could feel it. I can trust them. You build something from scratch and you nurture them. But at the same time you don't do it by yourself. You do it as a team. Thrina has been the constant, as do Wilbert is, albeit in spirit.

I guess it's time for me to move on. Other things need my utmost attention. Is this a goodbye? Hardly. I know one of these days our paths would cross again. And I still have unfinished business to attend to. For now, geographically, we will be apart. But I always believed in long distance relationships. I might no longer be physically present in their gigs, activities, practices, meetings, and all. But in spirit, I will always remain.

Thoughts And Notions, until the next gig that I'm "physically" present!
See you, Good Luck and God Bless!