From big surprises to special performances, Lola Amour’s album concert is one for the books

MANILA, Philippines – Lola Amour didn’t really have a huge outpouring of success in mind when the band was formed during its members’ high school years. 

“It wasn’t something we were aiming for. Actually, for the past few years, we just keep making songs until there’s something that we like, and then we release it. If you actually backtrack our discography, one song a year lang kami halos, minsan tatlo (we pretty much only release one song a year, sometimes three). But we’re happy we got this far,” lead vocalist Pio Dumayas told Rappler. 

It’s clear that Lola Amour has already made its mark on the local music scene. Besides having numerous chart-topping hits under its belt and being able to put on countless iconic performances at big gigs, the band just recently released its first full-length album aptly titled Lola Amour. 

The album, which features nine tracks, was five years in the making. 

“Whatever was ready at the time. That’s the real response. And then we just ordered them in a way that would feel like a full body of work,” the band’s members admitted when asked how they decided which songs would make the final cut. 

“Hindi naman sa gusto namin mag-rush ng (It’s not that we wanted to rush an) album, but what was really important for us was that Raymond would be able to make it. We wanted him to be part of the release of the album,” Pio added, referring to Lola Amour’s longtime bassist Raymond King, who announced in March he was leaving the band.

To celebrate the release of the band’s self-titled album and to send off Raymond, Lola Amour held a concert at the Circuit Event Grounds in Makati City on April 13.

But it wasn’t just a concert, really. It was a grand display of a good time that fans will remember and carry with them forever.

Big moments, back-to-back surprises

If there’s anything Lola Amour has mastered outside of making great music, it’s definitely knowing how to make an entrance. 

When the members began stepping on stage one by one during the opening, a hooded figure stood at the center, but he wasn’t carrying an instrument like the rest of the band. It turned out to be internet sensation Dante Gulapa, who treated concert-goers to a live performance of his iconic eagle dance while the band’s horn section took the lead for the instrumentals. 

As if Dante’s guesting wasn’t enough to wow the crowd, PLAYERTWO made a surprise appearance during “Sundan Mo Ko.” While audiences already knew that the Davao-based hip-hop ensemble would be headlining the after-party, nobody was expecting them to appear during Lola Amour’s set. Cheers erupted the moment PLAYERTWO set foot on stage to put their own spin on the 2019 track.

PLAYERTWO comes onstage early to perform “Sundan Mo Ko” with Lola Amour. #LolaAmourTheAlbum | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/ZQeOAZg2tA

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) April 13, 2024

More than anything, however, it was a night of great music – and Lola Amour made sure to deliver on that until the very end. The band’s long set was filled with all the songs from its new album, as well as some of its older hits that have proven to become timeless classics. 

When it came time to perform “Namimiss Ko Na,” audiences were able to witness a full-blown production leading up to the song’s performance. A Wild West-esque video featuring Pio was flashed on the big screen, while the frontman played foley artist for a night to produce the sound effects to go with the quirky clip, and Manu Dumayas and Raffy Perez took on the trumpet and the drums, respectively, to recreate a classic cowboy standoff track. 

Lola Amour performs “Namimiss Ko Na.” The band released the music video for the song just 10 days prior. #LolaAmourTheAlbum | @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/laSCb265iL

— Juno Reyes (@junoileanavr) April 13, 2024

But the surprises weren’t over yet that night. Lola Amour’s original keyboardist Martin Kim flew in from Korea to serenade fans with the Korean version of one of the band’s earlier releases, “Pwede Ba.” According to Pio, only two members of the band knew about Martin’s visit, so it was a treat for Lola Amour itself, too! 

With a remarkable entrance also comes a noteworthy exit. When the band said it was already down to its last song, everybody knew what it would be: “Raining in Manila” – arguably Lola Amour’s most popular hit. It virtually “rained in Manila” during their performance as a rainfall simulator poured on stage.

Coming full circle with Lola Amour

Other than the music acts who helped make the Manila leg of the concert memorable, a special guest was also present: the real Lola Amor – Pio and Manu’s grandmother who inspired the band’s name.

In an interview with the band’s record label, Lola Amor smiled the entire time she was explaining how proud she was of her grandsons, and how proud they were of her. 

It was a special night for the fans, too. For many of them, the concert was a full-circle moment. In between the opening acts’ sets, the concert’s hosts interviewed several members of the crowd, who each began listening to Lola Amour at different points in their lives. Some fans were there from the moment the band had only been playing at cramped bars, while others only began following the band fairly recently.  

But no matter when they were first drawn to Lola Amour, one thing’s for certain: the band played an integral part in these fans’ lives.

An audience member shared that the first time she ever watched Lola Amour live was when she was studying for her board exams. At the April 13 concert, she was already a registered medical technologist.

It was a beautiful display of how music really does have a way of moving people – and Lola Amour is one of the bands that has proven that since its debut. – Rappler.com

Lola Amour is set to perform at the Cebu leg of its album concert on Saturday, April 27, at Draft Punk.