There was no better time to get the titos and the pasaways of the world together than at Cambio's reunion show this past November.

2019 has been a solid year for comebacks. Whether for one big show or a brand new album in the works, there was definitely something to get excited over. Cambio's return to the live stage was no exception. Heck, it was probably one of the biggest and most anticipated performances that made 2019 memorable. All it took was to fix everyone's schedules and finally hit the studio to rehearse. And for the first time too, apparently. According to drummer Raymund Marasigan, Cambio had never rehearsed until they had to prepare for their comeback set at All of the Noise.

Bandwagon sat down with the members of Cambio—Raymund Marasigan, Ebe Dancel, Buddy Zabala, Diego Mapa, and Kris Gorra-Dancel—during their second jam session before their reunion set at All of the Noise 2019 to talk about their firsts and lasts together as a band.

When was the last time you rehearsed?

Buddy: Two weeks ago?

Kris: Last month.

Raymund: That was the first rehearsal since we stopped playing.

Kris: I think even when we were playing we never really rehearsed.

Raymund: Yes, that was the first time we ever rehearsed.

Ever?

Raymund: Yes. 

Buddy: Yeah, we don't get to rehearse much, kasi everybody's busy.

Ebe: Pero may pre-prod lagi tayo.

What do you mean by you guys never rehearsed?

Raymund: We rehearsed only before recording the album and that was it. 

Kris: Everything else we just wing.

Diego: We all had assignments. If you don't do your assignment, 'di ka makaka-catch up. Parang you owe it to your bandmates and to yourself na dapat tama yung gagawin mo.

Ebe: I think what makes Cambio so exciting is that no two shows were ever the same, but we're so in sync na parang sabay-sabay kami natitigil, sabay-sabay kami nagsisimula. That's something I've always loved about this band.

Kris: And I guess it also helps that we have a really solid rhythm section. Our producers are in the band.

Raymund: The song form doesn't change. It's the parts that you play in the song that's different every time. Same pa rin yung intro, verse, chorus from the album version. It's very, very close to the original recording. So really, anyone can play [a] Cambio [song] if you just know the order of the parts.

Buddy: There are some times where it's faster, like this song is faster than the last [gig]. Depende sa gising, depende sa crowd. 

Kris: Depende sa kung anong kinain mo.

Diego: Tapos pag may nag-improvise, nag-riride on lang kami.

Kris: Doon sa songwriting process naman namin, it's very collaborative so it's more likely na may ma-cocontributan ka sa song than when it was recorded. When you're doing it live it's really easy to remember what you're doing in the song even without rehearsing.

When was the last gig?

Kris: I don't remember.

Buddy: Pinagusapan namin ni Diego...it was like, five years ago?

Ebe: I think it was [at] Route 196.

Raymund: We weren't even complete, diba? I don't even remember playing that show.

Diego: It was definitely a small show. A bar gig.

When was the last time you were all together?

Kris: Last rehearsal (laughs).

Diego: Before that mga five years?

Kris: Minsan may weddings or when someone gives birth.

Ebe: Oh! Marie's [Jamora] wedding! 

What made you guys decide to do this reunion show?

Raymund: Oh, ang laki ng budget (laughs)!

Diego: Hindi, actually ako ang makakasagot nun. Aking yung pinaka-tutoong sagot (laughs). Si Ian Urrutia ng The Rest is Noise, last year pa niyang sinabi sa akin na may balak silang show na kasama ang Cambio reunion. So isa-isa ko silang tinanong.

Ebe: Sino yung una mong tinanong?

Diego: Si Rayms muna.

Raymund: Tapos sabi ko ayoko (laughs)!

Diego: I made sure na ma-secure ko silang lahat, 'tas tinanong ko kailan 'to? Sabi niya November (laughs). 

Ebe: January mo kaming tinanong. 

Diego: Tama yung timing niya. He gave us one year to think about it. 

Kris: Tama rin na tinanong niya si Diego. Every time someone would ask me, I'd just say kung gusto nila, but if not 'di wag.

Diego: At saka ano eh, Na-experience ko na yung Vandals on the Wall na show yung Pedicab, Tarsius, so gusto kong ma-experience na Cambio. Tapos maganda 'to kasi may kasama kaming foreign bands so parang lumabas kami ng bansa. 

How does it feel to be together again?

Raymund: Not surprisingly very easy. The difficult part was scheduling. Always. The main challenge of Cambio ever since was the scheduling, 'cause everybody's busy with life and work. Otherwise the playing is always very, very easy and being together is always very, very easy. It's just getting us together one place to do one show is the main challenge of Cambio. 

Buddy: Usually the question is how often do you get to play. Naging joke na namin na once, twice a year. 

Ebe: Maybe once in five years.

Kris: This is our once. Humabol pa for the end of the year. Habang may hugot pa.

Diego: I would like to think na nung tinanong kami ni Ian last year, I was thinking na, "who gives a fuss about Cambio?" He made it a point na we have an important catalog. Natutuwa ako na may ganun that remembers us. We were just playing for fun and whatever because at the time we were together doing that band. Pero ngayon after five years meron pa rin gustong makinig.

Ebe: We've always been friends before bandmates. So it's just really good to see these guys. 

What's next for Cambio?

Diego: That's it (laughs). Actually yeah, that's it. We don't know from there. Unless may kukuha sa amin na telecommunications company to do a cover show of an upcoming big band (laughs).

Ebe: But we also really can't go past this one show. But we're all very excited.

Kris: We just like being present. We're here now, so enjoy the now.