#TheDawnTrenta: Celebrating 30 Years of OPM

‘Salamat at tayo’y nagkasama muli’ – Any 80’s or 90’s kid will sing along to ‘Salamat’ by The Dawn. The Philippine rock band has just celebrated their 30^th anniversary and even Tony Award winner Lea Salonga takes significant notice saying that the band ‘withstood the test of time.’ In their live digital concert on September 11, it is evident that #TheDawnTrenta continues to rock on.

The Dawn: Changes in 30 years

Lea’s article entitled, ‘Trenta’ from the Philippine Daily Inquirer features The Dawn’s backstory. The band was formed in 1986 by the band’s co-creator, the late Teddy Diaz. Although Diaz was stabbed to death in 1988, the band’s music continues on. Even if the band has gone through changes as to its members, Jett Pangan (lead singer) and Junboy Leonor (drummer) have always been with the group. Today, the band’s guitarists are Francis Reyes and Sancho Sanchez. As bassists, the band now has Carlos Balcells and Mon Legaspi. Leni Llapitan, the only rose, is the band’s keyboardist. To know more about The Dawn’s changes in personnel click here.

Jett Pangan is a voice that cannot be ignored, Lea says

Lea expresses in her article that there is no voice like Jett’s anywhere in the local music scene right now. She also says that Jett is “technically a baritone with a rich bottom that’s steady and solid when those low notes are sung, but can actually hit stuff in the tenor range. His voice never gets tinny, maintaining a masculine richness. His voice is present, cannot be ignored, and has only grown and matured with time.”

The Dawn held a concert on September 17 at the Craft, located at The Fort Strip. It was packed with the band’s friends, family and fans.

To the OPM community, The Dawn will always be one of the best bands to ever hit the music waves in the Philippines. “Enveloped Ideas,” “Iisang Bangka” and “Salamat” will always be distinctly The Dawn and distinctly Pinoy.

WATCH: The Dawn perform “Salamat”  via PolyEast Records YouTube channel