WHEN / WHO: MOONPOOLS AND CATERPILLARS REUNION CONCERT AND WHAT A FELLOW MUSICIAN DID TO SCORE A TICKET

MOONPOOLS AND CATERPILLARS REUNION CONCERT AND WHAT A FELLOW MUSICIAN DID TO SCORE A TICKET

After their last performance in Manila in 1996, this is it, Moonpools & Caterpillars D' Return Op D' Comeback is actually set to happen on April 8 & 11, 2014 at the Amber Ultra Lounge at The Fort BGC and April 9, 2014 at The Outpost, Cebu City. Yes, from small talks to online confirmation, Pinoytuner is bringing us one of the 90s favorite band for a reunion concert after almost 2 decades! 

Some of the youngsters may not understand how thrilling it is, but for the lucky ones who experienced the glory days of 90s OPM, it's a dream come true.  Read the story of one of those dreamers, a band member herself, and what she actually did just to make that dream a reality...

Sheenah Tan shares the same passion with Moonpools and Caterpillars, in fact she is currently the drummer of Neverland, a new act to look forward to from Los Banos.

Read this big fan's story on how she scored passes to "Moonpools and Caterpillars D' Return Op D' Comeback"... and even got more than what she wanted:

"I was about 10 years old when I first heard Moonpools and Caterpillars from my older sister. She would always sing “oooh, it’s said and done,” and so when I heard the entire song, I instantly fell in love with it. It’s suffice to say that Moonpools was the first band I followed and loved.

I was able to borrow a Lucky Dumpling CD from a friend who’s twice my age. The album was so full of great, one-word titled songs and that’s when I discovered that my true love wasn’t ‘Soon’; it was ‘Ren’.

For many times I wished Moonpools and Caterpillars would visit Manila and that my parents would allow me, a then-high school student to see them. Years went by and I didn’t hear news about them. The closest thing that connected us both was my very own copy of Lucky Dumpling with my name written on the blank space the band included for CD owners (because they “forgot” our names). I thought, maybe, the angry-sounding albeit bold woman Kimi chose another path, and that she quit music indefinitely.

During my high school and college years, the band I was in was able to cover Lucky Dumpling songs. I even had to play Ren on drums during a school beauty pageant in 2004 where I was a contestant. While me being in a pageant is so wrong in every way, being true to myself and playing onstage felt utterly right.

Ten years later I found out that Moonpools and Caterpillars is coming to Manila. Thanks to Facebook I felt like I have finally reconnected to the band. I felt so close to them and so I swore to myself that I am going to watch their concert no matter what. Sadly, I live in the province and had to access to the ticket sellers. I kept wishing for the show not to get sold out to give me enough time to raise money and travel to Manila for a ticket.

Then there she was, Fiona, my classical guitar, who has been idle for two years. She still had value, and she was the best and easiest thing to sell. I didn’t mind swapping her for a ticket, and so, I thought of subtly posting to the Moonpools Facebook page about it.

On March 5, I decided to check my Facebook inbox marked as ‘Others’. To my surprise, a certain Kimi Encarnacion sent me a message, asking me if I’m really selling my guitar for a ticket. I triple-checked the profile and yes, IT’S KIMI ENCARNACION OF MOONPOOLS AND CATERPILLARS.

I was trembling as I typed my reply that said “yes, Kimi….”

I was brimming in tears that night. It felt surreal being invited to the concert of the band I’ve long been waiting for, and it felt all the more strange that it’s the frontman who actually invited me.

I shared the moment to my Facebook friends and they, too, felt happy for me (when initially, the reason why I posted the screen captured chat was to convince myself that it’s real). I am still ecstatic.

And so I am going to their first show, April 8, and I’m definitely taking a photo of Fiona the Guitar (which I now pulled out from the thrift shop) and captioning it “saved by Moonpools and Caterpillars.”

Before Kimi and I ended our chat that night, she gave me an advice: 

"you only sell your guitar to upgrade!"

- Sheenah Tan

Her story reminded me on how I caught Divine Lee's attention and have me as a winner for her Swedish House Mafia One Last Tour: Manila contest January last year. She even gave me a note stating: "Great work! Effort yung pag-contact mo! Enjoy the party!" That is because I even contacted SHM themselves, just to have at least cheaper tickets haha! 

It was exactly 2 weeks before my birthday and I've been setting myself months before, that I would want to have an initial celebration watching the Swedish House Mafia... but I lost budget :( Being the normal me, if I already pictured it happening, it should happen whatever it takes! This memory though will serve as an inspiration to the other concerts I get to attend to now without much hassle.

Are you familiar with our stories? What's the most significant thing you've done just to be able to watch a concert?