Wedding band 3rd Avenue still dreams of going mainstream
If there’s one thing that gets the pop band 3rd Avenue’s goat, it’s other musicians treating weddings and other live events as mere “raket.”
“We cringe at that term. Sometimes, people look down on us. If we want to be treated well, then we have to start with ourselves… This is our job and we take it seriously,” band vocalist and founder Paolo Ledesma told the Inquirer in a recent Zoom interview.
That means being professional and giving concert-worthy performances despite the fact that some guests see wedding bands only as a side show.
“We dress up as a way of giving respect. We want people to see us the way we want to be perceived. We make sure we’re always on time and that we have thoroughly studied our material prior,” Paolo said. “One of our missions is to empower musicians as professionals.”
The band is also composed of Joy Reyes, Muriel dela Paz, Alchris Ramirez, Migs Nuñez, Gino Madrid, Gian Yap, Lester Cerda and Anthony Dio.
“Oftentimes, people see bands as background music, but we engage with the crowd and I believe that’s one of our fortes. We can play songs on the spot and help buy the organizers some time if there are technical difficulties,” he added.
Celebrity clients
The band’s approach has definitely paid off, attracting a long list of celebrity clients throughout the years. Some of the high-profile weddings the group has been part of include those of Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero, Carmina Villaroel and Zoren Legaspi, Robi Domingo and Maiqui Pineda, Vin Abrenica and Sophie Albert, and Carlo Aquino and Charlie Dizon.
The band has also performed at birthday parties and anniversaries for the likes of Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Sen. Bong Revilla Jr.
“It feels great that these celebrities trust us to provide entertainment for their guests. They know what we’re capable of so we reciprocate that by giving great performances. That’s what we do, whether the clients are celebrities or not,” drummer-cofounder Beng Gatmaitan said.
While the band has found a niche in the live events circuit, it continues to release original material and pursue a career in mainstream—a dream its members had when 3rd Avenue was formed 20 years ago.
To mark that milestone, the band is set to release 20 new original songs, some of which will be performed at its anniversary show, “3rdAVEinte,” on Sept 26 at the Music Museum. The ensemble will also introduce new singers and a string section. Visit www.ticketnet.com.ph
Beyond live events
“The songs will be about love and its different stages, about courtship and heartbreak. Of course, there will be songs suited for weddings… something that can be played during the bridal march,” said Beng, who also composed the band’s original material, which include “Aking Hiling,” the local theme song of the Korean drama series “Sunrise.”
“We want to go beyond the live events industry and try our luck in the mainstream. It’s part of the plan. We want to keep pushing and putting out our original music, especially now that social media has leveled the playing field,” Paolo pointed out.
Aside from originals, 3rd Avenue—known for its vocal harmonies—will also perform well-loved ballads, OPM classics and surprise numbers, like rock and metal songs with a bridal march twist.
But more than anything, “3rdAVEinte” is a thanksgiving event.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which robbed the band of its bread and butter and compelled them to pivot to other music-related projects, the band members couldn’t be happier that they’re still here, doing what they love.
“It has been a colorful journey full of lessons and challenges. The pandemic left so many musicians jobless. But we’re still here, growing,” Beng said.
