Early on, Zel Bautista, Jem Manuel, Don Gregorio, Gelo Cruz, and Jet Danao of December Avenue, didn't imagine they would be playing to a huge crowd. At that point, they were playing in small clubs, dipping into their own pockets to get by. Despite the hardship, they pushed on, eager to pursue their passion.
It worked. 15 years on, the band is now set to play their biggest concert ever: "Sa Ilalim ng mga Butuin" at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on August 30. At a media conference held at the Glass Ballroom in Okada, Pasay City on Aug.
20, Zel spilled the tea on the struggles they went through as band. "Meron kasi na stereotype na when it comes to being in a band, especially pagdating sa parents (sasabihan ka) 'if you like this kind this stuff, hindi ka kikita ng pera jan.' And true enough when we started, ganun talaga.
We had to pay out of our own pockets papunta sa shows and obviously when you're starting no one's going to watch you," he related. (Because there is a stereotype when it comes to being in a band, especially when it comes to parents, if you like this kind of stuff, you won't make money. And true enough when we started, that's how it was, we had to pay out of our own pockets going to shows, and obviously when you're starting no one's going to watch you) According to the band's guitarist Jem, the situation persisted for a long time and it helped them forge a strong bond as band.
"The good thing about it is yung na-build namin na chemistry. So, kumbaga kahit isa lang na.