Ben Madilynn
Cover bands, which perform live renditions of songs from popular commercial acts, have been around for decades, with some tracing their origins back to the ’50s and others pointing to the ’60s as their true beginning.
Regardless of when they started, cover bands have thrived and become a staple of the global live music scene.
Here in the Philippines, audiences are accustomed to seeing bands deliver either stellar or lackluster interpretations of popular artists’ music, whether in bars, clubs, or venues hosting celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and corporate events.
This passion for music hasn’t gone unnoticed by an Australian group called “The Greatest Cover Band in the World.”
Formed in 2017, the Hindley Street Country Club (HSCC) has long had the Philippines on its radar, noting many viewers from the country on its social media accounts.
The numbers are no surprise, given Filipinos’ fondness for music from the ’70s and ’80s—the two eras that provide the majority of HSCC’s cover material.
HSCC founder Constantine Delo described the Philippines as the band’s “biggest market in the world,” highlighting that it accounts for a significant portion of their viewership, totaling “billions of views across our platform.”
The band will finally get the chance to perform live before its Filipino fans on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at the New Frontier Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.
Tickets to the concert are available on ticketnet.com.ph.
NOT JUST ANY OTHER COVER BAND
HSCC began as a hobby project, uploading covers on Facebook and YouTube, and gradually growing its audience, especially during the pandemic when many worldwide discovered their impressive renditions.
The band—composed of seasoned Adelaide session musicians—covers a diverse range of artists, including Billy Joel, Foreigner, Toto, Christopher Cross, The Real Thing, Fleetwood Mac, Phil Collins, and Wham, among many others.
Photo/s: Bong Godinez
The band’s name alludes to Hindley Street found in the center of Adelaide in Australia, where many musicians affiliated with the band have played over the years.
A standout moment for HSCC is their April 2021 video covering the melodic power ballad “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship, which has amassed over 43 million views to date.
HSCC IS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC
The band’s success online encouraged them to take their act to the road, giving them a chance to perform and interact with fans and listeners.
Musicians, after all, feed on the energy of their audience and there’s no greater feeling than playing live before an actual crowd.
“Seeing the people’s reactions to what we’re doing, I think that’s the more fun because what we do is for other people and we enjoy it as well,” vocalist Jordan Lennon told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in a press conference at Red Rhino in Greenfield District in Mandaluyong City.
However, while playing in a cover band is fun, it also comes with immense pressure due to constant comparisons between the originals and renditions.
Additionally, some dismiss cover bands as mere knock-offs, claiming they profit from the work of other musicians.
This is why playing as a cover band is not as easy as people would like to think.
“It’s hard,” guitarist and vocalist Danny Lopresto admitted.
He continued, “If you don’t do something as close to the original or you do your own thing, [you’ll be criticized]. [Others might say] ‘You don’t sound like him’ or ‘You sound terrible.’ So I think it’s hard.”
The band believes that the fun far outweighs the downsides, relishing the opportunity to pay homage to the artists and the songs they personally love.
As Constantine noted, their fulfillment as musicians comes from knowing their performance touches people’s hearts and evokes cherished memories.
