Bamboo says he never wants to be in a band again. Courtesy Spicy Lemon
Bamboo says he never wants to be in a band again. Courtesy Spicy Lemon

Filipino rock star Bamboo on going solo ahead of Dubai show



Like the plant that he takes his name from, Francisco “Bamboo” Mañalac has shown remarkable resiliency throughout his 20-year career.

From early fame as the singer with seminal 90s band Rivermaya, to his comeback in 2002 as the frontman of the rock group Bamboo, and now as a solo artist/television host, very few names in the history of Philippine entertainment have enjoyed such successful reinventions and career shifts.

“We have to change and shake things up,” says the 38-year-old singer. That, perhaps, sums up Bamboo’s philosophy in life as much as his career.

Change, of course, is never easy. Fans and critics were perplexed when the charismatic singer decided to go solo despite enjoying enormous success with his band.

But for Bamboo, who performs in Dubai on Friday, the itch to do things differently was simply overwhelming. He explains that while having a steady stable of bandmates can be fun, the routine can stifle creativity in the long run.

“I had always worked with and believed in the idea of the band where when I get that little spark, my job was to pass that along and to trust the process and the end result would be a song that my bandmates like or that was shelved for next time,” he says.

“So these days I spend a lot more time alone sitting with my guitar, laptop, some tea and a pad and a pen and push myself to try to complete the idea of the song to the point where, in my head, it’s almost done.

“The best part of this lone-wolf gig is the collaboration where I pass that song along to a producer or arrangers where they give their inputs – and generally it doesn’t stray too far from the original idea of the song.

“I’m not pegged to a specific genre of music. It’s all about the song and the most important part, for myself and the challenge, is to create a cohesive album.”

Working with a rang of musicians has been such an enjoyable experience that Bamboo says he has no desire to form another band.

“Never,” he replies frankly, regarding the thought of playing again as part of a group.

Bamboo's first solo album No Water, No Moon (released in 2011 by PolyEast Records) has reached gold-record status. He is also seen on television every weekend as part of a musical variety show.

But his biggest television break came last year when he joined the popular talent show, The Voice of the Philippines, as one of the judges.

Appearing on television helped Bamboo expand his audience – and he has noticed its effects during his current world tour.

"The turnout has been very good. I see a lot of new faces in the crowd and that's probably due to the Voice gig that I've been doing," he says. "Some days I wish I could lie in bed all day, but when I get on that stage, it's just a switch – and then it's on to the next city."

His current tour has taken Bamboo to Italy, Ireland, Canada and Japan so far, before arriving in Dubai, where he played a successful concert last year.

He says “the energy level of the people” that night inspired him to return to the UAE.

And what can the fans expect this time?

“There’ll be a few surprises here and there,” he says. “I’m sure the folks will have something to remember.”

artslife@thenational.ae

• Bamboo performs at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Friday, October 31. Tickets cost from Dh95 and are available at all Virgin shops or from tickets.virginmegastore.me

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km

Price: Dh133,900

On sale: now 

The%20team
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How has net migration to UK changed?

The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.

It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.

The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.

The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.

BRIEF SCORES

England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)  
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)

Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

The Gentlemen

Director: Guy Ritchie

Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant 

Three out of five stars

Results

1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47

2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time

3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep   

4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo

5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis

6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates

7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ

8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03

9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep         

10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep

Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800