Filipino rock star Bamboo on going solo ahead of Dubai show

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

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.”

• 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