Filipino City Pop Has Never Sounded This Good With ALYSON’s ‘AFTER OURS: Live and in Full’ — Review

To mark their blue suit era in full swing and celebrate their sophomore record, AFTER OURS, the city pop kings ALYSON turned their one-night-only show into a memorable affair.

Backed by a full orchestra, the band turned up at Aster Events Place in Mandaluyong City, bringing together their beloved fans for an intimate show that provided the perfect setting to experience their music.

But before the band took the stage, the night’s special guests formally kicked off the show. Fellow city pop artist Paprikka set the tone with a laid-back set of Japanese city pop covers and original tracks. For those looking to dive deeper into the genre, there was no better way to immerse themselves than through her performance.

Further bringing the night’s funk and energy, Uncle Bob’s Funky Seven Club took the stage as their own musical playground. The ensemble of musicians — featuring musical director and bassist Francis De Veyra, vocalists Zsaris Mendioro, Faye Yupano, and Naara Acueza, guitarists Andrei Castro and Kurt Acosta, keyboardist Elijah Domingo, saxophonist-flautist Nicole Tejedor-Reluya, and drummer Jacques Dufourt — showcased the perfect harmony of everything that shaped their music, from the vocals and arrangements to the instrumentation and performances.

As ALYSON stated, it was their most ambitious yet, which is truly an understatement. ‘AFTER OURS: Live and in Full’ brought their eight-track sophomore record AFTER OURS to the stage, playing the songs front and back. Just as the album was years in the making, this one-night-only show was a gift not only to their fans but also to the band itself.

Carving out their niche in the wider OPM scene, ALYSON have always been keen on bringing the beloved city pop genre through a Filipino lens and sound. After releasing their debut record DEFINITELY, LOVE! in 2023, a bigger question arises: where do they go from here?

The five-piece band, composed of Pio Ligot on vocals and rhythm guitar, Luis Uy on lead guitar, Marcus Mababangloob on drums and backing vocals, Miguel Erfe on bass, and Easel Manes on keys, brings together their own strengths and talent to create a unified sound that makes the band so unique and captivating.

The result was a magnificent show that offered longtime fans, as well as new listeners still discovering their music, something to celebrate on a Friday evening. AFTER OURS, the album, showcased their evolution, while also not trying to do something entirely different along the way. The era started with the release of the lead single “IKAW LAGI,” back in 2025.

And to hear the rest of the tracks in full, it was clear that so much effort had been poured into the craft of storytelling. It’s through presenting love and the moments of intimacy, connection, and longing that remain when the dust settles. With that, the room became a shared communal experience, where everyone felt a sense of love in some shape or form, particularly through music.

Ligot’s vocals alone can carry the entire show, but it is truly a collective effort. Mababangloob serves as the anchor of the songs through his drumming, bringing in the right beats and foundation, while Uy’s guitar work provides the hooks, Erfe’s bass lays down the rhythm, and Manes is the key in offering the emotional moments in each track.

Particularly, a favorite track of mine from the record, “24/7 LOVE AND CARE,” was a standout that I’ve been waiting all night to hear live for the first time. But entirely, there’s this amazing feeling to finally get to experience an album and hear the songs come to life.

Taking it back to what solidified a strong fandom for the band, ALYSON also performed fan favorites from their debut record, including “Kiliti,” “Summer Nights,” and “Feels So Good,” bringing in beabu for a performance that drew one of the biggest reactions of the night.

And to hear even the band’s earlier songs included in this showcase offered a great experience of witnessing their growth as artists. There was so much confidence brimming through each track they performed — from the slower songs “KUNG SAKALING TANAWIN” and “‘DI MAKAPANIWALA” to the upbeat ones “LANDI” and “BIGHANI.”

This would not have been complete without the hard-hitting accompaniment of a full orchestra, which proved why this performance was their most ambitious yet. ALYSON came onto the stage fully geared up to deliver a show that not only best represented who they are and what they are capable of as artists but also signaled what is yet to come — showing that while their music already sounds great, it sounds even better when experienced live.

Just as the record’s thesis revolves around the songs that soundtrack the night, with the title playing on “after hours” and the moments when everything seems to slow down and grow quieter, there was a beautiful connection happening throughout the show, with so many people in attendance sharing the experience among friends, couples, and loved ones.

Ralph Regis

Lifestyle and Culture Writer

Ralph Regis is a Lifestyle and Culture Writer at Billboard Philippines, where he bridges the worlds of film, television, fashion, art, food, and cultural trends with both the local and international music scene.

He has written extensively about artist collaborations, brand partnerships, and pop culture moments that connect back to music. He also brings stories to life through in-depth interviews with musicians and personalities, drawing on their diverse perspectives, opinions, and reflections on the human condition.

In addition, Ralph also writes about music releases across a wide range of genres, including pop, hip-hop, P-pop, and rock, highlighting both rising and established artists. With a passion for storytelling that goes beyond trends, he explores how music is part of our daily lives in one form or another, connecting culture, experiences, and everything in between.

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