Dymphna

By Fiona Patricia S. Escandor
Photos: Archell Vergara & Studio Torpedo

ONCE the final bell rang, they would rush to a studio near their school to play. With their uniforms on, “bad haircuts and bulky backpacks,” they would jam to songs by their favorite artists, and just rock on to their heart’s content.

This was back in their high school days roughly seven years ago, and what is now known in the local music circuit as Dymphna was just starting out.

Officially formed in 2006, the band is composed of Carlo Mesina on vox, Simeon Noval and JP Chua on guitars, Marco Timon on bass, and Miguel Matutino on drums.

After their music video launch for their latest single “Tic Tac Toe” at The Outpost, Dymphna will be following it up with the release of their debut album later this year.

What brought the band together?

We all went to the same school back in high school, except for JP who came in three years later. We are all fond of music and decided to just hit the studio and play songs from our favorite artists. We eventually wrote our own music and had home sessions at either Pidot’s (Simeon) or Migs’ place to rehearse our own material and come up with new riffs, bass-lines, beats and verses.

Most memorable gigs so far?

Who could ever forget the first time? Throwback USC-NC’s Students Night in 2006 was our first gig. The following year, we played at the same event, which was also a gig to remember because it was our senior year and last hurrah for high school.

The “Everyday Encounter” song and apparel launch—done alongside tattoo wars by Crols Tattoo—at KOA Tree House in 2011 was our first event where we launched our first single and official merchandise.

The annual Sonic Boom Sinulog Blast-Off, in our opinion, is still by far the best and grandest stage we could ever be a part of locally. The bands are amazing. The threads are very creative. The people are all warm and supportive of what you do. It’s just a great and festive shindig all in all.

We also played at a house party for the first time months ago. It was all raw and we felt like we were at a punk show. Everyone was buzzed and so were we. That was one of the most humble venues we ever played at, but one of the most memorable.

What are the themes of your compositions?

Everyday catastrophe. “The system”. Misconceptions. The daily grind. Faith, hope and love.

What fuels your creativity?

Listening to new stuff. Checking out music written by our own influences. The humble circle of friends who keep supporting us by going to our shows, listening to our songs and liking our posts online. Even if they are not a thick fan base, they play a big role of fueling our creativity in making music and pressing on despite the odds.

We do what we do and make what we make all for the love of music. We just enjoy doing this and we always have fun writing stuff of our own and with that being said, our creativity is always fueled.

What else is keeping you busy nowadays?

We’re all busy with our day jobs and rehearsals during Fridays or Saturdays… We’re hopeful for new things to come: blessings, shows, good people, new acquaintances, anything that strengthens our bond.

How can we find you online?

Like or follow us at:

facebook.com/dymphnamusic,
twitter.com/dymphna_music
soundcloud.com/dymphna_music
reverbnation.com/dymphna
Instagram: @dymphnamusicph
Youtube: DymphnaCEBU