Strong women (from left) Skarlet, Celin Cristobal and Gou de Jesus sing of tough love and other quirks of the human condition to an overflow crowd at UP Diliman’s University Hotel on March 9, a day after International Women’s Day. 

Voices sharply honed despite the long pandemic lull, they keep the music playing and the rhythm right with Riki Gonzales (guitar), Paolo Alcantara (bass) and Jinggoy Balane (drums) in a night by turns sassy, raucous and tender. 

There was room at the tiny Oblation Lounge for loud reunions before and in between sets. The audience of old friends and admirers is properly appreciative of the collective effort wryly titled “Laglag Ballads,” and expectant of showing up to more such shows of top talent, masterful riffs and runs, and great music. 

Imagine the possibilities.

Related: The music has died; long live his music