The plan was a rock-reggae band. A new group, a new sound. Then, while they were talking it over, the members of the DCMBR CRNVL band landed on a different idea.
“Pero habang nag-uusap-usap kami, naisip namin, bakit hindi na lang natin buhayin ulit yung December? Sayang naman kasi may mga kanta na kami at may foundation na yung banda.” [But while we were talking it over, we thought, why don’t we just bring December back to life? It would be a waste, because we already had songs and the band already had a foundation.]
So December came back. DCMBR CRNVL is a Filipino band based in Bulacan, the province just north of Manila, and Quezon City in Metro Manila. They started in 2006, went on hiatus in 2017, and returned in 2023. Glenn Cajanding is on vocals, Noel Hipolito is on drums, Mckydon Caber and Daven Fernandez play guitars, and Angelica Hipolito-Cajanding plays bass. Ask them how much has changed since they started, and the first thing you get is a laugh: “Grabe, ang tanda na pala namin. Hahaha.” [Wow, turns out we’re old now. Hahaha.]
- Origin: Bulacan and Quezon City, Philippines
- Active: Since 2006, with a hiatus from 2017 to 2023
- Members: Glenn Cajanding (vocals), Noel Hipolito (drums), Mckydon Caber (guitars), Daven Fernandez (guitars), Angelica Hipolito-Cajanding (bass)
- Earlier names: December, December Pilipinas, Twelve Point Six
- Sound: No single label. In their words, every song has its own character.
- Notable songs: “Today”
- Listen on: Spotify
- Follow: Facebook
Get to know DCMBR CRNVL
- They almost started a different band. The plan was rock-reggae, until they decided to revive December instead.
- Freedom Bar was a regular stop. It was one of the places they played most often when they were starting out.
- Watching other bands sometimes makes them jealous. The kind of jealous that makes you want to get back on stage.
- Their songs are never really finished. The arrangements keep changing as they play them, even after a song is out.
- Some people called the name corny. Because of the “Carnival.” They kept it anyway.
What does the DCMBR CRNVL band sound like?
Ask DCMBR CRNVL to describe their music and they’ll be honest with you. It’s hard.
“Para sa mga bago pa lang sa amin, to be honest, mahirap i-describe yung music namin kasi bawat kanta may sariling character. Hindi magkakapareho, pero may mga unique elements na maririnig mo sa mga kanta namin.” [For those who are new to us, to be honest, our music is hard to describe because every song has its own character. They’re not all the same, but there are unique elements you’ll hear in our songs.]
So instead of a genre, they gave us something to listen for.
“At importante sa amin yung genuine emotion. Gusto namin na maramdaman mo yung kanta, hindi lang sa lyrics kundi pati sa bawat instrument na naririnig mo.” [And genuine emotion is important to us. We want you to feel the song, not just in the lyrics but also in every instrument you hear.]
If you’ve ever been hit by a guitar line before you even caught the words, you know what they’re going for.
From Freedom Bar to a new scene
When DCMBR CRNVL started, the gig map looked different. Freedom Bar was one of the places they played most often back then. Today, bands play at other venues and spots.
The crowd has changed too. “Mas open-minded na rin yung mga tao ngayon sa iba’t ibang klaseng tunog.” [People are also more open-minded now about different kinds of sound.] The band has noticed more listeners going for music that isn’t too loud, or that’s smoother, like the sounds that took off in modern OPM, short for Original Pilipino Music.
And then there’s the gear. Anyone who started a band on a tight budget will feel this one.
“Dati, ang hirap bumili ng sariling instruments kasi mahal, tapos yung pinaka-mura, hindi pa ganoon kaganda ang tunog. Ngayon, marami nang affordable na guitars at equipment na surprisingly maganda ang quality.” [Before, it was hard to buy your own instruments because they were expensive, and the cheapest ones didn’t sound that good. Now, there are a lot of affordable guitars and equipment with surprisingly good quality.]
Why did DCMBR CRNVL come back?
The songs and the foundation were part of the answer. The bigger part is simpler.
“At ang totoo, masarap magbanda. Hahaha.” [And honestly, being in a band is fun. Hahaha.]
They also know what it costs. “Kahit isa ito sa pinaka-magastos na bisyo, mahal namin yung ginagawa namin.” [Even if it’s one of the most expensive vices, we love what we do.] If you’ve ever kept paying for a hobby because you love it, you get it.
Being in the crowd pulled them back too.
“Kapag nanonood din kami ng ibang bands, minsan nakakainggit. Yung tipong gusto mo ring umakyat sa stage at tumugtog ulit. Doon mo mararamdaman na gusto mo talaga itong gawin.” [When we watch other bands, sometimes it makes us envious. The kind where you want to get up on stage and play again too. That’s when you feel that you really want to do this.]
What the quiet years taught them
We asked what they learned while the band wasn’t active. The answer was short: “Siguro yung discipline at pagiging mature sa pagtugtog.” [Probably discipline, and becoming more mature in how we play.]
The time away made them appreciate performing, and the chance to play. It also taught them what a band needs to last.
“Mas natutunan din namin na kailangan ng commitment sa isang banda. Hindi lang sapat na marunong kang tumugtog. Kailangan marunong kang makisama, makinig sa ibang members, at gawin yung part mo.” [We also learned that a band needs commitment. It’s not enough that you know how to play. You need to know how to get along with others, listen to the other members, and do your part.]
Anger in the riffs, feeling in every hit
How does a feeling become a DCMBR CRNVL song? “Depende sa member at kung anong emotion yung dala namin.” [It depends on the member and on what emotion we’re carrying.]
On the guitar side, sometimes it’s anger.
“Bilang gitarista, minsan yung galit sa buhay doon nailalagay sa paggigitara. Hindi rin ma-explain nang maayos, pero kapag gumagawa ng riff, puro galit yung tunog.” [As a guitarist, sometimes the anger at life ends up in the guitar playing. It’s hard to explain properly, but when making a riff, it sounds like pure anger.]
On drums, it’s every single hit. “Para naman sa drums, bawat hit may emotion din.” [As for the drums, every hit has emotion too.] Angry, happy, or something else, you can hear it in the playing.
None of it is forced. “Hindi naman namin pinipilit. Kapag may emotion o experience kaming gustong ilabas, natural siyang lumalabas sa music.” [We don’t force it. When there’s an emotion or experience we want to let out, it comes out naturally in the music.]
How does a DCMBR CRNVL song come together?
As a team. “Collaborative talaga sa banda.” [It’s really collaborative in the band.]
Someone brings a riff. Someone else suggests how it fits the song. One guitarist’s riff can get reworked by the other guitarist, and the vocalist figures out how the vocals and the theme of the song come in. Bass and drums go through the same process. They feel their way through each instrument until they get the sound they want.
Songwriting is shared too. Angelica on bass, Noel on drums, and Glenn on vocals all contribute, and the two guitarists, Mckydon and Daven, split the riffs between them. Arranging is a whole-band job. Even when some members decide the overall direction, they still ask everyone for an opinion.
“Para sa amin, mas maganda yung kanta kapag lahat may contribution.” [For us, a song is better when everyone contributes.]
And a song is never quite done. “At sa amin, hindi talaga natatapos ang pag-arrange ng kanta kahit nagawa na o na-publish na. Habang tinutugtog namin, may mga bagay pa ring nagbabago.” [And for us, arranging a song never really ends, even after it’s been made or published. As we play it, some things still change.] So if you catch them live, listen closely.
Why a carnival?
The band has gone by a few names over the years: December, December Pilipinas, and Twelve Point Six. DCMBR CRNVL was supposed to be the name from the very start. Some people said it was corny because of the “Carnival.” But the longer they kept going, the more the name meant, because of everything they went through.
“Parang carnival talaga: may masaya, may risks, may struggles, may drama, paikot-ikot. Maraming nangyayari. Pero at the end of the day, pamilya pa rin yung turing namin sa banda.” [It really is like a carnival: there’s fun, there are risks, struggles, drama, going round and round. A lot happens. But at the end of the day, we still see the band as family.]
That word, family, comes up more than once. It’s how they introduced themselves in the first place: “Para sa amin, ang banda ay parang pamilya. Ginagawa namin kung ano yung nagpapasaya sa amin.” [For us, the band is like a family. We do what makes us happy.]
What’s next for DCMBR CRNVL?
So what sounds different now? “Siguro yung difference ngayon is mas malinis at mas mature na yung arrangements namin.” [Maybe the difference now is that our arrangements are cleaner and more mature.] That doesn’t mean they’ve turned into a different band. “Nandoon pa rin yung emotion na naging part ng DCMBR CRNVL.” [The emotion that became part of DCMBR CRNVL is still there.]
If you want to hear where they are now, start with “Today” on Spotify. In their words: “Yung ‘Today,’ isa siya sa mga kanta na nagpapakita ng direction namin ngayon.” [“Today” is one of the songs that shows our direction now.]
As for the dream: “Siyempre pangarap namin na mas maraming makadinig ng mga songs namin. Hindi naman namin hinahabol yung fame.” [Of course, our dream is for more people to hear our songs. We’re not chasing fame.]
“Gusto rin naming dalhin yung DCMBR CRNVL sa next level. Hindi namin alam kung ano exactly yung next level na yun, pero gusto naming makasama yung mga kapatid namin sa music habang papunta kami doon.” [We also want to take DCMBR CRNVL to the next level. We don’t know exactly what that next level is, but we want to be with our brothers and sisters in music on the way there.]
And if you press play and something clicks? “At kung may makinig sa kanta namin at may maramdaman silang connection doon, malaking bagay na yun para sa amin.” [And if someone listens to our songs and feels a connection there, that already means a lot to us.]
There are no gigs on the calendar yet. For now, the band is focused on rehearsals and recording. If you put on shows, they have a message for you: “Please do invite us!”
Where this carnival goes next, even the band doesn’t know yet. We’re getting in line.
Frequently asked questions
Who is DCMBR CRNVL?
DCMBR CRNVL is a Filipino band based in Bulacan and Quezon City. The lineup is Glenn Cajanding on vocals, Noel Hipolito on drums, Mckydon Caber and Daven Fernandez on guitars, and Angelica Hipolito-Cajanding on bass. The band started in 2006, went on hiatus in 2017, and came back in 2023. Over the years, it has also gone by December, December Pilipinas, and Twelve Point Six.
What does DCMBR CRNVL sound like?
The band says its music is hard to describe because every song has its own character, though there are unique elements you can hear across their songs. What ties it together is genuine emotion, carried by the lyrics and by every instrument. Their newer arrangements are cleaner and more mature, and “Today,” out now on Spotify, is one of the songs that shows their current direction.
When did DCMBR CRNVL come back?
DCMBR CRNVL returned in 2023 after a hiatus that began in 2017. The members say being in a band is fun, even if it is one of the most expensive vices, and watching other bands made them want to get back on stage. Their time away taught them discipline, maturity, and the commitment a band needs.
Support DCMBR CRNVL
Want to be part of the next chapter? Here’s how to back them now:
- Listen to DCMBR CRNVL on Spotify, starting with “Today.”
- Follow DCMBR CRNVL on Facebook for gig announcements and release news.
- Catch them live once dates are out. Their arrangements keep changing as they play, so every show is a chance to hear something new.
- Organizing a gig? Reach out to the band on Facebook and invite them.
- Share this feature with a friend who loves live bands.
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