That Sugar Hiccup Finale at Route 196

That Sugar Hiccup Finale at Route 196

by rick olivares

Sugar Hiccup paid tribute to its small club origins by closing its much-lauded, eventful, and storied run with their final gig and third vinyl launch of their last album, Closure, at Route 196.

It seems fitting perhaps that it ended at Route 196. At least for me. 

It was there where Sugar Hiccup guitarist Czandro Pollack made me hear a sneak preview of an early mix of “Saturnine Nevermore” (along with Japs Sergio) in early 2017 and that evening as soon as I got home, I posted my thoughts and excitement about it on social media. 

And I am glad that fittingly as well, instead of performing a lot of tracks from Closure, they ran across songs from their entire catalogue. 

How cool was it that they kicked off with “Barn” that is one of their first ever recordings that came out in the Alpha Numeric Sampler 502 (along with “Someday” and “Trust”) that was released in 1995 along with bands like Siakol, Keltscross, Inquisition, Tame the Tikbalang, Poppyfield, Feet Like Fins, and Children of Cathode Ray.

How cool was it that they performed “Who Tease?” from their second album, Womb, that is my favorite of all four Sugar Hiccup albums?

How cool was it that they performed “Awa” (from 1896 Ang Pagsilang that celebrated the nationwide uprising against our Spanish colonizers)?

How cool was it that they ended their 13-song set with “Moden De” which they performed during the first ever NU Rock Awards in 1996?

And like their very first gig at the old Club Dredd in EDSA where they opened with the Sundays’ “Here’s Where the Story Ends”, they covered two songs – the Care’s “Whatever Possessed You” and the Velvet Underground’s “Femme Fatale” with the band putting their signature dream pop sound on these classics. 

That last show at Route 196 saw the small club packed that they had to leave the doors open lest everyone suffocate. There were old fans and new ones; a few who weren’t even born when the Sugar Hiccup’s scene-bending debut, Oracle, was released in 1996. 

There were only two of the original line-up left – guitarists and vocalists Melody Del Mundo and Pollack. Drummer Mervin Panganiban was unable to make it as he figured in a vehicular accident and while all right, left him unable to perform. In his place, was Curt Floresca who gave a good account of himself even without the benefit of a jam session (he was given the set list and had to listen to learn all the songs). 

Playing percussion was Royce Baronia who is from world beat band, Dayaw.

And lastly, there was Iman Leonardo, an old college from Goth rock band Dominion, that came up with Sugar Hiccup during those days, played bass on Closure and all performances since the band reunited in 2016. 

Throughout the hour-plus performance -- the band never made mention that this was their last show although they did say that privately to friends – they peppered their performance by thanking friends who came over to watch and buy copies of the album (that was released last December 30, 2017 at 12 Monkeys). 

As they wrapped up the show with “Saturnine Nevermore”, “Awa”, and “Moden De”, I thought of that of line that William Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar: “This same day must end that work the Ides of March begun. And whether we shall meet again, I know not. Therefore, our everlasting farewell take. Forever and forever, farewell. If we do meet again, why, we shall smile. If not, why then this parting, was well made.”

Maybe it is goodbye for this beloved and lauded band, but then again, I heard that goodbye after Womb, after Of Tongues and Thoughts, and now.

Whatever. This show was about a darn good band racing through darn good songs in a darn good career. And that’s a lot of good memories to leave me and all their fans by.