The Impossible (Mindanao) Tour—or so it seemed!

At first we were just dreaming. It was the first quarter of 2016 when we formulated the plan to launch a DIY tour. Although, I must admit, I thought it was crazy, I never doubted AKLAS’ capacity to initiate what he wants to do and his outlook to arrive at the most desirable outcome there is.

Many speculated that AKLAS was running away after the curtains closed, or so it seemed like. Apparently, the move to Iloilo City is settling down and to shun everything that would meddle with our private lives. However, AKLAS can never seem to get away from what he has embraced after he decided he’d boost the movement in the city, the Panay Island Hip Hop Nights. As much as many were delighted, much questioned his motives claiming he isn’t a local. Nonetheless, the movement prospered and has been currently well maintained by the Gs in the local scene.

It was nearing March of this year when we finally decided to put our store, Leftout Giftshop, in hiatus. I was half-mad, half-glad with the decision since I know AKLAS wanted to do something else than just run our little store—he wanted to bring his music all over the Philippines.

Without financial support from anybody but ourselves, we cracked our piggy banks. AKLAS planned carefully which and where to start the tour until everything was successfully completed. The Antolohiya ni AKLAS set foot in selected areas in LUZON and the VISAYAS region. People were more than kind to us, believing in what AKLAS does and why he is doing it. Among those was Jedd from Bacolod City. He was the “go-to-guy” for tours and events in the Visayas and Mindanao areas. However, Jedd didn’t charge us anything. He offered his expertise in the “touring” scene and much more than that, he gave us the friendship everyone has been so inclined to get hold.

As mentioned in my previous blogs, our favorite guest has always been Mike Swift. The man was genuinely a lover of music and the arts that he didn’t care about finances. Mike was with AKLAS in most of his Luzon leg and in a gig in Visayas.

The Luzon-Visayas tour was completed. However, it wouldn’t be a nationwide tour if AKLAS would not come to Mindanao. Everything seemed to fall in place since the chaos in the region down under has finally ceased. Like in Luzon and Visayas, the venue owners in Mindanao have extended their generosity to AKLAS as none of them charged rentals even as their spaces were used for the gigs. 

So, it will happen, the Antolohiya ni AKLAS—The Mindanao Tour will start on November 24, 2017 in Cagayan de Oro City. AKLAS will be sharing his music with Eli, A.D. and 426 to Mindanao through the efforts of friends and Gs in the Hip Hop scene in Mindanao.

The Impossible Tour—or so it seemed, isn’t impossible anymore. Hence, if you have to dream, dream big. Never let anybody stop you from dreaming. 

Never let anyone tell you your dreams are in their hands. Never let anyone tell you “good luck” just because they think you need it so bad. In a world full of the “just like” and the “usual kind” of people, be the dust. Those who stand against you will eventually not know what hit them hard the most.