No midlife crisis for Enchong

Like so many Filipinos he’s in love with music but while the spirit is free-wheeling and each member has a serious day job, this is no amateur outfit. In fact, in 2009 Midlife Crisis starred as the introductory act to legendary US rock group Chicago at the latter’s Manila concert.

Enchong remembers the occasion vividly. “When you’re not used to playing in front of a crowd and you see 30,000 people, it gets pretty exciting,” he says. “When my turn to sing came round I was praying my voice would come out.”

It did. And judging by last night’s excellent performance (mainly soft rock, US west coast sound), he need have had no such fears. But Midlife Crisis is a quality act in more ways than one. The group donates a significant part of its earnings to funding university music scholarships for talented but underprivileged young people.

“We started this three years ago and we’ve already had one graduate,” says Enchong proudly. “We want to give them formal training. It’s a good feeling to do this.”

A good feeling and a great sound. Crisis? What crisis?