Juicebox

Contrary to what most Pinoy indie rock fans might think, Juicebox is neither a mere side project for Cheats drummer Enzo Hermosa, nor a mere outlet for him to step out from behind the drum kit to play guitar and sing the songs he has written. The earliest version of the band started when he, Luis Abellar (bass), and Paulo Agudelo (drums) were still in high school, years before Cheats were even an idea, and originally, Paulo was the singer and Enzo was the drummer until they eventually switched places. They went through the usual routine that most young bands go through: jammed at the drummer’s house after school, played for campus events, did covers, and eventually started writing their own material. They named themselves Juicebox after a 2005 single by The Strokes, a propulsive, guitar-and-bass-heavy anthem that is not unlike their own music: danceable, guitar-driven indie rock that takes sonic cues from the likes of Two Door Cinema Club and Last Dinosaurs, with vocal melodies that aspire to be Beatles-esque.

​

After a long break, Juicebox returned in early 2018 while also welcoming new guitarist Joe Salcedo, they began polishing their existing material and writing new songs, garnering enough tunes for club shows. The band released their debut single “Future” in May, and has since performed on big stages like the Red Ninja Year 9 Fest and the Baguio leg of Fete de la Musique, successfully winning over larger audiences. Taking advantage of their forward momentum, Juicebox are working to complete an EP of four or five tracks before the year ends, and hope to release a full-length album in 2019. With the pace in which they’re progressing, it won’t be long until Juicebox becomes a household name in local indie circles. Some people might have trouble pronouncing the band’s name at first, but we’ll be hearing it everywhere soon enough.