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JMRTN's Manila homecoming: Can the King of Retro Pop outrun the algorithm at Noctos?

Entertainment | Music and Concerts

JMRTN's Manila homecoming: Can the King of Retro Pop outrun the algorithm at Noctos?

By Neil Ramos

At A Glance

JMRTN returns to Manila for a June 30 homecoming at Noctos Music Bar. Can the King of Retro Pop's massive sound fit in a small club? Find out here.

Anyone who frequents the local live bar scene knows that the landscape can feel a bit mechanical lately. We are living in a fast-moving digital rush where a single track blows up on social media on a Monday and disappears from playlists by the end of the month. It is a world built for quick scrolls and short attention spans.

This is as such that the upcoming homecoming of JMRTN feels like a refreshing break from the routine. But is it?

The self-proclaimed King of Retro Pop is heading back to the Manila stage on Tuesday, June 30, taking over Noctos Music Bar.

For those who tracked his trajectory back when he fronted REtroSPECT, the venue choice signals a shift. JMRTN used to weaponize 90s dance floor nostalgia in massive rooms, but this time, he is packing that same sound into a close-quarters club.

What makes this gig a standout is that he is not just riding his recent solo momentum; he is pulling his old bandmates from The Retrospect back into the lineup, creating a unique collision between his newer, polished solo career and the raw chemistry of his original crew.

JMRTN has evolved and hugely so. He is more confident, assured of who he is artistically speaking and what his music represents. Yet, navigating today's music landscape has not made him chase viral algorithms.

Sitting down to talk about his mindset ahead of the Manila show, he was remarkably blunt about his refusal to blend into the modern streaming mold.

"Today’s music is so fast-paced that people should listen more than they should," JMRTN observed.

When asked if he still tries to fit in or if he just does his own thing, his response was rooted in double-down confidence: "I don’t try fitting in with any kind of ideal mold. My artistic skills and my own style are an expression of my art and I’m confidently proud to share that with others."

That stubborn commitment to the craft carries over heavily into the guest list for Tuesday night.

In a live music scene where promoters frequently throw random popular names onto a poster just to move tickets, the special guest participation of several OPM mainstays, including West End veteran Ima Castro and the Queen of Asianovela Songs, Faith Cuneta, actually has a narrative.

When asked how this collab came about, JMRTN explained that the lineup is born entirely out of authentic friendship and a shared creative wavelength.

"We are all friends and I always had an enthusiastic vision collaborating with other artists," he said.

The connection with Castro goes back to their musical theater roots, specifically a Manila production of "Tarzan" and a 2018 restaging of "RENT" in Guam.

That regional tie is also how Faith Cuneta enters the equation; she is married to a Guamanian, much like JMRTN. "That’s how we jived and the commonality is our passion for music," he explained. "Our passion lies in the immortal style of popular and contemporary music."

What do you get when you place a West End theater veteran, a dramatic soundtrack queen, and a high-octane retro pop frontman in a room like Noctos?

I imagine huge changes in the traditional gig format. Instead of the usual show, it becomes an unpredictable, high-stakes vocal sandbox where the performers push each other in real time.

As JMRTN puts it: "Bottom line is, everyone should be entertained and not to feel shortchanged or ripped off after watching. That’s what the show is all about, enjoyable, musical, pure entertainment."

I am a patient listener, and I am curious to see how that massive legacy sound fits into such an intimate room. We’ll find out on the 30th. Tuesday nights could use the noise.

The show is a live experiment presented by JARO Productions USA, Godspeed Music Entertainment, and NOCTOS Music Bar.

Related Tags

JMRTN REtroSPECT Noctos Music Bar Manila Homecoming OPM Ima Castro Faith Cuneta Retro Pop

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