13 finalists, from almost 500 hopefuls who flocked to the auditions, made it to the first episode of Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag. The search for the newest member of ang banda ng bayan airs every Sunday, at 9.15 pm, on Studio 23, with grand finals on October 24th, (airs on October 28th.) Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag (The Audition Specials) is presented by Smart, Samsung, and San Miguel Beer in cooperation with PLDT and Human.

Each episode in the 7-week season gives viewers a behind-the-scenes peek on what it takes to be in a band, as the finalists face a different musical challenge every week. Episode 1, entitled Paying Your Dues, took a look at the first steps of the audition process. (After all, these hundreds of hopefuls were no different from the members of Rivermaya when they tried out at the first auditions in 1993.)

The starting 13 are : Omar Aspacio, 27, a coffeeshop barista from the Central Colleges of the Philippines; Yan Asuncion, 22, a graduate from the U.P. Los Banos who grew up in Saudi Arabia; Jacob Clemente, 23, from Hagonoy, Bulacan; Hans Dimayuga, 19, and Martin de Vera, 24, both from De La Salle University; Jayson Fernandez, 18, who grew up in Bicol and Laguna; Nickolo Katigbak, 23, a computer programming student; Ken Kurosawa, 24, a Japanese-Filipino, also from DLSU-Benilde; Miche Magnaye, 24, the lone female and a student at the U.P. Conservatory of Music; Jona Paculan, 20, a psychology major from the Ateneo de Manila; Kenneth Pasia, 32, a jeans designer; MJ Podolig, 28, a wedding singer from Bulan, Sorsogon who traveled 10 hours to join the auditions; and Mike Salzseider, 22, an events organizer of German descent from DLSU-Dasmarinas.

Tune in to the second episode of Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag on Sunday, Sept 23, at 9.15 pm on Studio 23, when the finalists face their first challenge – to perform a capella at the UST college square to a crowd of strangers. Mentors are Karl Roy of Kapatid, Miggy of Chicosci and Mike Elgar of Rivermaya. Text RIVERMAYA to 2910 for cool Rivermaya content.

Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag (The Audition Specials) is set to launch on Studio 23 -- hot on the heels of the launch of a landmark EP by the same name – as well as much-anticipated auditions for a new member for the band. The show premieres on primetime, on Sunday, September 16th at 9.15 pm and will run for seven episodes, every Sunday till the end of October. Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag is brought to you by Smart and San Miguel Beer.

Its been a rollercoaster ride for Rivermaya since 2001, when Mike Elgar on guitar and Japs Sergio on bass joined the line-up -- as the band scooped up a record-breaking number of local and international awards, in back-to-back years from 2004 to 2006 that culminated in the launch of an Asian album and tour of Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea just last year. Rivermaya was set to sign an international recording deal and release a follow-up album in Asia in mid-2007 when former frontman Rico Blanco unexpectedly announced his resignation from the band.

Urged on by both fans and fellow musicians to continue the band, Rivermaya responded by announcing auditions in late August. Some 500 candidates showed up for the event, which had to be extended an extra date to accommodate hopefuls not just from all over the Philippines but also from the United States, U.K. and the Middle East.

Rivermaya : Bagong Liwanag, the tv show, marks a whole new chapter in the band’s history. We received so many text messages and email asking not only how to join the auditions, but also, how to watch and witness, said Mark Escueta, vocals/drummer of Rivermaya. “It just felt right that we bring this very important part of Rivermaya’s life to all the people who have believed in us all these years, and who have told us to keep going.”

Its also going to be a behind-the-scenes look at what being in a band is all about, explains Mike Elgar, vocals/guitar of Rivermaya. Getting up onstage in front of a crowd is only a small part of all the work that goes on before you can actually do that, he explained.

We think of this as not losing a vocalist, or a songwriter – but gaining four, grins Escueta. We have three singer-songwriters now in Rivermaya. We are now looking for a fourth brother for the Rivermaya family.

Indeed, Rivermaya as a power trio has found a new voice with Mark, Mike, and Japs. The band has recently released an EP, also titled “Bagong Liwanag”, containing all-new, original songs written and sung by the three members.

The group that’s been dubbed Ang Banda ng Bayan by fans across the country has consistently given props to its fans and listeners for inspiration. Tayo po lahat ang banda ng bayan,” says Japs Sergio (vocals/bass of Rivermaya) quoting a line from the show’s theme song and referencing the band’s view that the heart and soul of the band is all the people who have continued to support the band these last 14 years.

Karapat-dapat lang na gawin namin open to the public ‘yung auditions namin. We really see the show as well as a salute to all the great Filipino talent out there and a celebration of today’s young musicians, said Elgar.