MANILA, Philippines - Old rockers never die.

Well, some of them end up panting, breathless, right after the first song, and others look too cautious to move to the beat, perhaps for fear of popping a few joints. But the music they play still throbs with so much life, it's amazing.

The "Yeba Combo Festival," a reunion/tribute concert featuring seven vintage Pinoy bands held Friday night at The Fort's NBC Tent, proves there's virtue in looking back, if only to see who sowed the seeds of today's vibrant Pinoy band scene.

It was wonderful to see Snaffu Rigor, who composed Freddie Aguilar's "Bulag, Pipi at Bingi," playing drums and singing as a member of The Deltas-who became popular in the mid-'60s for its all-mestizo members. There he was, pounding the skins and providing lead vocals in "Love Potion No. 9," "Da Doo Run Run," "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "La Bamba." Not an easy thing to do, even the pros will agree.

Before one could ask who the heck The Sundowners were, lead vocalist Bong Sotto declared, "Kami ang mga luma na magagaling!" They all live abroad now, and had flown to Manila just for this gig. And they proved themselves worthy, with head-shaking versions of "Great Balls of Fire," "Pretty Woman," "Mustang Sally," "My Girl" and "Hang on Sloopy."

Ramon Jacinto is, no doubt, a good guitarist. This, the audience rediscovered, as he executed fuzz tones and other twanging effects with his guitar right on the first number, a 1961 original called "Weightless." With (original RJ & the Riots band mate) rhythm guitarist Jimmy Colayco beside him, Jacinto regaled the crowd with a medley of Ventures classics, including covers that could've been mistaken as originals from the American instrumental group recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

It is, of course, another shining virtue of these Pinoy combos, as they were called in the '60s. Even as they played covers, what mattered most was how well they did it.

Listening to the jukebox in our childhood led us to believe that The Electromaniacs was greater than The Shadows or The Ventures. At the NBC Tent, Electromaniacs lead guitarist Ernie Delgado played the sweetest notes.

Who's that girl?

The group looked interesting, having added a female member, former Presidential Management Staff head Lenny de Jesus, no less, on acoustic rhythm guitar. But it was the guys' moment. Drummer Lito Toribio did his solo, not in any wild, flashy way, but in the elegant old-school style that recalls big band jazz.

Imagine TV director Bert de Leon fronting a band called The Cobras? Yes he did, and though none of his old mates turned up, he looked the part quite well in a beatnik black pullover topped with necklaces. In a four-song set-The Lovin' Spoonfuls' "Summer in the City" and "You Didn't Have To Be So Nice," The Buckinghams' "Don't You Care" and The Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black"-De Leon almost stole the thunder, with a sound that bordered on gritty rock with Jun Lopez (bass, formerly with The Rebels) and Tony Jalandoni.

Jalandoni, lead guitarist, is a revelation; one couldn't help visualizing him as, in De Leon's words, "Keith Richards to Pepe Smith's Mick Jagger" during their stint with The Downbeats.

The best is usually saved for last. There were two on Friday night, both groups in classic '60s boy band-style uniforms.

Toto Ealdama was overheard shouting, "Galaw, galaw!" to the rest of The Moonstrucks, and their act pulled the crowd to their feet. A repertoire of Motown nuggets ("Reach Out, I'll Be There," "Same Old Song, "Together," among others), Chubby Checker ("The Twist") and Richard Harris ("MacArthur Park") elicited roars of approval-even as Ealdama at times struggled with his vocals and shuffles.

The Dynasouls, The Beatles of the Philippines in their time, prolonged the fun-with the Generoso brothers gamely doing Lennon and McCartney still, even as senior citizens.

A great legacy from all of them was seen when Hotdog took the stage. The band played an all-original set, with "Pers Lab" and "Manila" taking on a more soulful and spontaneous feel, as brothers Dennis and Rene Garcia played live together again after 10 years.

Rene said he wanted to become a musician after seeing Ernie Delgado play the guitar. Dennis himself thought, and rightly, that mounting "Yeba" was a great way to thank all those combos of his childhood for the inspiration.