The Scene Around: Racc!oon

2/27/2016 7:39:47 PM

After a successful charity nightout four months ago, Mika Ordonez and her friends is back for another gig; with a bigger venue, heavier lineup, and a legitimate identity.

They are now called Raccoon Productions, and they debuted with formality and emphasis as they called their first gig RACC!OON!: A Charity Gig for Kythe Foundation.

Held on a Friday night (22 January 2016) at Route 196 in Quezon City, Racc!oon drew a typical soldout outing as they were able to raise funds enough to cover the expenses for their sponsored child named Ariana Soriano.

The four-year old beneficiary, whom hailed from Tarlac, is suffering from Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia; but already had been undergoing her main chemotherapy cycles and will be on the verge of having two maintenance cycles which will run for two years.

Eight bands graced the evening: M.I.C., Indigo Sweep, Ang Bandang Shirley, Lions and Acrobats, Odayo, Jensen and The Flips, Tom’s Story and Flying Ipis. 

In all the acts I have heard before, a debuting M.I.C. actually sounded new to me; as well as Odayo and Indigo Sweep. While the rest were instant crowd-drawers, specifically the math rock band whose then-about to launch their album in three years of existence. 

Yes, Tom’s Story literally rocked the house down. Who am I not to remember that after seeing almost all spaces of the indoor Route being occupied? Damn good!

The night turned out so well for the debuting production firm as they had 300 paying customers and collated a total of Php 83,000 on donation, enough to cover the needed expenditures on Ariana’s way to recovery. 

To read more about the Racc!oon Productions, check out the article by Radio Republic. Also the ways to donate will be also seen there.

Indigo Sweep 

M.I.C.

Tom's Story 

Odayo

Lions and Acrobats 

Ang Bandang Shirley 

Flying Ipis 

Jensen and The Flips

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Give Ipis A Chance to Fly High at SXSW 2016!

02/24/2016 01:01:59 PM

Photo from their Facebook page

For once, I heard their name as a plain innocent soul who knew nothing yet. And at the time I hit the music on the bar scene, I realized it's no surprise they literally rock everyone. Why did I say so?

'Cause I'm a fan. All that despite having a name which neutralizes every single “tunay na lalake.” (pun intended though)

Barely two months ago, this band of femme fatale-swaggin' punk rockers named Flying Ipis announced on their Facebook page about earning a slot to perform at South by Southwest Festival 2016 (SXSW), one of the biggest festivals in the US featuring music, film, and interactive media. It will be held at Austin, Texas on 11-20 March 2016.

Perhaps all their hardwork, from their all-girl Catholic school roots to the biggest stage, paid off big time. Imagine how the music of this all-girl quartet of Deng Garcia (vocals), Ymi Castel (lead guitars), Gaki Azurin (drums), and Tanya Singh (bass guitar) earned them two records (The Flying EP in 2009 and Give Ipis A Chance, in 2011), acclaimed singles (Ssikreto, Past is Past, Bitch!, Lundagin Mo, Beybi!, and This Song Is Not About You), and massive respect from the peers and fans.

They fronted for several international acts Japandroids and Metric; as well as sharing the stage with other music-makers on the grandest gigs like Fete Dela Musique, Oktoberfest, JACK TV Mad Fest, and Jack Daniel's Indie Fest; and emerging as the runner-up to the JD On Stage Indie Music Awards on 17 April 2015.

That being said, they are needing funds—approximately four hundred thousand pesos—to get them there at Texas; that's in addition to their needed visa and related paper works! And they are doing it on a series of gigs for this stretch here at the metro.

As of this writing, Flying Ipis launched their campaign via “Pledge Night” at 12 Monkeys Music Hall and Pub in Makati City. Along the way, Read Between The Lions, The Buildings, Squid 9, and Slow Hello shared the evening to provide good music and much-needed support.

And by tonight, they will rock Makati once again as they staged B-Side for the fund-raising gig organized by Locked Down Entertainment, Vandals on the Wall, and Jack Daniel's Philippines; with a lot of acts to keep the night (and kickstart the Holiday Thursday) away such as Farewell Fair Weather, RJay Ty and Abra, Imago, Cheats, Assembly Generals, Peryodiko, We Are Imaginary, and Paranoid City joining them.

And just before they cross coast, there will be a send-off gig at SaGuijo by early March. (lineup to be announced.)

For more information, check out the crowdfunding site artisteconnect.com and see how you can help the quartet reach US and rock the SXSW stage. Aside from corporate sponsorships, there are also Flying Ipis merchandise available at a very affordable pirce, including a shirt designed by Rob Cham!

For other updates, check out their Tumblr page!

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

Upcoming: RACC!OON: A Charity Gig For Kythe Foundation

1/20/2016 7:14:45 PM

Q: Anong hayop ang mahilig sa concert?
A: Racoon!

Okay. Jokes aside, we’re now up for a fun time with a serious cause.

What am I taking about? 

Barely four months after the successful charity gig, another one will be up in a few days time and it’s called RACC!OON.

Poster from Racc/oon Productions

Organized by Mika Ordoñez, Dan Baldonado, Mark Agbayani, Nicky Aureo, Bill Dela Torre, and Gerard del Mundo, RACC/OON is the first event made by Racc/oon Productions, an indie music outfit which sets events aiming for musical pleasure and at the same time, lending a hand on the needy by raising funds for Kythe Foundation, Inc. Thus, the proceeds coming from this event will be used for the medical expenses of a four-year old patient named Ariana Soriano.

Eight musicians will be performing, including notable acts Flying Ipis, Jensen and the Flips, Lions and Acrobats and Ang Bandang Shirley. Also, math-rock trio Tom’s Story, as well as Indigo Sweep, Odayo and M.I.C. are the must-see performers for the evening.

RACC!OON will be held on Friday, 22 January 2016, 9PM at Route 196 in Katipunan Ave. Extension, Blue Ridge A, Quezon City.

Entrance for early birds in this event will be Php200, while Php250 if you come by past 9PM.

Donations are accepted at before, during the gig itself, and after, You can also donate using your credit card via http://ushare.kythe.org and select “RACC!OON: A Charity Gig for Kythe Foundation.”

This event is also made possible by IndieManila, BANDWAGON, and Radio Republic. 

Visit the event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1535025816810693/; and like Racc/oon Productions Faceook page at https://www.facebook.com/racoonproduction/.

Author: slickmaster | (c) 2016 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: WOWOWOWS SANTA KLAUS

12/27/2015 4:57:24 AM

I remember: going to SaGuijo with barely less than 30 minutes before the show rolls, a taxi wanted to make a one-time flag down fare going there, and it was priced 400 pesos. I kindly refused, though on my mind utters such harsh words: Hey, I don't even spend 200 whenever I go from here to Ayala. Lakas mong manlamang ha?

But anyway, I got a more friendly (and a fair-pricey) one going there at Makati for this heck-of-a-gig-slash-Christmas Party,

Play 4 Serve and Locked Down Entertainment’s Group Study had its one last run for 2015, and it’s not a school tour this time around as SaGuijo was the place for be on that evening of Saturday, 26 December 2015. And it’s called WOWOWOWS SANTA KLAUS.

Ten bands performed during the evening on perhaps one of the wildest yearend gigs to stage by 2015. Us 2 Evil 0 graced the stage, then followed by Squid9 and Flying Ipis--with guitarist Ymi Sy making it to the venue just in the nick of time (well, after coming off from an important gathering).

Assembly Generals also hit SaGuijo despite missing the services of their MPC guy as Raymund Punzalan was attending the soon-to-be-parent duties (Congrats, Mon!). 

The next sequence featured notable names at the local music industry as Chicosci, Imago, Twisted Halo, Sandwich and Pedicab rocked the venue. 

It’s kinda nice when you hear Mayumi doing the vocal chores for what has been a signature song not just from Imago, but also from Aia De Leon too--and I’m talking about Akap. And at the same night, Raiumund sang 2 Trick Pony, Marc Abaya’s last single with the band in mid-2000s from the album Thanks to the Moon’s Gravitational Pull.

Chicosci, Sandwich, and Pedicab turned the bar into a full-house one during their sets, with the heat scorching the audience despite on a cold climate we are having right now. But I must say Pedicab and the last band Cheats tore the house down; making everyone to move with their set of tunes. Damn nice, and damn wild!

Perhaps, another addition to my wildest gigs I have been with for this year! Yeah, kinda late addition, but better be late than never though.

Author: slickmaster | © 2015 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: Jack Daniel's Future Legends Trade and Media Launch

11/7/2015 4:57:17 PM

It was a rainy Tuesday evening (13 October 2015) in Buddha Bar as Jack Daniels Philippines formally launched their program for the independent music scene called Future Legends. 

For the span of two years, several bands will be playing for events organized and sponsored by the whisky label. Also, for the said time-span, there will be Indiefest and as the culmination, the Jack Daniels Indie Music Awards will be held once again on 2017 where from hundreds of bands of variety of genres, only one will be called as the Jack’s Chosen One.

Performers during the evening were the best three bands from the recent Jack Daniels’ Indie Music Awards: Flying Ipis, Autotelic, and this edition’s “Chosen One” Farewell Fair Weather.

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions