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

The Scene Around: Silakbo MV Launch

1/17/2016 1:14:10 PM

There are so many gigs during Saturday, 16 January 2015. You have the rescheduled Rakrakan Festival at Circuit Makati, Terno Inferno at the famous SaGuijo, and a cover night that served as a prelude for an upcoming concert by the trio of Bullet Dumas, Ebe Dancel, and Johnoy Danao.

And also, there’s a music video launch for the upriser called MilesExperience, and it was held at Mow’s bar in Quezon City.

The show started quite on time with Maude being the first act. Then, December Avenue also came to join the party, instant fire-hazard place in the process. Well, if we're talking about the crowd and the atmosphere inside.

Things got even rowdy wild as fuck when popular names also hit the stage to perform: Tanya Markova, Autotelic, Ourselves the Elves, and Jensen and the Flips. It was actually the first time I watched Tanya Markova live, though it was kinda short-lived since they will also be performing for Rakrakan Festival later that evening. But hey, the moment was worth it after years of hearing the likes of Picture Picture, Disney and Linda Blair on the airwaves. 

Plus, they are back with an album and two music videos directed by Jiggy Gregorio.

Then, came another highlight moment of the game: the music video itself, which depicted the UST-laden band into some sorts of outburst and extremities. Perhaps, you better check their music video on video channels like MYX very soon!

I can’t prejudge the other happenings, but if we're talking about indie scene here, I can tell that Silakbo topped the evening either. It’s not just about having heavyweight shits on the night’s roster of musicians; but witnessing the ocean of people inside and outside Kowloon House’s underground bar gave me one thing in mind: that’s the support for the music. Imagine having 350-450 people in attendance. Guido (their keyboardist) even told me all the 400 printed tickets they have during the gathering was totally sold out. Tim (their drummer) noted it exceeded the bar guarantees way more than expected (I suspected that’s somewhere between 300-400%).

While the air conditioning unit was a downisde (taking photos on a low light can be another, but that’s what makes Mow’s bar an intimate place on live music), it can never outnumbered a lot of good stuff that happened during the night.

With that being said, congratulations to MilesExperience for a very successful event. Hope the success will paved an even longer way for you guys in the independent music scene.

Also, shoutouts to the creative director of 9Roots and the man behind Love Supreme and Sikalbo music videos Mr. Jiggy Gregorio. Nice meeting you during the evening.

(Photos from Mr. Boco Jones)

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

Playback: Jensen and The Flips - Dangerous

1/22/2016 7:17:21 PM

Perhaps it’s no surprising why Jensen and the Flips were one of the notable names in the scene right now. You got a talented musician in Jensen Gomez himself, plus you add a people who can do baby-making music in such a very impressive mixture of soul, alternative, rhythm and blues, and even Motown pop.

Their 2015 album Honeymoon proved them all. And imagine having four singles to date; that includes their latest one called Dangerous.

Quite funny; the music video may have shown glimpses of those not-so-gory torture yet-a bit fun scenes. Like a tragedy-wannabe out of revenge a la Fifty Shades of  Grey (wait, not even close but there's still glimpses anyway) amidst sensuality.

But certainly, the song is something you like for a slowdown atmosphere, especially on Sunday nights where either romantic ballads or those rnb playlist are filling your listening senses. It’s as sultry as it gets as if the dim candlelight is accompanying

I quite wonder, though, who’s the female-sounding vocal right there? It complimented so well that it reminded me of a bit-upbeat Make U Say by Sud -- Sexually arousing as fuck. (no dirty pun intended)

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

The Scene Around: Kaleidoscope

12/27/2015 11:45:49 PM

Barely three months ago, after watching Heneral Luna at a mall in Manila, I decided to jump to another coast after seeing a poster containing some of my favorite bands in one night: Jensen and the Flips, The Ransom Collective, Cheats and even Anj Florendo. The event was situated at Mow’s bar, just at the basement of the famed Kowloon House branch at Matalino Street, Quezon City.

All for the weekend before Tagaytay Art Beat. But this one isn’t organized by any of the production groups I know. Certainly I have no idea who in the world is organizer. Heck, I wasn’t even aware it’s her then-birthday party, too. So it looked like I’m a heck-of-a-gatecrasher who shied away from the celebration and charity matters; and instead only wanting to listen to these awesome bands.

Man, it was also the first time I heard Anj on a literally soloflight and the band called Kombo Kombo. Not bad. Other musicians followed suit during that crazy night; and making Kaleidoscope the highest grossing gig at the bar.

Author: slickmaster | © 2015 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: DOCDEFY III

1/10/2016 8:26:54 PM

Docdef Productions celebrated their 3rd anniversary with a gig that is quite a fitting one to cap 2015. Most of the best and up-and-coming musicians performed at Docdefy III happened 29 December 2015 at Route 196 in Quezon City.

Alasmedya kicked off the party; while others in the ten-band lineup followed suit. Namely, Austin, Banna Harbera, SUD, Jensen and the Flips, Autotelic, MilesExperience and Maya’s Anklet. And UBE was the last band to cap Docdefy III, while also claiming that it will also be their last outing before they go on hiatus.

With that being said, it was a heck-of-a-year for the Jack Daniel’s Prod of the Year awardee. Since its inception on December 2012, Docdef Productions produced more than 100 gigs in total; with this year includes a variety of happenings such as the following:

• EDGES (18 February, Route 196 with Fringe MNL)
• Farewell Fair Weather’s anniversary and home-returning gig (29 January and 18 June, respectively at Route 196) 
• Days 1-4 of the Satchmi Record Store Week (13-16 April, SM Megamall)
• Magnify (23 May, UP Town Center)
• #FeteIndie2015 (20 June, 12 Monkeys Music Hall and Pub with Vandals on the Wall and NDFY.ME)
• Light Settling (18 August, Route 196 with UP Underground Music Society; previous title: When The Light Settles)
• Tagaytay Art Beat (19 September, Museo Orlina)
• In D’ Flow (28 November, Flow House Manila)

So here’s to more good music and happenings, Docdef Productions!

Author: slickmaster | © 2016 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: Autotelic Birthday Bash

11/1/2015 2:18:59 PM

This is the event I’d like to personally called OCTO-Telic.
And why not: four of the members of this band called Autotelic have celebrated their birthdays on the month of October; while the synth player EJ is on November 1 (ironically as of this writing), and their bassist Pabs is on March.

But as Neil, Kai, Gep and Josh had their huge blowout party; so were the other performers during the evening as Jensen and the Flips, Urbandub (in acoustic), Tom’s Story, Oh, Flamingo!, tide/edit, and Lions and Acrobats also joined the party. At least, that’s another Thursday night to remember with the uprisers and heavyweight shits coming together for a birthday bash.

And before the night is over, JB of Docdef Productions gave the band a cake; signifying that indeed it was a wild, epic night.

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: Tagaytay Art Beat Hangover

11/1/2015 1:27:25 PM

Just when you thought the first ever Tagaytay Art Beat was already in the books, last October 1, Docdef Productions, Museo Orlina and The Brewery at the Palace teamed up and produce the post- show called Tagaytay Art Beat hangover.



Five of the performers from the latest big event set the rainy Thursday evening on fire, as the gig goers reminisce all the good music and memories with the showing of aftermovie made by Lihterature, yours truly and Brainsoup Productions.

Will this be a huge step for the next Tagaytay Art Beat? We’ll never know. But one thing’s for sure: Docdef Productions’ 100th gig will be held at Flow House Manila soon!

Author: slickmaster | ©2015 september twenty-eight productions