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: Pour Out What’s Special

2/25/2016 4:58:58 PM

It’s been an evening comprised of sweetening taste buds, eargasm, and beautiful aesthetics as Novellino Wines, together with Docdef Productions and Fringe MNL brought you Pour Out What’s Special.

Fourteen musicians rocked the house down with delectable tunes to spice up the evening as Valentine’s Day approached by. Along the way, various visual artists flaunted their precious masterpieces on a gallery inside the winery; plus photography exhibits from young photographers Gab Pili and Darzi Pinga and live mural art made by Cinos and Doom.

Also, people were treated at the acoustic set outside where several balladeers serenade away on a breezy, lovely atmospheric night.

The Modern Playground jazzed up the stage as they kicked off Pour Out What’s Special. Coeli San Luis and The Benjamins followed suit with a sultry mixture of strings. Perhaps a refreshing start as the sun goes down.

The Modern Playground

Coeli San Luis X The Benjamins 

TheSunManager, Alasmedya, and Reese Lansangan graced the evening with bunch of their indie-pop acoustics; thus, setting a different vibrant inside the venue: slow and chill. 

Alasmedya

TheSunManager (Photograph taken by Jemaima Robles)

Reese Lansangan (Photograph taken by Jemaima Robles)

As we hit midway through the evening, things are gradually rising as Fools and Foes, Banna Harbera MilesExperience, Tom’s Story, and Farewell Fair Weather spiced them up further with their delectable tunes of indie folk, pop alternative, math rock, and various combinations of genres and angst-defiant lyrical work.

Banna Harbera

MilesExperience

Tom's Story

Farewell Fair Weather

While the night’s getting late, The Ransom Collective just get this party started as they play their high-vibrant kind of indie folk pop. Sud, on the other hand, jazzed up the sexy way with live tracks of their own; and Jensen and The Flips served the hottest music to date as they delivered various kinds of pop alternative, sending the audience into an instant moshpit session.

The Ransom Collective

SUD

Jensen and The Flips... with the big bang ending called 'confetti.'

With the turnout of the event, Pour Out What’s Special proved that art forms and social drinking can sit well with each other as the Philippine-made wide and the Philippine local indie scene have one thing in common: made out of great quality.

And with the advent of the demographics a the indie scene where the younger generation are quite indulged with it’s not that hard to see the convergence of wine, arts and music having a beautiful outcome; thus, resulting into a unique-but-great event.

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

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

The Scene Around: Heneral Luna DVD Launch

1/10/2016 9:36:06 PM

Following the success of its Heneral Luna, Artikulo Uno Productions held an event in cooperation with Megaworld Lifestyle Malls where everyone can now buy the copy of the movie in physical and original product.

Heneral Luna DVD launch had its second leg (the first one was held at Lucky Chinatown Mall a few days ago) on Sunday, 20 December 2015, at the Eastwood Central Plaza. Several cast members were present as well as the selected props used in the movie such as Apolinario Mabini’s chair and the uniform used by the soldiers.

Games were also made by the cast (Archie Alemania, Alex Medina) to entertain the audience; while later on Mon Confiado and Epy Quizon had an acting contest of its own. But nothing was more notable when Heneral Luna himself John Arcilla entered the podium and did his part.

Also, a forum portion was made where fans asked questions about the picture itself and several aspects that affects such.

To cap the evening, the actors signed several movie posters, DVD copies, and even fan art memorabilia. Perhaps, the very fist time for yours truly to have an encounter with Arcilla; knowing I’ve been a fan of the actor’s showmanship since his portrayal at Metro Manila in 2013. It was also the first time for me to meet Mon Confiado whose known for doing antagonistic roles for most part of his acting career; and the second time to meet Quizon (the first one was during a gala night of a Cinema One Original a few months ago).

Perhaps, it will fall down as one of the best moments to remember 2015 for me, with the awesome movie.

Author: slickmaster | © 2016 september twenty-eight productions

The Scene Around: Mind Money Circuit EP Launch

12/19/2015 11:08:07 PM

I first remember Gab Palanca when they played at Docdef 93 last August 1 at SaGuijo in Makati City. Heck, he even played for Anj Florendo’s band a night before. 

And just prior to attending, I was then-not quite sure if I will attend an event considering I’m facing a circumstance where I have to deal with priorities. (Adult duties, you know?)

And four months after, they had their EP launch at Mow’s bar in Quezon City. 

Well, just in time when I get back from the indie music scene at the time where I actually scored this thing called ‘laptop.’ Wohooo! Christmas is indeed here, ladies and gentlemen!

In the lineup, Devices, Dearest, Tom’s Story and Farewell Fair Weather also performed for the evening where everyone was at holiday spirit thanks to holiday sales and awesome events happening that evening.

And this is quite the second time I am hearing Mind Money Circuit though the very first on quite in-depth basis considering I’m a total newbie to the post and math rock genre.

Author: slickmaster | © 2015 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