Weeknights to Remember: SlickMaster’s Memorable Gigs of 2015 (Part 4)

12/31/2015 3:00:36 PM

The post was supposed to be named Fridays and Saturday Nights to Remember only to realized a few things: first, gigs are happening every single weeknight; second, most of them aren’t even planned by yours truly to attend; and third, I have been to almost 70 gigs for 2015.

2015 has been a heck of a good year for me as I discovered Philippine music anew -- and it broods at the place where minority of people knows -- the independent scene. Over the course of time, I attended about 50 events starting from a random night out that happened 24 January 2015 at Route 196. I was then supposed to watch my college friend whose already a musician.

And since then, the Philippine independent music scene became another world conquered by yours truly. I became part of a production group; I was posting anything about gigs for most of the time; and indie music also served as a venue for me to grow as opportunities came from out of nowhere -- be it writing or anything else like photography and videography.

Fast-forward to the year-end, despite attending the last one or two music events of this year from small-time gigs to the big or concert-level ones, I can say I had a lot of memorable evenings. 

Between Archery and Olympics

Between Archery and Olympics Album Launch (24 June 2015 / Route 196 / Project Collab Manila)

My buddy Lih sent me to this gig to cover on his behalf. Yes, for an evening, all I did was taking videos of the event. Specifically, band shots. But moreover, I discovered more artists I shouldhave been listening right now. And BAO was one of them. It’s not surprising that their album launch proved their success at the scene so well.

Franco

Jacktember (5 September 2015 / Buddha Bar / Jack Daniel’s Philippines)

So, it was Jack Daniel’s birthday, and the top three bands from the recent JD On Stage stormed the stage as we joined the entire world in celebrating the success of the popular whiskey brand. Plus Franco also rocked the night away. It was the first I heard them live; and frankly that blew my mind away. 

SUD, on screen and on stage.

Tagaytay Art Beat Hangover (1 October 2015 / Brewery at the Palace / Docdef Productions, Museo Orlina, Brewery at the Palace) 

Fresh from the overwhelming success of Tagaytay Art Beat, Docdef Productions followed it up for everyone who still can’t get over from what has been the indie music’s outside-the-metro show of the year for 2015.

Nico and Vinz

Jack TV Mad Fest 2015 (7 November 2015 / Globe Circuit Events Center / SOLAR Entertainment)

Too bad, I missed the indie music part. But nevertheless, watching MAD FEST was another piece of memorable. Looks like they covered almost all sides from indie to mainstream, plus DJs setting the party vibe for the rest of the evening, especially after the main act Nico and Vinz graced the stage for an hour-long concert,

Paranoid City w/ their manager and Revolver Productions head Cris Ramos

The Last Revolver Gig (29 August 2015 / Saguijo /Revolver Productions)

I once attended a Revolver gig, and it was a tie-up with Docdef Productions last May. And upon researching I found out they are calling it an evening at SaGuijo last 29 August 2015. Never would I thought that after 11 years, Revolver will call it right there. Though I managed to catch few performers during the night, Paranoid City formally gave its curtain call. And for few minutes of my life, I was stunned with musicians from different bands joining the stage one motherfucking last time to make some noise. Perhaps, a farewell one.

The Rest is Noise Year-end (19 December 2015 / Route 196 / Vandals on the Wall)

Ian and MC’s success from Vandals on the Wall proved they are capable of organizing gigs too. They’re not just a media doing lots of reviews and interviews. And true enough, their ninth The Rest is Noise installment left me a mark on the near-end of 2015. Like from 7pm -4am they got 14 artists on the lineup. And despite a not-so-good weather, almost 300 people flocked Route 196. Damn.

| PART 3

Author: slickmaster | ©2015, 2016 september twenty-eight productions