The Scene Around: Prelude To 28

01/06/2019 11:25:40 PM

One of the surprising plot twists that took place in the past year was pulling off (FINALLY!!!) a birthday gig. Yes, it took place after being stuck on the shelf for three years.

I initially made thoughts about organizing a birthday party in my own way in 2015 but to no avail. A year later, I was this close to booking bands and venue – until I realized that I don't have the budget to execute everything, I withdrew everything. The same thing occurred in 2017. 

On a random night in August 2018, I was approached by one of the newest young peeps in the prod scene. Karen, who manages At The Back MNL, offered a deal that I almost refused – to organize the much-wanted birthday party of my life. 

Okay, good. All she needs to settle with me was the venue and make sure that any date within late September is available. Luckily for me, my friend, who's a known videographer in the gig scene today,  offered to help organize this shit and secured my slot for September 27 at Mow's Bar. By the way, I'm not saying this because you have to befriend them and do them a favor for your own self-satisfaction (don't be such a user-fuckin'-friendly person!). 

The funny thing about being a gig organizer for me is that booking bands and places may be easy – but marketing is certainly NOT. I have six weeks to promote my shit which includes bands like Autotelic, Tanya Markova, We Are Imaginary, and Brisom (to name a few). The funny thing is that I initially wanted to have a maximum of eight bands for the night, but when two of my other contacts were also game to perform, I suddenly have a “holy shit, I have a (good) problem!” moment.

Someone from At The Back made the gig's official poster. I, on the other hand, made my own (two, in fact) but didn't want to claim them “official.” It's just my way of trying to be of help to promote this gig – and at least, trying to prevent myself from having anxieties whether I could really do this at all.

Then came the final Thursday of the month, the 27th of September. Kel and I arrived at Mow's by 7:30PM. Shit, it's game time and since we then have TEN freaking bands, I have to start early. Well, I certainly managed to do so by starting the event itself at 8:20PM, and Gian Bernal takes the stage as a soloist. Then came two bands that Karen booked: Dating May and Stories and Alibis.

The next act to hit up that evening was Kiit, Dax Balmeo's newest project band. The quartet plays the music that Balmeo deeply craves for. One fun moment, though, was when Japo Anareta, his bandmate for Paranoid City, was watching him perform and acted like an envious villain (of course, we're going 'kayfabe' here, ladies and gentlemen!).

And while the clock was about to hit 10pm, BRISOM has taken over the podium; and that just turned the tide up; with Autotelic and Tanya Markova respectively taking turns afterwards. Midnight hour came along when Bita and The Botflies and We Are Imaginary played a variety of tunes. 

And just before when the night was over, Carousel Casualties unleashed the lines “I will go back to Madison, and I will see you on the other side” at 2:20 AM, it was a sigh of something –  like 'game over.' The anxieties I had during the middle-goings of the event were subduing slowly. The months of preparation and six hours of execution – everything just came to an end. Over a hundred people suited up – in which majority of the 46 paying guests were strangers to me. Plus, it may be more three months over, but seeing the likes of my friends like Randy Maghari, Bel Certeza and even Ivan Saldajeno suit up even if you didn't directly and forcibly invite them to come over at all, was such a great feeling. I'm grateful.

Still, what a surreal feeling when I realized everything that transpired while feasting on an order of siomai from Kowloon House. Good times! 

Author: slickmaster | © 2018 The SlickMaster's Files