'17 Nights To Remember (Part 1)

01/01/2018 07:17:12 PM 

Regardless of how fiery it has been on all cylinders, it's undeniable that the year 2017 has been a wonderful year. Right in the midst of the mid-2010s band explosion, we have seen it brought a lot of good shits in our Philippine world of music (and we mean quality here, by the way). 

Yours truly have made it to a number of gigs curated by various production outfits (in fact, more than I attended for the past two years). These also include some of the biggest concerts and music festivals that has solely focused on out homegrown talents. That said, here are 17 nights that really left a mark in '17... well, at least for me.

Mga Dahilan Kung Bakit Kailangan Mong Pumunta sa Gig Nang Mag-isa

11/01/2017 11:59:45 AM

Buhay na buhay ang musika, at ibig sabihin rin nito ay buhay na buhay din talaga ang eskena, lalo na ang mga bar scale gig. Hindi lang kasi panay konsyerto ng mga malalaking musikero at artista ang nagpapanatili ng apoy sa local music scene, kundi ang mga maliliit na mga kaganapan sa mga bar kung saan minsan pa nga ay napupuno pa at tila nagiging sauna pa ang mga gaya ng Mow's, Route 196 at saGuijo.

At nakakatuwa lang kasi pag madalas ako magpromote ng gig ng mga prod na kakilalala ko, ito ang laging bumbungad sa amin, maliban pa sa mga namamahalan sa entrance (which is minsan, understandable naman): pengeng kasama.

Anak ng tokwa. Ang dami ngang tao sa gig (at bibihira nga lang ang mga matutumal) tapos hihirit ka pa ng “pengeng kasama”?

To Oust or Not to Oust?!

11/01/2017 08:13:58 PM

Hindi ko alam sa inyo, ano. Pero sa mga nakalipas na taon, parang nakita natin ang pagbagsak ng Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Kalimutan na ang sandamukal na ad placements sa TV channel, ang pagputok ng isang all-English PBA coverage, at utlimong ang matindihang mga hakbang ng mga PR nila (to the extent na halos tinap na rin yata nila ang mga lifestyle blogger para lang i-promote ang mga laro nila sa alinmang venue sa Kalakhang Maynila).

Puros Kayo Libre!

11/15/2017 01:10:15 AM

Sa kalagitnaan ng ika-31 ASEAN Summit ay maraming mga kaganapan ang dinaraos sa piling mga lugar sa Kalakhang Maynila. After all, kaya nga tayo nagkaroon ng holiday para mai-anticipate ang mala-Gates of Hell na traffic lalo na sa EDSA, 'di ba?

The Rundown Slam: PWR Live Oktoberplex

10/15/2017 11:28:30 PM

It's been half-a-year since the last time I have seen a Philippine Wrestling Revolution show. Obviously, there are new faces and new stories that they are trying to tell everyone. And I may have felt lagged behind by so faraway distance, but at least I'm still trying to keep up with their developments that are barely told and exposed through their social media pages.

And while they have shifted from Pasig back to their home city in Makati – specifically, to the near northern portion of Circuit – it's interesting that PWR has been grasping in new and innovative matches, especially in such manner that they are now providing the Filipino counterpart to what has been the likes of WWE's Survivor Series.

Well, while we will have to wait for another month to witness PWR Vendetta and their “Ubusan Ng Lahi” tag team elimination match (plus any signs of developments prior to that), PWR Live has joined the October-fest bandwagon of event-naming rights when they staged their October edition of PWR Live show titled “Oktoberplex” (with a poster that showed Mike Madrigal and that ass of Chris Panzer).

Any by the looks of it, it is more fun than the name sake: probably more saitsfying than beer.

The Scene Around: Mandiriwa: Joey Ayala at Ang Bagong Lumad (The Concert)

09/17/2017 02:20:33 PM

It was in 1992 when this renowned folk singer-songwriter staged a one-time big-time concert at Music Museum, one of the sophisticated music halls in the Metropolitan. That also paved the way for him to release all of his three albums at once during the special evening.

Fast forward to two decades: It was on mid-July 2017 when music event producer Ian Urrutia (known as the man behind Vandals On The Wall) invited me to their latest concert project to date – yes, after the famous Dama (Johnoy Danao, Ebe Dancel, Bullet Dumas) and Secrets (Aia de Leon, Barbie Almalbis, Kitchie Nadal). 

Two months later, I stood inside the halls of Music Museum, witnessing Joey Ayala and his famous crew Ang Bagong Lumad graced the stage of this premier performance venue after merely 25 years. And just when I thought of seeing this at the low end of a VOTW and Gabi Na Naman Productions' risky move, I was wrong. 

The Scene Around: saGuijo Presents

09/03/17 11:21:47 AM

It's strange to notice we have two consecutive 'long weekends' staged at the month of August. Well, yes, but it's undeniable that it rolls in our favor because rest... ya know.

While I am supposed to hit down South last August 26, I was offered to partake on a role that I can never (ever!) refuse. Because... why should I?! Is this even a damn valid question?. 

PlayBack: Mayonnaise – For The Rest of My Life

07/23/2017 10:12:12PM

It's a long whole since the last time I hooked up with Monty Macalino and his band that is so famous that you could only recall them more than just a sandwich dressing. Like seriously, when was the last time I heard of them? Barely seven years ago, with that old four-piece lineup. And the first time I had a chance to spot them live was during Docdef Productions' summer-in-November grandeur called In 'D Flow.

That lead me to curiosity of what's up with Mayonnaise – and their 2016 album.

Flick Review: Patay Na Si Hesus

09/03/2017 05:26:20 PM

Patay Na Si Hesus was supposed to poise a tragic movie by the paper. However, the comedy didn't appear like joke here. 

The Scene Around: Jeremy Passion One Night Strum

07/16/2017 09:12:29 PM

Everyone probably here knows that: 1.) I am such a sucker for Philippine music; and 2) I am affiliated with Axl Guinto's Blog startup called Star Powerhouse, right?

But I admit: taking this offer from my good friend made me curious about one name called Jeremy Passion. And his One Night Strum gig held at Teatrino at Promenade Greenhills was apparently my baptism of fire; something that probably my friends from the Espasouls may laugh and event castrate me. Sorry, folks! 

Flick Review: Despicable Me 3

09/03/2017 04:53:23 PM

Despicable Me 3 appears to be a forced – or coerced – extension of what should've been an animated show featuring Steve Carell's portrayal of an animated round frontal character and a bunch of show-stealers known as the minions.

The Toycon 2017 Experience

07/16/2017 08:45:33 PM

It probably took me a very long while (and a change of setting and setups) before I hit one of the country's pop culture events after doing so four years ago.

And that said, everyone from the below-average Juan dela Cruzes to those elite fans are probably expecting that high, considering they teamed up with Pop Life. And while the term remains vivid (thanks to the strong brand recall they have built for over the years), the fact remains – that it was formally called “Toycon X Pop Life Fan Experience (FanX for short).”

The Scene Around: March Of The Penguins 40/Stereodeal "New Jersey" Music Video Launch

07/16/2017 11:17:54 PM

March of The Penguins 40 featured the launching of Stereodeal's new music video called “New Jersey,” the band's latest single. And it was an emotional night as their original drummer departed for a concentrating her life in the province.

The Rundown Slam: NXT TakeOver Brooklyn 3

09/01/2017 10:46:13 PM

Just like any big weekend for the World Wrestling Entertainment, their development brand has been a standout show for the weekend. Heck, they even toppled the E's big shows, and that includes the recent edition of WrestleMania.

It doesn't matter if they only have a regular (or even a bit smaller) number of audience inside the arenas. And even if you argue they are almost equal on delivering matches, but given the time frame of their coverage, TakeOver episodes weren't a dragging one to deal with. And they don't need to be stacked on doing so.

The five matches proved how Triple H's babies are the future current best crop of sports entertainment today regardless having less exposure time compared to the ones in the main roster.

The Rundown Slam: WWE SummerSlam 2017

08/28/2017 10:43:45 PM

As part of the World Wrestling Entertainmet's big four, SummerSlam, dubbed as the “biggest party of the Summer” didn't turn out spectacular as they should've been. Just like the past three years, the set-up was nothing but an inch-higher than their usual PPV stages.

And worst: no pyros; probably one of the signs that this promotion has been on a 'cutting cost' phase and that includes axing some of their original WWE network programs. 

Luckily for us in Manila, though, this show falls on a holiday (Monday morning) so a lot actually had a great time on having this wrestling fix on either their respective homes or on that viewing party held at Skinny Mike's in BGC, Taguig City.