Days of Glory Revisited

I woke up dazed at about six this morning only to realize that its Tuesday and I should be at work that very moment if I didn’t lost track of days and if my alarm didn’t lose its purpose. No manager would ever consider accepting those unreasonable reasons so I thought of a plethora of other possibly valid excuses. I’m adequately equip with alibi creation skill but my honesty outweighs it. I called in sick anyway and lie on the couch like a true sick person would do and tune the TV to MYX, the number one music channel in the Philippines, at least that’s what their marketing catchphrase says.

Suddenly, as if I just rode a time warp, I’m back in 2005. I used to sit on the couch the whole weekend despite my mothers plea for me to get a social life. Who needs to go out with friends and go home weary when you can watch Yael Yuzon sing the sensual reminiscent, Gemini. Pinoy alt rock saved me from the elusive dangerous bliss of reality. There are three tsunamis of pinoy alt rock, the 80′s, 90′s and the most recent came in 2005, I was fifteen. Its rise was breathtaking and the climax was explosively glorious. What started with bands that presented themselves as bubblegum versions of Eraserheads, ended with musical maturity of The Dawn. It was an incorporation of the previous Pinoy rock coupled with good looking vocalists and mysterious long haired bassists. Just like a plague it was contagious, every kid owned an acoustic guitar and most bands started making similar music. It became a huge bandwagon, literally, and everybody was riding it.

After four glorious years the tune gradually faded, the tide slowly subsided, all the perfect song had been sung and the people started embracing foreign artists again. Pinoy alt rock found its way on a familiar tiresome descent. It has fallen to a coma and a few passionate musicians are hopefully reviving it. The higher it went the harder it fell and the president even mandated radio stations to air four opm songs an hour. Fewer people come to gigs, far from the shoulder to shoulder crowd before. The evolution of Pinoy rock is like a big concert, the audience came flooding excitedly for the headline performer, they survived the potential deficient front acts but most left after the show and the loyal fans stayed for the encore. It is somehow bittersweet. Maybe people’s preferences change with time, or maybe every fad have to fade in obscurity.

On a positive note, the songs are still with us, they’re a constant reminder of how divine those days were. And here’s my favorite. It is sort of a sellout song also the band has disbanded already.

Manila Rocks Iloilo: A Concert Review (Sort Of)

What would be the ingredient in mixing up an awesome night that is worth blogging? Pure malt beer, strong enough to hit you but tastes smooth enough to keep you pouring it in your throat, two bestfriends who’s willing to witness the awakening of another person lurking inside you and of course rock music that would blow your mindfucked brains out.

Manila beer along with other beer brands had a reputation of bringing the ultimate concert experience, the kind with skateboards and bottles flying over the not so rowdy audience. And you couldnt just afford to miss it that you would need to forget about your job for five hours. We waited past the boring front acts and the lame-media- sponsor-lead-beer-drinking games in between sets.

The event opened with local band Illegal Entry. Their whiny voiced, Ely Buendia wannabe vocalist (of course every frontman would want to be Ely Buendia) performed Elisi and Prinsesa to prove my point. They also performed some catchy unpromising originals to show their musicality, still the crowd wants to throw bottles of beer at them. All through the five song set I want to grab his hand tell him dude lets just drink that frustration out, I can kiss you afterwards if you allow me, so that you’ll shut up. The guitars are noticeably over suspensed, the chord hanging for a minute before a chord follows. Them guitarists have serious carpal tunnel issues.

Next on stage was Kwatro Kantos, the vocalist, a fatter Emman graced the stage by singing a punk cover of an obscure alternative song, it sucked so bad I couldnt even remember what it was. Iloilo bands are better in pure punk but they keep on butchering alternatives. Their last song was Santoria, you know the classic reggae piece, obviously just so the crowd could have something to relate to with them.

I went to the rest room to pee, thats I do everytime I drink beer.

When I came out Typecast is already cutting their wrists and performing Boston Drama, a remnant of emo heydays in the Phils. Typecasting them as an emo band had been attached to their reputation. I have loved listening to them on cd that it disappointed me listening to them live. Steve, the vocalist didnt even made an effort to connect to the crowd. Dude is thinking he is emo enough to ignore the crowd. It was terrible that I thought they’re one of the front acts until they sung their huge hit, Will You Ever Learn. That song is so heart wrenching it stabs your heart to silence. It has this contageous depressing mood.

Hilera has been one of the underrated bands and once you see them live you would surely end up stalking them everywhere. These guys plainly just want to have fun while playing their music. I love how they had serious amount of instrument works, solos in short. I’m wearing my Angels and Airwaves shirt but I completely forgot who Tom Delonge is when Chris killed some lead guitar solo. Think Butch Walker and Gerard Way combined thats how he plays it on stage. They played hard, destroyed my hearing and made me sweat, what more could I ask for? A kiss from the cute bassist that is.

Have you ever been spellbound by someone that you became speechless and completely stunned? Rico Blanco had that effect one. He stole my spirit. Its like meeting a god. He has a power to suck your breath but leaves you pleasured. Amidst the wierd dressing sea of stereotypes it feels like there’s only, you, him and his enchanting music. He started out with Umaraw, Umulan it seemed that the stars in the sky are singing along. When he sung Bye Bye Na, everyone was already singing along except me because I am still in speechless awe. Not until Antukin when I started singing along. Rico Blanco to me is like Trent Reznor.

Sadly Cinderella had to leave by midnight. Rico Blanco is still working his magic on the crowd. So much for being a groupie, Penny Lane is going home.

Overall the concert is just like every concert, some band sucked, some mindblowing but they all leave your hearing impaired for two hours. Rico Blanco totally fucked my mind that night. The beer was absolutely the best I tasted. It was a fun night to run away from my troubles. It was a great escape.

Ang Buhay Ko ay Kanta ng Eraserheads

Nabasa nyo na ba ang Tikman ang Langit? Isang anthology para sa Eraserheads. Eto ay isa sa mga scrapped essays. Isa lang nasabi ng editor- touche.

Sasabihin ko na kaagad na ako’y hindi fan ng Eraserheads, isa lamang ako sa mga libong nakikinig at nakikita ang sarili sa storya ng kanilang mga kanta. Ako ay isa sa mga Toyang. Ako ay isa sa mga Julie Tearjerky. Hindi ako fangirl. At di rin ako groupie.

Naalala ko pa nun, five years old ako, with feelings kung kinakanta ang Pare Ko. Yun marahil ang dahilan kung bakit tingin ko sa sarili ko ay isa mga “pare ko.” Di ko pa alam nun kung gaanu kasakit yung message ng kanta. Naalala ko din 21 years old na ako, much older na pero less wiser yata. Naiintindihan ko na ang kanta hindi dahil sa magaling ako mag-analyse kundi dahi naranasan ko din ang mga customary tang-ina moments dahil sa pag-ibig. Yung mga times na beer lang ang gusto mong kasama, tapos isang kanta. Dun ko narealize, perfect translation talaga nung mga nararamdaman mo yung kanta. Tamang tama yung lyrics “Di ba tang-ina, nagmukha akong tanga.”

Despite sa mga Pare Ko episode, isa pa rin akong romantic. I love silly love songs. Pinakaborito ko yung Hard to Believe kahit na may pagkapoignant ang tono nito. Madaming love songs ang Eraserheads. Lahat yata ng phase sa pag-ibig pwedeng magkasoundtrack ng isa o mahigit pang Eheads song. Nung pasulyap sulyap ka pa lang sa hardcore rakista na mahaba ang buhok, Suntok sa Buwan is playing kahit wala kang headphones naririnig mo ang kanta. Nung sinusuyo mo na siya sabay nyong kinanta ang Ligaya. Tangna napaniwala ka na pag-ibig ay tunay. Pero katulad nung sa Tuwing Umuulan na Kapiling Ka, uulan, titila, may lilisan, may maiiwan, patapos at matatapos din ang kanta, ang kilig at ang pag-ibig. Kasunod nun isang libo’t isang daang Pare Ko moments. Fuck talaga. Pero good news may mga kaibigan ka, nagsasabing Huwag Kang Matakot at you’ll get by with a smile.

Gustong gusto ko din ang mga kanta tungkol sa samahan, kanta ng barkada ikanga. At yung mga kantang kasama nyo sa inuman, sa iyakan pati sa roadtrip. Pero meron ding kanta para sa isa sa barkada. Espesyal para sakin ang Hey Jay. Kanta namin ito para sa mga tulad ni Jay, tulad ng bestfriend ko nung high school. Isinilang silang ganyan pero sakin okay lang.

Kasabay na siguro ng pagiging romantic ang pagiging emotional or normal lang talaga sa tao ang madepress. Para yatang gustong sabihin ng buong mundo na loser ka sa lahat ng loser who ever lived. Andyan ang Maskara, pakinggan mo lang at suot mo na ulit ang maganda mong ngiti. Magic nga talaga ng mga kanta, nambobola.

Madalas akong masabihan na adik. Di naman ako nagdadrugs. Di nga ako umiinom. Okay, paminsan-minsan lang. Kasi naman skill ko na talaga ang natural high. Kasinlawak kasi ng Luzon ang imahenasyon ko. Parang sa Wishing Wells ang buhay ko ay isang napakahaba at nakakabagot na acid trip. Natatawag din akong wierdo pero pag naalala ko ang Andalusian Dog. Mas wierdo si Ely Buendia.

Sa lahat yata ng phase ng buhay mo, mga emosyon na tumubo sa puso mo, mga taong nakakasabay mo, madalas nakakainis mas madalas masaya. Lahat ng yun naisasalin ng Eraserheads sa kanta. Awesome di ba? Kasi nga ang buhay ay awesome din.

**I do not own the photos.  Para safe lang. =)