When Stars Crashed in Manila

I have this fascination about anything related to stars, and it became more legit after knowing that there's an indie band that sounded close to my heartbeat called Stars. The movie Like Crazy moved me to find Stars.. and it was love at first listen. I've been longing to watch and hear them live. And here they are!

Watching Stars live was the best celebration of heart's day so far. The first time to catch them live, the pleasure to shoot them up close with my camera, comfy chucks and jeans to go, with crowd that feels the same sentiment with their songs, and a debonair hipster date made the night almost perfect.
Thank you Mamad for making it possible. ^_^

"There's been a lot of talk of love.. But that don't amount to nothing.You can evolve the stars above..But that doesn't make it something..And the only way to last..
And the only way to live it. Is to hold on when you get love, And let go when you give it.. give it " - Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It

"There's one thing I have to say so I'll be brave..You were what I wanted..I gave what I gave..I'm not sorry I met you..
I'm not sorry it's over..I'm not sorry there's nothing to save.." -Your Ex Lover is Dead

"When did I grow up?..I don't want to say too much..I'll be the first to leave.
What can't be decided..In the morning it will bring itself to you..What can't be decided..Can fool you into thinking maybe you can choose."
-Midnight Coward
 Watch it here.

"I could say it but you wont believe me..You say you do but you don't deceive me..It's hard to know they're out there.It's hard to know that you still care.."
-Dead Hearts 

"And to this day, when everything breaks, you are the anchor that holds me..All the things you say, the way you shift your eyes
I never knew there was someone, to make me come alive." - My Favourite Book

Torquil is theatrical. The songs they played felt like it just came out right there. It was so real.

The melodica gave me chills. 

Yes to the guitars. 

"I'm tired of what I do..Turn the heat on early..It'll be cold when I get through..It has to go right this time..It has to go right." 
-The 400

See more pictures.

"Oceans won't freeze..So loosen your heart..Underestimated..Undefeated in this love..We will always be a light." -Ageless Beauty

Super Sulit! (though we didn't catch Ciudad and Outerhope on stage. huhu..) We did asked for more! Stars warmly graced us with 20 plus songs including my favorites; Midnight Coward, Your Ex-Lover is Dead, Walls, The North, Calendar Girl, Ageless Beauty, Do You Want to Die Together?, Dead Hearts, Take Me The Riot, and My Favourite Book. Their songs revealed true stories about relationships. From friendship, falling in love, heartaches, fights, to moving on stage..anything in between -all in detailed and real. Their music just moved me.

We have our own bands here that also deserves the warmth we give to foreign artists. Keep supporting. Indie music deserves to be heard. :)

"Your Silence is the Villain" MV Launch by Your Imaginary Friends

It’s been a while since my last post about my night wanderings, and I miss it! I can’t promise to blog all the gigs, events and happenings I’ve been to, but this post.. 
I can’t resist to share. Your Imaginary Friends’ awaken my senses to blog again about music. Part of my new beginning is witnessing their journey, and I'm so proud what they have come up with. Swabe eh.

Anyway, the happiness and excitement of their listeners, followers, supporters, and friends who came over that night was contagious. We all waited for this. All hearts and cheers for a night of celebration. Let's wave for their success! :)

The Gentle Isolation

Stolen Shots

The Charmes

Musical O

Mahmad

See more pictures here

This is it! The long wait is over. Let's welcome the new milestone of Your Imaginary Friends. Here’s the new track for your laslas pulso moments. You'll never be silent after hearing this. Or else, you will be a villain. Charaught! ^_^

Sideways by Franco

 

Franco Reyes - Sideways

You know it ain't easy

For these thoughts here to leave me

There's no words to describe it

In French or in English

  'Cause diamonds they fade

And flowers they bloom

And I'm telling you

These feelings won't go away

They've been knockin' me sideways

They've been knockin' me out lately

Whenever you come around me

These feelings won't go away

They've been knockin' me sideways

I keep thinking in a moment that

Time will take them away

But these feelings won't go away

These feelings won't go away

MIXTAPE: Song for June

Hello June,

I am excited to spend my month with you. Here's the playlist I made for us to share and play along with our everyday routines to keep us alive and stay hopeful. Some songs can really revamp your day, some just flows under the weather, and some could bring back the memories you learned from the past.

Hope you enjoy this.

Yours,
^_^

Song for June Mixtape
1. You Gotta be Strong by Des'ree

2. Ironic by Alanis Morissette

3. Don't Look Back by She and Him

4. New Soul by Yael Naim

5. Mushaboom by Feist
6. Plain Gold Ring by Kimbra

7. Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye

8. Merry Happy by Kate Nash

9. Woods by Bon Iver

10.  Hope Is Erupting by Citipointe
11.Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova
12.Eet by Regina Spektor

13. When Your Mind's Made Up by Glen Hansard
14.Barely Breathing by Duncan Sheik
15. Closing Time by Semisonic

Listen and play it all here.
Let's embrace this month full of good vibes, fun-filled surroundings and faithfulness that never runs out.
Enjoy June! ^_^

Warner Night at 70's Bistro

Catching up with friends with awesome eargasmic OPM music makes the late night out worth it. It was lead by the hit makers today from Warner music Philippines -General Luna, Never the Strangers, Ebe Dancel and Rico Blanco. I was accompanied by two lovely couples -Wilt and Jeff and ate Irene and Carlo.  The event was held at the 70's Bistro somewhere in Quezon City. OPM rocks! 

The band behind the moving song from close-up toothpaste commercial. "Inch by inch, we're moving closer..Feels like a fairytale ending..Take my heart, this is the moment, I'm moving closer to you."
-Moving Closer by Never the Strangers

Making the Pinoy rock come alive once again brought to you by General Luna, they rock as if I'm watching a full male band. Their fierceness that matched with their music skills and hot profile will surely hit globally. Nicole Asensio's demure look rocks the house with her resounding hardcore voice. Girl power!

My sister's all time favorite Ebe Dancel. Ebe, never fails to grace the audience with his original heart mending and honest songs that anyone can easily relate and enjoy. Listening to him sometimes gives me guilty pleasure. hehe  :)

For the finale, my favorite genuine, gifted and grounded singer/songwriter, Rico Blanco. His songs has been part of our love life history from the 90's until now. He is someone who is born to make music that lifts our Pinoy pride.

from top left down to bottom right: 1)photo canvass from the comfort room entry way 2)my sister Wilt, 3)my friend ate I.. 4)lovebirds (Irene and Carlo) 5)CR moments with sis 6)the wall art of 70s Bistro 7)snapshot with Rico after his almost two-hour insane set :p (fan ang peg) 8) red door from the bathroom going to the bar.

Let's support OPM. ^_^

Click here for more photos

An Estrogen Valentine

My valentines didn't turned out to be mushy, romantic, surprising or endearing like what the season expects to be..(It’s not a bitter post anyway) let’s just say it turned out quite awesome and intimately personal. :p

A night spent with my sister and her boyfriend after a long day of work until 3am is heartwarming and beyond what expected knowing that they are not really into this kind of environment. We went to THE Collective, B-side Makati, came to watch the Estrogen Valentine concert. Estrogen is for female and it’s a female hormone. The event name (estrogen) was explained to me further by my lovely nurse sister. The stage jam-packed performers includes my favorite female artists;

Kitchie Nadal

I was a fan since high school.May sudden kilig padin ang song na Wag na Wag mong Sasabihin. Hindi ako mahilig mag videoke pero napakanta ako dahil sa song na yan nung highschool.  She sang it genuinely effortless. “Salamat sa Panginoon” that’s what she said after her set. She really knows how to give back the glory, that’s why God blesses her more.

Turbo Goth is composed of real life couple Sarah Gaugler (vocalist) and Paolo Peralta( guitarist/synth). We arrived very timely before their set.  They gave justice to electronic rock with their original music and crazy dreamy syths.  Aanhin pa ang stage? Paolo’s crazy syncopated dance move rocks the crowd all over the place so insane while Sarah sings melancholically with steady model poses.

Aia de Leon of Imago

Who would not love Imago’s endearing alternative rock music? Their songs struck every heart deeper as time gets old. That night when Aia started the rhythmic intro lead of the song Akap easily drags me to the mood of sincere reminiscing. The crowd sings with the band almost the whole set. Followed by the song Sundo (our favorite song, mom,sis and I) with an acapela intro is ethereally amusing.
 

Armi Millare of Up Dharma Down

“Iniipon ang mga pagkakataon at sa isang sulok ay pinagdurugtong dugtong. Lito..kapit, kabig..palit. Huli na and lahat para bawiin ang hindi nararapat” –Taya 
“Makikinig nga ba sa isipan na alam ang wasto o iindak na lang sa tibok ng puso?” – Indak
“Anong lunod o lalim bat di na lang lumutang” – Sana

Updharmadown's authentic electronic rock music stands out the indie scene not only with their imaginative melodical mixes but with the lyrics that tells true heartbreaks and a mending heart. Armi’s whimsical genuine voice is eminent beyond comparison. Watching them is always gratifying.

The event encourages people to patronize Filipino artists and music. Kudos to M productions for such a wonderful set of artists, hosts, eargasmic sound system and mood setter lights that completes the night to be a blast.
^_^

more photos to come on my Flickr.

Take Me Home

He is someone who sounds powerfully interrogating my sub-conscious mind. He is Sameer Gadhia from the Jakes, now known as Young the Giant. Their music sets any mood easily from heavy to light heartfelt emotions. I heart their refreshing videos such as Strings and I Got  from In the Open sessions and intimately attached to these songs; Islands, God Made Man and most especially Take Me Home.


The Jakes - Take Me Home

"Your back is straight
don't let that hurt curve it that way..
just take me home..
coz' I cant stand being alone.."

photo by: Alexander Shahmiri

Striking custom made guitars

Stand out in every shindig with a guitar that speaks of your character. These perky guitars easily catch my attention as I was browsing for a new one. They look like toys but these instruments are crafted with intonation and fully functional. It can also be modified into an electric instrument.  Personalize your guitars the way you like eet! They make guitar, bass, ukulele and more. These playful works in wood is made by Celentano Woodworks.

Here are some of their works.

I would like to have a pure plain white 6-string nylon guitar with black lining or a star-shaped purple ukulele. Please.. *winkywink
^_^

Halloween Indie night at Route 196

Friday night is the best night to hang out after a long weekday in the office. Halloween party is everywhere, got invites from several parties around the metro but I choose to go here to where exactly my mood wants to be. Its at Route 196, the Light the Right One In (a Halloween costume party) by POPshoppe.

The mood setters: The Gentle Isolation, Your Imaginary Friends, Dirty Hate, The Bernadette's, Tey's Revenge, and The Camerawalls.

The Gentle Isolation for the opening. They are consistently soothing and dreamy. 

The Dirty Hate made their presence intense with their original compositions.
"Ohw meyn!" -Jon as Dora the explorer

Ernest Perez of Tey's Revenge covered songs from the crowds favorite band The Cure.

 

"Kami ang Kabaong ng Your Imaginary Friends."- Ahmad
Here's Your Imaginary Friends giving justice to their costumes.
Hardcore sabay banat ng "Hey,Rowena". lols. I enjoyed this set.

 

Ahmad Tanji Lead Vocals/ Guitarist of Your Imaginary Friends

 

Cupcakes for the Birthday celebrants 

 

The Bernadettes

The last performance for the night, The Camerawalls 

 

 Clementine in his Mummy costume playing the guitar with his signature moves and melancholic vocals.

We had a good night at Route 196.

Superman took this picture of me.
Hello Superman.
^_^