muzak
Mio fighst Cancer
Last Friday, a slew of celebrities and musicians all made their way to Music Museum in support of Mio — a five year old boy battling cancer. The show of concern was overwhelming, as the participation of so many groups and individuals was really inspiring.
Here are a few photos from the event.
[mio with mommy jas]
[gab valenciano]
[the cardio boys]
[jake cuenca]
[maja salvador]
For more information, you can check out Mio Fights Cancer.
Full albums can be found in my other accounts:
Live Free
Last Saturday, I experienced a concert of a different kind.
Life Haven, Inc., an organization promoting the Independent Living philosophy for persons with disabilities (PWD) held a benefit concert at Crossroads 77 to raise funds to continue their services of assistance to PWDs in need.
On hand to showcase their talents were a few special performers: the Beautiful Gate Performance Art Troupe from Malaysia, the talents of Tahanang Walang Hagdan Ballroom Dancers on Wheelchairs, Bahay Mapagmahal Rondalla on Wheels and the Sparkle Band, as well as an up and coming band, the Good Morning High Fives and one of my fave local bands, Juan Pablo Dream.
Corporate Lo-fi
With the advent of the ubiquitous iPod and various other MP3 players, listening to the radio has somewhat taken a back seat to the gratification of our aural pleasures. I, myself, am guilty of . After all, listening to what you want, when you want is really an audiophiles wet dream.
However, there are days when I choose to tune in to the radio. Normally, I catch Mo, Mojo and Grace Lee on the morning show, over at Magic 89.9. But my preferred station is (always has been, and will most probably always be) NU107.
And today, I remembered why I used to love listening to the radio — discovering new artists or songs I had never heard before. As I was tuned in to NU this morning, I heard a new tune from Corporate Lo-Fi, a local band comprised of numerous music veterans from varying genres (hip-hop, rakenroll, ska, and more) and several bands (Itchyworms, Chillitees, SVC, Wajijuara, Sugarfree, Indio I and a few more).
Upon hearing the song, I couldn’t quite place the origins of the band. There was a unique flavor to the tune — Hip-Hop, Rakenroll, Jazz and Big Band sounds all rolled into one. It was like listening to The Roots / Digable Planets meets Mother Earth meets The Brian Setzer Orchestra… with a distinct Pinoy flair.
Patiently, I waited for the DJ to reveal the artist. I was eager to get my hands on their album. But upon doing my research (and after visiting a couple of record bars), I sadly discovered that their album won’t be out til sometime next month. But in the meantime, you can check out some of their tracks on their MySpace Page and trip out with this unique blend of sounds.
Up Dharma Down @ Yehey!
Terno Records artist Up Dharma Down came over to the Yehey office for a quick chat event to promote their new album, ‘Bipolar’.
Here are some photos from the event.
Acel @ Yehey
Former Moonstar88 vocalist, now solo artist and proud mommy Acel Bisa-Van Ommen came over to the Yehey office yesterday for a quick Chat Event with the users and to promote her new album, ‘Silver Lining’.
Here are a few photos from the event.
sexy dancers, lap dances, zsa zsa and girls kissing girls
The title says it all.
Last night, at Eastern Communications‘ party to celebrate 130 years of existence, attendees got to witness a plethora of entertainers. From the 50s musical stylings of Vince Camua, to Zsa Zsa Padilla’s comedy and musical renditions, to gorgeous dancers, to steamy numbers by the sultry female quartet Mocha, the crowd experienced a myriad of performances designed to tantalize the ears and eyes.
And rather than explain what happened, let me just show you…
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[click on image for larger view]Bitch for Change
Known for their constant complaints and rocking performances, independent band Reklamo have taken their bitching and stamped their unique brand of music into one solid album, Bitch for Change.
With their eclectic sound ranging from classic rock to a bit of funk to some dabbling in island rhythms to good old rock and roll, the aural pleasures reminiscent of bands like Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jimi Hendrix come to mind. Of course, it would be a bit unfair to liken the trio to some rock and roll royalty… Besides the band does add their own brand of bitchin’ styles to the mix.
Their first two tracks, I Hate Everybody and I Am My Own Bestfriend, are funky bass slapping tunes that make you bob your head, uncontrollably. And for some reason, despite the seeming negativity of the tunes, you tend to agree with what the band is driving at. Listen closely to the lyrics, and you’ll get what I’m saying.
My two favorite tracks from the album, though, are 3 for 100 — a very catchy tune, reminiscent of the old school, classic rock simplistic approach: uncomplicated, no hidden meanings behind the lyrics with rockin guitar riffs and a superfluous guitar solo and Lahat Bawal — a funked out, motorists lament on the sorry state of the traffic scheme here in the Philippines.
If I had to complain (no pun intended) on one thing on the album, it would probably have to be the fact that I had to run to five different music stores to find the CD. But after listening (and relistening) to the music, I find pleasure in the fact that there are still [local] bands out there willing to record independently just to get THEIR music out there. Sure, it may come at a cost, but the music is untainted by bigger music labels, and the artists get to do their own thing.
Reklamo may not be able to change the way things work in the Philippines, but with their debut album, Bitch for Change, they may just see a some movement in the music industry.
Reklamo are:
LC de Leon – vocals, guitar, and banjo
Mig Dayanghirang – bass, back up vocals
Ciro de Leon – drums, whistle, back up vocals
Identity Theft
So I finally got my hands on the elusive sophomore album of Drip entitled Identity Theft (hence my blog post title). I had been searching for months now, only to be told in some stores that they were either “out of stock,” or worse yet, in others, I only got blank expressions like I was asking for some ultra-rare and obscure Hungarian cellist. But thankfully today (or a few hours ago, to be exact) I stumbled across the album in Bonifacio High Street’s Fully Booked.
As I had waited in eager anticipation for a few weeks, I could hardly wait to get into the car to pop the cd into my changer. And as soon as I stepped into the auto, I tore through the packaging and slipped the cd in the disc slot.
For those of you familiar with Drip’s music, you can expect the great trip-hop / electronic rock vibes synonymous with the quartet. However, there is a sense of more maturity in the album – more clarity, direction and unity. Also, there is more emphasis on the electronic aspect of the music.
As I haven’t really been listening to the radio for the past few months, I don’t know if the band has released any singles or if there has been much airplay (on NU107), but I do have my initial faves: Fallen (the album’s opening track) – a drum and bass number that opens up with a haunting wail; Kindergarten Romance – a funky, beat driven, scratched out track with heavy organs; Faultless – a slower tempo tune with great vocals, and Morning After – an up-tempo feel good king of song.
Overall verdict: If you want to listen to some original trip-hop / electronica rock, this is definitely a great place to start. Beng Calma’s distinctive drone, Caliph8′s electronic wizardry, Ian Morse’s contagious beats and Malek Lopez’s overall direction give the quartet a finely crafted patent sound.
You can read another article from PulsePh.
daughtry presscon
Last night, I had the pleasure of going to the Daughtry press conference at Shanghai Bistro in Eastwood City. And although we had to wait for about two and a half hours, it was worth it (the wait).
Chris Daughtry and the rest of the band seemed like they genuinely wanted to be where they were. No airs, no qualms no prima donna attitudes. Plus, they seemed like five quirky and funny individuals, as a couple of the members even gave us a sample of a new dance they came up with — the “Double Dragon”. [Note: Since you can only see a photo in my Multiply album, it's basically a rendition of the moves from that classic Taito video game from the 80s in dance form]
And as an added bonus, I got to meet Mo Twister. No, he’s not my man crush (in fact, I don’t even think I have one), but he’s truly one of the wittiest and most original people in the world of showbiz.
Daughtry will be playing in a few hours in what everyone in the media seems to be calling an “intimate” setting. BS man. For the life of me, I can’t conceive how the term intimate even sprung up. Sure it’s much smaller than a normal concert, but having three thousand fans is far from it (intimate). But nevertheless, props to Eastwood City for coming up with a makeshift stadium.
Anyway, here are additional photos from the presscon.
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[click on image for larger view]i love music
It’s not a secret that I love music. All of my friends know I just can’t live without sounds — when driving in my car, when plopped down on my office chair, when just chilling at home.
When my first iPod broke, I didn’t hesitate to get a new one… even if I was strapped for cash. When my second iPod conked out, I readily swiped my plastic friend, once again, burning a hole in my wallet. And yes, I still do buy CDs, even in this age of Limewire and torrents.
Now, because of my semi-obsessive compulsive behavior, I have found a new way to show my love for music…
With iTunes, you can display your music with the album art. And not just any small window, but a large, glossy and reflective display that you can scroll through, making your aural experience more pleasant with some visual eye candy. (see below)
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[click image for a larger view]Moto Mash Up
Continuing with its tradition of kick ass events, Motorola held a special Moto MashUp shindig last night at WareHouse 135. With food aplenty, beer and cocktails overflowing, prizes awaiting and music pumping through the night, the event was a big hit.
Featuring the stylish Motorola Rokr E8 and the very affordable Motorola W230, the local mobile set giant introduced the concept of Mash Up.
MashUp, you ask? Simply put, it’s a merging of two things to create one cool final product. Take the Rokr E8. It’s a mobile phone, yet, it can be transformed into a mp3 player, with the click of a button. And Motorola has taken the MashUp lifestyle one step further with their line up of musicians, merging different genres and melding diverse songs, creating totally unique sounds.
On hand for the evening were Ciudad and Overtone; Radha and Top Suzara; and DJ Funk Avy and Taken By Cars. And we all got a glimpse of the intense musical mash ups.
To get a better idea, check out OdysseyLive.
Here’s my favorite video from the bunch:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55o9PDpeR2Y&hl=en]
more photos here
paramita chat event
Paramita came over to the Yehey office for their second chat event to promote their sophomore self titled album, ‘Paramita’.
Paramita @ Yehey! take 2
Local band Paramita makes their second appearance in Yehey! this Wednesday at 3:00pm.
If you wanna join, simply log on to Yehey! Chat on Wednesday to ask them anything under the sun, or simply shoot the breeze.
yeng constantino meet & greet
As a follow up to a very busy Tuesday [Colbie Caillat and Mandy Moore], we headed over to the Star Records preview room in the ABS-CBN compound for the short and very intimate chat event cum blogger meet & greet with multi-talented, first “Grand Star Winner” of Pinoy Dream Academy Yeng Constantino.
For a few minutes, Yeng got to share her thoughts with the Yehey! Chatters while we were given a preview of her upcoming singles. This was followed by a candid Q & A, by her invited fans and selected bloggers, and of course, the customary picture taking and autograph signing.
View Azrael’s video stream of the event.
mandy moore presscon
Straight from the airport, America’s pop princess singer / songwriter / actress Mandy Moore made her way to the Richmonde Hotel for her much awaited presscon. The room was packed with press and fans alike…and trying to squeeze in for a spot between warm bodies and camera crews was an experience in itself. But I found my nook, contorted my body and just fired away…in between shifting positions, and ducking and dodging other cameras, lenses and hands.
Catch her later on tonight [12 March 2008 at 7:30 PM] as Eastwood City will be transformed into a makeshift amphitheater for her one-day performance.
Read a Music Review on her new album.
colbie caillat
Colbie Caillat, the singer / songwriter behind the catchy tune “Bubbly”, and the new single Realize had her meet and greet cum presscon at Tropezz Bar and Resto a few hours ago. She graciously answered the questions thrown at her, and even gave us a sample performance, by belting out a few bars of Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain”.
For those of you interested in catching Colbie perform live and in person, she will be touring the Ayala Malls for a couple of performances with “OPM’s Soulchild,” Julianne as her front act. Catch her on the following dates:
- March 11, 7:00 PM: Glorietta Activity Center
- March 12, 6:00 PM: Trinoma
You can also find out more by reading this article.
In a few hours, it’s off to Mandy Moore’s presscon…
yeng constantino chat
Hey guys! We would like to invite you to join our Online Chat Event with Yeng Constantino tomorrow, March 12 at 3:30 PM. Click here for more details.
For Yeng’s blogger fans, join our meet and greet session with Yeng Constantino on March 12, 2008, 4:00pm at the 3/F Preview Room, ABS-CBN Main Building. Please bring 2 valid IDs since ABS-CBN security requires it.
If you’re available on the said time and date, just confirm by sending an email to yengconstantino@teamyehey.com. Please include the following information in your email:
Name
Email
Blog URL
Mobile
First come, first served. Only 30 slots are available. Registration is only until 5:00 PM today.Spread the word!
maroon 5 presscon
last wednesday, mca music held a presscon for maroon 5 at the araneta gazebo, a few hours before their concert.
as a result, we were only given 15 minutes with the band…
you can check out an article in Yehey!
