Category Archives: Performance

Missing a Period (No, not the bloody kind)

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The other day I was driving home in rainy-Friday traffic and listening to Cynthia Alexander’s Walk Down the Road album. There was a deep sadness to it, sadness of a happy kind if ever there is such. It’s probably not accurate to say that it is the musician I miss–we were never the kind of BFFs who chat on the phone or meet up for lunch or coffee; it’s more like I see her on her gigs and she drops by our table for a little chat, and of course there’s the annual Bloom exhibit. While I love her music,  I can always listen to all her albums and it’s so easy to just watch her on Youtube.

So what do I miss, exactly?

at 19 East, the send-off series

It’s a period of time, in my life. A time that I wouldn’t exactly want to go through all over again but it was one when silver linings shone through with such intensity that the dark clouds were nearly eclipsed. It was a time when old friends vanished precisely when I needed them most, a time when there was trouble in practically all fronts. And this was the time when a friend stood by me, kept me sane, kept me company. A friend who endured and never complained about the obnoxious other “friends” that I sometimes brought. And we went to Cynthia’s gigs. Never mind that she lives about fifty kilometers away from Conspi. Cynthia’s gigs were practically the only thing that could make her travel that far, and back, in the wee hours of the morning.

It’s the warmth of Cynthia, who never treated us like the bug-eyed fans that we were. It’s her interaction with the band, never acting like she’s the star of the show. It’s Mlou’s multi instrument stunt. It’s CJ Wasu’s tablas. It’s Cynthia’s almost-shy way of acknowledging your presence even in a packed Conspi, her reprimands of my smoking, our hesitation to order sisig or anything non-vegetarian and the silly fear that the smell of a pig’s face on a sizzling plate might cause her to faint.  Cynthia, if ever you read this, apologies, but that gave us a good laugh.

I can only wish her all the best, and thank her for the huge part her gigs and music played in the bonds of friendship formed. As for my friend, I’m sure I’ll see her, maybe in gigs down south this time.

China Crisis @ Venice Piazza, Mc Kinley Hill

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I thought it was plain Wishful Thinking when I found out the day before that, Yes, there is a go- ahead to cover China Crisis. The day before that, I didn’t even know they were in Manila!  Fun fun shoot, this. China Crisis is such a cool band to cover!

 

Michael Jackson & Robocop at the Piazza

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Aching back after a full day and hours of running around with multiple gear, heading to another gig, but just couldn’t resist. Their costumes and make-up are sci-fi flick good, gotta hand it to them.

Between China Crisis

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It was a darn good thing to have attended and shot China Crisis’ gig last night at McKinley Hill. There is something about gigs, music lovers, and I guess, photographers. At a time when many people are borderline paranoid-distrustful, such camaraderie is such a breath of fresh air!  Sometime during the gig, a total stranger handed me his camera, an apparently very new EOS 60D, and asked me to figure out the movie function controls! I was so sorry that a 60D is a piece of gear that  I haven’t tried, and couldn’t be of much help. That little encounter made me smile, though. Later on, the same guy handed me his camera again, this time for me to take his picture with China Crisis jamming it up in the background. I was happy to oblige. Afterwards, I went for a cigarette break at the side. This time two guys approached me, asking to be photographed, but they didn’t bring their cameras. Easy. One of them gave me his calling card with his email address on it. Gave him mine, in exchange. Of course I’m not exactly hoping that they will be my new best friends, but encounters like these are certainly one of the perks of the job.  Sure, standing for hours with several kilos of gear hanging on you can be a literal pain, but it sure is worth it.  Posting some outtakes now; it is 1am, and shots of China Crisis will have to wait another day.

Two of them are my friends; the rest just asked to be photographed. Perhaps I’ll never see them again, but the exchange of goodwill was great!

Indie Goddess Returns

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30 October, 2010.

So, Cynthia Alexander, the indie rock goddess who gave me insomnia singing I-N-S-O-M-nia, left last summer, hied of to Seattle to test its musical waters.  You know that discomfiting spot, like wishing someone the best best best, yet that little selfish part of you is afraid that she might never come back, and you’d have to book a flight to somewhere int the US to catch her gig again?  That selfish fear was so transparent Cynthia chided me with “Really?” when i wished her luck. I said Of course I do, but I certainly wish you’d come back and gig still.  It was with excitement that we cheered her gig in New York. Yes, New York! and at the same time chewed our fingernails: let’s hope she visits and gigs here still!

The irony of it all. In many ways it pains me that (not only) in my country, undoubtedly talented musicians perform in tiny bars like Conspiracy, while some not so talented ones can fill the Big Dome (Araneta Coliseum in Cubao).  At the same time my friends and I so enjoy those gigs, and we can never find that level of fun and musical high in a place as big as the Dome.

But anyway. Let’s cut through the chase, as my title already did, anyway. Cynthia Alexander is back, will be here until April, and going back to Seattle. So if I were you, I’d catch all the gigs i could, to see me through the next visit.

Sandwich@NBC/19 East

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Remember “Betamax?”

Musikapatiran

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Musikapatiran:  We are not Pinoy for nothing.

04 October.  Bands performed for free to raise funds for Ondoy Victims. Some of the musicians were themselves dealing with flooded homes and the corresponding (and daunting!) clean up ops, but there they were.   So, this series is not a serious attempt at art, but rather a small tribute to the artists.  My apologies to the bands i could not cover as I couldn’t stay the entire time.

Bands of Musikapatiran:  The Jerks, Color It Red, Sinosikat?, Coffee Break Island, 24/7, Discoball, Prank, Xanctury, Nuklus, Rivermaya, Brown Ink, Nexxus, Etude.