The Bing Austria Show Last March 20, Plus Some Words On The Morong 43

Before Hilboy flew to Vietnam for a short business stay, he pulled off his usual "Master Showman" antics and delivered The Bing Austria Show last Saturday, 20 March 2010, at Sazi's Restobar along España Avenue, Manila.

As always, like any other Bisikleta event, the gig was FUN.It was my first time to see The Strayguns (as in the local Cassanova George Estregan), whose members come from Pinkcow, Steady Movin' Beat, and Umble Uno. While Goodleaf was not able to perform, Bad Omen came in for an ambush set. Poisonous Mushrooms (whose new name I had a hard time catching, sorry I forgot to clean my ears) played some originals and powerpop covers. Sadly, their cover of Echobelly's "Great Things" was not to my liking, but hey, everyone has got to start somewhere, yes? As for Steady Movin' Beat ... wow, this band has really gone a long, long way. It makes me smile to think about how the boys have progressed through the years. Nakakatuwa. People were skanking the whole time and some were excitedly reaching out for the mic. Fun, fun indeed. Now all that SMB really need to do is record an album. (Hint, hint.)

Photos for your consumption are in the slideshow. Go check them out.



Outside the bar, I also did a little catching up. I scored Goodleaf's album (I will feature them soon), gobbled up a plateful of cheesesticks, and picked up a copy of the primer on the fate of Morong 43. This is one national issue that I talk about whenever the proper opportunity rises, and I think NOW is a good time to do this.

*****

On 6 February 2010, 43 health workers (thus the monicker "Morong 43") were rounded up by member of the Philippine Army and the Rizal Provincial Police while doing their health training at Morong, Rizal. Two of them were doctors, one was a registered nurse, two more were midwives, and the rest were volunteer health workers. The training is that of the Community First Responders' Health Training sponsored by the Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) and the Council for Health and Development (CHD), essentially aimed at teaching community health workers solutions to various and relatively simple health problems.

In our country where the majority of the population have very little or no access to health care, the role of the community health workers is near invaluable.

The health workers were accused of being bombmakers and members of the left-wing armed group New People's Army. Then again, even if they are, the lack of warrant of arrest, denial of right to counsel, physical and psychological torture sustained by the detainees are not called for. These acts are, in fact, deplorable.

I wrote about my sentiments on the Morong 43 issue from a health worker's point of view in my other blog; please click HERE.

Trash Radio Manila supports the endeavours to increase the awareness of the Morong 43 issue. Our community doctors and health workers are our unsung heroes: they have sacrificed so much for a very noble vision. It is but proper to support their cause even in the littlest ways that we know.

On 31 March 2010, a gig called Band Aid 43 will be held at the Ten02 Bar along Sct. Ybardolaza St., Timog Ave., Quezon City. Take a look at the poster and you will agree that this is one interesting line-up. Gig starts at 7pm. More details on the poster. Your attendance is strongly encouraged if you would like to support or even find out more about the Morong 43.

*****

Is it really Holy Week? So many things happening ... more to come.

Guest Playlist No. 1: SevenPlusOne (Expressionist Mix) by Caliph8 ... Because Different Is Good For You

One of the plans that Je and I conjured in the past is to feature playlists from some guest artists and friends in the scene. We thought that it was a nice thing to feature these artists' current (or perennial, as the case may be) tracks of interest, which may not be exactly the same as ours.

We want it that way, of course. Listening to the same stuff is downright boooooorrriiiiingggg!!!! (Shall I say that again? Boring! Boring! Boring!) So, here is the first guest playlist for you.

I finally got to talk, and convince, Caliph8, to lend a playlist for our consumption. For those who do not know him, Caliph8 is, by the words of lay people, a DJ, but I would rather not say such, because he is simply more than an DJ. He is a visionary, initially working on hiphop music before venturing into and incorporating textured sounds derived from funk, soul, psychedelia, acid, bossa...probably every beat that he can lay his hands on. If you are familiar with his works, you can actually glean a bit of a punk influence too. (Yay! Yay!)

His most known accomplishment has got to be the founding of the radical hip-hop group A.M.P.O.N. He is likewise with the band called Drip (yes I am sure you've heard about these guys). Also a graffiti and visual arts purveyor, he has done a lot of collaborations (i.e. live scorings) with the filmspeople. Caliph8 is a lot more, his personality as textured and rich as his works, and probably one of the most adorable and nicest people to talk to in the scene.

Check out his MySpace Site HERE. (Photo also comes from this site.)

Enough now, folks, and do your own research too. The title of the playlist is SevenPlusOne (Expressionist Mix), as done by Caliph8. Tracklist here:

Acutel (intro)
Beats by Numbers - Transcendence
Forms - Arif Mardin
Les Electroniciens - Bruno Spoerri
On the underground road - Santucci Scoppa
Fotomodelle - Pierro Umiliani (Caliph8 Remix)
Man is Not a Bird - Broadcast
Kriminal Theme
Cha Tatch Ka - Bernard Estardy
Bridge - Amon Tobin
On Your Marks - Bonobo
Soul for Sahib - Koop
The O.G. - Goo
Esquetando Os Tambourinos E Cuica
Distortion-Broadcast
Neon Massive - Icarus Remix
Michio - Pu22l3 (Caliph8 Deconstruction)

Thank you very much, Caliph8. Looking forward to more playlist, yes? Hahah!

Updates from last Saturday's gig coming up later. ;)

New Blog: Manila And Beyond

Read HERE.

Soon...Soon...

This one is long overdue. My upcoming endeavour is for my friends who, in one way or the other, have asked me what it is like to be here.

Manila. I love. I hate. But always and forever, my home.

Coming soon...

Almost Alice: Why?

Don't look now. Why am I writing about about a soundtrack here? Smart guesses please.

I got to see Alice In Wonderland yesterday, the musical score for which was written by the prolific Danny Elfman. Almost Alice, the companion soundtrack, is not exactly a soundtrack in its truest sense, but more like "music inspired by the movie...", so no Danny Elfman music in this one.

Really good movie-inspired albums are few and far-between, so I did not put my hopes up high with this album, even if it has The Cure's Robert Smith in the roster. I will just point out some of the album's better virtues, instead.

Not many will share my opinions on this, but you guys can always listen to the album and find out for yourself. It is always good to listen to new things.

Robert Smith's cover of "Very Good Advice" may not be enjoyed by all Robert Smith and The Cure fans, but it still stands out anyway. So sue me, hahah.

Franz Ferdinand's "The Lobster Quadrille" is dark enough to capture the supposed mood of the film.

Wolfmother's "Fell Down A Hole", on the other hand, provides a good contrast to Franz Ferdinand's moody song, complete with guitar distortions that connote the chaos of things, like, well, falling down into a rabbit hole.

And, hmmm, I find this hard to say, but yes, I hate to admit it. It does contain lame lyrics, but Avril Lavigne's "Alice" has got to be the catchiest song in the lot. Bad news?

So, did I like the album or not?

Let's put it this way. Have I made changes on the music in the player today? 'Nuff said.

*****

Did I like the film? Find out HERE.

For Words, Against Words (Pour Les Mots, Contre Les Mots)

My comeback playlist, it seems like it. I would have done "Love Is Dead Part 2" (allusions to this post here), but you guys know that the topic of love is so passe, and the playlist that I initially created for that theme ... sucked big time.

I think this playlist is a bit better, and more appropriate.

Pour les mots, contre les mots. For words, against words.

Words can be as nourishing as manna falling from the sky, or as deadly as daggers thrown at your direction before you could even see and dodge.

Never say anything that you might later regret having said.

The wound that you might create with words may never heal, even with time.

Tracklist:

1. Talk With Jesus - The Jones Sisters
2. Never Talking To You Again - Husker Du
3. Someone To Talk To - The Screaming Blue Messiahs
4. Good As My Word - All
5. Four Letter Word - Echobelly
6. Mess Of Words - That Petrol Emotion
7. For Want Of - Rites Of Spring

I, I believed memory might mirror no reflections on me,
I, I believed that in forgetting I might set myself free.
But I woke up this morning with a piece of past caught in my throat,
And then I choked....
And I woke up this morning with the present in splinters on the ground,
And then I drowned.... (Rites Of Spring)

Updates on this month's gigs coming up later.

Full Moon (A Little Break, Again)

Forgive me for the momentary lapse of reason and willpower.


['Tis the season of madness...]

See you all really soon.