This Show Went Off, Indeed! T.S.A. At Hades Bar, February 12, 2011

Back in February of 2010 T.S.A. was in town to play a one-off gig and launch their CD called Back To Kindergarten. As most of you may have already known, this is generally an album of covers, mostly well-loved Pinoy punk and hardcore tunes circa Twisted Red Cross and beyond. T.S.A. paid homage to their punk idols with this outing, and personally I think theirs is one of the best local cover albums in recent history.

Fast forward to 2011.

The Singapore-based T.S.A. had returned for a brief visit, as it is becoming to be their habit every Chinese New Year. The Bulakenyo lads played to a smoldering filled-up venue aptly called Hades Bar at Quezon City (yes yes I know what you guys are thinking, and the answer is yes), supported by some of the very people that they have paid homage to in their recent album.

It is a night replete with booze, ghost scares (LOL!), memorable songs, body slams, and the all-too-familiar old school vibe. I missed the gig last time and so I made sure I attended this one, even enlisting my minute help to Bisikleta Productions' Hilboy just so I will not have any reason to miss out on this event.

Al Dimalanta to a frenzied crowd: you were here, yes? Yes?!

So the story and insights.

Mean mean Jun Idiot

With Hard K

Jun Idiot had two sets, one with  The Imbeciles (hahah :P), the other with Hard K. I have to say that Jun has always been an acquired taste, but for me, and for many people who grew up listening to George Imbecile and The Idiots, and later on, Hard K, Jun Idiot will always be Jun Idiot: brash, loud, can rip the flesh off your bones in his meanest, and yet with a heart. Age may have added to his frame, but the attitude remains, and for that he will always be one of the prominent figures of Pinoy Punk.

Against man negotiates with the punks

Against Man are younger than the rest of the bands that supported T.S.A., but their collective mindset belies their age. I have always liked them for their low-key easy-going nature and their musicality. Will an album be ever out?

Always awesome: Tame The Tikbalang

Orgasm donor^^

Russell!!!!!!

Tame The Tikbalang has always been fierce, and the wild response from the audience reaction is always to be expected. Russell Eustaquio has been and will always be cool in my book (goes way back in the university), and this may sound biased and such, but well, the heck. Forever shall be, Russ. ^^

Al and his "men" :P

"Putang-ina, tatlong lalaki na ang humahalik sa akin ngayong gabi!" (Ugh, hahah am not gonna translate this :P)

That's Al Dimalanta shouting over the microphone after one overjoyed punk after another went up to him and gave him a hug and a kiss. The performance of Al Dimalanta, backed up by the boys of T.S.A.and referred to in jest as Al D and the Architects, has got to be one of the highest points of the night. Seems like Al has yet some tricks up his sleeves for us to marvel at this year. You can never put an angrily creative - or creatively angry? - man down, really.

Buddy and Betrayed: Good to see you again

Yes, Betrayed also played. Yes it is so good to see Buddy Trinidad play after all these years. Yes the set is so familiar, having listened to it so many times. Much as I try not to wax sentimental about Betrayed (because I am, more often than not, UNsentimental), some pangs of stinging memories hit me occasionally during their set. How many times did I see them play, practice in recent times? Originals like Ain't Gonna Fight For You, Betrayed By You, Never Meant To Be This Way, and covers like Babylon's Burning, New Rose and Big Deal are the very tunes that I hear being practiced on a bass guitar within hearing distance in the house where I live in, up until now, not so long ago. [And yet it feels like a lightyear away....]

Pleasant surprise: The GoSignals

And, woooh, The GoSignals came over for a surprise visit. Again, the question begs to be answered: when is the album coming out? Or is it out? Mel, out with it, man. :)

Ojie and Bimboi, T.S.A.

Pedro and Ojie, T.S.A.

Ojie, T.S.A.

Then, of course, T.S.A. The star of the night. The level-headed guys who have represented the local punk scene in Asia and beyond on a good number of occasions. Bimboi. Ojie, and Pedro have created a mark of their own in the Pinoy Punk scene, a path that is definitely less taken. The support that was given them by the pillars of Pinoy Punk during this gig, and in their past ones as well, is more than enough proof that T.S.A. has carved their own spot in the sun.

To T.S.A., all my respect, admiration, and support. Til we meet again. (Thanks by the way for the sisig, peanuts and beer and other things, burp. :P)

LOL LOL

See you again at the gigs y'all.

Mamayang Gabi Sa Sazi's Bar!!!

Kitakits!

Mga Awit Para Sa Araw ng Kalayaan

Makalipas ang higit sa isandaang taon ng pagdiriwang ng araw na ito, kailangan pa kayang itanong sa ating mga sarili kung malaya nga ba talaga tayo? Ano sa tingin nyo?

Para sa araw na ito ay naghanda ako ng anim na awitin para sa inyo.

1. "Itakas Ninyo Ako" - AXEL PINPIN at BOBBY BALINGIT

Ito ay mula sa Huling Lagapak ng Kandado, isang koleksiyon ng mga panulat ni Axel Pinpin, isang makata at isa sa bumubuo ng "Tagaytay 5" na dinukot at ipiniit sa Camp Vicente Lim mga tatlong taon na ang nakakaraan. Ang kanyang mga tula ay nilapatan ng musika ni Bobby Balingit ng WUDS.

2. "Bloody Nutter" - SEX MILITANTS

Isang kanta mula sa isa sa mga inilabas na kompilasyon ng Twisted Red Cross. Ang Sex Militants ay kilala ngayon bilang Nu Militants.

3. "Vampire Sam (The Global Order)" - THE BEAUTY OF DOUBT

Ibang bersiyon ng kilalang awitin ng grupo nina Ron Schlander. Ang bersiyon na ito ay lumabas sa album na Rock Against The Round: Musicians Against The WTO.


4. "Inutil" - HARD K

Walang halong biro, magaling na frontman si Jun Idiot at masarap panoorin. Subalit alam niyo naman lahat iyan. Ang "Inutil" ay mula sa kanilang bagong album, Life Is Pain.

5. "Life" - Delmonstros

Impresibo ang grupong ito mula sa Iligan. Silipin niyo sila sa kanilang MySpace. Ang gara rin ng mga litrato.

6. "President" - Betrayed

Lumabas ito noong 2002, at si Je Bautista ang tumugtog ng baho rito. (Ito ay isa sa mangilan-ngilan na kantang tinugtugan ni Je na naka-record.) Si Buddy Trinidad ang sumulat ng "President": pakinggan ninyong mabuti nang malaman niyo kung kanino patungkol ang awit na ito.

Maraming salamat kay Kachuki at kay Carl para sa mga voice-over.

Sweat, Spike, and Alcohol: April 18, 2008, Dayo Bar

As expected, I was late for last Friday's gig at Dayo Bar called Pin-oi Punk or Else. Arrived at around past ten at Betty Go-Belmonte St. and saw a little bit of everything outside the bar: punks, skins, hc, crusts, etc. Got inside and felt a sudden urge to kick myself for my tardiness. The act Nekbu (fronted by Bunek, a lady who can belt out one Descendents song after another effortlessly) was playing their last song that time, and I wanted to see them live but I missed them. Maybe next gig.

(I know. I missed so many bands. I'm listing the few bands that I have seen that night. :( )

Grabbed a bottle of beer in time for the next act, The GoSignals. The band is made up of ex-Private Stock Mel Maniego, his brother, Throw's bassist Dennis, and Spyk, Bunek's son, a young man showing tremendous promise as a ferocious drummer. The GoSignals gave a pretty solid performance as they played covers of The Jam, The Clash, and Private Stock's Future Generation. Against Man, a band that derives its contituents from the Malabon-Navotas area, followed suit, again stirring up restless souls on the mosh pit.

The GoSignals: Dennis, Spyk, Mel

Against Man!

It must be the combination of the summer heat and the alcohol that was giving me migraine, but heck. Throw was already onstage. Al Dimalanta and the rest of the band have always been consistent. Spyk, who was rivalling Albert Ascona for the most number of bands playing that night, was once again pounding the drumkit to the delight of the punks...and the punkettes ;)

Throw's Al Dimalanta

Up next was Tame The Tikbalang. What can I say. This band is awesome, though I wish they would write more materials. Maybe there lies the charm of Tame The Tikbalang: you know they are around, but you will never know what they are up to, or when they will be making one of their rare but anticipated appearances. Tame's drummer, John Persius Carpio, is arguably one of the best drummers of his generation.

Tame The Tikbalang: Russell, Aries, Boyet

John Persius Carpio

Music Front is just as enigmatic. Sightings at the most unexpected places have been reported: Club Dredd, Dayo, Liwasang Bonifacio. The lads are getting tighter as a unit. They sang an original, some Sex Pistols, and some Urban Bandits, including "News Of The World" the words to which was recited for the most part by Hard K's Jun Idiot. It was frenzy. Hard K played next, this time with Jun Idiot on the mic. By this time I had lost most semblance of physical wellness. No amount of ice cubes can soothe my throbbing temples, and my gait was swinging aimlessly despite having had only a few bottles. I simply remember being brought to a hospital called Sausage (oh, it's not a hospital then?) before losing track of what happened for the rest of the night. Fun night, fun night, on the whole. I must not forget to bring a bottle of Avamigran next time though. See you in the next gig.

Music Front: Je, Arnold

Jun Idiot

RMD Celebrates Anniversary at Dayo Bar

Rare Music Distributors celebrated its anniversary last Thursday, March 13 . Cheers to the boys and girls! Some photos from that night's gig:










Polaroid moments: poster, Dead Brain, Rhady of Hard K, Bloodshedd, Music Front, funboy three, musical youth, Philippine Violators, Hard K, the boys of summer