More About Raiyan Shafiq and From Us To You Benefit Show

It's one date down, two more gig dates to go for the benefit show From Us To You, the proceeds of which go to the cause of Raiyan Shafiq, the 3 year-old survivor of Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (HFMD). A pre-gig article appeared in the Straits Times (Singapore's national daily) last August 9, 2008, showing Raiyan and main organizer Mr. Izhar Zainal (of the band Norphrunt).

Again, if you guys will be in the lion city on any Sunday of this month, you may want to skip your Sentosa tour and help Raiyan by checking out the gigs at Music Garage, at 63B Queens St. Bugis Village, SG. For more details regarding the gigs, do check out the forum at the Lion City D.I.Y. website.

Our heatfelt thank-you's to a dude named Pedrobandido. You too, Ojie :D

From Us To You, Raiyan Shafiq

We are making this little announcement that we picked up from our network. If any one of you will be in Singapore this month, do check out this event.From Us To You is a series of benefit shows for three year-old Raiyan Shafiq, who is afflicted with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (HFMD). The disease has hit the child's brain stem, that part of the brain that controls the body's vital functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure. Because of this, the child's breathing has to be maintained by a ventilator, and since digestion is also affected, he can only take milk through a tube coursed down to his stomach.

There are 3 dates set for the benefit gigs, and you can check out the participating bands on the poster provided in this post and at the side rail. Incidentally, Trash Radio Manila will be featuring The Full Pledge Munkees, one of the participating bands, in our upcoming (and much delayed) playlist which will feature some Malaysia-Singapore bands. Something to look forward to this week.

(By the way, T.S.A. is also participating, but we won't be featuring them muna, 'coz they're rock stars na, hahaha! Of course, we're kidding. By constantly representing the Philippines in the Singapore hardcore arena, T.S.A. is doing all of us a great service.)

Bad Omen (In More Ways Than One) At Penguin Bar, Plus Kaya Jam From Singapore!

It was a good night for a drink and a gig last Saturday, February 2. Our group was prowling the streets of Manila when, seized by curiosity about how Manila nightlife is doing with the great Mayor Lim at the helm, we decided to head towards Penguin Bar over at Remedios Circle.

What a nice coincidence. We saw a considerable number of people outside the gate. Found out that there was an ongoing event called "Alay Kay Jess Santiago" which featured bands of various genre, ranging from Pinikpikan to Dead Sperm. Whoa! Decided to check it out briefly and saw these.The group had a little chit chat with Jon Fishbone of Bad Omen afterwards. We would have stayed longer but...for some unusual reasons we've been told that the gig has already been cancelled. @#+?! What was that supposed to mean? The group, seeing no reason to hang around any longer, opted to go somewhere north, in a place called Garahe located at Sct. Tobias (Crazy Daizy, anyone?) and drank the night away (oh alcohol, glad to have you once again.)

We ended up being 24-hour party people since 12 hours later (and still wearing the same clothes from the night earlier) we met up with a fellow who had flown in from Singapore, fresh as the kaya jam he brought us. (Thanks! Thanks! Ang saraap!) This guy, who is one-third of the great international Pinoy hardcore artists collectively called T.S.A., will be here for barely a week. The other third will be flying in Thursday. We hope the last third does too.

This promises to be a noisy week for all.