Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Female Fronted Bands does not mean PARAMORE


No. They are not all like Hayley Williams or Paramore. 

I've always had a frustrated feeling whenever I see this equation: 


Female Vocalist + Band + (any form/type) of Rock = Paramore

I mean seriously, can we get any more narrow minded? There is more to a female fronted band than just being like Paramore. I cuss, swear and foam at the mouth every time I read a comment that goes: Kaboses niya si Hayley or 'Hayley Williams ng Pilipinas'. I mean are you guys that limited with your musical exposure that you cannot think of anything else when you see or hear a female fronted band except as to compare them to Paramore and/or Hayley Williams?

Don't get me wrong - I'm a big Hayley Williams fan myself and Paramore is one of my favorite bands (I have all of their four albums, and was lucky enough to attend their two concerts in Manila- so yeah I know what I'm talking about) so being compared to them wouldn't be such a bad thing in fact it would be a compliment. But if and when the only thing that you see is Paramore or Hayley every time you look or listen at a female fronted band then you are not really seeing and listening to this band for what they really are and that is what frustrates me the most.   

I am writing this with OPM female fronted bands in mind, if you have been following me and if you've been reading the blog you would have come across a post or two about an OPM band that I admire. 


Stop. And REALLY Listen. Julz Savard of Save Me Hollywood during
12 Stone Music Fest and
Save Me Hollywood: Your Story To Tell Album Launch - June 1, 2013. 

I was finally convinced to write this blog post when I read this article from Alter The Press


You can read the gist of the article below - and that's just the first paragraph. 

"For over a decade, Hayley Williams has been proving the critics wrong. Sexism and a male-dominated music industry immediately labelled Paramore as just another No Doubt copycat. Critics were quick to compare Hayley to Gwen Stefani, unable to see beyond her gender and see that she's less Stefani and more Freddie Mercury, especially during live performances, when she electrifies crowds like a thunder storm of bubble-gum spunk and roaring vocals."

This post has actually been sitting in our blog and has been saved as a draft for a long time. I started writing this when the Alter The Press article came out. 

I've been seeing, hearing, reading comments, thoughts of bands being compared to Paramore. 

Just recently OPM memes, came out with this meme of Gracenote. 



I mean seriously - that's just unfair. Vocalist Eunice Jorge, hauls a violin and keyboard on stage, she plays the guitars and drums too! 

I actually miss seeing these guys perform live because I have and to actually just box them as Paramore really is being narrow minded. Looking at the comments I was happy to see people I know. 


Behind the smoke - she's just Eunice of Gracenote -They're just Gracenote. Not anyone else.
Taken during the Rakista Radio: Jam Tayo! Event last July 19, 2013. 

Pat Poblador guitarist of Mad Hatter Day says: Listen to our music, appreciate it for what it is, Stop comparing.  Take note of what Chin-Chin Detera of Estrella and Beating The Red Lights says: Syncho-Pop, Punk, Rock, Alternative comment - yes Gracenote plays Synco-Pop. Gracenote is a whole lot of genres and not simply 'The Paramore of the Philippines' they are Gracenote, they are not trying to be anybody else. 

Happy to see my fellow music lovers and supporters Dien Agustin and Netly Yataka give their take as well and these are from people I mosh with in the pits at gigs and give sweaty hugs to when we see each other in bars. We are in the front lines, in the trenches we know what we're talking about. 






Push came to shove to finish this when I woke up and saw this post on Facebook. (If you've been following you would know that I am a fan of Mad Hatter Day and Save Me Hollywood). 


I was sooo mad - sleepiness left and I grabbed a notebook by our bed and began madly scribbling (complete with chicken scrawl handwriting) and you can see my reply in the screenshot above. 

I mean the audacity of this guy to actually post this on Mad Hatter Day's page?! I mean talk about disrespect! Imagine someone going to your home and telling your younger brother or sister that they sucked. Because that's sure what it felt like for me. And as an overprotective older sister I just had to give this guy a piece of my mind. 

I actually lost sleep because of this post. After fuming and posting my reply, I pretty much lay on the bed waiting for the alarm to start blaring. After my anger (yes-anger) subsided, looking back at this post, I would just have to change the 'take a few courses in music' part. I myself didn't take any - except for the one in school but I continually immerse myself in different types and genres of music. 


STOP Comparing. Mewa Cawad of Mad Hatter Day - Greenlight Music Fest - November 12, 2013.

Monday, May 26, 2014

One Ok Rock Tribute Night Encore

Japanese Cover Band Moonspeak bringing the house down during One Ok Rock Tribute Night II. 


When you type anything on Twitter that starts with 'One' - 'One Direction' would immediately come out and well I was more than happy to go against the flow and follow that 'One' with 'Ok Rock' (instead of Direction) since it was One Ok Rock Tribute Night - Encore last May 24, 2014 at District 2140. 

Actually just two weeks ago we were also at the same bar for Paramore Night 8 where my band The Pearl Report also performed. 

The first ever tribute Night happened last year March 3, 2013 at the same bar, except it was still known as Freedom Bar then. So while the venue may have had a change in name the people behind the event P.O.O.R (Philippine ONE OK ROCKers) did not change nor waver in their love and admiration for this Japanese Rock band. 

And aside from just celebrating love, music and friendship the night was also made extra special with the celebration of the group's third anniversary as well as celebrating some of the member's birthdays - complete with cake too! :D Yup! Just like a family indeed! 

Wanting to gather old friends and make new ones who share the same passion in One Ok Rock's music was the sole drive for this event.     

P.O.O.R President Cathcode and 'ang Kuya ng lahat' JP taking on hosting duties for the night
The night was not only just about enjoying One Ok Rock's music but it was also made extra fun through games and prizes that were given away. Big thanks to the event's sponsors like Waku - Waku ^__^ 

There were also One Ok Rock shirts, lanyars and ballers that were available at the event. (Big thanks for my shirt <3) 


The husband and I immediately did this photoshoot when we got home. You can still see the red stamp from the event on my arm. Thanks for the shirt! ^_^ 

Female fronted bands also had their take on One Ok Rock song's check out Mixed Nut's pretty vocalist in the photo above with Taka's red mic! :D 
I've always been a fan of Japanese music, way back when it was only available in Cassette tapes I was already singing along to Anime music. Much to my Mom's dismay :P I guess I was lucky enough to have married someone who shared the same quirks as I did. On  the way to the event, we were actually listening to my Japanese playlist in the car and talking about the technicality in Japanese music which is lacking in many mainstream music. 

We've mostly been covering music gigs and events and I've always wanted to cover a Japanese Music gig (you can check out our Tricot coverage here ) so getting a chance to cover the One Ok Rock Tribute Night Encore was a no brainer actually. :P 

A Konoha symbol and Hatsune Miku stickers on a Moonspeak guitar. 

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Paramore Night 8

Thrilling Trio Estrella 
When You already been going to an event that happens every few months or so(which is the case for Paramore Nights).  You might think that 'Nothing new is going to happen' or 'You've seen everything that could possibly happen.  But recently concluded Paramore Night 8 proved this to be wrong.

Being present since Paramore Night 3, I was still pleasantly surprised to witness a selfie stick in a moshpit, witness more amazing OPM bands (get to listen to quality  songs) and get some more haw dropping stage performances.  


Wild and Crazy with Android 18


This Paramore Night was also extra special for me since my band - The Pearl Report was included in the lien up.  So there was that extra nerves working up in (me) and butterflies in my tummy.  Thankfully we were able to it through our set without making a mess or losing face.



Paramore Night 8 revisited one of its former venues, former Freedom Bar in Anonas, which is now District 2140. I did write about (in my previous Paramore Night 7 blog post) about the current status of bars in the Metro having to close up. So seeing a historical bar having to close and go through new management was literally truth staring you in the face. 


Selfie Mosh with Veridea
Just glad that the venue is still a bar, where bands can still play music. It was just sad to see the once famous mural blank and white with only a few pieces of art drawn on them. Well at least there's space to make new art and memories right? 

My band The Pearl Report opened the show and shared the stage with other parawesome bands chosen from The Paramore Philippines Group like Juancho's Back, Veridea and Starecase.  

But aside from that the night was also extra special because it was also the Album Buyout for our beloved Mayonnaise's new album Tayo Nalang Dalawa :) There were prizes and surprises for the event attendees and every body went home a winner with the great music, the company of good old friends and also the pleasure of meeting new ones. 


#OOTD with Juanchp's Back

Can I just add that I loved the original songs of the band Estrella, led by Paramore fan Chin-Chin Detera, they were very well written and the delivery was smooth as ice! Hoping they get featured on Amplify PH soon :) 


Going to Church with The Morning Light

A lot of people have been clamoring for the band Android 18 (Dragon Ball fans I would presume) to be part of Paramore Night-and for good reason. Their energy on stage was amazing! All that jumping and headbanging is enough to give enough a stiff neck and a sprained ankle. 

Monday, May 19, 2014

Free Comic Book Day 2014




Sorry for the late post - work has been in the way :P 

I don't belong to this generation of hand held device-dependent kids who download and upload everything; from the movies that they watch, the music that they listen to, to the books that they read. I can't say that I don't do these as well since I do but I would  still say that I'm a bit old fashioned since I prefer books over e-books and such. I grew up leafing through pages of whatever reading material I could get my hands on and reading from the light a flashlight (when it's already past bedtime) or the light of a candle (when it was black out-there were a lot of those in the 90s). Whether the kids of today could find the image of a holding a book and reading by the light of a candle impossible next to horrifying I'm glad (and relived) to see that steps and feats are being done to preserve the love of reading from a book or a comic book.




Last year we braved the heat and the lines for Free Comic Day (see the blog post here) It is an annually celebrated event (all over the world!). When you look it up on Wikipedia, Free Comic Book Day or FCBD is a promotional event to get new readers into independent Comic Book Stores. It's also a good way to get readers interested in reading good old fashioned comics. 

Free Comic Book Day has also made a dent in the local scene since it is also a great way to celebrate the local artists that we have. FCBD is held in different branches of Fully Booked and this year - Filbar's had a go at it as well. Stores invited local artists who got to share their work as well as meet fans and make new ones as well. For the past two years we've been going to Fully Booked at The Fort to celebrate Free Comic Book Day :)