ELY BLOGS: Rampant Youth
On one of the very rare occasions that I go out and not actually perform, I like to indulge the music fan in me.
On the first Friday of March, I intended to watch two bands that I’ve long admired from two separate generations: a young band called Outerhope and veterans of the scene (and friends) Color it Red.
With a couple of buddies in tow, I made my way through C5 and arrived at Route 196 in Katipunan at around 10:30 p.m. It was probably just my fifth time there, but I’ve grown to like its atmosphere and especially the incomparable seared tuna on their menu.
The place was packed. After paying at the gate, I looked around for familiar faces but there was none. The energy however, was both alienating and warm, full of expectation and rampant youth. It wasn’t just the faces, but the music from inside spilling out into the street. Mutli-band shows are still de rigueur in the rock scene, if only because the scene is still defiantly alive, no matter what the mainstream music industry thinks.
The harmonies of Outerhope
The band I came to see however, was neither rock nor mainstream. For one thing, Outerhope played delicate, restrained, almost haunted music. They are also far from adopting the typical pop model when it comes to putting out their music. And as I heard the familiar strains of their tasteful guitar and synthesizer sound and their trademark harmonies I got up and joined the crowd inside.
I stood there in an almost trancelike state, only occasionally glancing at the two musicians and their minimalist setup. To the left stood singer/keyboardist Mick Benedicto. Out of all the young faces, hers probably stood out by virtue of being the most youthful-looking that night, with a childlike voice to match. An architect by profession, she formed the band with her younger brother Mike in 2004.
Mike stood to the right strumming a Danelectro guitar, quietly imploding. The gig was a sort of fundraiser for their upcoming trip to New York (their target’s around $3000, which would cover all their expenses) this May to represent our country in NYC Popfest 2012, an indie music festival.
This is significant because it’s quite rare for actual homegrown talent to get heard abroad, and with such a discerning audience to boot. The siblings are quite naturally excited over what could be a giant step for Pinoy music, or at the very least, an awesome way to blow three thousand big ones.
Missing Color It Red in QC
It was close to midnight and my phone kept vibrating from the texts coming in. My rendezvous with Color it Red was at 70’s Bistro in Anonas, Quezon City but I was told that they were done with their set and were just hanging out for a few beers. A bit disappointed about missing a rare show, I was still eager to join the band and do some catching up.
When I arrived, the newly renovated 70’s Bistro was almost empty save for a group of people hanging out by the bar. Guitar hero Nitoy Adriano greeted me at the door (he played for CIR that night). Vocalist Cookie Chua (every bit Mick’s equal in the baby face department) appeared out of nowhere and led me inside to a table where some guys were quietly enjoying their drinks, most notably writer Conrado de Quiros whom I had always admired and have not seen in a long time.
Actually, I don’t recall having ever met him. To my endless embarrassment however, Conrado informed me that yes, we had met before and that we even talked about being from the same province, Bicol. Not that he was the type to take it personally, but I’m always at a loss when somebody reminds me of something I could not for the life of me remember.
I’ve always had poor memory, so poor that in some quarters I am known as Alzheimer’s Boy. In some weird way I find that scary but comforting at the same time. Scary because like everybody else I derive my sense of self from memories of past experiences, and comforting because, well, sometimes ignorance really is bliss.
Learn more about Outerhope and more awesome bands at www.numberlinerecords.com.
Help produce Color It Red's latest album at www.artisteconnect.com.
Ely Buendia has written for The Manila Bulletin and Esquire. He is the frontman of the rock band Pupil and co-author of "Against the Light: A Pupil Tour Diary," available now.
Read more of Ely's blog posts
Karl Roy: Kapatid
Part II — Highway 54 Revisited: The making of '20/20'
Part I — Highway 54 Revisited: The making of '20/20'
A ballad for the birds
The Sounds Family
Read more music blogs on OMG!
Francis Reyes: Why rock legends sometimes have to play ‘Dancing Queen,’ General Luna is a rock band. Seriously.
Lizza Guerrero Nakpil: Rock star tattoos
Johnny Alegre: Repercussions of the digital music age
Ex-EHead Marcus Adoro’s new book and music project
Read and LISTEN to The Go-Signals, one of the best
