A weekend of shows...

Curse/Gift photo by Keith Dador

Had a great weekend playing two shows. The first one was at Leprechaun during the MAIM X'mas show. Originally, it was only Rush IxDx who was supposed to play the show but since Staid couldn't make it and Bystorm was supposed to practice that same day with RxIxDx, we got on the bill at the last minute and opened a great show.

Bands that played that night include GOO, NUCLEAR PUNISHMENT, SDK, RxIxDx, TAME THE TIKBALANG and a couple of others I might be missing out. Thanks to the MAIM crew for an awesome night.

After a couple hours of sleep, it was time to play another show, the QC leg of the ongoing KRUPSKAYA tour @ Ten02. This was also the year end party for diypinoyhcpunk.com forum so you know it's gonna be wild.

SISTER BASTARD (filling up for the now-defunct Birds In Formation)opened the show and were awesome as usual. AU REVOIR played next and I was impressed with this band. 90's screamo with some modern influences. They should use more spoken parts in their songs, just a thought.

RUSH ID played next and I think we did a great short set (all our sets are short by the way..hehe). Thrashin mayhem ensued and we had a great time. REPUGNANT from Flowergrave Collective was up and this is the first time I saaw these guys and I was blown away. They had a demo available that night but I was not able to secure a copy, so paging anyone from Flowergrave, I need a copy of the REPUGNANT and the new VEX demos.

BYSTORM came up and we opened with an intro from one of our favorite bands plus we played some old songs. Too bad we were not able to practice the day before, we could have played some new songs that day. SHIRLEY STEINBERG from Bulacan played some Reversal of Man-esque tunes after BS and these guys are something to watch out for. Great set from these guys. A demo is on its way hopefully.

This is where it gets blurry. I think VEX played next and started the F-Grave styled party and were followed suit by Batangas' CURSE/GIFT. Another awesome set from CG but I think you better record your songs soon or you might fall in the category of great local bands who never got a proper release. Go!

GUERRA MUNDIAL followed CG and the crowd just went ape-shit for these guys. Ten02 was rocking from left to bottom during their set. Great job Archie and crew. After Guerra, KRUPSKAYA came up and absolutely destroyed the crowd with their Napalm Death (Scum) inspired grinding sounds. The crowd had a great time as well as the band. They were supposed to play another show yesterday, so if anyone can hook me up with a cool show review, hit me up.

Thanks to everyone who showed up at the Ten02 show. It was an awesome night. See you soon at the Discrimination Free show on January 10!

Good stuff: upcoming shows for 2010, Rise and Fall 'Our Circle is Vicious', Downpresser 'Age of Ignorance'

Top Ten for 2009!

It's time for the traditional year-ender top ten for the year. It's been a busy year for both hardcore and my personal life and I know as well as yours. So make that list, send it to me and let's publish it here.

1. Burning Fight (Brian Peterson) book/Anti-Matter (Norm Arenas) book
2. Non-Compliant Issue taking part in organizing a lot of touring bands : Have Heart, Eskapo, Second Combat, Motivation, Mouthful of Air and a lot more!
3. lacosanuestro.blogspot.com, diypinoyhcpunk.com
4. recording and releasing the Rush IxDx demo
5. Pulling Teeth "Paranoid Delusions..."/Trapped Under Ice "Secrets of the World"/Trash Talk "Shame"
6. Bystotm/Staid/HTB Davao/Cebu tour (not only playing the shows but hanging out with the cool people from Davao and Cebu)
7. Staid demos/Half the Battle 'What We Have'
8. Green Halo/Greens/Bodhi/other vegie restos
9. Forum Anniversary show
10. everything Southeast Asian Hardcore!

(no need to number : Damian growing up!)

Carlo's pizza @ Tagaytay

Cheese pizza @ Carlo's Pizza in Tagaytay. They have another name for this but its basically mozarella and garlic. How can you go wrong with that combination? Add coffee on a Friday afternoon and you got yourself a treat.

Roadtrip : Tagaytay

Tagaytay is a city which is very much near our place in Cavite (Indang), so I kinda grew up in the same environment as Tagaytay. Years passed and Tagaytay just became a non-important place to me so when I went there yesterday morning (I left at 4:30 AM in Manila) and encountered the Tagaytay fog again for the longest time. It was f'n freezing there. Unfortunately got a flat but some nice dudes helped out so it's all good. The wedding I attended was at Tagaytay Highlands and Midlands. Good stuff. Bad food. Expected.

Currently watching: Philly at Boston

Currently reading : Evidence by Riano

North 'Positive' shirt

North 'Positive' shirt. Euro Hardcore for y'all.

Richard Collier '2001-2009'

Now its time for some serious and devastating news. After eight (8) years, a couple of full-lengths, numerous demos, singles and acoustic sessions, RICHARD COLLIER has finally called it quits. I've been with this band from the start, left two (2) times to concentrate on other projects but this band is one of the closest to my heart. I started this band with my childhood buddy and best friend and I guess we accomplished a lot with this band except touring since during the later years of RC, I was no longer based in Cavite and we began pursuing different interests. Apparently, these different interests became sort of a conflict with the band members which eventually led to its demise. I'd like to thank everyone who was part of Richard Collier, one way or another. It was an awesome time. Through the years my friends...

Currently listening to: Everything Richard Collier recorded...

It's back, the Cavite Metal and Hardcore Fest!

Got some great news this week that this show will push thru on the 26th of December. Yeah, that's right, it's just after Christmas so you can shake off all those fats you got from overeating, drinking and partying the night before at this show. Plus, it's in my hometown, so I'm kinda psyched for this show. Good job Nuclear Punishment Crew!

Good stuff; finally having a good night's sleep after a very hectic week which includes migraine attacks, Dashboard Confessional 'After the Ending', The Cure 'Acoustic', playing two shows this weekend (one at the Leprechaun Bar later tonight courtesy of MAIM Collective and tomorrow at Ten02 for the www.diypinoyhcpunk.com year-end party which is highlighted by the ongoing KRUPSKAYA tour! see you at these shows!)

Rush IxDx @ MAIM X'mas show this Saturday!

Rush IxDx will be playing this Saturday at the MAIM Collective X'mas show. Come out and hang. Will probably be bringing some demos to those that still don't have a copy. Send me a message and I'll probably hook you up with one.

Currently listening: Extortion 'Terminal Cancer', Iron Lung 'Life. Iron Lung. Death', Wolf Whistle 'Demos'

NCI No. 30: Discrimination Free @ Ten02

Discrimination Free is a band from Borneo who will be crashing to our shores this January. They will be playing a show c/o the Asterisk Collective as well as the 2nd Annual Lakefest @ San Pablo before doing this farewell show @ Ten02 in Quezon City.

We put in a diverse line-up of bands this time since some bands will be playing the Friday and Saturday shows. So instead of doing it with the same bands, we tried putting up bands who won't be playing the other shows such as Aunt Audrey or Sister Bastard. Plus two bands from Baguio City will also be playing this show (Bear the Scars and Prayer of Endurance) so i guess that's a lot of reasons for you to catch this show.

The line-up for the First Blood show this January is almost done and hopefully it will be out this week. Thanks to everyone who supported this project!

Good stuff: Celtics 10-game winning streak and the Lakers ending theirs, Mafia Wars, Rise and Fall, In Cold Blood 'Hell on Earth'

Carlito's Way...

Great movie. Tough as nails too.