BYU Rock Updates

by The Rumor Mill

We are starting to roll! In the next few weeks, new stuff will happen. As it seemed, our local rock scene is starting to evolve and evolve for the better. Here are some updates:

• Bang!Bang! will tour Tubigon on December 20, 2008 featuring some bands from the Bang!Bang! compilation CD. The event is presented by Mater Dei College and organized by Central Sense. Bring your disco shoes. There will be a disco after the show.
  
• BYU Rock (or Bohol Underground Rock, byuteh!) will soon be heard over a local FM Radio. The radio show, aptly called "BYU Rock", will air from 6 to 7 in the evening every Sunday starting in the next weeks or so. All original BYU Rock songs will be played and will probably feature some bands to play an acoustic set in the booth. This is gonna be huge!
• "Sound Bites" a video produced by OneTake Productions will soon debut its first episode featuring a live performance by Nico Franco. The program will be posted in episodes and is hosted by Roy Tutor a.k.a Jet Pag-ngan.
  
• D'Cruisers band is in the final stages in the recording of their first indie album. Let's all watch our for that.
  
• More bands are lining up for recording slots at SoundGarage Recording Studios. This means new and fresh materials. This means you gotta move your ass, form a band and start rockin', too!

Trivia Question: "Kinsa ang gichola ni Ambo gabie sa Tachycardia pag brownout?" Hahaha! More rumors, chikka and irrelevant updates soon. - The Rumor Mill

Suitcase 101 Album Launch a Success

by Ryan Macalandag\

Aside from Suitcase 101 bassist Benjo's "backbone injury", the launching of this phenomenal band's first independently released album was a success. Support for the band was just overwhelming. Family, friends, supporters and brother bands went all out. Even the mothers went to see.















For more photos from this event, go to my Picassa account.

Suitcase 101 Album Launching

by Ryan Macalandag

Suitcase 101 launches their new album this Friday, November 14, with a bang. The event which will be held at Coralandia Restaurant will feature not only Suitcase 101 but a host of other bands as well which includes Brownbuds, Solido, InyongBoss, Akcadas, Pzyche and a few more. Party starts at 8pm.

Entrance fee to the launch is pegged at a cheap P50. Also, you can avail of a copy of their new album when you fork out P200 more. Not bad for a disk with 12 tracks of rock 'n roll goodness. And you get to support a local indie band in the process, too!

Formed in the mid-2005, Suitcase101 started as an acoustic band in a local resto bar in Bohol. Slowly gaining popularity with their first original composition “Kalahati” as their regular audience would bring over a friend the next time they come. There was even a time that the song was played twice on the same night as late comers would insist on requesting for the song even though it was already played earlier. (lifted from their official website)

Need to know more about the band? Go visit www.suitcase101.com for more details and updates.

For the meantime, here is the official video of their hit song (Globe Kantabataan '07 contest piece) "Possible Ang Lahat". You will like it.



Support local music! Support Bol-anon indie rock bands!

Archipelago Music: Bringing together the nation's finest

by Ryan Macalandag

It is interesting to know, folks, that there are a few other brave bands, musicians and rockers somewhere else in the provincial corners of the Philippines belting, raving, chanting or rocking it out like crazy and super astig. We just haven't heard of them. I doubt if more than 20 non-Boholanos had even heard of our own BU Rock records.

Enter ARCHIPELAGO MUSIC.



Bitaw, as written in one of the Archipelago's articles, OPM or original Pilipino music has been bastardized by the music biz. Supposedly, a song ain't OPM if it's not in English or Tagalog, and it should - more importantly - be commercially viable. The music industry is a business after all. Thus, all the other songs written in Bisaya, Kapampangan, Ilocano or whatever else, are just plain "ethnic novelty songs" bisan pa ug mas nindut pa sa kang Ogie Alcasid, Sharon Cuneta or Zsa Zsa Padilla.

Shame. It makes Yoyoy quiver and roll in his grave, "Unsa diay ko, dili ko Pinoy? Ako man gani gakanta sa Philippine History!". Budoy would assume na lang that he is the "Original Sigbin" 'coz he can't be OPM.

Pero wala na ta'y mabuhat ana. Thus, Achipelago Music proposes to put together a website dedicated to the regional bands and musicians to promote original pinoy music written in words other than English or Tagalog. The website features bands, artists and industry-related articles.

One cool feature of the Archipelago website is an IMEEM player with a running playlist of different regional bands. Astig. I'm hoping one of our BU Rock bands can submit their songs to Archipelago Music for inclusion in the playlist.

Missing Filemon Featured

Everyone probably knows Missing Filemon with their numerous Bisaya hits like "Sine-sine" or "Suroy-suroy". They are currently featured at Archipelago complete with their band profile and a music video to top it.

Go visit Archipelago Music now.

Blank Item -- Profile Photos

Photos by Ryan Macalandag



Blank Item is rap-metal/grindcore band composed of Dino, Parenz, JV, Froi, Manong, Dennis and newest member Boogie. They are currently doing jams to produce fresh material for their planned album release.

The band has released a few recordings through Blank Item's Myspace account. Click on the link to listen to some of their recorded tracks which includes "Lie Back" and their lone Bisayan song, "Yuta".



This group never fails to rock a set. So watch out for their gigs later this year. We will be posting gig schedules anyways so just keep in touch for updates.

The photos posted here were shot last Friday in Booy and Taloto, Tagbilaran City. For more photos from the set, please visit my Flickr account.