RSVP : Songwriter's forum and fun night

If you received this invitation notice from Artist Ko in your Facebook or email, it means we're expecting you to be there at The Outpost on Friday, Oct 28, 2011.

Midweek Music Plus Guidelines

Many are asking.  So here it is.

General
1. Call time is always an hour before the show.  Usually it's 8:30PM.

Who gets to play first?
1. First band to complete gets to choose preferred slot.  Always be on time.
2. Mint performers usually play 2nd or 3rd.

Qualifications:
1. Online presence is a must.
2. At least 3 complete mp3 recordings uploaded online (more is always better).
3. A good band photo is a must.
4. Must be successively active in the local music scene for at least a year.

Midweek Music Plus FAQs

We've updated.  Here it is.

1. What is Midweek Music Plus?
Midweek Music Plus is a derivative project that was originally conceived as Midweek Sessions and launched at the Artist's Dais Music Gallery, Manros Plaza on May 10, 2000.  Its incidental purpose was to sign up local bands in the light of building a community of musicians writing original music.  Its impact inspired and motivated more bands to pursue in the same direction.

2. Who can play at Midweek Music Plus?
Musicians/artists, solo or group, are always welcome at Midweek Music Plus. Just prepare at least 5 original songs.

3. How can my band audition for Midweek Music Plus?
Auditions are not necessary. Artist Ko has a research team to check on bands that are active both offline and online. We watch you gigs and we check your websites.  Simply upload at least 3 original tracks online, post a good band photo, and write a good profile of yourself or your band.  We will contact you.

4. Who to contact?
For now, you may get in touch with us at Facebook.

4. Does Midweek Music Plus have any preferred music genre?
No we don't.

5. Why is Midweek Music Plus advocating more on original music?
We believe that ideas and personal stories are what make things move.  Music being an effective marketing tool in storytelling is a good way to do it because original songs say a lot about you and me.

6. Does my band get paid performing?
Yes we have honorariums for the regular performers. In a bigger picture, Midweek Music Plus is managed by Artist Ko and its members.  Click here for more details about the us.

The plight of Midweek Sessions

On and off, Midweek Sessions has been around for 9 years now since May 2000.  I'm happy to say that today, this production has partially fulfilled its purpose.  It has somewhat started the trail in unifying a community of songwriters in a small scale - be it band members, solo artists, or simply composers.

In fact, I remember Randy Su saying something about being so delighted to witness how healthy and happy we artists and musicians are at the recent Midweek Sessions Christmas get together (see photo).

If I remember it well, back then, bands were always asked by sponsors to play familiar songs (I sound like a broken CD, don't I?).  "Familiar" is synonymous to Top 40 hit songs.  In other words, cover songs.  To me, it was a shorthand statement for ,"Stop being creative and let's make money fast."

Maybe I was overly and obsessively passionate about making things right that I took a personal rally against this issue.  This included a blind item I wrote titled "Rock 'n' Roll Woes" sometime in November 2001.  It was published in a popular local daily (the article was acknowledged in PG18's CD sleeve).

Yes it was me.  I wrote that.

I apologize for those who got directly offended.  I must also apologize for those who got accused.  I didn't mean to do that to any of you.

Wait.  No.  I don't owe anyone an apology.  It was all for a good cause.  And if I had not done that, the music scene wouldn't be this healthy at all.

Not that I'm being messianic and I'm sure there are those that did their part too.  It was all for a good cause.  I was aware that Cattski was one of those who championed for this cause too.  Then there was Micmic Demeterio, Insoy, Budoy and everybody else who, after all the peaceful plights, survived up to this day in this little and only community of musicians we have.

And so, I thought deep down, it would be a swell time to hold a small Christmas get-together this year for this little midweek gig. Something we haven't done yet and so we did.  Something to be thankful for and return the smiles and laughters to those who stayed with us.

Thank you for all those who came, partied, and laughed with us.  It was a memorable time.  Special thanks to Remugs Fuel of Happy Days for doing a good job and managing the production.

More power to all of us at Midweek Sessions.

More power to our cooperative Artist Ko.

If only opportunities come by easy

I said this once and I say this again... when you see, hear, and feel people do the things you do then you know you've done a good thing.

Missing Filemon frontman Insoy Ninal invited one of the car watchers at The Outpost to watch their show at Midweek Sessions' Playback. If you haven't been to the venue, I'm talking about those poor yagit kids guarding cars (probably one of yours) from being towed away. After a night's work they would go to one corner of the same sidewalk and slumber on the pavement... all for a cheap service fee of P5

Yes, those kids that we often take for granted.

Insoy admittedly said to me that he thought the boy wouldn't take it seriously. But the kid showed up - well prepared and dressed up for the gig. To us perhaps it was just another entertainment... to this kid, it was a once in a lifetime chance to sing Sine Sine and be with his favorite Cebuano rock band.

Kudos to you boy.

A harmony of organized chaos

Eric Lewis' awesome performance at TED reminds me of Bombo Pluto Ova. I know, I know. It's definitely far off but from a vantage point, Ova's music represents what Randy Su describes as organized chaos.

Chaos could be beautiful if viewed differently. And I think Lewis' sonic perspective here is organized chaos too. Amazing!

The tambourine sounds happier

I would carry with me a lengthwise Beatles notepad in case an idea hits me I'd scribble down the lines and images on the sheets.

Since Midweek Sessions' comeback in Feb 2007, reinventing the logo had become a persistent need. And for a long time the right inspiration just don't happen. Sketches, sketches, and more sketches.

Then I saw a sketch of a kick drum looking like a tambourine.

Bingo!

After that I talked to Lucille Umali a.k.a. Palot. She's one of those graphic artists I know who's got sharp ears for creative collaborations... perhaps even with the vague ones.

So I brought my notepad, talked, presented my sketch samples to her, and asked if she would be interested to translate the tambourine idea into a logo.

We came up with this.

How 'Versus' works?

Music brand names like "experimental", "alternative", "indie", "emo", and what have you, this labeling approach often leads many into perceiving it as music genre when it's supposed to be just a description of a creative musical work.

The "experimental" or "alternative" clout eventually presented itself as the safe tag to use for musicians' innovative sound. Perhaps for 2 reasons - generic branding for easier public acceptance and to satiate the need for "belongingness ".

But if you really think about it, it's just creative repackaging.

Bands wanted to come up with "new" soundscape continuously fired up by other artist's passion and persistence. It's a never ending quest. We at Midweek Sessions decided to take this pursuit to another level in the hope of finding an innovative musical gratification.

Imagine this proposition:

1. Cattski's pop-eratic modes working for (or against but I hope not) The Spirals' britpop undertones.

2. Missing Filemon's "Inday" may sound better (or awfully worse but God forbid) with Smooth Friction's fancy tricks and licks.

The result? It would go something like this:

Cattski vs. The Spirals
1st number - Cattski sings a Cattski song
2nd number - Cattski sings a Spirals song
3rd number - Louell sings a Cattski song
4th number - Cattski sings another Spirals song
5th number - Louell sings another Cattski song
Finale - Louell closes the set with a Spirals song

Smooth Friction vs. Missing Filemon
1st number - Insoy sings a Missing Filemon song
2nd number - Insoy sings a Smooth Friction song
3rd number - Val sings a Missing Filemon song
4th number - Insoy sings another Smooth Friction song
5th number - Val sings a Missing Filemon song
Finale - Val closes the set with a Smooth Friction song

I'm not sure yet how this works exactly. We'll have to go to Midweek Sessions this Wednesday to find out. Given the right chance and if our musicians are open minded enough to take this challenge, 'Versus' might just work. And if all things go wrong... then it'll be my fault.

But that's exactly the point. Never mind the mistakes and the booboos that may happen. That's going to be a given. We just want to know how far new musical ideas can go while keeping the fun. After all, it's always interesting to imagine how music could evolve right in front of your face - live.

Note: For those who don't know the names mentioned above, please google it.

Think BIG, start small : POP goes 3

Neil Quisaba would share his vision over sticks of cigarettes down the driveway in the previous building where we used to work together.

Describing his dream - an exhibit for the benefit of his fellow vector artists' and their finest works, he would name his brainchild Perfect On Paper. The name was later shortened to P.O.P., perhaps to imply modern yet simple and popularly accepted visual ideas.

That was three years ago and I must admit I still feel guilty that I only went days late, missing its debut at Turtle's Nest. And so I didn't get the experience right. I missed its 2nd run last year too.

Not this year. I just cannot fail my promise to good friend Neil anymore.

And so, three years after P.O.P.'s conception (and a year of my quit-smoking-plight) I came to rediscover how much I've missed in the past P.O.P.(s). Neil, congratulations! I've always had so much faith in your undertakings. You've come a long way and will still go where your heart will take you.

To Tschai, I love the journals and postcards. To the artists, congratulations. You all did a really great job.

Cheers ninyo tanan!

Music strips and the poets

Poetry blends with any available template it could love. The most obvious and doable being verbal and print - the mind is your only lid.

Music however, turned out to be its new favorite partner in Midweek Sessions' Stripped last February. This romance was probably expected.

Thank you Bathalad Sugbu for guesting in the show.

Cupcakes for the good times and the change...

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Last January 14, on the way to The Outpost, I thought it's a good time to recognize the show's performance - for staying this long in the music scene.

Here are some of the obvious.

1. After 8 years since the Dais, Midweek Sessions have finally survived for 3 consecutive years in its new home.

2. Like the Jews without a nation, Midweek Sessions shared the same little pains and successes and reemerged.

3. It's the first Midweek Sessions of the year.

4. Midweek's January Session showcases the Best of 2008.

Hmmm...the above mentioned should be more than enough. So on the way to The Outpost, I thought and asked Sam for an idea. She fueled in and suggested for cupcakes and binggala (thanks to Archie Uy for the wonderful photos).

Tadaaaaa!!!

There are plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Stripped = Music + Poetry + Beat

Rock groups cut in half. Poets on the loose. And the beat is just about non-stop in between. That's the idea. At least from how I imagine it to run. Since it's February next month, I thought Midweek Sessions should be a bit romantic this time and for obvious reasons of course.

I thought of an intimate set up but acoustic sets are just way too simple. Not only that. It's a very abused and overused concept. So I thought... why not reinvent? Add? Subtract? Multiply? Divide? Anything to get that new flavor to it.

Poetry perhaps?

Minimalistic but it could work.

Yes?

Yes.

Nice?

Maybe.

How's it going to work?

I don't know.

Hmmm...

Rock groups cut in half. Instead of the usual 4 piece rock band format, The Ambassadors, Rescue A Hero, and Juress will be stripped off half its lineup for this show.

Poets on the loose. Bathalad is perfect.

The beat shall be about Marc Nadela, Jay Young, and yours truly.

I have but a vague idea of how it's gonna be like. But if anything, I'm more excited than scared.

First Impressions

Peryodiko's Vin Dancel once said, "...always start the show with a good band and end it with a good band."

With bands sprouting like mushrooms in Manila, this conceptual formula for strategic showcase may come relatively easier in that part of the scene.

Not here. Not Cebu.

But surprisingly the recent Midweek Sessions in January 14 pulled it off. Perhaps Vin's formula does work.

And as the saying goes - first impressions last... I personally had a blast.

Special thanks to Outpost for the support, to Archie Uy who took really awesome photos in the set, to Jeremie Lim for the video, and the best bands in town that performed.

Cheers!

'Til next session.


photo courtesy of Archie Uy

Midweek Sessions Best for 2009

Q: How do you put an elephant in a refrigerator in 3 moves?

They say cracking a joke is no joke and in fact is a serious business. But I tell you, it’s easier to crack a joke (sometimes) than to put together a list of Midweek Sessions’ cream of the crop.

In the last couple of months last year, I had difficulty in completing this task. Music artists are volatile. They easily come and go. They are also playful and with that nature can be “irresponsible” in so many ways – I guess the word is childlike.

So there I was in the drafting board making that list of the best bands that played in Midweek Sessions since its comeback in 2007. I came up with about 12 in my personal roster.

Whew!

Okay. Now what?

So I thought I’d review the Midweek Sessions guidelines and after a time I still couldn’t get my choices right. These 12 bands are all good. Darn it! They’re all good.

But I had to make a choice. I made a promise, did I not? I made a promise and this is one part of that.

Oh well… in as much as I want to get all 12 to play, it’s not possible and you just can’t please everyone in one sitting. I had to chop the list down in half. Of course, this isn’t the end of it. The rest of the 12 can still play – that I can guarantee.

Wait... I'm not done yet. So how do you put an elephant in a refrigerator in 3 moves?

A: Open the door, put the elephant in, then close it back.

Hahahahahahaha... you probably heard this one already. Cheers and belated Happy New Year everyone!