Banda Fantastika Event

I had a great time with fellow officemates as we enjoyed listening to some featured Filipino bands playing at Gashaus Music Cafe (there were 9 bands overall, but I only started to watch at the time when my friends and their bands started their turn on the stage).

And here are some pictures during the event:

Launchbox band. Fellow officemates Ivan playing the bass guitar (left) and Titan playing the electric guitar (right). You should already be familiar with their band since I posted about them at this post.

Close up of guest vocalist Jolly, and Titan jamming it up at his electric guitar. You know what, I should be getting some payment for advertising their band here. Joke, hehehe.

Ok, some guy went in front of the stage and began to dance like a "high" or drunken person. But gyrated all over the place, and yet everyone loved his antics. Soon other people joined in the craze - jumping, head-banging, and going around in circles with each other.

There are lots of other people taking pictures during the event. I caught these two at one corner of the jam-packed room: an unidentified guy pointing his camera at the audience (back) and Ardi (front), another officemate, filming Launchbox's gig (FYI: Ardi is Indonesian; I was amazed that he can sometimes converse and even playfully joke with us in Tagalog).

Here is another band, Mr. Brosnan?, a Filipino modern rock band. I liked their performance of Radiohead's High & Dry.

Another Filipino band, rending popular foreign and local songs acoustic style, Quiverpool.

Titan has his own band too, Backwater. One memorable song played by the band is Hole's Malibu.

The rambunctious Pinoy crowd truly enjoying their gimmick from three in the afternoon till late at night. Every time a band ends their music, everyone could hear from this group a girl shouting, "I love you Jobert (or Yobert?)" with a quick reply "May asawa na yan" (That guy is already married) or "Kanina pa iyan ah..." (roughly translated: You've just said it a while ago...). Ah, the Filipino crowds - always know how to have a good time.

Other Filipino people crowding the stairs and surrounding the bar area. Everyone's keen on listening to good rock songs both in English and Tagalog. The most memorable songs played during the night were "Noypi" by Bamboo and "The Ordertaker" by Parokya ni Edgar. Especially the latter song, where every Filipino individual who were enticed and caught by the funny lyrics of Parokya ni Edgar sang along with the band that belted this song. I saw two British (or American?) guys at the stairs who at first thought the music being played is Chop Suey by System of a Down (since The Ordertaker is a local spoof of that English rock song). When both guys suddenly heard different lyrics coming from the band, they looked at each other with astonishment, whilst every Pinoy individual were shouting, singing and laughing along with the music. Then they saw some Filipinos converging in front of the stage and began to mosh around, head bang, with some playfully taking off their shirts like street loosed drunks. They began taking pictures of the happy riot, obviously enjoying at how Filipinos really dig the bands and explode in delightful frenzy.

Keith, the owner and manager of the place, responded well on "how good the bands are that night" and everyone is enjoying their stay. If he only knew well enough, and other Singaporeans, that Filipinos are known for music, talented singers, and excellent local bands. The Philippines has a very rich culture when it comes to music and entertainment. And (ehem), we can sing English songs quite eloquently.

And here's a complimentary short video of Launchbox, playing "Ligaya", originally sang by the Eraserheads.