It’s as if the whole of the first quarter of the year’s schedule  isn’t enough for me yet. I’m flying to Singapore next week to shoot the Laneway Festival in Singapore. I remember the first one last year I was supposed to be a part of Aloysius’ team but since the demise of NU107 left us all confused and grasping for air, I wasn’t able to fly out last minute.

I know there are a lot of Filipinos coming to this gig. Raise your hands if your going!

Check out the band schedules:

I better load up on energy for this. I haven’t really recovered from all the gigs that happened the whole month of January, but this is part of my job! I’m Actually flying out on the 8th to catch Kasabian (my 2nd time to see them) and The Vaccines and then a few days rest before this festival that’s happening on the 12th. CRAZY!

If you haven’t got your tickets yet, go and check out Laneway Fest Singapore’s Official Facebook Page or go to Sistic.com.sg

DLSU Moo Media is presenting the 5th Young Multimedia and Graphic Designers Summit on March 10, 2012 from 9am – 5pm. I am part of the list of speakers which include artists Valerie Chua, Vincent Rhafael Aseo, Dan Matutina and Katrina Pallon.

Teaser video below

That photo of me was taken by Chuvaness. It’s probably the most googleable photo I have given the traffic that’s coming from her site. I hope she doesn’t mind, although I wish you guys had asked me for a more recent photo! LOL

I’m speaking last (I think) because I kind of anticipated the workload that I’m going to have from now until the first week of March. If I’m going to speak in front of everyone I would really need to be able to get enough sleep, haha!

I read on their facebook that outsiders are welcome. Tickets are at PhP 250 but I read that there’s an early bird promo (wow parang concert lang, haha) at PhP220 until February 15.

Non-DLSU students may contact  0915-897-7538 for information of just go to their facebook page. http://facebook.com/YMGDS5

Just a disclaimer: When I do talks in universities I’m not as technical as you expect me to be since a lot of my philosophies are everything but technical. However, if there is anything you wish for me to discuss, please leave a comment below and I will make an organized list of questions you may want me to elaborately address during the event.

Thanks and hope to see you guys there!

Alcohol has been the fuel for many artists ever since we knew of recorded history.  I’m not going to downplay it and censor myself (that’s really not how I do things), but it is the safest and most fun means to get your inhibitions out of the way. It’s not only musicians that include this in their lifestyle, but all kinds of artists. I mean I drink and I drink a lot. I’m actually concerned about my weight gain that I work extra hard at events just to shed off the extra calories. (I’m a girl, what do you expect).

If there’s anything I learned from being in this event is that we push our boundaries for the sake of what we love. If we love art, may it be performance, music, illustration, photography, then we’ll find a way to get it out there and share our talents. It takes a lot of courage to do so. In my case photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt said it best: “When I have a camera in my hand, I know no fear.”

The Muziklaban Grand Finals wasn’t your usual music festival, because it was much more than that. I mentioned that there were three areas: the Extreme Sports area, The Rakrakan Tent and the Ink Tent.

Extreme sports area (Photo by Erick Dantoc)

The extreme sports area had a demonstration by Armand Mariano and a competition was held where he was one of the judges. There was also a graffiti and deck art challenge before the BMX flatland contest.

Registrants (Photo by Erick Dantoc)

Armand Mariano (Photo by Erick Dantoc)

I consider extreme sports as a performance artform. I mean any kind of skill you work hard on and try to perfect using various techniques and practice to me is art.

Armand Mariano with participants (Photo by Erick Dantoc)

I want to ride my bicycle (Photo by Erick Dantoc)

The best stunt that I could do on a bike was, “NO HANDS!”

Then there’s the INK TENT: For Tattoo Artists

Nakatulog: I'm actually glad that's not a photo I took. LOL. The Ely photo was actually taken by PUPIL Manager Day Cabuhat

A competition was held at this tent hosted by Dylan Vizcarra (former NU107 jock) and contestants were judged by Chris Garcia. There were booths from different tattoo groups and there were six competitors all working hard on the spot to get the top prize.

Chris Garcia is one of the top 25 tattoo artists in the world, his clients include a lot of celebrities, Miley Cyrus being the most noteworthy. A fact that I also found out about him is that he has worked at NASA. Haha. Now I know someone who has worked at NASA.

A week before the show I was asked by Red Horse if I could volunteer anyone for Chris Garcia to demonstrate his inking skills. I volunteered Roanna Ruiz (Jamm 88.3 DJ) and myself because days before that we were discussing about how I was set on getting one after that  recent work trip in Cebu. However, getting something permanent that you could easily get in the days to come isn’t worth the moments and the photographs that I was going to miss if I stayed in one place.

So the two people that Chris Garcia worked on was Roanna and Razorback manager Patrick Pulumbarit.

Roanna, singer of Dimmerswitch, keyboardist of Hele Novela, JAM 88.3 DJ and one of my best friends, drew the tattoo design by herself. She puts a lot of her works on her facebook page! I’m actually really happy for her she got this tattoo! She told me that Chris Garcia has very light hands and it would be perfect for me since it’s going to be my first time to get inked (whenever that will be). What’s my design going to be? Sorry, that’s a secret. Haha.

Tattoo competition winner: Ryan Bernardino

Ryan created a tattoo of Karl Roy with a microphone singing on the thigh of his subject.

Rocking at the ink tent

Then the party doesn’t stop there. Different bands play at each of the areas and EVEN was one of the performers.

SEXY BOYS!!! haha (photo by Cyril Borgonia)

Oh and of course the highlight of the evening at the Ink tent: Slapshock modeling their tattoo’s done by Chris Garcia!

Then my favorite: The Rakrakan Tent

I’m biased of course because my photos are exhibited in this tent alongside rock memorabilia.

I was asked to go to this tent at 930 because I was going to be interviewed. I keep seeing people interviewed backstage. I thought it was going to be a video interview.

APPARENTLY NOT!

with Rakrakan tent host Stephen (Photo by Jep Señir)

I was asked to go up on stage and talk about my work.

Photo by Jep Señir

So I was up there when in my head I knew people were there to see and hear bands play. It was Mr. Bones and the Boneyard Circus up next (Juni is behind me setting up) LOL. Blank stares from the audience and the interview ended with the host saying, “Wala na akong masabi kasi ‘picture perfect si Ms. Niña”.

Can I get a GIF photo that’s perfect for this situation?

I guess I'll just stick to JPG. Awkward! LOL (Photo by Jep Señir)

Here's the installation. 13 photos. I wonder where these all are now.

I was told that they chose photos mostly focusing on the crowd. I really think the people who go Red Horse Beer events are the best crowd there is. Majority of what I take are the crowd shots. This is the only event where there are times that the energy of people who watch become at par with the musicians and I have to look at both sides because it’s happy chaos 360 degrees. You need to be brave to be here, but you never get anything great without guts.

I’ve yet to post the main stage happenings. Thank you to my team Jep Señir, Erick Dantoc and Cyril Borgonia for the photos above.

Check Red Horse Beer’s Official Website, Facebook and Twitter for updates.

One of the 14 Women Who Rock: I am featured as one of the Archivists (Photo by Joseph Pascual)

Rogue Magazine asked me last November if I could be featured as one of the women in OPM and they said that I would be called one of the Archivists. It was flattering actually and never thought that I would be called such, because there’s so much happening day to day that I barely actually get to look back at my archives. I just know that I have photos, but only time will tell how important they are.

I realized that when I was asked if I had a photo of the late Francis Magalona and I sadly had only THREE photographs of him taken at one event, during the Cinemalaya opening in CCP in 2006. I don’t know why I didn’t have more of him, I actually regret not having more photos of a lot of musicians which I’m making up for right now. Maybe 6 years ago my old self wasn’t confident enough: my world was relatively larger than I’d imagine it to be, but it was still not large enough for me to grasp that I was about to take on this kind of work.

Then when I opened the magazine, I saw this article on Francis Magalona and the photo that I took which spanned two pages wide.

I honestly thought that this was never going to be of any use because when you grow as a photographer, there are times you reason with technicality and I keep comparing my works then to my works now — but you simply can’t. Moments and subjects still outweigh technicality.

Thank God for minimalism LOL: I was far away from the stage, but I took whatever I could (Francis Magalona, CCP, 2006)

Aldus Santos (the only writer who can interview Ely Buendia the best) in an article on Pulse.ph about the Rivermaya jamming with Bamboo: wrote that I was a gatekeeper. It was flattering but it also gave me a reality check on what I do. I don’t think I assess and look at what I do so thank you to these writers and magazines for actually seeing it when I don’t, or when I actually forget why I’m here in the first place.

I share a write up alongside director Marie Jamora in the field of video, as an Archivist, written by the brilliant Jason Caballa (my former boss in PULP, who trusted me enough that I could actually write a monthly column that lasted three years!) Also thank you to Joseph Pascual for the lovely photo, you rock!

Lovely friends, Barbie Almalbis, Kitchie Nadal, Myrene Academia, Aia De Leon, Armi Millare, Camyl Besinga & Sarah Marco are on the list as well. Each of us having write-ups describing our contribution to the music scene. Sampaguita, Mei Bastes, Anna Sobrepena Ong, Pat Sarabia and Micaela Benedicto are also featured.

I kind of love how Rogue Magazine wrote a teaser on the table of contents page quoting Penny Lane in Almost Famous:

“Groupies sleep with rock stars because they want to be near someone famous. We are here because of the music, we inspire the music.” But for some women it’s not enough to be the object of affection. Some girls want to rock. (Rogue Magazine, Jan-Feb 2012)

Damn right we do!

Rogue Magazine January-February 2012 issue is out now. It’s a music issue with a retrospective feature on The Dawn and the story I’ve been longing to hear: THE BEATLES IN MANILA (the photos are to die for).

And also even if it’s unrelated to music actually I can relate to KC Concepcion in some ways even if I used to not like her, I’m liking her now! LOL! So get a copy!

One of the performances of the Red Horse Beer bands that made me smile during the Muziklaban Grand Finals was Razorback’s raunchy set where burlesque dancers dressed in sexy lingerie went up on stage to seduce the band during the song “Diwata”. This part of the event featured performances from bands that came about in the 90s and Razorback was one of them. It was very daring and I felt awkward taking pictures haha!

Thanks to manager Patrick Pulumbarit for letting me go to the area where he is to take decent shots of the band. He said, “Can you post the sleaziest photos you were able to get?” As long as I got your go signal “ALRIGHT!” Haha!

No one would have actually thought that Kevin wasn’t feeling well that night because they played a really mean set.

Photographer Sundae Cruz also on stage, we couldn't help but smile at the whole thing that was happening

"Brace" yourself.

Lugi si Brian hindi aabot yung dancers sa kanya

This was just one of the performances last January 28 for the Red Horse Beer Muziklaban Grand Finals 2011. Keep checking this space for more photos of the event soon. There’s going to be A LOT, I’m telling you because there was so many activities happening all at the same time I actually wished I had a time machine to get to everything, my head was going to explode, in a happy way of course.

Anyway, you can check Red Horse Beer’s Official Website, Facebook and Twitter, also Muziklaban 2011′s twitter account for tweets about the event and fan reactions

If I had a way of explaining how you get ‘lost in music’, this post would be the closest thing to giving you an example. A contest is a game and this venue is a smorgasbord of different stages, each with their own unique characteristic. There are 4 known stages: one at the extreme sports stage, the Ink tent, the Rakrakan tent and the biggest one of all of course, the main stage where one of the highlights of the night was seeing the Muziklaban finalists and perform in front of so many music fans.

It doesn’t stop there. Within the surrounding area, people have their own games, from tower cups, to daring others to finish a glass of Red Horse Beer under x amount of minutes. At the backstage area, a game could mean figuring out the state-of-the-art coffee machine that no one doesn’t know how to use, playing Xbox (or attempting to).

From my end, even photographers have their own challenges. Yet I just look at these things like a game and then the world becomes a playground.

My pass wasn’t All Access. I think it’s a test and a great challenge as other photographers had All Access ID’s which allowed them (of all places) to go to the PHOTO PIT, which was banned for photographers who didn’t have this ID for a big first half of the main stage’s festivities. LOL. I was like, Game on!

My belief is you find ways to make do with whatever’s given to you. Find a way to take the shots you want to take. If you weren’t able to, then there are other photographers who were meant to take those photos.

I was actually given a pass to be on stage. It was a huge pass, more like a car pass and I was trying to figure out how I was gonna wear it. Ian Tayao of Wilabaliw actually had a suggestion:

Do you get a free extra life with that? LOL

Like those video games you talk to people to get clues on getting through, most bouncers actually just really want someone to talk to when they’re standing there alone for more than 12 hours.

A bouncer escorted me from the Rakrakan tent back to the mainstage which was I think maybe a kilometer away. I saw a moment and said, “Kuya, wait lang, magpipicture lang ako.“

He said, “Ako rin magpipicture ako.”

The Muziklaban main stage from far away

The place was SERIOUSLY HUUUGEEEE and it was overwhelming.

All the other tents: Extreme Sports, Ink & Rakrakan are at the farthest point that you can't see!

Then Kuya bouncer said his camera wasn’t good enough so he was taking a video while using his cellphone light while we were walking, you know those bouncers who flash light on you? Sometimes it’s a cellphone! Haha! Kuya bouncer was trying to take a video of the crowd since we were trying to guess how many people were there that night, probably to show that you worked on this big an event, great for their portfolio (Yes they do have a portfolio, 2 bouncer friends of mine have been collecting photos where they’re seen with the international artists they’ve escorted here and they post it on facebook). Everybody loves to document things! Haha!

BEER TOWER: A normal sight at RHB events. Although when they saw me, they posed and hit the tower making it collapse LOL

I asked Kuya bouncer if there’s been any trouble that night, he said it was relatively peaceful. They just take care of the fans who block the road because they’re too drunk to stand or too hyper to let anyone pass. It was expected, because I went through this crowd to get to the farthest end of it and everyone just seemed generally happy. I actually would have loved to hang out with the crowd, except I have a shot list that I need to cross out.

With the numerous amount of activities that night, man, my shots were definitely limited and you can’t be trigger happy unless you want to run out of memory to seize the unexpected moments.

Especially off stage:

When we arrived backstage there were signs that said, NO HOSPITAL ID, NO ENTRY.

So will the real Kevin Roy please stand up!

BADASS! Kevin Roy with an actual hospital ID! Oh and that's a glow in the dark tattoo he has.

The passes were hospital ID bracelets and Kevin Roy had his Muziklaban side by side with a real one.

Wally Gonzales of Juan Dela Cruz & award winning sound guy Angee Rozul takes on the state of the art CAFFEINE CHALLENGE

FOOD CHALLENGE: The early birds get all the pizza. Guy on the left says to Jett: "Sir eto nalang po yung last batch ng pizza"

Kevin Roy says, "Sorry man, Ely & I got first dibs on the bean bags"

POWER NAP: Your host for Muziklaban Francis Brew recharges for optimum performance!!!

XBOX WITH KINECT!!!

XBOX Kinect Challenge: Pepe Smith OWNED IT.

Alright Tirso!

Isok (Wilabaliw) watching Francis Brew make his own sound effects while playing Kinect

At the end of the night Francis beat all the high scores of everyone who played and even after three bottles of Red Horse Beer he was first place. Haha

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I wasn't done eating thus the separated spoon & fork. Niño Avenido took my extra rice. Photo by Nicole Asensio

Around dinnertime, I saw Nicole Asensio of General Luna who had a really really cute hat! We were both wearing red pants and she told me to wear her hat and took this photo of me. Then later on she was fighting to get it back from keyboardist Nikki Cabardo.

MAD HATTERS!!!

As the night went on, it became more and more difficult to catch the musicians for a photo. You can guess whyyyyy….

Tirso Ripoll (Razorback) & Kim Marvilla

Niño Avenido (Greyhounds), Ian Tayao (Wilabaiw), Nikki Cabardo

Wendell Garcia (Pupil / Kjwan) and Kakoy Legaspi

RIDDLES: Kakoi Legaspi won't allow me to take a photo unless I answer the Q: "WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ONLINE?" Lol

HULI KAYO! Biboy, Ocho Toleran and Ian Tayao's way of saying "Cheese!"

Anyway, this whole event wouldn’t happen if it were not for the support that Red Horse gives to amateur artists.  Among all the finalists, David Vs. Goliath from Davao won the grand prize.

David Vs. Goliath Red Horse Ber Muziklaban Champions 2011 Photo by Jep Señir

The point of Muziklaban is to help these artists get a chance to showcase their music to a very very wide audience. This has been an annual event for 13 years and I’ve seen how they’ve supported a lot of artists through the years. Belief and support is the best thing that could ever happen to an artist. For where would we be without those who urge us to shine.

David Vs. Goliath Photos by Jep Señir

David Vs. Goliath with hosts Francis Brew & Lovi Poe, Ms. Anne Ablaza, Red Horse Beer Brand Manager & Mr. Vince Dizon, Assistant Brand Manager (Photo by Jep Señir)

On small doses we can treat everything as a game, but sometimes when it gets really serious and we feel lost in all the hustle and bustle of everything, overwhelmed with the daunting task of sharing the talent that we have, we just have to let go and trust that there’s a higher power at work all for our well-being. The path to greatness isn’t just about overcoming a series of obstacles, but to just trust that there are already plans laid out for you if you only just believe.

Wilabaliw inspired me when I keep seeing them gather in prayer before a performance

I haven’t looked at all my photos, but I’d like to believe that despite the limitations and just having fun wherever I went, at the end of the night, I would have gotten only just what I deserve and exactly what I need.

PAGOD: Good night!!!

I got home at 5am as I would have expected and woke up early today in excitement because I wanted to post an entry. I’ve lots of performance photos to post soon! Follow Red Horse Beer on Facebook and Twitter and keep checking their official website for updates!

Thanks to 1/3 of my team last night Jep Señir for the David Vs. Goliath photos above, because you woke up the earliest. HAHAHA

and for photobombing my supposed crowd shot last night.

I’m just kidding of course!!!

I found this horse, or rather DONKEY (according to Mike Elgar at his magical house where this fateful jamming happened) and I wanted a photo with it. I would have wanted to take a photo with a real red horse. That would be a treat if they actually had one at the event tomorrow since it’s a Rock and Roll Circus.
The closest colored horse I’ve ever seen was dyed pink in Baguio and WHAT A TRIP!
It’s going to be a huge festival of activities tomorrow. There are Bungee jump trampolines, PHOTOBOOTHS (OMG!), giant slides, Tarot Card reading (for those who want their fortunes for 2012 read), human statues, circus performers and a Red Horse Beer truck full of merch for those who are asking me for the jacket I’m always wearing!
There’s three other areas (apart from the main music stage) in Aseana City tomorrow, one for Extreme Sports, one for the Tattoo demonstration / competition graced by the presence of world renowned tattoo artist Chris Garcia and another one called the Rakrakan tent where exhibits of memorabilia of rock items and THIRTEEN OF MY PHOTOS will exhibited! This’ll happen before the event. Bands EVEN, Ibarra, Hatankaru, Mr. Bones and the Boneyard Circus and Mayonnaise and so much more will be performing in these tents!

When the music starts at 6pm at the mainstage, I assure you that the line up is so solid, you can be so certain that it’s history in the making. I’m a sucker for collaborations, so be early because the first number is going to blow you away. That’s just the start, so many more bands are performing, bands from the 70s all the way to the present time!

You can watch as Red Horse Beer chooses which of the 5 finalists win the title of the 2011 Muziklaban Grand Champion. If you want to take a lucky guess tonight. You can click on my poll here.

Apart from the Red Horse Beer artists, Pepe Smith, Ely Buendia, Wilabaliw, Greyhoundz, Slapshock, Razorback and Kjwan performing, it will be a feat to see bands like Franco, Tanya Markova and The Dawn. Juggle this line-up, you can really smell a solid number (hmmm, and maybe a memorable collaboration, who knows?)

The event is hosted by the ultimate rock chick Julia Clarete, Francis Brew (of course) and the sexy sexy Lovi Poe.

Tickets are at 50Php with one free Red Horse Beer can be bought at the venue itself. If for some reason you can’t go, you can watch the live streaming on this link! bookmark it!

Follow Red Horse Beer on Facebook and Twitter or check http://www.redhorsebeer.com

The Red Horse Muziklaban Grand Finals is happening tomorrow, January 28, 2012 at the Aseana City, Macapagal Ave! Yesterday I was able to witness the prejudging activities. There were 10 judges, Francis Brew, Reg Rubio of Greyhoundz, Ian Tayao of WilaBaliw, Dyanne Licudine of EVEN, Jamir Garcia & Lee Nadela of Slapshock, Brian Velasco of Razorback and Mally Paraguya of P.O.T. Jules Lim, Red Horse Beer Brand Rep and Leonard Buhay were also there as judges.

There are 5 finalists: Mind of Clay, Leviticus, Zephaniah, David Vs. Goliath and Curbside all representatives from different regions nationwide. I think the judges had a difficult time picking as Francis Brew said, “they were all different”. Like photography, I’ve always said that you can’t really say that a photo is better than the other one when they are  presenting different moments. But if one needs to be objective then I guess that’s why Red Horse brought in all the experts…

Some of which were afraid of cockroaches… hahaha

I want to know who do you think is going to win the RHB Muziklaban Grand Finals tomorrow. Poll at the end of the post!

But first, the ipis moment

Of course cockroaches are my worst nightmare, too so sorry for the blurry photos. I remember I couldn’t sleep one time knowing there was one alive in my room.

If you remember my post on Ian Tayao he said that “Cockroaches and adrenaline make him jump”.

Ian Tayao discussing his worst cockroach nightmare

Some of the judges said that the finalists who were good at jumping should have been called to kill it. It’s not new to find out that musicians are afraid of cockroaches, you know when Francis Brew interviewed Dave Grohl in Singapore in 2007. Dave Grohl’s memory of the Araneta Coliseum were cockroaches that were “a feet big” (of course he was exaggerating) and he even said that it was so big the whole band had a picture with it. FOO FIGHTERS WITH PINOY IPIS! FTW!

Prior to that happening of course we were all happily eating. It was breakfast at 4pm, heavy music and beer in the daylight.

NOMNOMNOM

Lee observing the finalists

I call Lee Nadela of Slapshock the Asian Gary Oldman. Intense and mysterious and scary. Haha

Ian Tayao taking a video of the event

Fun tip that we got from Ian: When you don’t have earplugs, use cigarettes. Haha

Mally Paraguya P.O.T

Taking a break

Giving advice to the finalists

Dyanne of EVEN

THE FINALISTS:

The bands performed 3 songs. The scores of this pre-finals judging will be 40% of the band’s final score in the grand finals that’s happening tomorrow.

The criteria are songwriting style & creativity, harmony, diction & delivery and interview.

MIND OF CLAY (LEGASPI CITY)

Mind of Clay is Kram Añonuevo (Vocals), Ninz Ballerda & , Bhogs Golloso (Guitars), Rald Abol  (Bass) and Kean Añonuevo (Drummer)

Zephaniah (BAGUIO CITY)

Zephaniah members Mikee Coronel – Vocals, Jan Jan Lachica – Guitars/Vocals, Wreginald Aquien – Bass/Vocals, Vj Fernandez – Drums/Vocals and Samuel Fianza – Guitars

CURBSIDE (Manila)

Curbside members Migs Palispis (vocals) Niko Ylaya (guitars) Russel Manaloto (guitars) Bret Meneses (bass) Chase Bantug (drums).

David Vs. Goliath (DAVAO)

David Vs. Goliath members Oliver Lagdameo (Vocals), Kenneth Zamudio (Guitar), Jules Montañez (Guitar / Vocals), Arvin Nacario (Bass) and Miel Avila (Drums)

Leviticus (Cebu)

Leviticus is Weilkins (Vocals), Mark & Noe (Guitars), Jomar (Bass) and Jojie (Drums).

VOTE: Which band do you think is going to win?

Taken By Cars is the first Filipino band to get invited to play at the prestigious South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas this March. SXSW has given break to many great artists and despite the thousands lined up to perform, looking at in on a global scale, the exposure levels that each of the artists will get I’m sure will be at unimaginable heights.

If you’re a true OPM fan then we should try and support Taken By Cars in their journey by helping them raise funds through Artiste Connect. There are various pledge options where you’ll get something awesome in return: From a selection of song remixes to private performances.

I got to catch TBC’s performance at the recent Sonic Boom Sinulog Blast Off last January 14 at the Grand Convention Center. It was actually the first time I got to hang out with them. Although I’m not very certain if I can discuss with you the contents of our conversation, suffice to say they were very FUNNY (Green Lights flashing, haha).

I’m actually very excited for them and this is a big step for the Filipino music community and I think Taken By Cars really deserve it. Let’s help them out and keep sharing this to your friends. Let’s make the world even smaller like how it already is in Manila. LOL.

These set of photos are from that gig.

Taken by Cars is Sarah Marco (Vocals), Bryce Zialcita (Guitars), Isa Garcia (Bass/Synths/Vocals), Siopao Chua (Guitars/Synth/Vocals) and Bryan Kong (Drums/Synths/Sampler).

Don’t forget to share this Artiste Connect page to your friends! Let’s help fund Taken By Cars’ trip to SXSW!

Listen to snippets of their songs from their latest album “Dualist” below

I guess sometimes you can call me an extremist. If I can’t get super close, I’d rather be far away. LOL. Also sometimes I prefer to look at things from above and see how every single one at the event will recall this from their own perspectives, despite the multitude witnessing the same thing. Music can do that and we find ways to make memories from it. I wasn’t supposed to be at this concert, haha but I found a way! The universe heard me!

All I wanted was to hear “The One That Got Away”. Well, also “Not Like The Movies”… actually everything, haha. But you know me, I can be swayed by just hearing one song. It’s enough, but if I can hear more, then why not? LOL

I got a pass to watch but decided to hang out with my friend Haw, who has always taken top shots of concerts after he officially takes photos. He’s actually the reason why I have my header photo (which was taken during the Paramore concert). You can check his facebook for Katy Perry photos from last night because I told him to post them immediately!

There’s also a grand feeling when looking at things from above. You hear everyone singing along and the sounds bounce against the buildings and you have the view of Manila Bay and the Ferris Wheel and because it’s Chinese New Year today (Kung Hei Fat Choi!) you can see fireworks miles away! It was the perfect setting actually.

I have to admit it’s always a blast watching a concert from a spine chilling height.

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

See if you can find yourself here

Katy kissed a boy!

Kitty Perry

Beach balls balloons

Then Katy started to splash everyone in the front row with water, hahaha!

At the parking lot when we were about to go home, we heard some wild screaming below and saw this mob of fans surrounding a limousine.

It’s Katy’s ride and that’s her hand probably trying to take a twitpic of everyone.

That was wild and that was awesome. Katy said this is the last stop of the California Dreams Tour and I got goosebumps because she debuted some of the songs from the Teenage Dream album at SINGFEST 2010!

Listen to the whole crowd sing along to the acoustic version of “The One That Got Away”! I’m glad I got to hear this!