Partying with Dead Popstars May 22, 2010

 

Route 196

Tonight I went to my second gig ever.  Dead Popstars played at Route 196 along Katipunan Avenue to celebrate Morrissey’s birthday.  The place was jam packed with fellow Smiths fans…there were even 3 brits at the gig…I knew they were brits because they stood in front of me & I could hear their accents! *awesome!*  I went with my super friend Ava & her sister Anna.

They started playing at around 11pm and opened with the song “Shoplifters of the world unite!”…the same words printed on the shirt of lead singer Pogz.  He looked very much like Moz, circa 1980′s that night…complete with the gel-ed  hair & nerdy glasses.

My dodgy shot of Pogz-damn it sucks to be short!

They played for a solid 1.5 hours!  No intermission whatsoever.  Everyone rocked out to songs like: There is a light that never goes out, Ask, Everyday is like sunday, The last of the famous international playboys, Still ill, This charming man, The more you ignore me the closer I get, Panic, First of the gang to die, We hate it when our friends become successful and loads more!

I had 2 beers (I know it’s not much but it’s a first for me!), stood up the whole night, screamed & sang my lungs out, danced, was all sweaty, couldn’t breathe properly & the dude next to me kept screaming “pop! dead! stars! well i wonder! new wave naman!” the entire night…but I didn’t care. It was really nice seeing other people show their love for Moz.  There was even a kid there (about 10 years old) with a Smiths shirt on who came with his mom!

I’ve never seen Morrissey live but tonight, I felt like I had the next best thing.  Dead Popstars rock and Pogz you rule! (it was cute how everyone was greeting him “happy birthday”)

Can’t wait for the next gig!

 

The official & obligatory concert photo.

 

Salamat…Jett Pangan May 3, 2010

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…I fell in love with my first pinoy rock band. The year was 1989 (I was in 7th grade). The Album was called “Beyond the Bend.”  And that band was The Dawn.

The album

I can still recall how much this album meant to me and how often I listened to it using my now extinct casette player. Apart from “Salamat”, my other favorite song on the record was “Little Paradise”. At that time, their line up was composed of Jett, JB Leonor, Carlos Balcells & Atsushi Matsuura. I’ve always wanted to see them live…but I was young then and going to gigs was out of the question. Years have passed and I’ve liked other pinoy bands after The Dawn but they’ve always held a special place in my heart.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when my sister told me that her co-teacher (“Teacher Diane” – who also sings in a band) will be performing at a gig with Jett Pangan. She asked me if I’d like to have anything signed. I immediately thought of my casette tape and frantically searched for it. A couple of days later, my sister happily hands over the signed album cover. Lookey, lookey! He even wrote down my name!

Fizz! Rock and Roll!

I asked my sister if her co-teacher had any amusing story to tell to go with the autograph…and there was! The conversation between her and Jett went something like this:

Teacher Diane: Sir Jett! Favor naman o? Can you sign this please for 2 of my friends?

Jett Pangan: Sure!

Teacher Diane hands a cd cover first and he signs it.

Teacher Diane: This one is from my friend’s sister. Her name is Fizz & she’s a long time fan. (she then proceeds to hand over my casette cover)

Jett Pangan: Wow, classic!

So, there you go kids. In my own twisted little mind, I can say that Jett Pangan knows I exist. Salamat to JB, Carlos, Atsushi & Jett.

Thank you for being a part of the soundtrack of my youth.