The Time When I Sang With Ebe Dancel

If there's one local band that actually made me cry during a gig that would be Sugarfree. I'm not sure whether I was really sad at that time when I first saw them play at 70s Bistro or maybe because I was really taken by the lyrics of some of their songs, particularly Burnout which happens to be one of my favorite songs ever (here's my cover of it). I remember telling vocalist Ebe Dancel after their set that their songs made me feel many..uhhmm..feelings and I just cried during their set (yes...I like to embarrass myself once in a while) and he just laughed and apologized and continued by saying that it wasn't their intention to make me cry. But that's what made Sugarfree one of my favorite bands to watch, their songs have that "tang'na...yan talaga yung nararamdaman ko e!" thing to it.

Imagine the sadness that I felt when they decided to break-up. I was so affected by it that I was not able to go to Eastwood and watch their last show. I thought to myself, why would I travel all the way to Eastwood just to be brokenhearted? Ano ako, tange? So I just stayed at home and sulked. I attempted to tune in to the live airing of the show over a radio station. I heard my friend Quark introduce Sugarfree and when I already felt my cheeks starting to burn up and my tears starting to build up, I turned the radio off. It was painful. Eventually though, I got over it, I moved on. I even had a chance to interview Ebe who was at that time planning for the launch of his first solo album and had been working on gigs.

The interview happened at the Warner office in Ortigas. As always, it's fun and at the same time humbling to be able to interview musicians that you really like and look up to because luckily enough for me I get really good answers from questions that sometimes I deem silly or redundant (sakit yan ng mga ibang di ganun kabihasang manunulat gaya ko...hayaan nyo na).

Fast forward to this year, seeing that Ebe is obviously one of my favorite local musicians, it's no longer a surprise that I would want to include him in my list of people that I would like to jam with for my Cover Collab project. I sent a text to him asking if we can do the Cover Collab and gladly he agreed. We tried finding a schedule that fit us both and luckily enough he was able to. I went to his pad, which he shares with his beautiful and talented wife Nikita, and we ate pizza first before the recording. Nikita helped in setting up, rearranging some things, making sure that the "aesthetics" are taken cared of. She stood as our DOP / PD that night (thank you, Nikita!!!).

Ebe and I decided to do a cover of a Beatles original as well as a song from the Indigo Girls. I suggested the first one which he agreed because it was one of his favorites, and he suggested the second song because he just loves singing it. I have not heard the Indigo Girls' song for years and I did not have the time to memorize it so I had to use my gadget to read the lyrics while I sing (wow...what a pro, Mallabo). Anyway, without further ado, here are the 2 covers that Ebe and I performed. Enjoy!

 Thank you, Ebe!

5 James Morrison Music Videos That Can Tear You To F*cking Pieces!

From the first time I heard James Morrison's (no relations to the late, great The Doors front man Jim) raspy voice, I think I've fallen in-love. Too much? OK. You be the judge. Here are 5 of James Morrison's makabagbag damdaming songs.

Foster the People: Live in Manila!

One of the best breakthrough bands of 2011, FOSTER THE PEOPLE performs in Manila on October 6, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Los Angeles-based indie-pop trio was founded in 2009 by Mark Foster (lead vocal) and joined by Mark Pontius (drums) and Cubbie Fink (bass). Foster wrote and recorded “Pumped Up Kicks,” in March 2010 and posted it as free download on his website. The catchy song went viral and the band garnered enough attention to debut at the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival. Just a few months later, the band signed a multi-album deal with Columbia Records.

While hard at work on their debut album, the band was booked for a month-long residency at The Echo, a Los Angeles nightclub. The series of shows at the club helped grow the trio’s fanbase. The band also performed at the immensely popular Coachella music festival.

The launch of their first album Torches last May 2011 was a mainstream success. It debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart. “Pumped Up Kicks” eventually peaked at number three on the  Hot 100 chart and was the sixth best-selling digital song of the year.

The band received nominations at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards for Best New Artist and Best Rock Video for “Pumped Up Kicks.” This year alone, they scored two Grammy nominations for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Pumped Up Kicks” and Best Alternative Album for Torches. They also had five nominations in the 2012 Billboard Music Awards and received a Top Rock Song award for “Pumped Up Kicks.”

Filipino fans of the band can look forward to hearing songs from Torches including the other singles “Helena Beat,” “Call It What You Want,” “Don’t Stop,” and “Houdini.”

Catch Foster the People live on October 6, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets may be purchased from Ticketnet outlets or the Ticketnet Website www.ticketnet.com.ph. For inquiries please call 911-5555.

FOSTER THE PEOPLE LIVE IN MANILA is brought to you by: Midas Promotions and Dayly Entertainment; CO-PRESENTED BY: Jack TV and ETC; OFFICIAL RESIDENCE:  EDSA Shangrila Hotel; MEDIA PARTNERS: ABS-CBN, MYX, RX 93.1, Mellow 94.7, Business World, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philstar.com, Inquirer.net, Pep.ph, ClicktheCity, Manila Concert Scene, Philippine Concerts, My Music Store, WheninManila.com and Juice.ph; Special Thanks to: Sony Music and Ivory Records, Odyssey and Astroplus.

Keane: Live in Manila!

 This October 2^nd, be ready as British alternative rock band KEANE welcomes you into their Strangeland through their Manila concert at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

KEANE achieved mainstream success with the release of their debut album, “Hopes and Fears” in 2004. Lead singles “Somewhere Only We Know” is one of the greatest hits of 2004. The album sold more than nine million copies worldwide, and won a Brit Award for Best Album in 2005. In addition, the band also won the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act, voted by listeners of BBC Radio 1.Success continued with their second studio album, “Under the Iron Sea,” which topped the album charts in the UK and debuted at an impressive No.4 on the US Billboard 200 chart. This album marked the transition from piano-driven songs in their first album to more progressive, sophisticated music, again without using guitars. Their third album, “Perfect Symmetry,” explored and moved from their established piano-pop sound to the use of guitars for the first time.