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Friday, June 17, 2016

The Scene Around: SM City Marikina Indiefest

06/07/2016 12:42:22 AM 



It's interesting to see the mall giant SM taking one step in appreciating the country's music scene, especially in their 30th year in the business. And while Beatstroked proved they could handle such events at the Eastern side of the Metro (Taytay, Rizal, to be exact), Marikina was the stage to showcase the up-and-comers during that fateful evening of Friday, 20 May 2016, as SM City Marikina celebrated Indiefest Summer Music Festival

The party stared at 6 in the evening as Badkiss hit the spinning deck to welcome everyone for a night of rocking music. People are starting to flock the sections right before the set of Jensen and The Flips at 7PM. 

Hearing this alternative soul band somewhat gave me a different glimpse upon checking the audience. Just when I thought people at the bars were the usual ones who sing-along with Jensen, fuck man... I was wrong. Turns out folks (well, specifically, the young girls out there) were crooning along with the seven-piece crew. Their set – in a mall – turned into somewhat an intimate one. Impressive! Seems JxF has reached wider audience every single night out. All that despite missing Samuel Valenia who was then in another gig up North. 

Next on them were Never The Strangers. Hearing them for only the third time, NTS was never called for such for nothing. They reached mainstream success before, and hearing them at the likes of Indiefest was probably one of the reasons why. 

Third on the lineup were the trio called Techy Romantics. It was the actually the first time I encounter them at stage. 

She's Only Sixteen came next, and these young dudes are rocking the night away in front of the young ladies at the audience, and at least right before the co-headliner of the evening. 

Taken By Cars came next. Second time I hear them live (the first was in SaGuijo in a Flying Ipis-related gig two months ago), and you have to love what this rock band is doing. At one point, the vocalist was even reaching the hands from the first row stands. Talk about interaction. 

But with heavy rainfall comes the big name of the night – Franco! For the first time since Jacktember, I have seen Franco Reyes and his quartet capped the evening with lot of us moving closer due to the weather. Damn, instant moshpit session at works. The only hard thing, though, is seeing the fireworks display during their last song. That could have been a perfect moment to live with if not for the rainfall. 

And last but not the least, Motherbass just kept the party alive. I was surprised to see a duo of a DJ and a drummer going at it for some time. That perhaps speaks the reason why they aren't called Motherbass for nothing, eh? 

Indiefest was indeed a successful gathering despite the weather condition, with some musicians waging intimate aura and good quality music in front of the hundreds-numbered crowd at the SM City Marikina. 

Well, as a cult follower, I could only wish more commercial establishments should follow suit; considering musicians like them could generate massive fanbase around the country. Plus the fact that Filipino music is indeed alive wherein certain people doesn't need to spend a sleepless night to support them. That was it could help enrich what kind of craft do we have right now. 


Badkiss
Jensen and The Flips











Never The Strangers






Techy Romantics






She's Only Sixteen





Taken By Cars










Franco











Motherbass




P.S. Shoutouts to my companions Maxim and Darzi Pinga, as well as to Mrs. Caccie Diaz-Coroel of SM Supermalls for accommodating us, and Dems Angeles for tipping this event.

Author: slickmaster | © 2016 september twenty-eight productions

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