Silent Sanctuary launched their second studio album entitled “Mistaken for Granted” last March 30 at Cubao X. It took them two years to have a follow up on their fiirst studio album which was “Fucshiang Pag-ibig”. Just a bit of a trivia, they had an independent release way back with a different vocalist so technically, they have 3 albums. I was just wondering why the host kept on saying that it’s the second album when it’s really the third. It somewhat neglects the history of the band which was important because that was when the band started. Probably it’s better to say “it’s the band’s second studio album” which I deem more appropriate. Read the rest of this entry »

pery´odiko (pangngalan or noun) – A Filipino term for newspaper, journal or periodical.

But for this article, I will be talking about a new Pinoy band called Peryodiko. The band is composed of Vin Dancel (lead vocals, guitars), Simon Tan  (bass, vocals), Kakoy Legaspi (lead guitar, vocals) and Abe Billano (drums, vocals). These guys are already superstars in their own way. Just to give you a background on each member: Vin Dancel was the lead vocalist of the now defunct Twisted Halo, brother of Ebe Dancel (of Sugarfree) and husband of Kris Gorra-Dancel (of Cambio, Fatal Posporos and Duster); Kakoy Legaspi used to play the lead guitars for Barbie’s Cradle and Rivermaya and I believe currently plays for a band called Salindiwa; Simon Tan is a great bass player associated with bands such as Lampano Alley, Johnny Allegre, Wdouji, UP Jazz Ensemble and many others; lastly, Abe Billano used to play drums for Dong Abay and Twisted Halo. Wow, that’s what I call a superstar line up.

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with Gasulina playing in the background

Growing up as a young girl in our society is not that easy. Culturally, there are expected behaviors a little girl should know but sometimes (or most of the time), these expected behaviors become controlling factors in our decisions in life. As we all know, different socialization agents influence us and mold us to who we are now. Socialization agents are significant people in our lives (or most likely the first individuals who we encounter as a child) such as parents, teachers and peers. Not all the time they are saying the ‘right thing’, but because of normative conditions, sometimes adolescent girls are misinformed and would think that it is the ‘absolute truth’ with no room for change. Read the rest of this entry »

Katrina ”hopia” Legaspi as the voice of “Anna” the vegetarian manananggal  

We were one of the first people who was able to watch Dayo at the big screen. The premier night was held at SM Megamall’s Cinema 10 and was attended also by some members of the cast who rendered their voices to the film such as Peque Gallaga, Nash Aguas and Hopia.

I have been curious about this film ever since we were invited to the studios of Cutting Edge Productions to witness how the animation was being done a few months ago. I appreciated the film more while I was watching the finish product though the studio tour already burst my bubble . Read the rest of this entry »

Karla and I watched this film a few days ago at the Gateway Mall and I could say that it was ok. I really couldn’t say that it’s really good and cannot even compare it to the other “The Mummy” flicks since I haven’t seen the last 2. It was average so to say.

We have already watched 2 Brendan Frasier flicks this past month the other was “The Journey to the Center of the Earth” and comparing the 2 Frasier flicks, I could judge that I like the “Journey” better than the “Mummy 3″. It was much funnier. The only scene that I actually laughed in “The Mummy 3″ was when the dead skeletons were attaching each other’s body parts that fell while battling the terracotta warriors. I also enjoyed the fact that I am seeing Beijing, China one more time. It made me reminisce the time when I was at the Great Wall and seeing the actual terracotta warriors in Xian, China.

Last night Karla and I decided to watch a movie since it was drizzling outside. We first ate dinner in Tong Yang ( a good time for Shabu-Shabu!) and then headed off to the cinemas in SM Megamall. By the way it’s my first time to watch a movie there. I was amazed because the theater was so big. Hehe. We decided to watch this movie since we planned on watching it while we saw the movie trailer. Read the rest of this entry »

( Daddy Maps aka. Diego Mapa on vocals)

Pedicab has just launched their sophomore album entitled “Shinji Ilabas mo na Ang Helicopter” outside the Pablo Gallery in Cubao Expo ( formerly Marikina Shoe Expo) last night. I woke up early for this event even though I have a shift at 1 am just to be able to attend this super anticipated gig! I was with my rocker *ehem* Karla last night and we had one hell of a night. We actually arrived past 8 pm ( since it was being advertised in NU 107.5 that the gig will start at 8 pm). It’s better to be early than be late. Well it paid off because we were right infront of the band. This is advantageous for Karla so that she could take pictures of the band performing. Read the rest of this entry »

I have just finished reading Sarah Waters’ “Tipping the Velvet”. Actually this has been long overdue since I started reading that i think late December. Let me give you a little background about the author and the story.

Sarah Waters is a known lesbian author born in Neyland, Pembrokeshire in 1966. “Tipping the Velvet” is actually her first novel that she published in 1999. The story was inspired by her PhD thesis about lesbian historical fiction.** Read the rest of this entry »

Rome and Juliet, sa mga hindi nakakaalam nito ay marahil ay sasabihin na may typo error na nangyari. Hindi po, hindi po nito itinutukoy ang Romeo and Juliet na isinulat ni William Shakespeare. Ito po ay isang Pelikulang Pilipinong nagsasalaysay sa pag-uulayaw ng dalawang babaeng nag-iibigan at paglaya ng sari-sariling kasarian. Sa titulo nito, naipakita na kaagad ang pagbaklas sa heterosekswal na ‘taken for granted reality’ nito nagpapatungkol sa bawal na pag-iibigan ng dalawang nilalang na heterosekswal. Kaya naman sa pelikulang ito, angkop na tawagin itong Rome and Juliet upang magpatungkol sa bawal na pag-iibigan ngunit ang pinagkaiba nga lamang nila kay Romeo at Juliet ay mas malalaking institusyon ng lipunan ang kalaban nina Rome at Juliet ( ang pamilya, ekonomiya, relihiyon, at marami pang iba) kaysa kina Romeo at Juliet na tila pang-personal na isyu lamang ang kanilang tinatalakay.Sa aking palagay naging epektibo ang paggamit ng titulong ito. Sisimulan ko muna sa iilang mga elemento nito at palalawigin sa pamamagitan ng mga isyu na nakapaloob o kaya naman ang mga naitulong nito sa pagpapalalim ng palikula. Ipagpaumanhin ninyo na hindi ako isang eksperto sa mga elementong ito ngunit ito lamang ay batay sa aking natutunan sa aking film 10 na klase sa ilalim ng pagtuturo ni Prop. Roland Tolentino at Art Stud 177 kay Prop. Eloi Hernandez. Bagamat may 7 ( o mahigit pa ata) na mga elemento ng pelikula, hindi ko tatalakayin ang lahat ng ito dahil ang mga lumitaw lamang na nakatulong sa pagdevelop ng kwento ang tatalakayin ko. Ang uunahin ko munang elemento ay ang tunog. Nais kong bigyan ng komendasyon ang musikang ginamit dahil naging epektibo ito sa pagpapakita ng emosyon. Ang pinakapaborito ko marahil ay ang kanta na paulit-ulit na naging matingkad sa pelikula, ang kantang isinulat ni Raimund Marasigan ng bandang Sandwich ( na dating drummer ng Eraserheads). Hindi ko sigurado ang titulo nito marahil ay “Sasamahan kita” (?) ang titulo nito, yun lamang ang naiisip kong maaaring maging titulo nito. Naging matingkad ang paggamit nito noong sila’y nagiging magkalapit na. At pinatugtog ang kahabaan ng kanta sa kanilang ‘love scene’ na lalong nagbigay ng buhay sa mga lyrics nito.Hindi ko maalala ang mga lyrics ngunit ang paulit ulit na sinasambit ng kantang ito ay ’sasamahan kita’. Sa mga salitang ito umiikot ang pagsasama nina Rome and Juliet. Ganito marahil ipinahiwatig ng manunulat ng kanta ang relasyong lesbiyana. Sina Rome at Juliet ay nagsimula bilang magkaibigan hanggang sa nagkahulugan ng loob na mahigit pa sa pagkakaibigan. Gustong ipahiwatig nito na “Sasamahan kita. Kahit na anu pa man ang mangyari, nandito lang ako. Tayo man o hindi. Basta mahal kita. Seryoso ako. ” Yon ang gustong sabihin ng kanta.Sa elemento naman ng pag-arte, naging epektibo sina Mylene Dizon at Andrea del Rosario sa pagganap ng dalawang ’straight’ na babae na sa kalaunan ay nagkaibigan. Kilala naman si Mylene Dizon sa kanyang background bilang isang babaeng ‘independent’ mag-isip, liberal etc. Si Andrea del Rosario naman ay bagamat pa-seksi ang kaniyang imahe eh may natatagong konserbatibismo; maaaring nakahubog nito sa kanya ay ang kanyang pagiging mag-aaral ng isang katolikong paaralan. Sa karakter ng dalawang babaeng ito makikita ang dualismo na isinasakatawan ng babae. Ang babaeng palaban at ang babaeng ‘tradisyonal’. Unahin muna nating ang babaeng tinatawag na tradisyunal. Sabi nga na ang babae ay dapat sumunod na lamang sa lalake, pinapangarap lang sa buong mundo ay makasal at iyon na para bang yun lamang ang dapat abangan sa buong buhay niya, ang magkaroon ng mga anak, atpb. Alam niyo na iyon, marahil. Isang simbolo nito na mula sa pelikula ay ang pantali sa buhog na palaging ibinibigay sa kanya ng kanyang kasintahan na si Rafael Rosel. Ang panali na ito ay sumisimbolo ng pagsunod sa ‘norm’. SA kabilang banda, ang palaban naman na babae ay malamang kabaligtaran ng tradisyunal: nag-iisip ng kanyang sariling kapakanan, hindi nagpapa-ander sa mga lalake, praktikal, ginagamit ang isip hindi ang puso atbp. Isang simbolismong maaaring magpakita dito ay ang eksenang nakikipagtalik siya sa kaibigan niya na Australianong lalake (? hindi sigurado). Siya ang nasa ibabaw samantalang ang lalake ay nasa ilalim at pagkatapos makaraos ni Juliet ay iniwanan na lamang ito sa sofa.Bagamat nais ipakita ng pelikula ang dualismong ito, hindi mo parin maikakatuwa na nag-ooverlap din ang tradisyunal at ang palaban na katangian sa isang karakter o kahit sa tunay na buhay. Si Rome, sa una ay palaban na palaban ang ipinapakita ngunit, nagpakita din ng sensibilidad. Nakita ito sa pagiging matigas ni Rome sa pagpaparaya kay Juliet dahil alam niyang nakasira siya ng relasyon. Matigas siya sa lahat ng bagay, perfectionist ngunit pagdating kay Juliet ay lumalambot. Lumambot ito nang siya’y nagdesisyon na gamitin ang kanyang puso at sumama kay Juliet. Si Juliet naman ay kahit na mukhang konserbatibo, may itinatago din palang pagiging palaban. Makikita naman sa pelikula na ayaw din ni Juliet na sumunod makikita ito sa simbolismo ng panali. Nagtatali lamang siya kapag kasama ang kanyang kasintahan kapag wala ay nilulugay niya lang ang kanyang buhok at lalu na kapag kasama niya si Rome talagang lugay lang ang kanyang buhok. Sumisimbolo ito ng kalayaan sa ‘norm’ na itinatawag. Sa dalawang karakter pa lamang ng dalawang babaeng ito, kahit na dualismo ng pagiging babae ang nais ipakita, sa bandang huli magkakaroon parin ng pagkakatagpo sa gitna. Maaaring may pagkakataon na gusto mo lang maging palaban may pagkakataon din na gusto mo ding maging malambot. Nagbabago ang lahat. ( abangan ang susunod na kabanata…)