ANIKANIK || onebighappymess

It’s been a while since I sat down and read a book. I have all my books stacked in my messy shelf above my computer, but never really paid any attention to them recently. Normally I’d blame my busy schedule, but let’s face it, I’ve just been really lazy. It’s just now upon Cheekie’s goading that I re-read Nick Hornby’s 31 Songs again, after leaving it half-read for almost a year since I bought it. It turns out we both love Nick Hornby, our first book of his being High Fidelity. This discovery was made during lunch hour while I was smoking and she inhaling the second-hand smoke (yes, she really is a good friend). And then I realized that forgetting to read your books, or simply becoming lazy to do so, is just as nasty a habit as chainsmoking.

So now I’m re-reading this non-fiction by Nick Hornby. 31 Songs is a collection of essays about his favorite music, and of course I wasn’t able to put it down since, save for this moment as I’m typing this and Youtube-ing Smoke by Ben Folds. This song is really the whole point of this entry. I’m currently on page 90, where Hornby is explaining why he loves the song—the brilliance of the lyrics primarily.

“‘Smoke’ is one of the cleverest, wisest songs about the slow death of a relationship that I know… the heartbreaking thing about Folds’s song is that it manages simultaneously to convey both the narrator’s desperation and the impossibility of a happy outcome.

In ‘Smoke’, the central conceit is that the relationship is a book, and so its unhappy recent history, the narrator wants to believe, can be destroyed by burning it page by page, until ‘all the things we’ve written in it never really happened’… Wiping the slate clean is the fantasy of anyone who has ever got into a mess with a partner, and the metaphor is witty enough and rich enough to seduce us into thinking just for a moment that in this case it might be possible, but the music here, a mournful waltz, tells a different story.

‘Smoke’ is, I think, lyrically perfect, clever, and sad and neat… it’s also one of the very few songs that is thoughtful about the process of love, rather than the object or the subject. And it was a constant companion during the end (the long, drawn-out end) of my marriage, and it made sense then, and it still makes sense now. You can’t ask much more of a song than that.”

I have that song dwelling in my Ipod as soon as I first read 31 Songs. I must admit that I was intrigued by what I read, and it’s true—the effect of that song the first time I heard it is still the same as of this moment. It’s the type of song that will make you press the rewind button as soon as the track bar is slowly starting to hit the closing lines, I myself must have played it atleast 10 times since I began listening to it this evening. It’s quite addicting in the sense that you want to savor every line of the lyrics, thus you want to keep listening to it. It’s emotional without being EMO, but perhaps “honest” would be a more apt term. And Hornby was right about it being clever and neat, its lyrics and melody gave out a new take about a dying relationship, and I haven’t heard anything like that from a pop song.

Excuse my lengthy introduction, just let me share this video I found on Youtube. This is Ben Folds performing Smoke with Western Australian Symphony Orchestra. This collaboration made the song even more amazing. :)

Upon Bimbo’s recommendation, I gave +/- (Plus/Minus) a listen, and loved their music instantly. I’ve been listening to a lot of electronic-indie-rock/pop music lately, and Plus/Minus fits exactly right in my current playlist. So a big woot that they are going to play here along with other famous local bands (Up Dharma Down, Taken by Cars and Ang Bandang Shirley to name a few. I’m really excited to hear them live. :)

Here’s the sched I nabbed from their site.

november 07, 2008
trinoma park (quezon city, philippines)
w/ ang bandang shirley and up dharma down (semi-acoustic day show 5pm)

november 07, 2008
warehouse 135 (makati city, philippines)
w/ versus (solo), ang bandang shirley, ciudad, and taken by cars

november 08, 2008
mag:net bonifacio high st. (makati city, philippines)
w/ versus (solo), us-2 evil-0 and boldstar

Wee! Taralets taralets!

Third Eye Blind also played Motorcycle Drive By during their one-night concert for the San Miguel Oktoberfest Kickoff 2008 in Manila. :)

September 5 2008. Third Eye Blind played Deep Inside of You during their one-night concert for the San Miguel Oktoberfest Kickoff
2008 in Manila. :)

It was Third Eye Blind’s first time in the Philippines.

I finally succumbed to temptation and got myself one of those pricey golden tickets just to see Third Eye Blind live for San Miguel Oktoberfest 2008 Kick off. They’re one of my all-time favorite bands, so it would simply be madness if I let this opportunity slip by. Third Eye Blind’s self-titled debut album was the first cassette tape I owned, and I absolutely love every song in that album, walang latak, as they say (I think I was in fourth grade at that time). It felt very surreal when I first learned that their concert would be in Ortigas, just right infront of our office building. I could even see the stage outside the office window from my seat as it was being set up, and I took that as a sign from the mighty heavens that I had to buy a VIP ticket and see them live.

I have to admit that Stephan Jenkins isn’t the same as a decade ago, but who cares. Song after song I was reliving my childhood moments, especially upon their opening song–Losing A Whole Year. Instantly I remembered those adolescent years of being alone in my room with the radio on full blast, while singing along with the lyrics, and knowing I was entering a new phase of my “music” life–the 90’s grunge era. I trashed any likings to boy or girl bands, and started collecting cassette tapes of other rock bands/musicians.

Earlier that evening, way before the event started, it pained me a great deal upon learning of a few people who got passes for free but didn’t even know who the band really is. “What were their songs again?” was probably the most excruciating question that was ever asked of me. So I decided to hell with the money and bought myself a VIP pass. Third Eye Blind is more than Semi-Charmed Life.

That 3eb concert really brought out the fangirl in me. Haha. :)

Mitch and me

Stephan playing Deep Inside of You

Third Eye Blind playing Losing A Whole Year

and Jumper, both hits from their first album

The enthusiastic crowd obviously miss their songs, which were topbreaking hits during the 90s.

Stephan’s final bow after two encores. Hehe

More photos in my Flickr account :)

Article taken from http://www.rakista.com/viewtopic.php?f=923&t=27803

On September 5, no other than popular American alternative rock band Third Eye Blind will join Filipinos in welcoming San Miguel Oktoberfest, said to be the biggest, grandest, “fiesta ng Barkada” in the country to date.

Third Eye Blind, known for its hits Semi-Charmed Life, Graduate, Losing a Whole Year, Jumper and How’s It Going to Be, will be the highlight of more than 40 of the hottest bands that will play nationwide during the simultaneous opening celebrations of this year’s San Miguel Oktoberfest in Ortigas, Cebu, Iloilo, Davao and Laguna.

“Our Filipino patrons, young and old alike, only deserve world-class entertainment from a world-class beer like San Miguel Pale Pilsen.This year’s Oktoberfest is our special way of making the world know that the Philippines is not just a beer drinking country but a country that values and nourishes friendships like no other,” explains Group Brand Manager San Miguel Beer, Charmaine C. Bautista.

Along the stretch of San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas, four stages will be set up to showcase different music genres where merrymakers can choose to watch live performances of pop, reggae, acoustic and alternative music.

Over 40 bands, including Third Eye Blind plus some of the biggest names in the local music industry like, Rivermaya, The Dawn, Afterimage, Nyoy Volante, Paolo Santos, Jimmy Bondoc, Nina, Rico Blanco, Reggae Mistress, Guarana will set the mood for partying at the San Miguel Avenue during the opening party.

To heighten the excitement, San Miguel Pale Pilsen will also bring its well-loved sports personalities to interact with the crowd in the “Beat the Champs” corner. Partygoers will be given the chance to play face-to-face with Efren Bata Reyes and PBA hardcourt stars, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that sports aficionados can’t afford to miss.

What makes San Miguel Oktoberfest, this year extended to 120 days, larger-than-life is not just the opportunity to outscore sports giants but the collective desire to break world records.

“This year’s Oktoberfest is also an attempt for the Philippines to make it to the Guinness World Records. We are looking at garnering the highest number of beer-toasting crowd and having the longest bar. We invite every Filipino to make our country proud and be part of history” adds Charmaine C. Bautista.

Simultaneously in the provinces, Brownman Revival, Itchyworms, Kamikazee, Parokya ni Edgar and Sugarfree will lead the kick off in Mactan Economic Zone 1, Lapu-Lapu City (Cebu), Capitol Grounds, Iznart Street (Iloilo); Victoria Plaza Parking Lot, JP Laurel, Bajada (Davao); R. Magsaysay Drive, East Tapinac (Olongapo) and Paseo de Sta. Rosa Activity Center (Laguna), respectively.

San Miguel Oktoberfest is supported by the Department of Tourism, Converse, Toshiba, Focus Media, Cricket Lighters, and San Miguel Properties Inc. residential developments Bel Aldea and Maravilla.

Limited edition San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer to be unveiled
San Miguel Pale Pilsen’s 2008 Oktoberfest celebration, set to become the biggest, grandest, and longest in the world, will be made even more unique with the grand unveiling of a limited edition San Miguel Oktoberfest brew.

San Miguel Brewery Inc., the company behind the 118-year old, iconic Philippine brew, will release limited numbers of San Miguel Oktoberfest Beer, to show merrymakers a different facet of SMB.

Exclusively brewed for this year’s 120-day celebration of one of the world’s most famous festivals, the limited edition beer will be a pale lager with malty notes, balanced with floral and citrussy hops.

Made of 100% malt, it promises to be full-flavored yet light-bodied, sweetish in taste, and smooth on the finish. It is a refreshing and satisfying beer without the inebriating effect of alcohol.

This once-in-a-lifetime brew will make its debut at the grand kick-off of San Miguel Oktoberfest on September 5, at a special venue at the Coyuito parking lot, along San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas, Mandaluyong City, in front of the San Miguel head office complex, Gate 1.

The event itself promises to be one for the record books as San Miguel Pale Pilsen attempts to set two Guinness World Records for the Philippines: for the biggest beer-toasting crowd ever, and the longest beer bar.

Be a part of San Miguel Oktoberfest history and get a chance to land in the Guinness World Records—while enjoying great music, great company, and the unique flavor of a truly great beer: Come to the San Miguel Oktoberfest Siento Bente, a celebration certified to be walang katulad!

Buy your OKTOBERFEST tickets in advance!
This year, as we celebrate a quarter of a century of San Miguel Oktoberfest, we will be serving up fun and friendship to the barkada over 120 days beginning September 5 (Friday). The SAN MIGUEL OKTOBERFEST SIENTO BENTE is the grandest and biggest party of the year with a bid for Guinness World Records for the longest beer bar and the most number of people toasting.
Plus! A lineup of exciting events:

> Parade of floats, dancers and musician to open the event at 2pm
> Grand fireworks display to kick off the night activities at 9pm
> Beat the Champs game in boxing, billiards and basketball
> Jam with your favorite local Filipino bands (all 20 of them!)
> Watch THIRD EYE BLIND Live in concert
> Be part of the team to beat the Guinness World Record
> Be the first to taste the San Miguel Oktoberfest Brew in the Special Oktoberfest Marquee

General Admission (Longest Bar) Ticket
Longest Bar Venue: Php 120.00 per head inclusive of 2 San Miguel Pale Pilsens

Note! A General Admission Ticket gains entrance to the longest beer bar section along San Miguel and Julio Vargas avenue ONLY to be able to watch the events happening in any of the four (4) stages and take part in the numerous booths, games & activities in the main area. Entrances are at the intersection of Julio Vargas Avenue & St. Francis Road and intersection of San Miguel Avenue & Lourdes Drive. Tickets to enter the Special Viewing Section for the ThirdEyeBlind concert and Special Oktoberfest Marquee sections are sold separately.

Special Oktoberfest Marquee Ticket > SOLD OUT!
Oktoberfest Beer Marquee: Php 300.00 per head inclusive of 3 San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers & food

Note!: A Special Oktoberfest Marquee Ticket gains entrance to the air-conditioned tent and longest beer bar section along San Miguel and Julio Vargas avenue. The Special Oktoberfest Marquee Section is located at the Coyiuto Parking Area along San Miguel Avenue beside Metrobank & in front of the main gate of San Miguel Corporation Head Office Complex’s Gate 1. Tickets to enter the Special Viewing Section for the ThirdEyeBlind concert are sold separately.

Gold Ticket
Special Viewing Section: Php 1,500.00 per head inclusive of 2 San Miguel Pale Pilsens at General Admission Section and 3 San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers & food at the Special Oktoberfest Marquee Section

Note!: A Gold Ticket gives access to the privilege few to a Special Viewing Section to be the closest to watch ThirdEyeBlind perform live. In addition, the Gold Ticket gives access to all other sections specifically the Special Oktoberfest Marquee with three (3) San Miguel Oktoberfest Beers plus food and the General Admission (Longest Bar) Area with two (2) San Miguel Pale Pilsens.

The following group packages are also available:

Oktoberfest Package 1:Php 6,000.00
General Admission tickets x 52 pcs.
(Longest Bar)

Oktoberfest Package 2: Php 10,000.00
General Admission tickets x 105 pcs.
(Longest Bar)

Oktoberfest Package 3: Php 15,000.00
General Admission tickets x 150 pcs.
(Longest Bar)

Buy these tickets now to be assured entry to the biggest, grandest San Miguel Oktoberfest. Contact Ms. Angie Carlos at 632-2218 and/ or email at acarlos@smg.sanmiguel.com.ph.

Song at the moment. :)

An Invitation
Meet me after dark
We’ll go against the weather
We’ll fight, well they can’t decide for us
Their minds are cynical
Their ordinary eyes can’t see through it all

Don’t be afraid cuz I’m here
Meet me half-way, I got you now
I got you now

Cuz when we go just so you know
I’ll be right here to carry you
Erase the traces
Restart everything, everything new
With wounds to mend
Hearts break but it can rebuild again

It’s safe to let go I’m right here with you
It’s you trust that I need to believe
That I’m not in this thing alone
Would you run away with me if It’s tonight?
Leave everything behind
Come on, come on

I got you now.

Have a listen. Download this song.

Can’t get this song out of my brain. I keep playing it over and over for the last two days. The perfect “come elope with me” song. Haha.

Urbandub is one of the few local bands I listen to the most (I have all their albums). Their new one, Under Southern Lights is starting to grow on me, though I still like Influence the best.