Firestarter

After the Pedicab hype, Im back with another blog. This one is a bit different from my previous posts, but it has something to do with my "passion", so to speak.

I asked my friends if we could try visiting this "hub" located within the bounds of Marikina Shoe Expo. It is called Cubao X, a vintage-inspired artsy village amidst the leather boots, shoes, and foot accessories. It was around eight when we arrived and most of the shops were closed, but we could still see a glimpse of what each has to offer. Since we are self-proclaimed "appreciators" of art, whether about music or visuals, this is definitely the place to be.

Its almost dinner time and we were feeling hungry. At the heart of the district lies a rather classic Italian restaurant. We checked it out and surprisingly, we all loved it! No second thoughts or whatever, its just pure delight and fancy for art’s sake… and for the love of food also. The restaurant is Bellini’s, and it was named after its owner. I remember watching an episode of Strangebrew that featured this fancy restaurant, and I ended up laughing my heart out. :)   

The sleek, laid-back interiors captivated me and my friends. You get a homey feeling without the intimidation. Focus your eyes on the ceiling which is handpainted with some of Italy’s fine sceneries. It will take your senses to Venice, or in Rome, as if dining al fresco. Bellisimo! Plus the warm reception of Mr Bellini himself, who actually takes his time out to go to each table, entertain, converse, and make sure the guests are having a good time.

He said we should try their lasagna, for it is one of their signature dishes. Since most of the items listed on the menu were Italian, we were a bit overwhelmed with a variety of dishes they can offer. We asked him which seafood dish can go with that. He was very keen on asking. Long or short pasta? Red or white sauce? So we all agreed on penne with red clam sauce. And a hearty serving of Bellini’s pizza. The dishes come in reasonable portions, some are good for sharing. Everything was scrumptious, the pasta was cooked al dente, the red sauce is not too overpowering or too sour, and the pizza crust was comparable to pita bread. And there is still room for dessert. We were supposed to have Gelatto, the famous creamy ice cream, but the waiter informed us that it was not available. We settled on Panna Cota (Italian creme brulee), Tiramisu (the layered coffee cake) and Tartuffo (smooth vanilla ice cream with almonds). As soon as the desserts were served, we indulged on the petite Panna Cota, and in a matter of seconds, it was gone! We just laughed out how delicious the dish was that it barely had time to let it stand.

After a hearty meal we were giddy and almost ecstatic. Somehow, the food bewitched us, or in the vernacular, na-gayuma. We were just talking about happy things, our plans this christmas, our desire to come back, our future continental restaurant escapades, (we hope to try Greek, German, French, Mediterranean) etc etc.. while staring at the hand painted walls and interiors. Mr Bellini was humming a familiar Italian tune "Tu A Valo Americano" next to our table and a literary genius was on the other table making her exit. Who’s that girl? Well it just happens to be Jessica Zafra…  :b But seriously, it was a fantabilous meal, a meal that can satisfy not only a hungry stomach, but also a food for the soul!

Stuffed and satisfied gastronomically, we stook a stroll down the vilage. Sayang, it would have been better if we were able to see some collectible vintage items like Juan Dela Cruz Vinyl records or 70’s political books, clothes, bags, and popular goodies reminiscent of that period. There was an electro-punk rock band playing at Chunkee Fire Flung, while the rest of the shops were sleeping. At Pablo’s, Sab mentioned they are conducting a film workshop under Sinelab. Well, we can always go back to Cubao…

These are just some of the reasons why you ought to love Cubao, despite of its repuation as a haven for gangsters and holduppers… and pimps too!

If you were reading (or religiously following) my blogs, especially the last one I posted, I mentioned that Trish invited me to take part in The First Set and the band that I chose to play was Pedicab! Well, this is the moment I have been waiting for! Finally!

What: The First Set featuring Pedicab!

When: October 14, 2006

Where: NU booth, AIC Gold Tower

Who: Daddy_Maps (Diego Mapa) on vocals, J_Sonic (Jason Caballa) on guitars, Masterbeat (Mike Dizon) on drums, and The_Sugar_Raims (Raimund Marasigan) on synthesizers, Trish, the head honcho and John (a.k.a. silent_alarm), the co-pilot/ guest… and Paul, the photographer/ assistant to mike dizon ! (ayus!)

Here is a part and parcel of the interview (as far as I can remember) if in case you were not able to listen yesterday morning

Trish: "Good morning and as promised, we have here on the booth Pedicab for the First Set… but before anything else let me just introduce to you my co-host, His name is John, all the way from Laguna..why don’t you go ahead and introduce yourself John?…"

John: Hi..um.. Im John.. Im from Laguna (laughs)..um.um..(lost for words, stunned, dumbfounded)

Trish: and when I grow up I wanto to be blah blah blah so on and so forth (laughs)

Trish: You guys! How has it been after winning best new artist last year at the NU rock awards, which unfortunately diego here was unable to accept the award since he has some important matters to attend to..?

Diego: yeah yeah some important matters

J Sonic:It feels great, after that, we had a lot of gigs here and abroad, we had one in Hong Kong and in Switzerland…

Trish: And you started the "disco punk" style of music, which obviously something unique and fresh to the ears of our listeners…

Diego: Yup! And I heard a local band who’s also into disco punk, matagal na rin yun, before we started playing (I forgot the name..)

John: At least there is a variety of tunes people can listen to…

Raims: Ay hindi naman variety, kasi ayaw namin ma-label as "show bands" pangit yung term na variety, kasi kung ano yung tinutugtog namin, yung disco punk talaga, wala ng iba…

Raims: Whats your Pedicab name, John?

John: Mine is silent alarm (Laughs… everybody laughs and hoots) it was taken from bloc party’s debut album

Raims and J! Sonic: asus! hehehehe

Trish: Before we pause for a commercial break let’s listen to….

J Sonic: Lets ask John what he wants… John: Dito tayo sa dilim (track #3 from their debut album- Tugish Takish)

(Band Playing……)

COMERCIAL BREAK- Off air J Sonic asked if they can play “Ang Kailangan”… he stayed there practicing with his guitar while the three boys went out to have some coffee.

Trish commented: “Im so out of my job John! OK ka!”

Raims: Dapat ganyan!

Diego: Onga dapat ganyan! Parang nakita na kita?

John: Sa admit one gig nag perform Cambio

Diego: Ah yung sa Saguijo! Ok! Astig!

On Air

John: Can I hear “Giving and Receiving”

J Sonic: Mataas kasi yun Diego: Mahirap kantahin sa umaga, iba na lang…

John: Ok “Ang Kailangan” ok lang? (Band Playing…)

Trish: Tell us more about your gigs abroad…Where was that? In Switzerland?

Diego: Yeah! Kasi si RA member siya ng isang NGO and he makes videos for that org, so its for a cause, tsaka yung sa HongKong as part of the WTO movement kasama rin Sago (Radioactive Sago project), dapat nga meron kami sa Bangkok, kaso may coup daw

John: And how about RA? Does he play any instrument or he just concentrates on making the videos for the band?

Raims: Ay si RA, tumutugtog yun, pine-play nya yung play station minsan sa isang gig namin as an effect, tapos pati triangle sa sago (laughs….) deh, si RA bahala para maging artsy yung performances namin…

Trish: Ah I see… so I have a question… let’s take a trip down memory lane, that time when you were just starting to form the band… how did you guys come together and decided na “hey let’s go and make music”

J! Sonic: Actually, it was an admit one production, si mappy and raims, they’re from Cambio, then ako Twisted Halo.. so parang coincidence na rin, dun na nagstart….

Masterbeat: (butts in) Tapos sumali na rin ako..so after that, we started rehearsing and finally we came up with an album na disco punk yung style.

Trish: And you are up for the “Best Live Act” in this year’s rock awards diba, plus a whole lot of nominations… galling!

Diego: yeah yeah.. but we’re not expecting to win…GUYSH GUYSH diba?

Diego : GUYSH GUYSH! (Laughs and giggles)

Raims: Deh we came from a corporate event kagabi, sa Makati, kaya ganyan siya (pertaining to the “socialites”who were there at the event)

Trish: Let’s play the next song shall we….

John: I’d like to hear Konti na Lang… (Band playing. me and Trish singing along… with handclaps in the middle of the song)

COMMERCIAL BREAK

On air

Trish: I will give John, my co-host, a chance to ask some questions to Pedicab, so here he is…

John: (Pauses) What’s your favorite breakfast item?

Diego: Me I usually have eggs yun lang (Mappy is a.k.a.-Eggboi)

J! Sonic and Masterbeat: Ako rin eggs

Raims: Depende kasi sa mood eh minsan extra special, pero yung gusto ko, yung burger na nabibili sa airport yun, kaw silent_alarm, wats ur favorite breakfast?

John: I don’t usually eat breakfast eh!

Pedicab and Trish: (Laughs so hard) hehehehehehe (they were probably thinking “whats the point in asking the question anyway?….)

John: hehe pero ako din, eggs and toast siguro

Raims: May gusto ka pa ba itanong John?

John: Eto na lang… if you were an ice cream, what flavor would you be..?

Diego: ako siguro…. Dirty ice cream (laughs)…the rest were also laughing….

Trish: Before we get “dirty” with your dirty ice cream, Diego, why don’t we just play another song, shall we?

Diego: GUYSH GUSH LETSH PLAY na lang next song…

J! Sonic: Ok John sige..

John: Let’s hear Dizzy Boy- Track#1 (Band Playing)

COMMERCIAL BREAK

On air

Trish: Ok John why don’t you read some questions from the our listeners

John: Ok let’s read the messages from the textline (The text messages are flowing in as they are read in the screen monitor)

Raims: No, gusto ko si John lang magtatanong (everyone’s laughing)….

John: Hahahaha…. Ok, so do you like kids?

Raims: Baka ibang ibig sabihin nyan, mala-Michael Jackson na meaning ha? Baka ma-MTRCB tayo…

John: I mean do you play with kids?

Pedicab: (Laughs again boisteriously) hahahaahaha- (green minded!)

Diego: Kasi ako I have a kid na rin, and Raims has a daughter din, so we give quality time for our kids..

Trish: So more or less, we know how old is your kid then since you were busy last year that u did not make it to the Rock awards last year,and his birthday din

Diego: Yun nga yung reason why I was not able to come last year…

John: Have you been invited to a children’s party to play?

Raims: hindi pwede banda sa mga children’s party eh. Pero we were invited once sa isang debut…

John: What was the biggest performance you had so far?

Diego: The one in Araneta, the most recent one…

Trish: Was that the Penshoppe thing? So did you strut the runway?

Raims: Si Mappy lang yung nag-strut… we provided music for the event….

Diego: They dressed us up for the event diba GUYSH GUYSH (laughs)?

Raims: Pati yung sa Pulp Summer Slam…and yung sa HONG KONG arena (hahahahaha)

Trish: You have a new song that’s on Stairway to Seven.. Why bleached Streaks?

Diego: Ahh, kasi that time when I was writing that song, parang everyone had their hair bleached with high lights and all, kasi ako rin nagpa-kulay non, so that’s why Bleached streaks…

Trish: Are you guys planning to release a follow up album?

Raims: Matagal pa siguro kasi we’re still in the song writing process

J! Sonic: Meron na mga around 10 songs na pwede na i-recored pero gusto naming something different…

Raims: Pwede siguro may theme yung album para iba ang i-expect ng mga tao…

Trish: (Gave me a note)

John: Please invite them to your gigs

Diego: Later at 12 am Saguijo revolver.. etc..etc…

John: Yahoo groups? Friendster account?

Diego: You can log on to Pedicab-Padyak@yahoogroups.com for more updates and our gig skeds.. Also support other local bands like Cambio Monsterbot… maraming magagaling na bands…

John: How can they contact you for band booking and reservation?

Diego: Our road manager, L.T. is here, you can contact her at…

Trish: Thank you very much Pedicab for guesting on the show… Thank you very much John for coming, and your friend too….it has been a wonderful time spending an hour with you…

Raims: Thank you John aka Silent alarm… asus! Hahahahaha

Diego: Astig! Silent alarm, the debut album by bloc party is…(hahahahaha)

Trish: Once again, this has been Trish with my co-host John, leaving you with another song by Pedicab, Blessed be! Keep it locked in to the home of NUrock…. this is NU 107 on the First Set live with Pedicab

John: Can I hear “Sagot kita”

Raims: Wala ba yung mas bago?

John: Oh, I know, that song you played in HongKong

Diego: The title of this song is Pa-Taste Naman (Band playing)

Diego: ano last song?

J Sonic and Me: Bleached Streaks diba?

Raims; ah tama!

(Band playing….and the bleep part “Fuck it” was replaced with laughs)

End of the Set

To be continued….