Posted on September 06, 2026by creeper with No comments
What do I listen to these days? In 2026, I still find myself listening to indie OPM bands. My prediction is that these will be my top songs on Spotify. Some of the songs here are not new, but I just can't last a day without listening to them.
1) "Lasik" by Hey June - "Shit, nasaan aking salamin?" is so iconic for someone like me who wears glasses. I've seen Hey June! perform live, and I must say they have incredible energy and stage presence that not all of the newer bands have. The bassist's charm is undeniable, with her red hair and a personality that lights up the stage.
2) "Kabisado" by IV of Spades — I may not be a fan of the band, but I really like this song. At first, I thought this was a Rico Blanco song, though I know that the members are heavily influenced by Rico, and it really shows in this track. The vocals and the lyrics are really like classic Rico Blanco writing—witty, poetic, and instantly recognizable.
3) Pag-Ibig ay Kanibalismo II by Fitterkarma - A millennial like me adores this Gen Z song, haha. But what is not to like with the clever rhyming lines and funny lyrics like "Mag do-droga tayo, kimi lang bawal 'yun", and of course, the bridge: "Kanibalismo, 'di ka matiisKapag inalis mo, ika’y mami-miss'Di nagmamalinis, oh, ika'y mami-miss"
4) Bakasyon by Carousel Casualties- When I listen to this, I see myself on vacation, wandering down a street in New York or walking through green fields with someone, in my head. The music just creates its own movie scenes, making ordinary moments feel cinematic and sweet.
5) Umaasa by Calein- s a profoundly nostalgic and heartbreaking track that captures the universal pain of longing and holding on to a love that has already passed.It has simple lyrics with a great melody that makes it easy to listen to.
When a political rally turns into a big pink concert, OPM bands are a staple so people can be entertained while fighting for their beliefs at the same time.
When Vice President Leni Robredo started her campaign, Rivermaya was the first band to step up and help out for free. They always sang "Liwanag sa Dilim," which aptly encapsulated VP Leni's role in the upcoming elections.
I've seen Rivermaya's current lineup perform. Nathan Azarcon, Mark Escueta, and Mike Elgar took turns singing their anthems. They may not have the strong vocal prowess of their previous lead vocalists, but they give a livelier energy to the songs. So when they played "Liwanag sa Dilim" right after VP Leni finished her speech in Naga, I can say it still gave me goosebumps.
After a couple of sorties, Ely Buendia joined VP's rally. I'd say he and Rivermaya paved the way for artists to make a bold stand for their political beliefs. Of course, Ely is still at the top of the list when you ask who the idol of today's OPM bands is. He is still incredibly influential. After he performed at the Iloilo sortie—which was one for the books, I must say—so many other bands followed in his footsteps.
Mayonnaise, Moonstar88, Gracenote, Ebe Dancel, Itchyworms, Ben&Ben, and Chicosci, just to name a few, followed suit.
Which brings me to Chicosci.
I am a casual listener of the band. I'm not their biggest fan, though checking my previous posts here, I did like Mong Alcaraz. Yeah, my 16-year-old self liked the chinito guitarist. Seeing Miggy's emo demeanor back then didn't really appeal to me as much—I was more of a Yael Yuzon stan, preferring that clean, Atenista look.
But my god, I am 32 now, and the resurgence of me liking these vocalists came back thanks to VP Leni's sorties, haha.
I also realized what makes me like Miggy now is his political stance. I only followed him on Twitter this year because of his tweet about the dictator's son. Chicosci's first gig after two years went viral. Down to their last song, he took time to give a short speech about the upcoming election. He said we should really think about our choices and not just believe everything we see on TikTok. He didn't explicitly name his candidate at first, saying they weren't that kind of band. But midway through their song "Diamond Shotgun," he sang, "Lock and load, Leni, let's go!" He only said it once, and I don't think the audience heard it clearly at the moment, but what was clear was him flashing the "L" sign. The clip went viral, confirming he actually sang "Leni, let's go" instead of "baby, let's go".
And I must say, buti na lang he didn’t stick to his emo sound and look. Also I never thought that he is that vocal about his political stand. I just think he is that cono elitist who is so out of touch. Sorry Miggy! You have that look eh haha same like you can judge if a person is a dds or bbm.
Their Camanava performance was awesome. Miggy hyped the almost gen z crowd. I mean, i am sure majority is not a chicosci fan or doesn’t know their song but he was able to make them jump, shout and sing. Grabe yung energy from both sides. What I love the most is he was able to deliver a powerful message. That we should fight for the country and leader that we deserve.
There’s so much to say about our upcoming election and the rallies that turned into concerts. Having supported and loved OPM rock bands since my high school years, the resurgence of the live music scene gives me hope in this crazy world. I also love that these bands use their platform in the best way they know how: to make people happy and take a stand for their choices. At the end of the day, the music of these OPM bands will stay with us no matter what the outcome will be this coming May.
More than that, we now know the bands who share our political stance: that Marcos is no hero, Marcos Jr. is a joke, and Leni Robredo is our hope.
Posted on November 21, 2021by Fran with No comments
How do you feel when a famous person you look up to suddenly speaks about a controversial topic in our nation? If you share the same thoughts, you’ll be ecstatic. If you have a different view, you’ll be disappointed. Buti na lang it’s the former instead of the latter.
When Ely Buendia was asked about the reunion, he said this:
When I read this, I was a little confused and didn’t know if I should believe he actually tweeted it. I’ve been a fan since God knows when—you can search for Ely here in my blog, and it will bring up hundreds of posts about him. I mean, it’s quite out of character for him to tweet something like this.
Ely is not known to promote a candidate, especially a candidate for President. He is vocal with his ideologies on Twitter, but to be this straightforward and open about his choice for the presidency is unusual,
I know when he tweeted this, the reunion was just a joke—that even if Leni runs, a reunion is quite impossible for now. But I am so happy he said this. It gives me a lot of hope.
And when he actually visited Leni to give her the limited edition Eraserheads vinyl, I was over the moon. It shows that he is really serious about supporting her.
When a person like him speaks up about what’s happening in our country, you know something is seriously wrong and we need to act. He’s incredibly successful—with millions in the bank, he could easily stay quiet and retreat to his ivory tower. But he chose not to. He isn't just singing songs anymore; he's making his voice heard and taking a stand for what he believes is right.
I woke up feeling so excited for the day. I will be watching The xx! OH MY GOD.
I have been watching local bands since college, but most of the time it was at malls where entry was free. I can count on my fingers the times I’ve actually bought tickets to a concert.
This is also the first time I’ll be watching an international act. Well, maybe not actually the first time—I think I’ve caught a few international artists performing in Glorietta or somewhere before, but it wasn’t for anyone I really followed.
Back in 2013, The xx came here. I was really planning to go since the venue was near my office, but it was a Tuesday and it fell on a payroll day, so I couldn’t make it.
Fast forward to 2018: I bought Patron C tickets at the World Trade Center, right near my place. Everything was falling into place—it was a Wednesday, and it wasn’t a payroll day for me.
So, I went alone without eating or bringing a drink. I thought they would sell food at the venue, but no—only beer was available. So there I was, standing near the bleachers on an empty stomach. The show was supposed to start at 8:00 PM, but for some reason, they started 40 minutes late.
They started with “Dangerous.” Though I wasn't familiar with it at first, it was upbeat, loud, and a great way to start the show. Next was "Islands." Finally, a song I knew! I actually got goosebumps. It’s quite different from their newer sound—so simple, yet with such a unique arrangement. It's a song about fully committing oneself to another person. Then came “Say Something Loving,” a song about feeling infatuated with someone while wondering if those feelings are actually real.
Next was “Crystalised.” This was the very first song I ever heard from them. I was sooooo happy and grooving along with the crowd. Oliver gave a short spiel in that incredibly unique voice of his. Before playing “Reunion,” he said: “I can really tell this is going to be a very good one. Thank you so much for being here, it means the world to us, so we’ve done something special. This next song, this is the first time we’ve played it in five years.”
Then came “A Violent Noise,” a song about moments when everything feels like too much and you just need to "silence the noise." That was followed by “I Dare You,” one of their singles—Millie Bobby Brown was actually in the music video! It’s another catchy, upbeat track that just makes you want to move.
Before playing “Performance,” Romy said: “Thank you for singing along with us, that was really beautiful. This next song means a lot to me and I’m gonna be playing it on my own.” Since it’s so special to her, she performed it completely solo. No special effects—just her enchanting voice and guitar.
Next was “Replica,” a powerful duet about either repeating or breaking away from your parents' mistakes. Afterward, Oliver smiled and said, “Can you keep a secret, Manila? You’ve been my favorite on this tour!” I know artists probably say that in every country they visit, but for some reason, I felt like he was telling the truth. No BS!
Then they played “VCR,” which starts with that simple, xylophone-like sound. It was easily one of my favorite performances from their entire set.
Oliver also said, “This is a place where you can leave anything that is causing you pain at home and just enjoy yourself here.” I couldn't help but let my emotions out for a moment. I’ve been going through some stuff, so hearing him say that meant a lot to me.
Jamie wasn’t left out either—he had his own moment when he played “Loud Places” and “Intro.”“On Hold” was no doubt a crowd favorite. I don’t usually like dance music that much, but with that song—and seeing how much the crowd was grooving to it—I couldn’t help but dance right along with them.
Before they played their last song, 'Angels,' Romy ended the show with a lovely speech:
“We are very far away from home, but you’ve made us feel so welcome, and it means a lot to us. I don’t want to repeat myself, but thank you so much. We always want you to know, every time you see us play, that we appreciate each and every single one of you for being here.”
I could see them, but I couldn’t really make out their faces. I loved the light show—every flash matched the beat of the songs perfectly. Romy’s voice is so soft, yet it sounds so pure. At the end, right when she was about to speak, the crowd just erupted in cheers for her.
After the concert, I was completely blown away. I had such a huge concert hangover that I spent the next few days binge-watching their videos, interviews, and anything else I could find about them.
I finally realized why I gravitated toward them so much. They’re often called the shyest band in the UK—they’re introverts, just like me. They don't play overly complex arrangements, which is why their sound remains so beautifully minimal and stripped-down.
There is no doubt that genuine friendship matters when you're in a band. You can see it in the way Oliver looks at Romy and vice versa. When they sing together, it feels as if they’re singing directly to each other.
Without a doubt, this was the best concert I’ve ever been to. Great crowd, fantastic venue, awesome light effects, and a powerful performance by Oliver Sim, Romy Madley Croft, and Jamie xx.Photos grabbed from When In Manila site.
Posted on January 21, 2017by creeper with No comments
For several days, I've been thinking of getting myself a turntable. It's quite an expensive purchase—even vinyl records are expensive. Then I watched Ang Nawawala. I saw how Gibson (the lead character) gets "high" when he listens to his favorite tunes on a turntable, and now I need one ASAP.
Anyway, I've been wanting to watch Ang Nawawala for a while. I already had the movie’s soundtrack, and I liked the songs before, but watching the film gave me a completely different perspective. The story revolves around Gibson, who stopped speaking when he was 10 after an accident occurred that killed his twin brother right before his eyes. Years later, he meets Enid, the cool girl at a local rock show. Imagine dating a guy who doesn't speak, deeply enjoys music, and has a heavy, serious outlook on life.
I wrote here before that I loved the scene in Starting Over Again (or The Breakup Playlist) where Piolo Pascual and Sarah Geronimo talked using album titles while at a CD store. I used to wonder where they got that idea, or which film did it first. It seems Ang Nawawala did it first—well, maybe not first, but whatever! Hehe. I especially love the scene where Gibson and Enid just quietly listen to old music together. Silence can really mean a lot of things.
Just when things are getting better between Enid and Gibson, Enid realizes that she still loves her ex-boyfriend. When asked why she’s going back to him, she says something like, "because he's there." We always search for what isn't there and sometimes forget what's right in front of us. Enid really pulled a Summer Finn on Gibson—that's so sad, right? Yep, it ended on a very sad note, but at least he spoke in the end, so I guess it's still a happy ending.
Can I just say good job to Bogs Jugo! Haha, I really miss him in the local music scene. He was the former drummer of Pupil, and I never knew he could act! I was pleasantly surprised. Another one of my favorite scenes is when Declan (Bogs' character) sings a song to Enid. In that scene, you get the picture—or it at least drops a major hint—that they still love each other. He sang "No End in Sight." The way Declan looked at Enid... I felt so much kilig!
I also loved the cemetery scene where Gibson and the ghost of his dead brother are smoking and crying. It gives you such a somber, heavy feeling.
I only hate that they didn't show Gibson talking to his dad—his dad, who was trying so hard to stay jolly in spite of everything.
Ang Nawawala is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. A simple love story with complicated characters who love indie music.
Posted on October 25, 2015by creeper with No comments
The Christmas countdown begins as the months ends with BER. I am in a mood to create a Christmas Playlist. I usually listen to Christmas songs when it is not Christmas. Anyway, this list contains mostly OPM rock alternative renditions or original Christmas songs, so don't expect the usual Jose Mari Chan songs. I have Urbandub in my list! Yeah! You will never expect a Christmas song or upbeat happy song from them, but yes they did cover a Christmas song and so furious that I just learned it now. So here is my list.. Hope you like it.
1) Let it Snow by Imago from Closeup album
2) The Christmas Song by Rico Blanco from My Kind of Christmas album
3) Last Christmas by Urbandub
4) Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Ebe Dancel or She and Him
Posted on October 13, 2015by creeper with No comments
While I wait for Rico Blanco to release new album, I will bombard you with LSS worthy songs. They are not as popular as "Your Universe", "You'll be Safe Here" and "Balisong", but you should take time to listen to these underrated or less popular songs.
Time for you- This is my current LSS. The simple music video matches this masterpiece.
Come Closer- This is used for a tooth paste commercial. If all commercials are made by Rico Blanco, then I will watch commercials all day.
Imbecilesque and A Little Sorry Should make everything all right - You can choose which one is appropriate for you. If are the one who hurt your loved one, then listen to Imbecilesque. A simple song but with a hard to pronounce title. It says "Hey sorry dear, I know I've hurt you, I won't do it again." If your loved one hurt you, let him/her listen to A Little Sorry. Another simple song that just sums up "Hey you know that you are wrong say sorry to me".
This is a bonus track. For all of teenagers right there who might not know that Rico Blanco wrote this song and yes, Bamboo was the vocalist of Rivermaya in the 90s. What are you doing when you were 18 years old? Probably not writing an epic song like this. Rico in this video downplayed this song a little bit using styrofoam ice box as a percussion instrument.
Posted on October 04, 2015by creeper with No comments
Ok. This may be a year old video, but I just want to share this epic, history in the making video where not one but 2 rock icons in a stage singing "Come Together" a Beatles classic.
No, I won't comment on who is better, I will leave it on the youtube commenter. The two are different in so many levels.I hope there will be another MDR event.
Now, to make things more epic, Ely Buendia, Rico Blanco and Raimund Marasigan singing "Laklak"
Posted on October 04, 2015by creeper with No comments
Aside from Kai from Team Bamboo, I also like Sassa Dagdag from The Voice Season 2 of Kids edition. Her unique voice is a rare for her age. Check out her rendition of my favorite song, "La Vi En Rose"
Her Almost Is Never Enough cover is so good I converted her youtube video to mp3 file so I can put it on my Ipod.
She had few questionable song choices at the live show of The Voice. I hope she stick singing feel good songs and not birit songs. Since she can play guitar, I wish that she write her own songs. I am really looking forward on her future albums. Oh and please buy her "If I were A boy" single on Itunes (coz I already did!)
Posted on October 03, 2015by creeper with No comments
She may not have won The Voice of the Philippines Season 2—heck, she was bashed tremendously—but with her debut album, she proves she is far more than just the three-chair turner playing the ukulele or the senator's daughter.
She doesn't have the birit voice that typical singing contests look for. Instead, she has a sweet voice paired with blunt, in-your-face songs.
Her tracklist is ridiculously catchy. I love listening to it in the morning when I'm riding a packed MRT and feel like singing her song "In Your Face" out loud:
"Hey, hey, hey You need to get out of my way, hey, hey 'Cause if you don't turn around this is gonna make a sound 'Cause I'm about to slap you in your face"
This City can be played during long trips or just walking around the city, maybe job hunting.. haha
In the afternoon while working, I like to listen to "Tongue Tied." It takes you right back to those times when you saw your crush in the hallway and tried to speak when they came up to make conversation with you.
In the evening while heading home, I can't help but sing "Ngayong Gabi." I love listening to it while walking down a dark street, my hair blowing in the breeze, daydreaming that someday a guy will walk me home.
"I Should Have Left" — a song about heartbreak and the lessons you should remember when entering a new relationship (naks!).
I love her album so much that I'm inspired to write my own songs and learn to play the ukulele! I really believe she isn't meant for cover songs—she is meant to sing her own material. So screw the bashers; she is a true artist, not just another birit singer.
She may not have won The Voice, but who needs that title when you have the wit and creativity to build a real career?
Posted on September 29, 2015by creeper with No comments
This post is still related to the H&M Close the Loop event. My brother and I went to Megamall to watch the H&M Close the Loop event, mainly to see Up Dharma Down. The last time we went to Megamall was to see—who else?—UDD. But back then, we were late. We arrived around 5 PM when they were scheduled to perform at 4 PM. Buti na lang we still caught “Oo.”
Anyway, we left earlier this time, afraid that we might be late again. We left around 3 PM for a 4 PM gig. Lo and behold, when we were already inside the MRT, the train lost power/signal so we had to wait for a while before operations resumed. Of course, we couldn’t wait. Damn you, MRT! Why now? So we decided to get a refund on my stored value card and walked a few meters to catch a bus instead. We rode an ordinary (non-aircon) bus because, well, we had no choice. To make a long story short, we arrived around 4:30 PM, just as they were performing their second song. Our goal was to be right in front, but since we were late, we couldn’t pull it off.
Up Dharma Down never fails to amaze me. Their sound was very clear, not distorted or muffled like a typical band's audio. I think that’s because they have their own sound engineer on the side handling the technical stuff. Other bands didn’t have that kind of sound control, so their audio wasn’t as crystal clear as UDD’s.
They sang “Oo”, “Tadhana”, “Indak”, “All the Good things” and “Sana”. Armi was funny in between songs. She was making jokes.
I will never, ever get tired of watching UDD. I just can’t.
Maybe the biggest surprise of the night—well, one of them—was The Cheats. Prior to this event, I had never heard their music. Because, well, as I mentioned before, I’m old, stuck with 2004–2010 bands, and have no energy to listen to new ones. Thanks to H&M, I was able to see and discover The Cheats. As of this writing, their debut album is on repeat on my iPod and Spotify.
The downside was that, unlike UDD, whose sound was so clear, The Cheats' guitars and other instruments overpowered the sweet voices of Candy and Saab, as well as Jim’s rocking vocals. I couldn’t understand the lyrics. But on the bright side, their energy was great! They were so engaging, and I could tell the songs were good. After all, Ely Buendia is their album producer, so they must be really solid. They kept moving around the stage, headbanging, and just—well, rocking out, for lack of a better term!
As you can see in the pictures, they are moving around or closing their eyes like they really feel the song they were singing.
In between songs, they were doing their spiels in a coño way, but it was actually quite cute and funny. Even though I couldn’t understand the lyrics during their live gig, I downloaded their songs (legally!) afterward, and they are actually so good. I’m currently loving “Summer” and “Newspaper Girl.” I’m just hoping that next time I see them live, the sound will be better because their songs are definitely worth listening to.
So if you have time, please give The Cheats a listen! They are worth the memory space on your iPod and will definitely unleash your headbanging skills.
Ok. This may be a year old video, but I just want to share this epic, history in the making video where not one but 2 rock icons in a stage singing "Come Together" a Beatles classic.
Aside from Kai from Team Bamboo, I also like Sassa Dagdag from The Voice Season 2 of Kids edition. Her unique voice is a rare for her age. Check out her rendition of my favorite song, "La Vi En Rose"
