Fete De La Musique 2013

I've always disliked the month of June. It meant the end of summer and the start of school (hence, awful traffic and difficult commutes). It signals the the ever dreaded beginning of the rainy season with the universe giving us its middle finger for complaining about how hot and sticky it is in April and May. This year, June seems to have given me a peace offering with a new project at work, news of an opportunity to go to Europe, good business for Sugar Lily Cupcakes, gigs with my band KAZE, my love's 29th birthday and an awesome celebration of music held annually around the world called "Fete De La Musique".

Now I've heard stories about The Fete from previous years. My friends who went, cursed at the weather and how terribly disorganized the event was, given that it was held outdoors. Imagine looking forward to seeing your favorite bands play only to get soaked in the rain while you're at it. I had my reservations when Jim invited me to go, but then I never had the chance to do this before, so I thought, what the heck, might as well seize the opportunity now. I will worry about soaked shoes later.

Finger Trap performing I Know by Save Ferris

Microphone sharing at its finest

We decided to check out the Ska and Soul stage at Heckle & Jeckle near Jupiter street, because it seemed like a good starting point. The main stage was in A. Venue in Makati Ave which intersected with Jupiter so it gave us flexibility to strategically roam around if we decide to crawl from one pocket stage to another. The timing was perfect when we arrived as the stage was being set up for the next band, Finger Trap. They played Come on Eileen by Save Ferris and right then I knew I was going to really enjoy the evening. I was amazed by the horn section of the band that consisted of three saxophones, a trumpet and a trombone. Imagine five guys blowing their instruments shitless while sharing a single microphone. It was awesome! We talked to the guitarist and told him that we enjoyed their set. A four piece trip hop/soul band followed after Finger Trap, which set a more laid back mood for the audience. I call it Romansa sounds or MOMOL sounds. Haha. The vocalist's tone reminded me of a mash up between India Arie and Erykah Badu, I told Jim. Throughout their set, we grooved to the basslines and the twinkly sounds of the synths.

Chocolate Grass romancing the crowd

The real fun began when the next band called Shuffle Union took the stage. They performed Tainted Love by Soft Cell and by this time, the venue was packed with Ska goers clad in retro clothes, rocking suspenders and newsboy caps. The momentum continued when The Dandimites performed, their vocalist commanding attention with her shaved head and killer confidence. They played ska versions of The Tide is High by the Paragons, These Boots Are Made for Walking, Valerie by the Zutons and other originals. There's a sense of community in gigs like this. Strangers danced with strangers, people skipped and clapped and laughed and hollered. Some shared their beer and their happiness--the kind that you can inhale and smell in the air. Ska and reggae are music genre that transcend lyrics and song familiarity. Even if the lyrics seem gibberish and the song doesn't hit a match in your music database, it won't stop you from dancing and having a grand time.

Tainted Lovin' Shuffle Union

The Dandimites dandy-fying the crowd!

Soul and Ska Stage Line Up at Heckle & Jeckle

We didn't realize that we've been hanging out in H & J for a couple of hours, so we decided to see what's going on at the Blues stage in Cafe Curieux. Jim is a blues enthusiast and was expecting to see performances of 12 bar blues and wailing guitar solos, instead, we got Classic Rock performances by the Runaway Boys feat Jun Lopito. Expats were all around us, also enjoying the music. Everyone was all ears and respect to the musicians onstage while they had their wine and whiskey. It was a different crowd, but the music is fantastic just the same. The Runaway Boys did a long set and was followed by a group called Rintintin. The girl vocalist looked nervous as her bandmates set up their instruments prior to the performance. I didn't know what to expect from this band, except that they played Blues (they wouldn't be playing on this stage if they didn't). Looking on the outside they didn't seem to fit the stereotype and oh boy was I surprised. The frontwoman, Tintin, killed each song with her vocal chops and she just blew me away. As in AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. There was so much soul and grit in her voice--so perfect for singing songs of despair and heartache. I liked her take on Janis Joplin's Piece of My Heart and Imelda May's Big Bad Handsome Man. I was feeling it!

The Runaway Boys, and a girl snootily drinking her wine. Hihi.

Rintintin, my breakthrough discovery for the evening

And the band whose name I didn't know but had one towering vocalist. Ayoko tumabi sa kanya.

We headed home after the third band played. I didn't catch their name, but they made the audience stand up and dance. We wanted to chase more bands and drop by another pub, but decided to call it a night as we were scheduled to leave for Quezon at 6 am the following day.

Perhaps I was being too hard on June. Looking back, she was actually treating me well. She gave me awesome music and dancing and that night my hair smelled of happiness. Nevermind the rain and the squishy feeling in my shoes when they get wet. I hope to be going to Fete De La Musique every damn year until I get my chance to play in it!