A day before the grandest celebration of Sinulog Festival this new decade of 2020, a line-up of international DJs and local artists are up gathered to perform for the first time this January 17, 2020, at City Di Mare at the South Reclamation Properties.
IV of Spades
Speaking of first, Baladhay is the pioneer music festival in the Queen City of the South that forays top-rate production and technical values. Headlining the event are Spanish house and electro house DJ and producer Danny Avila, British DJ and record producer D.O.D, America EDM, DJ Makasi, and Dutch DJ and record producer duo Blasterjaxx.
Danny Avila
Joining the stellar set of musical personalities are top Manila bands Sandwich and Pedicab which rock music resonates in timelessly. Moreover, hit band IV of Spades are paired together with homegrown Cebuano artists Victor Jao, Gino V, Budoy, Intertwined, Mandaue Nights, Sepia Times, and Route 83.
DJ Makasi
One of the most technically complex setups ever done in Cebu is a combined efforts of Cebu’s Blackstraw Productions and Manila’s Creative Control Group which deserve to get noticed to the global standard levels with its PMX Audio setting up a full-on L Acoustics K2 rig—the preferred brand and model of international artists, bands and DJs. For the lighting, the event is presenting locally available fixtures pre-mapped and programmed weeks before the event with a Chamsys MQ500 Stadium lighting controller. It is also the very first unit in the country that makes a debut in Cebu courtesy of Forerunner Technologies PH Professional.
BlasterJaxx
Timely and relevant to the Sinulog festivity, this musical event is named after the adviser of Rajah Humabon. Baladhay was responsible for inventing the famous Sinulog dance of “two steps forward, one step backward” after he was healed miraculously from severe illness by the most Holy Child Jesus.
]]>Sepia Times has produced and written a lot of songs since 2016. With their music self-produced and self-written, these are things that make being a musician great and frustrating at the same time. Their music is widely influenced by Paramore and Oh Wonder. Aside from collaborating with other artists, Sepia Times plans to release another EP but before doing so, they would want to establish what Sepia Times would be as a duo.
Their songs ‘Breakfast’, ‘Kofi Shop’, ‘Run’, ‘Hello’, ‘Alim’, ‘Fall Slowly’, ‘1238’, and ‘Let Me Go’ were part of a different vibe that used to be Sepia Times. Even musicians struggle for branding and identity.
Luigi and Icy’s history as musicians go way back, before Sepia Times was established. Luigi was rocking out with a different band and Icy wasn’t even thinking about being part of the Cebuano music scene. But somehow the universe aligned—with these two not just being Sepia Times, but by being in a relationship together as well.
“[Sepia Times’ music is] sad, electronic and depressed,” Icy says. This is probably one of the reasons why they choose black and white for most of the videos they have online. After all, sepia, the color tone, is black and white just in warm tones.
Listeners would certainly feel the warm vibe Sepia Times gives off through their songs. Despite Icy describing their music as sad, their songs are the type of songs you listen to on a chill Saturday afternoon or in moments that the only things you’d want to do would be contemplating the meaning of life on grassy areas in parks.
Icy’s voice is a voice you’ve heard from Fonzy’s Cool2Gether and also the voice you’ve heard in Mandaue Nights’ and Sepia Times’ collaboration on the song ‘Take Me’ from Mandaue Nights’ album, Love City.
Luigi is more of the technical person within Sepia Times. He’s the one behind all the instruments, musical arrangements and productions, but of course, these lovebirds from Sepia Times spend their time writing their songs together, which adds a cute factor to this dynamic duo.
This city has inspired a lot of people, artists and musicians included. Sepia Times grew, not only as individuals, but as a band. They love this city as much as this city loves them.
They released their first EP “1238” way back in 2016, and fans are begging for more songs from Sepia Times. Well, who can blame them?
]]>Spreading it through the sound of music! Last Saturday, Ayala Center Cebu and 22 Tango Records showed their love for their fellow Cebuanos by holding another community music fest at the Terraces for free.
Mandaue Nights
Aya’Love (I love how they played with the words here) was filled with people who are die-hard fans of the artists that performed. Some of them were fresh audience who just happened to overhear the music playing in the venue.
J Russ and DT performing ‘Drunk Feeling’
Music started playing at around 6pm with the beautiful voice of Lourdes Maglinte as she opens the concert. From then on, the music echoed all across the Terraces which I’m sure made everyone’s night a little more colorful.
Lourdes Maglinte
Other artists that performed last Saturday include Wonggoys, Groovematics, Bethany, Loop, Sepia Times, Mandaue Nights, Mary Anchit,, J Russ X DT and Vincent Eco.
“I came here for Loop. Their song Lost just relates to me and I bet to a whole lot of people,” says Theresa, one of the people who attended the music fest, “I like the fact that this is free. I enjoyed all the line up of artists. Everything about this event is perfect.”
The artists’ music and performance revolved not just between two people falling in love, but some were dedicated to one’s family or friends– which everybody can relate too.
Photos are from 22 Tango Records
Featured image: Loop
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Tell us about yourself.
The name’s Jones, Eskina Jones.
No but really, just call me Jom. I’m a music producer and Eskina Jones is my new side project. It’s my take on 80’s synth wave.
You’re launching your EP titled Interstellar next week. What’s it all about?
It’s a mix between a homage to the things I love about the 80’s and how I translate emotions into music. If your life was shot on a crappy VHS cam, Interstellar would be the soundtrack to that video.
What made you want to create music?
Well, I’ve been writing music ever since I was 16. It’s more of an outlet for me to vent out what I’m feeling. Marcelo, my other project, was more of trying to capture that cozy vibe you get when it’s raining. However with Eskina Jones, I’m trying to go for something else.
We’re insanely curious—why the name “Eskina Jones”? Is there a story behind that?
Originally I was going to name this project something super nerdy like “Voyager 9000”. I was binging on Isaac Asimov’s novels and it felt right. I realized that I wanted something a bit more relatable so I asked my friend Ron for advice. We came up with “Eskina Jones” and thought it would fit since it sounded like a name.
What should we expect from Eskina Jones?
Something different. I’d write it down but it would be better if you guys experienced it for yourselves. Drop by A Space Cebu this October 25 to hear me and a bunch of other talented individuals perform music. See you there!
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