SUNDOWN CAFFEINE CELEBRATES INDEPENDENT MUSIC AT THE MALL OF ASIA

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
March 24, 2009
Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
www.sundowncaffeine.com
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE CELEBRATES INDEPENDENT MUSIC AT THE MALL OF ASIA

Bay City, Philippines – Independent rock band Sundown Caffeine joined an impressive roster of independent Filipino bands last Sunday night, March 22, at Cyberzone, Mall of Asia to celebrate the 2009 Indie Music Fest.
“This is another first for us -- t'was great opportunity to know other independent artists and see where they’re coming from”, said lead guitarist Conrad, while setting up his gear.

Sundown Caffeine performed five songs for the Sunday mall crowd:
1.    Cold Summer Nights (Francis Magalona cover - Rhythm & Bluesrock version)
2.    Even Angels Cry,
3.    Last Star,
4.    Nine Rivers, and
5.    Halo Effect
“The music business is down for the count, but these independent guerrilla movements are slowly proving that there is a way to break through. In this day and age, the traditional gatekeepers of the industry are being shoved aside. This is the age of the independent artist. It’s our time”, Sundown Caffeine vocalist MRD said passionately.
The Indie Music Fest was produced by Songwriters Philippines, Radio Pilipinas and Indie Pinoy. Sundown Caffeine would like to thank the people behind this production for inviting us to share our music with you.

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE AND BLACK SUMMER JOIN THE GATHERING AT RJ BAR

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
March 23, 2009
Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
www.sundowncaffeine.com
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE AND BLACK SUMMER JOIN THE GATHERING AT RJ BAR

Makati City, Philippines – Rock groups Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer walked into fully packed RJ Bar late last Saturday night, March 21, to take part in a gathering of diverse visual and performance artists from all over Metro Manila. It was a grand event dubbed “Genre: Spring of Aphrodite” produced by IN-HOUSELive and covered by UR 105.9 FM.
“It was an interesting mix of people. Not bad. Not bad at all”, said bassist Gboy, as he downs his nth beer while watching the show.

Sundown Caffeine played well into the night with their familiar set list:
1.    Cold Summer Nights (Rhythm & Bluesrock version of a Francis Magalona cover)
2.    Even Angels Cry,
3.    Nine Rivers, and
4.    Last Star

The more experienced Black Summer went on stage immediately after that to perform four of their original songs:
1.    Sana'y Dumating,
2.    Wounds
3.    Old Flame, and
4.    Drowing
“The drum set was old and busted, but somehow, with a little alcohol and a sh*tload of guts, we finished the set and survived the night”, remarked drummer Ian.
Also present that night were the bands Tevanny, Flicker Fusion and Turbo Goth.

Press Release: Sundown Caffeine & Black Summer Wade with the Ducks at 6 UNDERGROUND

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
March 23, 2009
Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
www.sundowncaffeine.com
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE AND BLACK SUMMER WADE WITH THE DUCKS AT 6 UNDERGROUND

Mandaluyong City, Philippines -- Indie rock bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer entered 6UG last Saturday, March 21 to perform in a Rubber Duckie Music production dubbed as “AbDUCtion 8”.
“It’s a great night to be a musician”, said Black Summer frontman Allen Alesna, as they were flanked by an army of old friends.

Black Summer performed four songs:
1.    Sana'y Dumating,
2.    Wounds
3.    Old Flame, and
4.    Drowing
Sundown Caffeine, a newcomer to the Manila music circuit, came second and performed:
1.    Cold Summer Nights (Rhythm & Bluesrock version of a Francis Magalona cover)
2.    Even Angels Cry,
3.    Nine Rivers, and
4.    Last Star

“What a pleasure to be around such talent. Many thanks to the wonderful people behind Rubber Duckie Music for inviting us to this intimate but remarkable gig”, said MRD of Sundown Caffeine gratefully.
Other bands who performed were Hedgezero, Freefish, Ursa Minor and Sexy Beast.

Technorati Tags: filipino music,alternative rock,indie,sundown caffeine,philippines,black summer,indiejam,indie pinoy

Press Release: Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer go OPM at the ALS Night of the Arts 2009

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
February 23, 2009

go OPM
at the ALS Night of the Arts 2009

Manila, Philippines -- Brother rock bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer performed at One Esplanade last Saturday night, February 21, 2009, joining scores of über-talented dancers, musicians and singers to celebrate Ateneo Law School’s Night of the Arts (NOTA).
NOTA was concert designed by three organizations of the Ateneo Law School: FORTE (musicians), SALSA (dancers) and the Ateneo Law School Choir. Only on its sophomore year, the ALS NOTA has been hailed as an exemplary achievement for the law school studentry. This year, the organizing team decided to call the show Musika Manila to celebrate the music of urban Manila and its rich artistic history.
Last year, members of the two bands joined forces to perform as one of the pioneer artists for the first ever Night of the Arts. This year, Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer returned to perform separately with renewed vigor. This time, they went all-Filipino.
IndieJam veterans, Sundown Caffeine started their set with a rhythm & bluesrock rendition of Francis Magalona’s Cold Summer Nights. Their second and third songs Nine Rivers and Last Star are band originals.

Dyna Music’s Black Summer started their set with their very own Sana’y Dumating, a pop rock song from the compilation album Tunog Kalye. Their second song was another original entitled Old Flame. Finally, the band officially closed the show with The Dawn’s Salamat, as the whole body of performers ran up on stage and danced to the music.

Like last year, the two bands ended the night with an 80’s rock rendition of Ateneo de Manila University’s Song for Mary.

Sundown Caffeine frontman MRD, who is himself an alumnus of the Ateneo Law School shares his thoughts: “The law students of Ateneo have come a very long way from being just students of the law. That is why we have this night – to unleash and celebrate the artist that lies buried behind those piles of Supreme Court cases and law books. I give nothing but the highest honor to everyone who made this happen. To be part of this for a second time, I am both proud and humbled. It’s good to be home.”

 

 

LiveJournal Tags: Sundown Caffeine,Black Summer,music,rock,contemporary,OPM

Overheard at the Sundown Café: Sundown Caffeine & Black Summer Go Acoustic at Fashion ART's Perya

Overheard at the Sundown Café
March 28, 2009

Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
www.sundowncaffeine.com
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE & BLACK SUMMER GO ACOUSTIC AT FASHION ART’S PERYA

Quezon City, Philippines – Indie rock bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summerwent all unplugged at Fashion ART’s second anniversary party last Friday night, March 27, 2009. The private gathering of artists was dubbed “Perya: A Whimsical Fashion and Art Exhibit”, and celebrated the bizarre and the beautiful in a wide range of art forms. The two bands were the last to perform on the show.

Sundown Caffeine went on the well-decorated stage without lead guitarist Conrad, who was in Cebu for the weekend. The band performed three originals: 
1.    Even Angels Cry,
2.    Nine Rivers and
3.    Halo Effect

Black Summer performed next with bassist Gboy doing secondary percussions and backup vocals due to the lack of a bass amp. The veteran indie band played:
1.    Wounds,
2.    Old Flame and
3.    Drowing
“Man! This was a good production. I wish we were here years ago”, said Black Summerfrontman Allen after his fourth cocktail.
“I haven’t had this much fun in a very long time. This was really great -- so many artists at the top of their games, all in one place. F*ART really knows how to throw a party”, said Sundown Caffeine frontman MRD while watching a magic trick.

Poets on stage were Raul Roco, Jr., Kooky Tuazon, Charms Tianzon, Richard Tuazon and Jeff Pagaduan. Mike Unson performed a great stand-up comedy routine. Magician Ron bedazzled the crowd with his quick hands and card tricks. Manny Gonzales & Laya performed Bossa Nova music.

 

 

repost from MRD

Technorati Tags: fart,acoustic,opm,art,fashion,sundown caffeine,music,black summer

Press Release: Sundown Caffeine & Black Summer Turn Freedomaniacs

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
March 25, 2009
Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
www.sundowncaffeine.com
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE & BLACK SUMMER TURN FREEDOMANIACS

Quezon City, Philippines – Indie bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer joined eight other bands to play at the Tuesday leg of Freedom Bar’s Freedomania on March 24, 2009.
Black Summer performed past midnight, armed with three originals:
1.    Sana’y Dumating,
2.    Old Flame and
3.    Drowing

“I’m not a big fan of weekday gigs. May be fun but it takes a lot away from you. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do”, muttered Black Summer frontman Allen after their act.
Sundown Caffeine went on stage next to perform three of their personal favorites:
1.    Even Angels Cry,
2.    Nine Rivers and
3.    Last Star

“I’ve never been so distracted in my life. Between the alcohol, the sleep deprivation and with the bar exam results coming up, I wasn’t really much aware of what I was doing on stage tonight. I guess we did alright. Just have to keep on playing”, said Sundown Caffeine singer MRD.
The show ended at 3am. Other bands on the roster were Ruah, Teaf, Luczia, Kauri, Shelterr, Moisture, Imprenta, and Kandila.

Implicit Psalm – a repost from paintings.ph

Phenomenal Women on Implicit Psalm

Mar. 17, 2009

"Implicit Psalm" a group exhibition of seven up and coming exciting women artists opened last March 6 at the Rotech Art Center in
Robinson's Galleria.

The artists Margo Rae Medina-Alesna, Sigwada Knicolai Mendoza, Jehan Manansala, Sarah Gaugler, Tif Guevara, Lee Paje and Monaliza Lhean Villanueva did a collection of 29 latest works on paper and canvases.

 

In this exhibit, the artists want to express their delight in the sacrifice involved in the creation and expression of their praise to God through their canvases.

Ambassador Roy V. Señeres, Hazel Señeres (President / General Manager of Our Father's

Coffee) and Mayor of Lanao Sultan HJ Abdullah Topaan Ditual Disomimba formally opened the show.
Sponsored by Our Father's Coffee, the show is on view until Monday, March 23.
For more information, Rotech Art Center is located at the 3rd Level of Robinson's Galleria, Edsa Node. Telephone # 687 3858. Also, visit the exhibit's official website http://implicitpsalm.tk

 

repost from http://www.paintings.ph

What’s happened to this world?

the real business of the medical world is making money... education is about money... art is about money... eeeeverything is all about money

understandably powered by the "market economy"... but does everyone has to lose their souls... or maybe sell it... ?

Press Release: Sundown Caffeine & Black Summer Defy Superstition at Freedom Bar

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
March 14, 2009
Contact Info:
0918.906.2196 (MRD)
sundowncaffeine@gmail.com

SUNDOWN CAFFEINE AND BLACK SUMMER DEFY SUPERSTITION AT FREEDOM BAR

Quezon City, Philippines -- Independent Filipino rock bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer returned to Freedom Bar on Friday the 13th of March 2009 to defy all superstitious belief. This time, they performed sober and with high-energy results free from any sign of bad luck.
The bands were joined by dozens of their personal friends among a full crowd. "It was a generous show of support... made playing music so much easier", commented drummer, Ian Alesna. 

Black Summer performed three songs:
1. Sana'y Dumating,
2. Old Flame, and
3. Drowing

Sundown Caffeine came second and performed:
1. Even Angels Cry,
2. Nine Rivers, and
3. Last Star
"This night was being free from superstition... being free to create", mentioned Black Summer frontman, Allen.
"No broken mirrors or black cats for us tonight. Just good music, cheap beer and great company.", said Sundown Caffeine vocalist, MRD.

www.sundowncaffeine.com

LiveJournal Tags: black summer,sundown caffeine,music,freedom bar,manila,rock

5 women-artists in Subliminal Cosmos

February 16, 2009 10:31 PM

Posted under Showbiz and Style

INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Five young women artists have put their dreams
on canvas in Subliminal Cosmos, which opened Monday and runs until
February 27 at the Blue Line Gallery at Rustan’s Ayala.

The 18 works by Lee Paje, Jehan Manansala, Margo Rae Medina-Alesna,
Sigwada Knicolai Mendoza and Monaliza Lhean Villanueva are rendered in
acrylic, mixed media and oil in sizes ranging from 9 x 12 inches to 3
x 4 feet.

“We unfold unspoken dreams, broken pasts and our meanderings through
our canvases,” the exhibit notes penned by Villanueva, a freelance web
designer and content editor, say of the works.

Except for Paje, who is a Fine Arts student at the University of the
Philippines in Diliman, the other artists me at the UP-Cebu where they
were painting majors.
.
Manansala is a project computer aided architectural design (CADD)
engineer, Medina-Alesna is a preschool teacher, and Mendoza an art
teacher.

By Inquirer.net Editorial Staff

Press Release: Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer join other Musicians and Erotic Poets to Celebrate Love and Lust at Freedom Bar

Press Release
For Immediate Distribution and Publication
February 25, 2009


SUNDOWN CAFFEINE AND BLACK SUMMER JOIN OTHER MUSICIANS AND EROTIC POETS TO CELEBRATE LOVE AND LUST AT FREEDOM BAR

Rock bands Sundown Caffeine and Black Summer performed at the celebrated Freedom Bar of Anonas Street last night, Tuesday, February 24, 2009, alongside several other artists.

Produced by Matilda 7 and In House Live!, the event was dubbed ‘Love and the Muse’ and designed to be celebration of music and poetry about love, lust and everything between the sheets. With such a familiar subjects, the members of the two bands eagerly dove in.

Black Summer began with their carrier single Sana’y Dumating a song about yearning. The followed it up with their latest composition, Wounds, which spoke of the struggle of healing. Their third song was the familiar Old Flame – a story about regret. Finally, they ended with Drowing, a song about confusion and frustration.

Sundown Caffeine initiated their performance with the favorite Even Angels Cry, which more than anything else, talks about emotional equality. Their second song, Last Star, was louder and heavier, characteristic of its subject matter: sardonic bitterness. Nine Rivers, a reflection of recent past hurts and an attempt in self-consolation was their third piece. They ended with Halo Effect, a song about delusional attraction.

It was a simple but wonderful gathering, overflowing with beer and pulutan as it was Sundown Caffeine guitarist Conrad Cruz’s birthday. Problem was, the band members might have had just a little too much fun before their performances.

SC vocalist, MRD says “Three Red Horses before a gig is a bad idea. I’d be lucky if was able to hit half my notes. I couldn’t understand what was going on around me. Everything was a blur and I just played from pure instinct. But how can I complain? This has to be the reason why they call this the Freedom Bar. (laughs)”

Both bands agree that the grit and feel of the place was right on the money. “Grassroots and very real”, Black Summer frontman Allen describes. Bassist Gboy said that it “... takes me back to college… UP days.”

Subliminal Cosmos

 

Five women, the sublime, and a date with the cosmos.  Come and see five up and coming artists and their recent works to be showcased in BlueLine Gallery, Located at the 4th Floor of Rustans Makati.  Entitled "Subliminal Cosmos",  the show projects the subtle divide of the conscious and subconscious. It’s a come-on come-all on the 7th of February 2009.  Show runs till the 27th.

Artists: Lee Paje, Jehan Manansala, Margo Rae Alesna, Sigwada Knicolai Mendoza, and Monaliza “Lhean” Villanueva
Opening Date: Saturday, February 7, 2009
Time: 5:00 - 9:00pm

Location: BlueLine Gallery
Address: 4/F Rustans, Ayala Avenue, Makati City
Website: bluelinegallery@multiply.com

COFFEE AND ALL

Fifty degrees Celsius of water pours down my 16oz. Starbucks ceramic mug and I’m sitting like duck on what the heck am I to write on this sheet. And you’d probably be wondering why I’m on “instant”, and it’s my second by the way. Its for the reason that Starbucks coffee simply ain’t coffee. I know a local café that could whip up my favourite latte five times better than what this venti size of a corporate brewer can. And you were probably thinking I’d give you a turn around on this thing, well not today. I know places that can give you a jolt it’s like having your state-of-the-art bio-mechanics glued to your spine down to your nerves and electrifying your neurotransmitters it could light up the whole city. It might be overkill but that’s just how I feel about ‘gourmet coffee’.

I remember the time when I first came to the metro, that was around ten years ago, and the first thing that was in my mind was to get myself my first cup of Starbucks. While some typical male ego would probably think about where to party in the strange land, I on the other hand was thinking about getting my daily dose. I remember handling my first brewed coffee straight from the roaster, handling the beans with my bare hands. And by the moment it cooled off a bit, I ground it myself. Yes, we are coffee drinkers all right. Back in the past my mother would down five cups a day. Take that away from her and she’d be sleeping like a baby. So it’s bad but hey, so is fast-food and everything else in excess. At some point I had to tell her to keep it down cause it was compromising her health. Now she keeps it at two cups max.

Nowadays, you look around and all you get is the over brewed concept of branding. It smells like burnt coffee, disgustingly nice. You pace one hundred steps from your nearest coffee shop and it’s another coffee shop. Corporate behemoths are brilliant in branding, it’s like when God created Adam and Eve, and their brand is your apple. And to top it all, the ambiance, the colour and their smile hits you as if you were in a war where only the other side’s got the high-tech weaponry. It actually reminds me of this Jim Carrey movie, Truman Show. In the Philippines, can it be any worse? It might just be. Come to think of it, we might just be in the same set-up. Like cows being herded to the butcher house. And where do we bleed? Through our pockets we do.

But then again we live in a capitalist world economy where every sweat is a buck, your blood is their funding and the market stall is passé, for branding is today’s hub. Be it your Wi-fi hub, gaming hub, socializing hub, check out hub, pick-up hub, magazine and newspaper hub etc… it doesn’t matter. Wherever it is, if the name is burned unto your brain, it will sell. The truth of the matter is that we’re just a bunch of prototypes and puppets running around on one psychological plain controlled by Herculean capitalists. Think of it like your monopoly game, and we’re the dust on the board, not even the pieces. And would I stop going around these shops? I don’t know. It depends whose move it is next.

 

LiveJournal Tags: branding,brewing,capitalists,cebu,coffee,Jim Carey,life,market economy,metro manila,neurotransmitters,starbucks

Life

So I was contemplating on my life, the years that passed, the months that flew, the days gone, the departed hours and the ticking seconds. Has it really been that long? I ask myself. Just a while back, I was this loner kid that ate lunch in the gymnasium instead of the cafeteria. And while everyone would be playing ball with everyone else in the hard court, I’d be in the library but reading. I was courting images from pages and pages. It wasn’t what those hard bounds were all about, it was about how they were coloured. Images of planes, skies, stars and outer-space. Sooner later, I’d be wandering in empty yonder trying to get by, moving with the flow of the synaptic highways. Then I’d be snapped back into the classroom with my teacher calling my attention back to the ground.

Past forward, classroom clatter was more like bumps and ticks of a vinyl record, or tape noise out from an overplayed cassette. Enters the music years of my pre-teens, the time when sitting on my ear baffles was my Saturday afternoons. Then I would conjure up images on paper that would be looking like album covers rather than dinosaurs and toy soldiers. Images were dark yet funky, colourful but sweet.

Then the notes came into play. After years of listening to records, I reckoned I’d rather that I make something out of my own. Befriended the ebony and ivory keys, entertained the lot buddies and made people happy. Yet I was happier that when I would do so, they just left me be while they sat in their fascination. At twelve when the collective was into crushes, hanging out, and getting the newest game gadget, I was looking out for the next pop hit to play or learning how to sequence the drums of my first song. And when all’s too crowded, I seclude to my sketch pad.

College onwards and three bands later, life became a concept, a paradigm. And I… an oblation. The visual arts education taught me to dig deep yet fly beyond the horizon at the same time. But this had a share of tangible experience that one could really say the best of the best and the unimaginable worst. From the leader that leads a pack to turn the faculty’s heads up-side-down and bow, to the things that made deans frown. It was the “bold, the beautiful and the ugly”. Did I get enough, maybe I had more than enough in the seven years that be. But that tattooed my philosophy on the skin of my soul.

After more than seven by seven years, I’m still that little boy alone in the museum of life. Where people are a mere portraits hung on the walls. Conversations are poetry in the book of parody. And the urban landscape is a masterpiece being sculpted by grime while I take baby steps to that dream I left in the sidewalk of that campus.

Four solo exhibits later, the world seems to be more colourful than I originally thought. But these colours unseen were colours that can’t be stroked on canvas. The Metro is filled with people so diverse as compared to a provincial city where everything is analogous. Adult life is a contentious tango. You either dance with it or live like a hermit. But I on the other hand would rather recluse to the stage. Cause when the spot light is on, I’d be blinded by the colours and people are just shadows that speak to me in whisper and murmuring tone. In the mean time, standby for my next song.

Black Rice

 

For the past four years now, I noticed that there has been a surge of south east Asian cuisine.  Well of course, we're In that area too.  But most specifically, Vietnamese and Thai, and in some nook out there, Indonesian.

I became more curious with Thai food though, as I've frequented in one, Krua-Thai.  Their food is really something new and refreshing especially for the Filipino tongue that is fond of overwhelming flavors.

One day, when I was "broke" and wanted something totally different for lunch, I thought I 'd whip up something for myself and do a "Thai" inspired meal, though more like a bastardized kind of Thai recipe.  For lack of a better term, I called it "Black Rice". Ingredients are very simple, though I really had to make some substitution to a lot of it.

 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

chopped garlic 1/3 cup

chopped onion 3/4 cup

soy sauce 1/2 cup (silver swan preferred)

egg plant, sliced in strips

ampalaya (however and how much you want it; I'd go around half a cup to one)

1 teaspoon crushed pepper corn

a teaspoon sugar

2 cups of cooked rice (dry not moist)

tomatoes, sliced - 2

This one's a pretty simple recipe, just put them in a non stick frying pan, ordinary pan would do fine as well. 

Pre-heat the oil at high heat.  Adding the garlic and onions, put it to medium heat so as not to burn them.  The soy sauce comes in after, letting it simmer for less than a minute, enough time for the flavors to blend.  Eggplant comes next, this one you'd have to stir a bit from time to time then cover the lid at 10sec intervals approximately.  When it starts to soften, add the rice and the crushed pepper, then pour the ampalaya thereafter.  This part can be a lot of work.  If you remember your cook or mom preparing paella, this one's something close to that end process where you have to keep folding the rice in.  Do this for a minute till the soy-sauce has coated on each grain.  This should take no more than 2 minutes with a wooden ladle.  The constant stirring also prevents the rice from burning too.  I do turn the heat to the lowest low when doing so.  In the middle of that wrestling procedure, pour in the sugar.  Finally the tomatoes, I intentionally put them last so it wouldn't get soggy.  I always like my tomatoes a bit fresh.  This also retains much of its nutrients.  Just rest them on top of the rice, no stirring needed.  Cover the pan and let it simmer for a minute or so. 

There yo

u go, a really simple recipe that's almost a gourmet.

 

Happy eating!!!

 

P.S.

oh, I added egg, cooked sunny side up after I did the one in the pic.

 

LiveJournal Tags: cooking,thai inspired,soy sauce,pepper,rice,tomatoes,sugar,garlic,onions,cook,delicious,quick recipe,food presentations