Azrael's Merryland Blog

retro Az blast from the past

many people are wondering why did I end up and enjoying organizing events and also ask questions when did I started in this field, I just saw some photos in the net and I guess this will be a good chit chat on why am I so active organizing events

the year was 1998 (i think or 1997) I was hooked and enjoyed being part of a band that plays rock music, it was a good start for me, coz im a shy type torpe person who hides under table whenever we have visitors at home. I got exposed to the underground music scene and my band - forgot the name but all I remember we go out as the name -Divine After 7, which was given a name by our drummer Eugene. We play rock music of Deftones, Rage againsts the machine and Coal Chamber. Its the only music we know as I disliked so much the music of KORN. By that time I was like a little ordinary worm learning lot of things from the outside world( school). It was the rock era for me, drinking, rocking, playing, gigs, chicks, and etc.

I didnt experience a Rockstar Supernova moment but all I know is that I enjoyed the rock and head bangs. Our friend who is a former manager of Razorback and Greyhoundz helped us in breaking into the scene, vocalist of the Greyhoundz band also lifted up his hands for us to help us being noticed by NU 107, it was the ticket that time to the big scene, coz we know that if you have a big backer you can reach the gold mine easily. During our drinking night with the band, my guitarist refused and didn't like the idea and he convinced us to reject the idea, he explained that if we want to break into the industry, we should work it that out with our own feet and sweat, coz that time we dont want people tag us we reached that gold mine coz of another band that offered a big back up.

for me, it was okay, I didnt dream of being a rockstar. but for my other 2 band mates it was the big opportunity that we threw into that pile of garbage, in that time I acted as manager of the band and also bassist.

shift to 1999, I met and introduced to Khavn who owns this cafe in Kamias, called Oracafe. It was the coolest venue in Manila, after Club Dredd and 70's Bistro. Indie bands play there and it's the best place for art events.

(circa '99 that's jac ting lim, during our college days..er...but im still a college student today aahahah)

we started to organized an anime film showing with my old group featuring anime movies and series that are not being shown here locally, the venue is plain simple - in Oracafe. We organize the event there every 1st saturday of the month and it runs for almost 2 years, then we transfered to Powerbooks Makati after the cafe's closure.

During the part renovation of the cafe, I became one of the event organizer of the cafe, I organized every month my own Rock Fest, I didn't have a good title of the event by Khavn's suggestion was the AZ FEST. I didn't reached that idea, I was too shy for that year and I just labeled the event Rock FEST, featuring indie bands and other amateur bands that need exposure. It was a hard thing to organize that rock event. Coz some people I invited are not known to me, so every time I told them 4 songs only, sometimes they do it 5 or 6 songs.

the next band will complain, coz it will cause delay for the next band. its hard for this pasaway. Sometimes when they reached the 3rd song I stand up in the middle of the venue and remind them that they will play the last song and after they must leave the stage for the next band to perform.

It was another rock era for me. then sometimes me and my band play at the end of the event.

payat pa ko....

then I formed, managed and organized another band, they played anime music, Neotaku was a fresh band that time and it was a good time for them to managed coz I taught them some philosophies about music and attitude. And at the start they were good listeners.

I acted as one of the back up vocals and also manager, (even that they disliked to be managed) I just let them go and do their own decision , so after exposing them in the community and introduced them to jrock music like Larc en ciel, Siam Shade and etc. I decided to leave the band to rest and let them learn the rock days in their own. But now the band is one the hottest and idolized jrock cover bands in the country. evolving and still rocking.

After being exposed to many school tours and collectibles convention. I quit being part of my old group and started as an individual helping other group like the Artists' Den and Animanga club of Pinoyexchange.com the learning experience is there already, i did comic launch, the 1st comic seminar in megamall, anime radio launching, film showing, small convention, collectors meet up with TransFormers PH, and more.

as time goes by, the learning never stop always, it keeps on coming until someone new is discovered.

well I hope this post serves a backtrack how I enjoyed an organizer.
but maybe soon, I might retire and focus more on to something.

xxooxx
Azrael