Callalily to join regulars, new talents in FETE de la musique 2011

CEBU, Philippines - On its 4th staging in Cebu, Fete de la Musique 2011 guarantees another unforgettable musical journey that will offer spectators old school to new school, classical, experimental and everything else in between. And as always, it’s for free!

The event, to be held June 18 at the Ayala Terraces, brings Cebuanos closer to how France and over a hundred countries all over the globe experience World Music Day, also known as Fete de la Musique. It originated in France in June 21, 1982 by American musician Joel Cohen who proposed an all-night music celebration at the moment of the summer solstice, giving musicians, both amateurs and professionals, the chance to showcase their talents in venues that are accessible to the public. It has since spread to many countries, including the Philippines, with Manila holding the fete yearly since 1994.

Drawing from the success of last year’s multi-stage set-up at Ayala Center Cebu which drew a crowd of at least 10,000, the music kicks off 1pm at Level 1 in front of Beauty Bar and at 2pm across Oh Georg. The Activity Center Stage fires up at 3pm, and by 5:30pm, the main action takes place at The Terraces, where more musicians are set to perform all the way until midnight.

Cebuano performers, a band from Iligan and an American pop music producer are just some of the expected highlights. With their catchy pop hooks, a special guest performance by the highly-successful and multi-awarded OPM group Callalily also promises to entertain crowds of all ages and musical preferences.

Here’s a complete rundown of Fete de la Musique’s line-up and a brief profile of each:

560th Airbase Wing Band. If you have no connections with the Philippine Airforce, then you have very slim chances of catching the 560th Airbase Wing Band performing live. Fortunately, this is their 3rd year they will indulge Fete de la Musique audiences, with movie soundtracks in 2009 & Abba classics in 2010.

Bambu Spliff. Their music defies precise categorization, touching on jazz, soul, hip-hop, rock, blues—with reggae as the backbone of every song. Still fresh from their stint in Manila, they are here to bridge the gap of our ever so classified musical genres. They have energetic and keep-you-moving performances with artistic transitions from song to song.

Ben Patton. An American songwriter whose diverse tastes and talents span the breadth of pop music, from rock to musical theatre, he is also cofounder of Muller and Patton Productions, a pop music production company, with collaborator Jaye Muller. They have worked with local celebrities, having composed two songs for KC Conception’s album and a song for Nikki Gil. Ben has performed his own rock material on five solo albums, five “Muller and Patton” duo albums, and two live concert DVD’s, and penned a comic operetta entitled “Simply Wonderful”.

Bethany. In the summer of 2008, three brothers decided that instead of giving out Christmas gifts to their friends that year, they’d pool time, talent and treasure to come up with a full-length album. By December 23, their first digital album “At Last! Our First” was made available for free at their official Multiply site. They have since added a friend to their line up and proceeded to make a name for themselves in the Metro Cebu scene, playing at album launches and music festivals.

Budoy & Coolie Dread. In 2005, Budoy exploded into national consciousness with “Ako Si M-16” by his band Jr. Kilat, followed by a stint in Pinoy Big Brother’s Celebrity Edition. On TV, radio or onstage, Budoy the endorser-performer-celebrity talks, jumps, jokes and keeps his audience hostage. In stark contrast, Coolie Dread’s cool and calm composure belies his mastery of sound, chilling behind the deck for his main band CDMC and other acts. Together, they represented the Philippines at the World Expo in Shanghai 2010, where they captivated audiences with their music.

Callalily. With their brand of pop-injected alternative rock, Callalily had been paid their dues as musicians by playing in small productions and fronting for then bigger artists like 6CycleMind. Now with three major label albums under their belt, they continue to play music filled with lyrics they feel speaks directly to their audience.

Carlopez. Carl packed up his life in Manila and brought his guitar to Cebu in 2009. Since then, he has been performing regularly at The Outpost in Lahug. To date, he has performed in various events and is currently recording songs for his first album, The Disappearing Act.

Cuarenta. They trace their history to the band scene of the 80s, and two of the band’s original band members remain: Anot Ang on electric guitar and Lyndon Banzon on bass guitar. Together with Henri Tradio and Randy Pages on guitar, Juel Zuleta on drums and Kay Luna Tradio on vocals, this band’s usual repertoire includes classic rock and blues covers of Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, AC/DC, Jimmy Hendrix and Led Zepellin.

Drop Out Club. They say they sound like a group of people getting drunk and making loud noises that makes you dance and party. Every gig by Drop Out Club is like a loud, crazy, rock-infused college party with lots of devil-may-care fun.

Grae. He is a humble public servant by day, a fixture in the Palace of Justice at Capitol. He is a lawyer by profession, with a passion for rock music. He is simply known as “Grae” in local music circles and is best known for his repertoire of 70’s rock, blues, and folk covers. Grae is a fixture on Open Mic Nights at The Outpost and this will be his second time to perform for Fete de la Musique.

Grand Slam Tambulan. This power group is made up of individuals from five different bands and influences. They are fast gaining popularity by captivating audiences in Subic, Baguio, Puerto Galera, and now Cebu.

Happy Days. They started as a four piece indie outfit who were engineering students from the University of San Carlos. The idea was to make original music, as they were tired of listening to other bands playing cover songs. Happy Days became known for their raw geek rock sound, who wrote lots of new songs and played every show they could get. They are currently a 3-man band who list shoegaze, punk, ska, noise rock and disco as their musical influences.

Island Joe. Few bands in Cebu have staying power like reggae-ska band Island Joe. Their audiences are always looking to sing and dance along wherever they find the band performing, despite the band not playing regular gigs, not having major studio albums, and without any of their songs playing over the radio.

Juress. Juress the band was formed in 2005 with its first gig at the old Handuraw on MJ Cuenco. Their music is a blend of alternative, pop, jazz, blues, and rock, and is influenced by acts such as Heather Nova, Liza Phair, Jewel, Sade, and Frank!

Peace Philharmonic Philippines Youth Ensemble. Part of a larger group of musicians known as the Peace Philharmonic Philippines Orchestra, which is recognized by the government as the official orchestra for southern Philippines, they have been literally and figuratively instrumental in bringing classical music to many audiences.

SUCH. In 2009, this Iligan City rock outfit released their self-titled debut EP which channelled collective strengths in song-writing and musical arrangement, resulting in a disc full of fairly memorable tracks such as “Nothing”, “Out in the Open” and “Far”. After a flurry of line up changes, SUCH managed to release a music video for the song “Far” before going on hiatus. SUCH is now back and working on new materials for their upcoming full length album slated for release this year.

UV Chorale. Composed of high school and college students from the University of the Visayas, the group has been the pride of Cebu in the arena of chorale competitions. They have performed in Australia thrice and have reaped awards on a national level, as well as in Busan South Korea and Sulawesi, Indonesia. They continue to bring Cebuano-stamped music to the international stage by releasing a debut album containing classic Visayan recordings such as “Usahay,” “Bulan” and many more.

Undercover Grasshoppers. This band emerged into the Cebu music scene in 2009 as a 4-piece indie rock group. Their sound is heavily influenced by 60’s rock, post-punk sounds, nu wave music, and other sounds. “Frantic Static” and “Finding Marvin” are the two singles they have released so far, and a full length album is in the works under 22 Tango Records.

Womb. As an act they are only about 2 years old, but as individual musicians, they have been performing in and around Cebu for the last couple of years, playing pop, alternative and world music. Womb is composed of Chai Fonacier, Fender Figueroa, Anthony Uy and Doogie Pagaduan.

Wonggoys. The Wonggoys is a band of three guitar-playing brothers. Their lyrics are infused with their wicked sense of humor, set against guitar-driven backdrops and tight insider jokes, the way only brothers can achieve.

*In addition, Alliance Française de Cebu, which organizes Cebu’s version of Fete de la Musique, also announced during the fete’s media briefing last Tuesday two of its exciting upcoming events. This Saturday, May 21, a free admission pop circus event will be staged at the Ayala Activity Center at 6:30pm, where three French artists will display carefully balanced stunts against a backdrop of wooden boards. Wooden planks are the props used to support this 55-minute show. Then next month, watch out for the free French Film Festival at the Ayala Center Cebu Cinema, where one of its featured films, “Le Marquis,” was 90% shot in Cebu. (FREEMAN)