Today’s the big day! French indie-pop band Tahiti 80 is in Manila for a one-night show with Up Dharma Down and Radioactive Sago Project, to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of celebrated indie label, Terno Recordings.
I would recommend that you stop reading this and rush to see if you can still get tickets right now, but just in case you need more convincing, we asked Terno honcho Toti Dalmacion about his choice of special musical guest:
“Why Tahiti 80? Because I’ve always liked their music, since they first came out in the late ‘90s with their first full-length (release) ‘Puzzle’ and I think they’re one of the best examples of good pop music in my book. Very accessible but not shallow. They’re great with melodies, hooks and harmonies, and they’ve got their groove on. The songs stick to you like glue and the vibe’s pretty cheerful all throughout.”
Toti spoke about the group’s universal and imediate appeal: “I figured, even first-time listeners would easily get hooked on most of their songs, all the more with hits like Heartbeat, 1000 Times, Yellow Butterfly, Fun Fair, and the latest album’s single, Easy.”
Where is the best place for the Tahiti 80 novice to start listening? “I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed all their albums, and the best place to start is really from the beginning, the way I discovered them, with ‘Puzzle,’ so you get to see the growth from album to album. They’re very consistent, that’s for sure, not your average indie-pop act, and criminally underrated.”
(For those who need a comparison, Tahiti 80 is not unlike Phoenix, another French pop purveyor, though it can be said that Tahiti 80 is even better, if only because they have even more songs that hit that pop sweet spot.)
What are Terno maestro Toti’s personal Tahiti 80 favorites? “My personal favorites are Separate Ways, Fun Fair, Happy End, Tune In, and 1000 Times from the ‘Wallpaper For Your Soul’ album, Something About You Girl, Fallen Down, Big Day, and Cherry Pie from the album ‘Fosbury,’ Tune In and Whistle from the 2008 album ‘Activity Center,’ and Easy and Nightmares from the latest.”
We also asked Toti about some of the difficulties and risks in bringing in acclaimed but not necessarily mainstream-famous acts: “We’re pretty much relying on ticket sales to cover the talent fee, plane fare, production and promotional costs,” Toti said. “So hopefully, people open their minds and ears to check them out, as we could really use the numbers so that we can continue bringing in artists like Tahiti 80 who aren’t household names, but good to balance things out as far as concerts are concerned.”
And what should we expect from tonight’s big show?
“They’ll be playing a full set and the audience should expect a really happy, fun night. It is, after all, a celebration and there couldn’t be a more perfect band for it.”
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It’s happening at 6/F The Tents, Alphaland Southgate (Pasong Tamo Extension cor. EDSA, Makati City) tonight, gates open at 9:30 p.m. For more information go to www.tahiti80manila.wordpress.com. For ticket inquiries call or text 0917-5345404 and 0922-8259516.