Afterparties and advice for the young at heart

Break it down again. Early this August was a time beset by torrential rains, as well as concerts by foreign bands: Smashing Pumpkins, Snow Patrol, and the return of Tears for Fears, one after the other, and all at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao. While I am always happy for new reasons to visit the area aside from a fairly decent Book Sale (latest find:

With Nails

by Richard E. Grant) and the Mongolian stir fry in Shopwise, I am also, as the saying goes, not made of money (instead, my composition seems to be bits of whimsy and procrastination housed in a vaguely person-shaped and inexplicably ambulant mound of fat).

Though I have some friends who worship at the feet of Billy Corgan as if before some baldheaded, bee-voiced, belly-pudgy demigod, and others who can quote Gary Lightbody-penned lyrics with the devotion of Fahrenheit 451 survivors, my tastes veer more towards ‘80s-vintage arena-ready intimacy and the twin pop genius of two guys from Bath, England. In other words, I am old.

I watched Tears for Fears the first time they came here, over two years ago. This is what I wrote then: “For many a music fan who grew up in the ‘80s, the idea of TFF playing here raised at the very least a nostalgic tremble, and for some it was the full-blown fulfillment of a fond and long-held wish. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the duo who soundtracked the ups and downs and angst and aspirations of a generation, had finally arrived, and we welcomed them with all the noise our throats and hands could muster.”

On this visit, while the first-time thrill had faded, there were improvements to their setlist: nothing from their worst album (“Raoul and the Kings of Spain”), and two additions from arguably their best album (“The Seeds of Love”) — the jazz-inflected, band-showcasing Badman’s Song, and every sentimental fool’s favorite, Advice for the Young at Heart, one of the most glaring omissions from their initial encounter with a Filipino audience that was approximately 100-percent sentimental fool. Also, they brought Carina Round with them, which was quite a good idea. (Not as good an idea: Per Sorensen of Fra Lippo Lippi as opening act. Nothing against the man, but mixing different flavors of nostalgia is tricky, and by tricky I mean potentially sad.)

Despite the fact that we had apparently been seated in the killjoy section (“Why aren’t you people standing? Why aren’t you shouting along with the words? Wait — don’t you KNOW the words?!”), we were quite satisfied with the show; nostalgia aside, Curt and Roland remain amazing performers — their voices still strong, their movements still young (Curt Smith is a study in how to neither over- nor under-do onstage rock star moves), their material still vital (though it must be said that their newest recorded material is now eight years old). We’ll see you again next time, Tears for Fears.

* * *

The afterparty for what isn’t there. You guys watched Ang Nawawala (What Isn’t There), right? If, like me, you enjoyed the hell out of first-time feature-length film director Marie Jamora’s ode to young, strange love, family relationships, and the local music scene, you’ll want to go to the ‘afterparty’ at B-Side tomorrow night, Aug. 18, at 8 p.m.

Says Ramon de Veyra, the film’s co-scriptwriter: “The basic skinny is that we never got to have an afterparty for the film because there was a typhoon during the gala, so we’re finally getting to it, and it’s better now because the schedule is such that basically every band featured in the film is performing. Also, the entire shebang is free.” He adds: “We are encouraging people to bring relief goods for Habagat.” (There will be a donation booth for that purpose. Donate enough and direk Marie will buy you a beer! And maybe give you a soundtrack!)

The lineup includes Sandwich, Pedicab, Ciudad, Outerhope, Ang Bandang Shirley, Boldstar, The Strangeness and lots more. “There are some surprises being planned, like Itchyworms will be performing APO Hiking Society’s Ano Ang Ibig Mong Sabihin?. We’re hoping Boboy Garrovillo himself will join them, but we’re waiting on confirmation. Tarsius will perform live their remix of Hannah+Gabi’s Waiting For The Rainfall with Mikey (Amistoso). ‘Innerdespair’ will perform, as well as one of Bogs’s new bands. Glaiza De Castro, who contributed to the soundtrack, has a band and they’re also scheduled to make an appearance. The score composers (Mikey, Diego Mapa, and Jazz Nicolas) who won Best Original Musical Score at Cinemalaya will perform selections from the score.”

All free, and for a good cause.