A PUNK ROCK STORY IN PICTURE

These are some of the images that tells a story from last Sunday Matinee show that was held at The Spot featuring old school hardcore stalwarts THROW, HARD K, JUN IDIOT AND THE IMBECILES, AGAINST MAN and mod power pop band THE GOSIGNALS plus Tarlac City's  keepers of the faith - BLINDSIDED, RED CORPSE and NO ONE LEFT.  

Keep your eyes peeled for the field report coming very soon. (I'm too fucking lazy to give you updates for now).

DOUBLE BARREL FUN

Bisikleta Productions is bringing you two matinee shows this coming December 16 and December 23 at The Spot in Caloocan City.

The first one will be a Punk Rock show featuring the old school's finest hardcore acts THROW (watch out for their upcoming new album!), JUN IDIOT AND THE IMBECILES, THE GO SIGNALS, HARD K, AGAINST MAN. They will be joined by Tarlac City's BLIND SIDED, RED CORPSE and NO ONE LEFT.

And for the second offering we are bringing you a ska, dub and oi! set featuring SHUFFLE UNION, NEIGHBORS, STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, PINKCOW, GOODLEAF, DANDIMITES, THE EXSENADORS and TELLAYOUTHSKA plus a very special strictly vinyl  DJ set by our very own fellow Filipino EDDIE OCAMPO drummer for third wave ska bands such as THE INSTEPS, DAVE HILLYARD ROCKSTEADY 7, STUBBORN ALLSTARS and his latest band THE FULL WATTS BAND expect to hear some Channel Tube goodies as well as tasty 7 inchers from him.

These double barreled fun filled shows will be held on two consecutive Sundays at The Spot, located at Luzvic Building, Samson Road corner Francisco Street, Caloocan City. Gates will be opened at 3PM and admission will be priced at 50 bucks that comes with one ice cold beer.

POST SCRIPTUM

Due to a hectic schedule and unforeseen events that took place last month Bisikleta Productions had cancelled the DJ night for Keb Darge's Booknation (my sincerest apology for those who had anticipated it) Since the feast of the son of Isis or for lack of a better word - err Christmas is drawing near what better way to celebrate this pagan ritual than to share and send the books to Keb's wife, EDITHA DARGE at BARANGAY PADANG, HERMANI, EASTERN SAMAR, PHILIPPINES 6804 as gifts to the children of Samar who had dreamed of having a library. 

And one more thing please avoid sending religious books.

3 IS A MAGIC NUMBER

PILISKAPINAS had done it again as the year draws to a close they hosting the  first ever PHILIPPINE SKA FESTIVAL and for this year they are bringing in Korea's top ska outfit KINGSTON RUDIESKA for a three night performance. First stop will be here in Manila for the 3RD MANILA SKA FESTIVAL on December 8 at Makati Cinema Square they will be joined by the city as well as nearby provinces top ska acts such as SHUFFLE UNION, COFFEE BREAK ISLAND, NEIGHBORS, JEEPNEY JOYRIDE, BAGUIO SKA PARADISE, STOLEN SHOTS, STEADY MOVIN' BEAT, DANDIMITES, MONSOONS and FINGERTRAP.

For the second leg of the PHILIPPINE SKA FESTIVAL they will be going to the Queen City of the South for the SOUTHSIDE SKARNIVAL at Cebu City happening at Peace Bar on December 15 and on December 16 at Bob Marlin Restaurant and Grill in Mandaue. This time they will be joined by the southerns finest as well as Manila's fiercest ska acts SKALIBRE 32, ONE MAN DOWN,  SEAWEED PASTA, SHEPERD'S PLAID, BLESSED THE KING, SHUFFLE UNION and COFFEE BREAK ISLAND.

Do drop by at any of the shows if you happen to be at any of these dates.

In case some of you do not know who KINGSTON RUDIESKA is, well it's time to give you a bit of edutainment so you'll not get confused with that K Pop thing. The band comes from South Korea and have been around since 2004 playing authentic ska music. If you like to be bombarded with tight rhythm section and even tighter horn section then this band is for you. Meanwhile enjoy their music video and start skanking.

THE FIFTH ELEMENT

Bisikleta Productions is launching it's Hip Hop arm called CINCO ELEMENTO on the 22nd of November Thursday at The Spot in Caloocan City. The reason behind this endeavor is first to pay homage to the culture's foundation - The five elements: Djing, Mcing, Bboying, Graffiti and Knowledge that binds it altogether.

The elements brought people together, the DJ would be spinning, the b-boys would be dancing, emcees would be lining up to take the mic and hype up the crowd and the graffiti artists would be there supporting, putting together a mural.

And second is to clear out the misconceptions that had plagued the three of the most rebellious music mankind had created and that is Reggae, Hip Hop and Punk into a seamless correlation. 

The music is intertwined in terms of the street entrepreneurialism and rebellious character, Which is the attitude and the Do It Yourself. This rebellious connection between hip-hop reggae and punk music had seeped into each other. 

In the late 70's and early 80's with the birth of hip hop the influential independent dub and record label called Wackies had noticed the emerging culture and had released several hip hop singles and in Jamaica Joe Gibbs had released Xanadu and Sweet Lady's Rapper's Delight. And in the UK a recording company specializing in dub and reggae music called Lightning Records whose responsible for Althea and Donna's Uptown Top Ranking had also been releasing punk rock singles. 

And as time goes by the relationship was further cemented as bands and artist alike are crossing over slowly blurring the boundaries the likes of Tim Armstrong who had appeared on Cypress Hill's What's Your Number sampling over The Clash's Guns of Brixton, Madball's front man Freddy Madball had released a strictly hip hop joint called Catholic Guilt, Reggae singer Tippa Irie had appeared with Long Beach Dub All Stars together with Joe Strummer. These are some of the like minded people that had demolished every single barrier reggae, punk and hip hop had faced.  Haters still gonna hate but I heard The Clash and Grandmaster Flash and without them's like Burt Reynolds with a Moustache. 

Fuck the purist this is Cinco Elemento motherfuckers.

BOOKNATION

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” - Dr. Seuss

Despite our high literacy rate, many Filipinos can barely read and write.  Recently Keb Darge had posted a message through Facebook and asking for assistance. 

He is now living here in our country with his lovely Filipina wife Little Edith, Keb is trying to build a free library for the children in Padang, Eastern Samar. The kids  over there had dreamt of reading books but sadly they can not afford to have one.

Since Keb Darge had helped Bisikleta Production and it's about time to give it back to him. Bisikleta Productions along with Boppin' Juke Pilipinas, Soundblasters and PiliSKApinas is helping Keb in his noble cause and for that we are launching KEB DARGE'S BOOKNATION a DJ event for the said cause this coming November and it will be a book donation campaign. Your books will provide inspiration as well as a motivation to a young individual. 

In the meantime keep your eyes and ears peeled for this event as it progress. Together we can change the future and eradicate illiteracy one book at a time. 

Meanwhile you can reach out by sending books to Keb's wife, Edita Carlites Darge at this address: Barangay Padang, Hernani, Eastern Samar, Philippines 6804. The postage for the books will cost a wee bit but you'll make alot of people in that area very happy.

HOY!

In anticipation for the debut album of The Exsenadors, Bisikleta Productions is jump starting a series of strictly Oi! music events featuring streetpunk bands that plays music for hooligans. And for that we are offering all you skinheads out there the real deal if you are tired of seeing and hearing all the psuedo streetpunk bands being featured on some faux Oi! events that boldly uses that cockney expression and taking that word in vain then this is for you.

And for this initial offering of Hoy! we are featuring Philippines Oi! music pioneers THE MIGHTY CONTRAS, The lone band to represent our country for Skinhead! It's an Asian league Oi! compilation released by Japan's Bronze Fist Records.

Along side The Mighty Contras we will also be featuring Bulacan's TARTARZ, Laguna's AGAINST THE WALL, Cavite's The SQUAT and lastly but not the least Manila's THE EXSENADORS rounding up this testosterone filled line up for October 27, Plus A BOY NAMED HIL will be playing some boss reggae for your jeggae to keep all you baldies from dancing with your birds rather than going aggro.

This event will be held at THE SPOT located at 1470 Luzvic Building Samson road corner Francisco Street, Caloocan City. For a measly sum of 50 pesos you'll get to hear some brutally honest to goodness loud music void of any pretensions and an ice cold beer to boot.

THIS IS OI!

In preparation for the up and coming THE EXSENADORS debut album Bisikleta Productions is jump starting a series of Oi! events featuring some of Metro Manila's best honest to goodness working class rebels.