2011
The Day the French Came
November 11, 2011
October 20, Thursday, 11:00 pm: My phone’s alarm went off, & when I went to check, it said “TAHITI80 @ The Alphaland Tents tomorrow, 9pm. Find ticket!” See, prior to this night, I had been thinking of where I could hit my head over & over if by some chance I found myself ticket-less on the day of the gig. Hurrah for phone alarms! >>>
Some Perfectly Interesting Event
April 15, 2011
Most modern calendars mark the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event. – Oscar Wilde
That was not the case for our three-year anniversary party held during the 2nd of April in an intimate celebration at Route 196. It was during this month Lilystars Records was brilliantly conceived in preparation for The Camerawalls debut album. And who would have thought that after three years it will expand to be a proper independent record label in Manila releasing two full length CD Albums, three CD EPs, two CD Singles (with Remixes) and one Digital Single. A total of forty-two tracks of wonderful recordings from six indie artists. >>>
Video Exclusive: HELLOGOODBYE
April 11, 2011
Hellogoodbye’s acoustic video performance recorded exclusively for the launch of “Would It Kill You?” (Philippine Edition) held at Route 196 on April 2. Seen in the video are Forrest Kline (vocals/guitar), Joseph Marro (keyboards/guitars) and Travis Head (bass) featuring the songs Getting Old, When We First Met and Would It Kill You?. We love everything about this video contribution and we hope you’ll fall in love with the band too and fancy their newest offering now under Lilystars! >>>
“B” Is For Bacharach
March 21, 2011
Our recent tribute event for The POP Shoppe! featured some of the works of Burt Bacharach, which unbeknownst to many is one of most popular and respected songwriter. A lot of his songs have been sung, covered and continously being revived by well known singers, musicians and bands. >>>
2010
The POP Shoppe! Christmas Special
December 29, 2010
Was able to compile short clips from our pre-Christmas gathering at The POP Shoppe! in Cafe Saguijo. Our guest bands include Carnival Park (indie pop band from Valenzuela City) and The Edralins (a pop act who came all the way from Baguio City). Everyone covered a mandatory Christmas tune. >>>
Watching The Wheels At Ayala Museum (Part 1)
October 24, 2010
What do you get when you combine music and arts and an important musical icon all in one event? A considerable effort to come together and keep the spirit alive of one of the greatest songwriter/musician of all time — John Lennon. In a birthday tribute that featured both a number of indie bands performing Lennon songs and visual artists displaying works of art to simply acknowledge his relevance, talent and ideals that inspired millions. This took place at the ground floor lobby of Ayala Museum – Lilystars resident event partner for The POP shoppe! – last October 9 with a show entitled “Watching The Wheels”. >>>
In The Flesh: Your Imaginary Friends
September 26, 2010
Last month at the Ayala Museum, Your Imaginary Friends (YIF) kicked-off The Gentle Isolation’s EP launch by being the first act to perform in the first event for The POP Shoppe! Music Series: A Call To Mind. This month, it was Your Imaginary Friends’ time to shine as tables turned and The Gentle Isolation returned the favor. On September 17, 2010, Your Imaginary Friends went public with their first official record entitled “One Dreamy Indeterminate Hum”. The launch of the CD EP containing five, all-original tracks by Your Imaginary Friends was the highlight of the second Lilystars event.
On the afternoon before the launch, Your Imaginary Friends dropped by the NU107 studios for a little chat with DJ Pontri before heading off to the Ayala Museum for a mini-press conference. In between playing songs from “One Dreamy Indeterminate Hum” and the mandatory band bio, the lively discussion that ensued on air had Ahmad Tanji (YIF’s front man) telling the stories behind their songs and how the record came together with a theme regarding “coming of age”. The band went on to relay how by melding two great eras in music—the 80s and the 90s–they were able to find their sound. A fun and entertaining discussion continued during the mini press conference with the band expressing their genuine excitement about the whole event. >>>
The Gentle Isolation’s “It Started With An April Shower” Opens The POP Shoppe! Music Series: A Call To Mind
August 30, 2010
Just three months after successfully staging their first large-scale music production in May 2010 (Club 8 Live in Manila!), Lilystars Records is back in the scene, having staged another event last August 18, 2010 at the Ayala Museum in Makati City. Dubbed The POP Shoppe! Music Series: A Call To Mind, the series was kicked off by the EP launch of The Gentle Isolation, one of the three artists in the label’s roster.
Entitled “It Started With An April Shower,” this CD EP by The Gentle Isolation is the Meycauayan, Bulacan-based quartet’s first attempt and effort at immortalizing their original material. The five-song EP features their first single, “Let’s Go Slow,” which is currently enjoying airplay on FM radio station NU 107, the event’s official radio partner (listen to the whole EP Here). >>>
Loud Concert, Quiet Anniversary
June 10, 2010
I’m still hungover over Club 8′s visit to the Philippines even after weeks since the conclusion of the shows we co-produced plus the fact that Lilystars has already turned two years old last May.
I cannot recall including concert production on a large scale as part of our plan of activities. Lilystars as I heard a friend say (after I told him how we got the Club 8 gig) is a “happenstance producer.” Managing bands, producing and selling records and small event productions are already very challenging tasks sometimes fulfilling and sometimes disappointing especially for a start-up non-commercial indie label with very limited time and resources and still in the process of learning and growing.
What my team and I have are big dreams and good intentions and the means to afford “creative freedom.” Creative freedom means a lot and it means different things to different people. But above all, it gives me and the other artists we bring on board, the freedom to explore new worlds in their music, take chances, and boldly try out to new blends, instruments and musical themes. I believe this is where genuine artistic growth happens and we are ready to stick our necks out with any artist we support and believes in us. We enjoy the thrill, the excitement and the danger of being on the cutting edge of what is new and progressive and we embrace the risks and the losses in terms of time and money simply because we love good music, we love what we do and the fact that building a musical career does not take overnight. >>>
We Couldn’t Stop Dreaming (of Club 8 in the Philippines)
May 10, 2010
When Clementine broke the news that he & Perz Baltazar of Cebu-based Modern Rock Bureau were liaising with Johan Angergård to discuss the possibility of Club 8 doing a couple of shows in the Philippines, I was just floored. I didn’t think it possible, but the moment I got dibs on their exchanges over e-mail (proof!), I had to ask someone to stop me from pinching myself silly.
If by some chance you had read my last entry about the Kings of Convenience gig here in Manila held at the NBC Tent last March 31, then you might remember that I mentioned Club 8 there too. What did I tell you about the water they’ve been drinking in Europe…? That the excellent duo that is the subject of this piece hails from that fair part of the world called Sweden, is again, no great surprise anymore. Club 8, who are Karolina Komstedt and Johan Angergård, began their career in 1995 and have not stopped making their signature brilliant music since. Each of the seven albums they have released is testimony to Karolina and Johan’s mastery of their talent, the band’s evolution and the refinement of their sound. They make for an interesting study in the life of the pop sensation that they have become. >>>
Our KOC Experience
April 3, 2010
We finally had our fill of Kings Of Convenience after weeks of holding on to our advanced tickets. As expected, Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe performed with much enthusiasm as their calming voices and delicate tunes reverberated all over NBC Tent on a hot Holy Wednesday. >>>
I’d Rather Dance With Them: Finding The Music Of Kings Of Convenience
March 8, 2010
When I was growing up, I can swear I spent more time tuned in to the radio or listening to recorded music than couch potato-ing in front of a TV. I usually get dressed for school with Connie Francis or Doris Day singing in the background, and weekends meant being stuck at home with a medley on repeat by The Carpenters or always forgotten piano demos that were intended to inspire me to hold my own on the ivories. Summer vacation trips included the mandatory Sinatras & Monroes in the car, if we weren’t already tuned in to some radio station playing “oldies but goodies,” and oddly enough, “Chiquitita,” “Fernando,” or some other ABBA song lulled us kids to sleep. It was such a happy childhood, thanks, mom and dad. >>>
An Acoustic Night With Outerhope
February 19, 2010
After immersing myself in the music of Outerhope (both live and on record) I quickly invited the siblings for the first time to perform at The POP Shoppe! It happened one humid Thursday evening at Saguijo last February 4. The gig was designed for them requiring bands under Lilystars to do acoustic sets for a change and we called it “Pleasantries and Quiet Reflections.”
Outerhope has a new album out I so immensely adore. A self-released sophomore effort. Listening to “A Day For The Absent” is a walk in the park, sending beautiful signals to my daydreaming-prone-state-of-mind. The melodies, both straightforward and intricate, perfectly combines with eloquent lyricism with harmonies that readily invites a young butterfly out of it’s cocoon. The instrumentation and arrangements may sound minimalistic but it persuasively display soulful craftsmanship. >>>
It Happened One Night
February 10, 2010
What began as a joke one most likely drunken night while hanging out at Lilystars’ headquarters in Cubao finally found its way to Route 196 last January 30. My memory isn’t serving me as well as I had hoped it would as I begin to write this, but I do remember several occasions where us Lilystars people joked incessantly about one day getting former friends and Orange & Lemons (O&L) band mates, Clem Castro and Mcoy Fundales, together—even if only for one night—to share the stage again. Enter Of Mice and Men, a production by Lilystars Records/The POP Shoppe!—a gig intended to celebrate the music that Orange & Lemons left us at the wake of their soaring career and the closest we got to hearing and seeing those old songs from those old days again, performed live. >>>
Your Interesting Drug
January 10, 2010
Browsing our event page I noticed that The POP Shoppe! started off 2009 with a Smiths tribute entitled “Oh, We Handsome Devils.” It was then I realize we have come full circle with the recent tribute to Morrissey, our first event for 2010. >>>