December Bite Magazine Vol 2 No12 by apiong bagares

BLEED ARTWORK

DECEMBER 2008 VOL.2 NO.12

What you should have done this year:

The Guitar Equation Carrera Crazy More Inside:

Romero Vergara Reviews: Cebu Guitar Festival Grace Jones: Hurricane

DECEMBER 2008 VOL.2 NO.12

Buy less, by more.

Roy Lumagbas Text Minder

Ever since we can remember, Christmas has always been about buying. Of course, how else can we give, if not what we buy? Which then makes Christmas as it is supposed to be: about giving. True. That’s how it has been, though not always, and it has accelerated to the point of being considered the engine of the economy or of growth. Christmas is now seen as a bright point to be anticipated, economy-wise in an economy that is increasingly consumer driven. Yet, anybody who can add up one plus one cannot miss the dire fact that this consumption increasingly means the consuming of the earth’s ability to sustain itself because it leads to more natural resource extraction, then pollution, then global warming then, least of all, unbelievable waste. With the one hand that we give, we take with the other hand many times over, even depriving future generations of their right to the fruits of nature. But, humans, you, are creative. Surely this doesn’t present an insurmountable problem. You have a pair of hands. You have a brain. You know what is beautiful. You know what you like. You know what you can do. You can make something. You can do something. You can be something. Something you can buy might be the most fashionable, the most indispensable, the most useful but it cannot compare to anything by you which will have an irreplaceable ingredient: you. Now, isn’t that what the song calls the greatest gift of all?

David Harris Inspiration Mona Polo Guidance Apiong Bagares Graphic / Photography Diane Leigh Dumadag Marites Abatayo Sales Executives Iris Su Viral Marketing Pumpkin Property Custodian Paul Dean Mona Polo Ching Villalon Chai Fonacier Eds Estrella Mikey Bautista Quarkenzyme Editorial Contributors Jon Unson / Archie Uy Nicko Real / Apiong Bagares Aldo Banaynal / Uzi Emperado Mark Yap / Paul Gotiong Photo Contributions Submissions: BITE is priviledged to receive news on out-of-the-ordinary products and events. We also welcome artworks and articles for publication. BITE magazine retains the rights and the copyright of the concepts and ideas proposed. BITE is a monthly publication brought to you

The FoundryPublishing Inc.

The Front Teeth

Advertising inquiries to: 479-B Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Lahug, Cebu City 6000 Tel/Fax: (032) 232-3116 / (032) 233-6144

E-mail: foundrypublishing@gmail.com www.bitemagazine.ph

Cover Stars Ed Banaynal Photography Apiong Bagares Location Coralandia Cover Design Bata and thanks to Cora Bagares for allowing us to shoot at Coralandia and to Karl Cañada for holding the reflector

The

Bite magazinE 2nd Anniversary Party and

presEnTs

wolfgang villains tour

L B ACK CHRISTMAS razorback

powerspoonz / cuarenta december 12, 2008 / gates open 6pm / tickets sold at p150.00 paseo center-mabolo

Tickets outlets: The Outpost, Kaona Grill, all Moon Cafes and at the gate or call (032) 233-6144

For our year-end issue of BITE, we’ve drawn up an extensive inventory for you to check your life against before the final curtain of 2008 closes. Whether it’s eating Crispy Pata at Alejandro’s or mountain biking over Tops, here are things everyone in this busy city could be making time for. If its too late for 2008, you could make it part of your January to do list. The quintessential Cebu City experience. Culture Course. 1. Have your fortune told by the oldest looking fortune-teller at Taoist Temple 2. Watch Confessional, the movie 3. Keep your Chinese doctor’s hand written prescription stuck to the fridge 4. Be a member of an Indie band and curse Bisrock 5. Believe everything your feng shui master says 6. Explore Carbon market. Smell the love. 7. Play mah-jong with strangers and pretend you are an undercover policeman when you lose. 8. Have your photo taken at a party and find it weeks later in a magazine. 9. Support your local artists by going to a gig that charges an entrance or cover 10. Go speed-dating. Make up a new job for every person that you meet. 11. Take a picnic in the new Terraces area of Ayala Malls, and wonder what happened to the lagoon. 12. Be the subject of a blind item in the local papers. 13. Open an art gallery with your retirement fund. 14. Intern at BITE magazine 15. Do a watercolour of the street traffic pollution and find that you have to buy extra tubes of grey paint 16.… actually complain to your city administration about the traffic pollution 17.… … but sort your own vehicle first 18. Try to walk along any of the city’s sidewalks and wonder why you break your ankle or fall through a mysterious dark hole 19. Thank your lucky stars if you do find a sidewalk 20. Meet a blind date under the Mactan bridge 21. Claim you were stopped by a modelling agent in SM North Wing when shopping the other day 22. Sing karaoke loudly in your house until the neighbours call the police 23. Ban karaoke from any open public place, especially the beach 24. Pick a mobile number with as many 8s in it as possible 25. Download and re-watch the whole of the Lost series 26. Teach English as a second language

27. Go on a date with a local celebrity 28.…Become a local celebrity 29. Have your picture taken with Budoy and post it on your Multiply and Facebook account 30. Talk to a local artist in Turtles Nest 31. Read the BITE magazine of the person standing in front of you 32. Attempt to define Cebu culture every time you’re drunk 33. Have a chocolate brownie cup at La Marea 34. Admire the graffiti art opposite C24 on Juan Luna Avenue 35. Fight corruption at every opportunity… Do not offer any bribes, not to policemen, fixers, no one.

History Lessons. Learn a little. 36. Visit the Lapu-Lapu shrine 37.…Then go and look at the Magellan’s Cross 38. Ask a granny about her wartime stories 39. Put your iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, notebook and other gadgets you own in a time capsule and throw it into a hole at a construction site 40. Learn the names of the Philippine presidents in chronological order 41. Keep your McDonald’s toys in their original packaging. They’ll be worth a fortune in 30 years. 42. Ask your city administration why there are not more open spaces for the public to enjoy 43. Ask the local administration about why the beaches on Mactan are fenced and why do you have to pay an entrance fee 44. Take a first date to the public cemetery 45. Visit the Casa Gorordo Museum but only because you need to use the CR 46. Dress like Lara Croft and raid the Fort San Pedro 47. Run naked around Gorordo Avenue and mimic the Oblation Statue 48. Go to Ayala Business Park and take lots of photographs…! See if the guards will stop you. 49.…and pretend you are Korean/Japanese/Chinese when a guard approaches. 50. Haul your recyclable electronics to the SM Waste Market Fair 51. Keep everything. Throw away nothing. 52. Pawn your jewellery.

Shopping. Spend, Spend, Spend. 53. Panic buy rice and food during the next typhoon storm 54. Substitute bread for rice/puso in preparation for the next rice shortage. 55. Spritz yourself with all the perfumes at AK&7 club 56. Go ukay-ukay shopping for some cool imported rags 57.…And pay more than you bought them for with the dry cleaning bill 58. Impulse buy a Chinchilla. Then make it into a fur muff when it dies.

60. Own a genuine Lacoste shirt 61.… And a sex toy 62. Go to Watson’s & fill your basket with Panadol Extra, Ferrero Rocher & condoms. 63. Realize how much cheaper the wet markets are. Vow to shop there more. Fail to do so. 64. Do a Metro Gaisano vs. Super Metro price comparison on soy sauce. 65. Pawn your TV. Don’t reclaim it. 66. Browse artsy books at Cagnaan bookstore 67. Watch an art film at Vistarama in Colon 68. Bulk-buy 500-peso DVDs of movies you’ve never even heard of 69. Actually wait for the green light 70. Obey the traffic rules, it helps others 71. Try stopping for pedestrians who wish to cross

Eat and Drink. Try before you die. 72. Go for a romantic dinner for two at Abaca. 73.… Check your bank balance the next day. 74.… … Find a cheaper girlfriend 75. Air your love life problems on live radio. Make sure he/she is listening. 76. Eat a whole roasted chicken from Sr. Pedro 77. Gorge in style at the Marco Polo lunch buffet 78. Enjoy the healthy mango drinks at Kaona Grill 79. Take your date for a sizzling steak at AA BBQ 80.…then go by yourself to The Gustavian for the ultimate experience 81.……and when your date complains, take them for a quality steak at Black Angus 82. Eat a large ice cream as you watch people run on the tread mills at Slimmers World. 83. Buy a gym membership 84.… Remember to use it. 85. Eat super spicy Korean instant noodles with a fried egg on top. 86. Have a fruit drink from Thirsty 87. Sample everything on the dessert buffet at Shangri La Aqua restaurant 88. Eat sashimi 89. Go people watching at Starbucks in I.T. Park 90.… While there, whip out a sachet of instant coffee and ask for hot water 91. Save your money and dine only in food courts for a month 92. Look for and eat Korean ice creams

Nightlife! Even if you can’t remember most of it… 93. Get smashed in The Outpost on Christmas Eve 94.…And then do it again a week later for New Year’s Eve 95. Drunkenly fall off your chair in Kalye 80’s 96. Visit a Mango Avenue girlie bar

97. Check into a love hotel. Try the Sogo hotel if you’re squeamish 98. Steal a towel and the posh toiletries from your favourite local hotel 99. Spend a night shooting the breeze with strangers in Mango Square 100. Buy a bottle of beer from C24 and drink it on the street 101.… Have several more and go dancing in Club Pump 102.…… Then get a taxi to Jazz n’ Blues and jump on stage with whichever band is performing that night. 103. Have your hair done at Expose Salon. 104.… Stay there & watch them transform it into After Hours Tapas Lounge where the best Mojito in town can be found 105.… …Though some have said the one at Formo is better 106.… … …And apparently the Mexican version at Mooon Café is good too 107. Go to 360 Tapsi and drink beer served at the correct cold temperature 108. Watch the sun set from the mangroves bar at the end of a pier in Cordova 109. Spend a romantic evening at Tops. 110. Watch all the sports channels at The Tap Room 111. Stay up all night playing pool. 112. Play rock music in the middle of down town Colon 113. Wear a shirt and tie and act sophisticated while sipping tuba 114. Go Capoeira training every Tuesday and Thursday after work 115. Get a tattoo at Kukuk’s Nest 116. Donate blood before you get your tattoo 117. Join the Koreans and party at Sunflower 118. Sing a song or play an instrument during open mic night at The Outpost 119. Watch the markets come to life at dawn 120. Puke up on a late night jeepney going home 121. Protect a prostitute from her pimp’s beatdown in Mango Avenue

Treat Yourself. Because you only live once 122. Have a foot massage at Body & Sole 123. Get a cut throat shave from David’s Salon 124. Test drive a luxury car of your dreams 125. Sneak into the Montebello Hotel swimming pool and enjoy the gardens 126. Get a Brazilian at Posh 127. Undergo a colonic 128. Have digital nail art done at Beauty Pia 129. Get something pierced in Ronnie’s Tattoo 130. Eat an entire box of chocolates 131. Own a multi-functional phone and never use any of the functions 132. Learn the jobs of your helpers: cook your meals, clean your house, and wash your own car. 133. Treat yourself for the day at Chi Spa 134. Buy sexy underwear for your date 135.… try to find a store that has any sexy underwear

Why Not? Just for the heck of it. 137. Try and fail to put on a popular music festival 138. Say hi to your neighbour 139. Play old school arcade games all afternoon 140. Ride a jeepney during rush hour 141. Be a backseat driver in a taxi 142. Hail a taxi for a 500 meter ride 143. Give up your jeepney seat for the elderly, disabled, pregnant or pretty girl you see 144. Run up the “down” escalator 145. Have a Eurasian baby 146. Tell everyone you were an extra in an art film that was shot in Cebu 147. Line up for something free (the longer the queue the better) 148. Wave to the CCTV in the shops & elevators 149. Own a pair of Crocs 150. Make fun of someone wearing Crocs 151. Teach a foreigner a dirty word in Bisaya 152. Bitch about your local politician on a phone-in radio station 153. Buy lot’s of crap in a shopping centre because you can enter a lucky draw there when you spend php 3,000.00 154. Live in a condo that’s cheaper than anyone else’s because it faces a cemetery 155. Put your crackberry aside for a day 156. Send the bible to the Obscene Articles Tribunal, if none make one. 157. Get a new ID card with a nicer mug shot by “losing” your old one. 158. Write a first person account on prostitution in Mango Avenue for a local newspaper and complain how you got ripped off. 159. Participate in an ABS-CBN game show. 160. Bet your life savings on a random rooster during a cock fight 161. Make one of your new year resolutions “thinner, whiter, richer” 162. Finally overcome your cockroach phobia 163. Get drunk, get in a cab, attempt to lean out the window to puke and break the window in the process. 164. Crash a party at Treff Bar and try all the free drinks 165. Apply for five credit cards just for the promotional gifts 166. Wear the same shirt as your boyfriend/girlfriend and parade down the street 167 .Enter through the “exit” doors and see if the mall guards notice. 168. Try to drive away from the parking ticket attendants in I.T. Park without paying 169. Conduct a water test at your local drinking water supplier 170. Make out with your girlfriend in your local church

Giving Back. It’s your city: 171. Clean out your boyfriend’s closet. 172.… Donate his clothes to the Rasta Claus annual event.

173.… … Donate some of your own clothes too. 174. Give your money to the vagrants on the overpass. Minimum 20 pesos 175. Stop shutting the elevator door on people 176. Actually remember to turn off your lights during the next lights out campaign 177. Bolster our oft-complained about arts scene by buying a painting or sculpture 178. Clean up a beach 179. Vote during the next elections 180. Volunteer for an NGO 181. Become a healthy young ambassador and educate people about AIDS with your local foundation 182. Buy the reusable grocery bags at Rustan’s Fresh and SM 183.… Actually use the reusable grocery bags 184. Give up shark’s fin siomai and everything with shark-whatevers in them 185. Plant a tree 186. Pick up some litter and dispose of it properly

Outdoors. After all Cebu island is about three-quarters country side. 187. Sign up for a basic mountaineering course. 188. Kayak to Sulpa 189. Learn to sail at Cebu Yacht Club 190. Rent a bike from Outdoor Perspective and ask them to recommend a route 191. Get pricked by a sea urchin and ask a stranger to pee on you 192. Sunbathe nude 193. Go deep sea fishing 194. Buy fresh flowers and vegetables in Busay 195. Climb Osmena Peak 196. Evil Kneivel down Tops on a mountain bike 197. Scuba dive in Mactan channel 198. Swim across to Olango Island 199. Give chase with the Hash House Harriers 200. Play badminton in Family Park 201. Join the Cebu Dragons rugby team for some real sport 202. Improve your handicap at the Cebu Golf and Country Club 203. Go skateboarding in Ayala Business Park 204.…Get busted for skateboarding anywhere else 205. Ride with a local motorcycle gang 206. Fret about dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases 207. Take an Island Banca cruise 208. Ask a Korean to be your friend 209. Walk to work 210.… call in sick the next day 211.Drive a tartanilla

Hair and Makeup by Romero Vergara / Photography by Jon Unson for O published by ZEE Publications, Inc. August 2006

Making Faces Romero Vergara

text by bakunawa_on_the_loose In a fitting continuation of last month’s Creative Juice feature, we bring you Romero Vergara, one of Cebu’s sought after make-up artists and stylists. For a person whose hands are more eloquent and creative than his words, it’s quite an opportunity to sit and talk with him. It was a light-hearted and easy conversation but it was filled with insights. And for a man who came from humble beginnings, he has certainly carved his own niche in both glam and creative make-up and styling. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A MAKE-UP ARTIST/STYLIST? It’s about 15 years now. I’ve gone back and forth Cebu and Manila. But I grew up in Iloilo. WHEN DID YOU SAY THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR CAREER? Since the first time I got paid to do it for a magazine. It was WOMAN’S TODAY in Manila. I was able to work with top models like Tweetie de Leon and Joyce Oreña. SO FAR, WHO WOULD YOU SAY IS YOUR FAVORITE FACE? Amiel Sarmiento. She’s one of our models for the book “O” , which Jon Unson and I collaborated on. She’s classically beautiful. I also like dark-skinned beauties and ‘chinitas.’ WHO IS THE PHOTOGRAPHER YOU WORK MOST WITH? It’s been Jon Unson. Our efforts work well together. Our minds agree most of the time when it comes to photography and make-up and styling. I’ve worked with him since I started. HOW DO YOU CONCEPTUALIZE A PERSON’S LOOK FOR A PHOTO SHOOT? If a client can carry a certain look, we’ll go for it. I look at his/her features and talk to them about what he/she wants. I also give them advise as to what is the appropriate look. YOUR HANDS, SINCE THEY’RE VERY CENTRAL TO YOUR CRAFT. IF YOU WERE TO LOSE EITHER OF YOUR HANDS, WHICH WOULD IT BE? The left hand! I’m right handed. IF YOU WERE TO LOSE ANY OF YOUR SENSES, WHICH WOULD IT BE? Oh my God, nakakaloka. SO YOU NO LONGER HAVE A LEFT HAND, AND YOU’RE GOING TO LOSE ONE OF YOUR SENSES… Ay, ano ba ‘yan. Hmmm… I think my hearing. Because I can still communicate using my hands or whatsoever. UNTIL WHEN DO YOU SEE YOURSELF DOING THIS? Until I can no longer move or I can’t see anymore. Because every year, I evaluate myself to see how I can move forward and improve. I get inspired by the people around me. I move around and travel, read books and magazines. A person’s beauty is also one of my strongest inspirations. From concept shots which test his creativity (he had to use earth [a.k.a. lupa, yuta, mud, etc.] at one point) to perfecting a glamour shot for a demanding client, he has always given his total commitment. Romy, as friends call him, might be a little on the pricey side (by Cebu standards at least) but having him give you expert advise is always worth it

+63917.717.70.84 romero_vergara@yahoo.com

The other day, while toying with some programming codes, I had a sudden urge to draw something. There wasn’t anything specific that I wanted to draw, I just wanted to work my pencil. When this happens, it’s usually frustrating; I wanna doodle, but my mind is blank. So I took a look at the world around me and decided to draw what was there. So I decided to draw the garbage that was lying around, gracing our hallowed campus floors. The same garbage that I spend all my time picking up during relaxing strolls down the hallway. Having spent quite an amount of time on campus, I felt I had gotten to know our school’s resident trash rather well, but I found that putting my impression of it down on paper added a new level of intimacy that I never before thought possible. I suddenly realized the diversity there is in all the different kinds of trash lying around, and came to appreciate the complexity of the geometry in each and every special piece. I hadn’t realized what I was taking for granted. Can you imagine walking down the street without the image of discarded pieces of plastic fluttering around in your peripheral vision? Where would we be without litter? Well, we

would probably be on the verge of economic recovery. National pride would grow as well, with us people taking responsibility for our actions, for our environment, and for our country. This sense of responsibility could even spread to other areas of our life, such as our education being one of the basis’ for a nation’s development, or our family life being the foundation of society. The taking of responsibility could even have a bubbling-up effect, reaching our government sectors. Politicians and senators, perhaps, would remember their duty to their country, and not just to their own pockets. Litter is also responsible for clogging up drainage routes which causes flash floods that have already claimed thousands. But since litter has become such a part of our everyday lives, I don’t know if we could bear to live without it. So this drawing is more than just a pencil sketch put on paper, it is the result of a blossoming relationship that continues to grow everyday. A special admiration that would have never come to be had it not been for the inconsiderate laziness of others. Had it not been for the continual display of thoughtless, reckless, carelessness, this miracle of friendship that is shared by janitors and city aides around the world would never have come to be. If countless people had done their part and simply

placed their litter where it was intended to go for segregation and proper disposal, I would have never gotten to know this wonderful slice of heaven known as litter.

one cares anymore about these bits of paper. What once was important and esteemed now ignored and rejected; the glory of their conception lost forever.

Candy Wrapper These little fellas are a common sight. They are seen zipping around sidewalks, hallways, and stairwells. Almost anywhere you go, you’ll be able to find a little candy wrapper. Commonly found turned insideout, they’re usually quite sticky. A small candy, a small purchase, a huge act of destruction.

Plastic Cup A still familiar, but not as common a sight as the others, plastic cups can, nonetheless, be found almost anywhere. Mostly found creased in the middle and split in multiple places, they tend to stay near their initial deposit of liquid. Even as discarded waste, the emblem they bear makes them an advertising asset to their parent company.

Infamous Cookie Plastic Also a rather common sight, these can be considered as the candy wrapper’s big brother. Serving pretty much the same purpose, they’re larger and not as agile as their smaller counterparts. They mostly prefer to stay in corners with their piles of crumbs nearby. Dejected Paper Sheets of schoolwork, such as seatworks, quizzes, or scratch papers, they vary in size and are found in or near school campuses. With a rather depressed demeanor, they slide along the lonely, polished floors with their corners cruelly folded and their sides sadly bent. A tear often mars the body of these once noble sheets of education, along with a trademark footprint or multiple dirty smudges. No

When people comment (or scoff) at my charity in throwing away trash that isn’t mine, I simply tell them that what I’m doing is not charity, its common courtesy. This is our campus, and this is our world, and if it’s dirty, rotten, and dying, then it’s a shame to all of us. Picking up a piece of litter is a small act of consideration and responsibility that is in no way a terribly tedious or strenuous act, and it’s the least we can do. In fact, not doing so should be what provokes a reaction. I pick up trash out of pity; pity for a planet that is unfortunate enough to have such inconsiderate tenants. Lets all do our part to save the world, small as it may be.

WEDNESDAY

ACOUSTIC REGGAE ON A WEDNESDAY With Sideline Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

DISCO SATURDAY

Venue: Alejandro’s Filipino Restaurant Phone: 253 7921

SUNDAY

ZODIAC CAPRICORN

THURSDAY

UP CENTENIAL TALENT NIGHT

Venue: Paseo Phone: 236 7700 / 0915 9120986

FRIDAY

INDIE IN CEBU

Venue: AK&7 Phone: 233 3328

FRIDAY

BITE NIGHTS PRESENTS: BLACK CHRISTMAS W/ WOLFGANG & RAZORBACK

UNO and Rescue a Hero come this way for a night of indie rockin! Venue: The Outpost / 9pm onwards Phone: 417 2929

MISS UP CEBU ‘09

Embrace freedom of expression as the UP centennial celebration takes on “Celestial Center Stage: 100 Years of Diversity, Personified.” BAMKWAN, the official organization of Mass Communication students Batch 2010, in cooperation with Communicators of UP, will be holding the annual search for Miss UP Cebu ’09 on December 5, 2008 at the UP Cebu Grounds. Venue: University of the Philippines Phone: 0915 9120986

5-7

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

GO DIEGO!

Venue: Activity Center, Ayala Center Cebu / 1:30pm, 3:30pm & 6pm Phone: 231 5342

SATURDAY LEAD CAREER MOVER: JAY-R SOUL IN LOVE

Soul in Love with R&B Prince, JAY-R, for an intimate concert for a cause. This project is for the benefit of World Vision-a Christian development, relief and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities worldwide to reach their full potential by addressing the causes of poverty and injustice. (www.worldvision.org.ph) Give a gift of Free Education this Christmas! Tickets at P800 and P500 only. Tickets also available at Waterfront Hotel-Lahug and Ayala Mall Concierge. For more details call LEAD Career Mover at 253.9726 or text 0922-827-7733. Venue: Teatro Casino, Waterfront Hotel, Lahug

THE ASSEMBLY

The University of San Carlos (JPIA) Found Raising Concert in cooperation with Cebuhour Productions. Featuring: Twinkle Dudu, Docudrama, Campbell, As They Say, Black Chilli, The Ambassadors and more..

Venue: F&B BAR / 7PM Phone: 09163792473

GRUNGE & ALTERNATIVE ROCK W/ DONKEYS OF THE BURNING BARN Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

Now the awakening nears....Are you ready? Wolfgang returns on the night of the full moon... Friday, Dec12 as BITE magazine and NO FEAR present the BLACK CHRISTMAS project with WOLFGANG and special guest RAZORBACK supported by POWERSPOONZ AND CUARENTA at Paseo Entertainment Centre, F. Cabahug Street, Mabolo The awakening is just around the corner.... Tickets available from all Mooon Café restaurants, Kaona Grill, The Outpost and at the gate Doors open 6pm Custom big bike display by MC Outsiders Special thanks to… No Fear, Paseo food and entertainment centre, Soundballoon Media partners – BITE magazine, RCTV, Cebu Daily News, Monster Radio, NU107, Manila Bulletin Venue: Venue: Paseo Entertainment Center / 6pm Phone: 233 6144 / bitemagazine.multiply.com SEE YOU THERE

THE POULTERGEIST

The launching of Campbell's debut album with Cebuhour. Featuring: Docudrama, False Graveyard, Twinkle Dudu, Zero Delay, Mungkanghan, Guilttoflow, The Ambassadors and more.. Venue: Kukuk's Nest / 7pm Phone: 09272217137

SATURDAY

RAKENROL 5 "HAPPY GRINCH DAY"

It's Cebuhour's fifth time now, with Cebu’s own local bands featuring School of Fish, Docudrama, August Skyline, Silhouette, Sadaea, Rescue a Hero and more.. Venue: F&B BAR / 7pm Phone: 09163792473

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS: THE CHAMBER CHOIR Venue: Ayala Center Cebu Phone: 231 5342

We take every care to ensure that the information we publish is accurate. Yet, we are not responsible for any changes to events and consequently for any information that have not been forwarded to us of those changes. Do make use of the phone numbers that we provide.

6 AND BEYOND! MSBC STREET PARTY

RASTACLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN

Anniversary celebration with a band playing, Mini Fashion Show participated by members Awarding Ceremony for all winners of each event. Venue: Metro Sports Cebu Phone: 233-3338

FRIDAY

THE BLUE NIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS

Spend your night at The Outpost with blues music by 40 the band. Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

PASKO SA SUGBO 2008

Santa Budoy and his reggae elves are back again for Rasta Claus, now on its 5th year. Your offering of clothes, food and other goods which will be donated to the less fortunate will grant you entrance to a reggae wonderland at The Outpost on Dec. 13. Dreadhead or not, do the reggae at this once-a-year bash and spread irie cheer that should last you well into the following year. Venue: The Outpost / 9pm onwards Phone: 417 2929 SEE YOU THERE

WEDNESDAY

ACOUSTIC INDIE ROCK

With The Ambassadors and The Line Divides Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

FRIDAY

CHRISTMAS CHOIRS: PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Venue: Ayala Center Cebu Phone: 231 5342

19-21

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

MUSIC & LASER

ALL WEEK LIVE BANDS EVERY NIGHT @ JAZZ ‘N BLUZ Venue: Jazz ‘n Bluz Phone: 232 2698

SUNDAYS SUNDAY UNWIND

Take a break from the hectic dance vibe and prep for the week ahead with chill out music, good vibes and great cocktails with the four hour happy hours. Venue: Formo / 6pm-onwards Phone: 416 1990

LAID-BACK SUNDAYS with World Music

Relax, loosen up and settle down while listening to The Outpost’s World Music Playlist, just what you need for a Sunday night out. Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

MONDAYS MONDAY CLASS with DJ Hans / DJ Jude Teaches a thing or two on house music. Venue: Formo / 9pm-2am Phone: 416 1990

MONDAYS to SATURDAYS

ACOUSTIC BANDS @ THE WINESHOP

Venue: Ayala Center Cebu Phone: 231 5342

Cebuhour’s Post-Christmas Celebration in cooperation with Cebu City Government. Featuring: Twinkle Dudu, Docudrama, August Skyline, Klynt, Sadaea, Rescue A Hero and Tropical Roots. Venue: Fuente Osmeña Circle / 7pm Phone: 09163792473

WEDNESDAY

PARTY TO THE LATIN GROOVE OF HARDWOOD With guest band, Dysfunction. Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

CEMP: UNSILENT NIGHT, UNHOLY NIGHT

Cebu Extreme Music Productions. Featuring Demise, Stallions, Kasakit, 40 Diaz, Mystery of Death, Vicryl 2.0, Fallen Angel, Stabwounds, Thy Will be Done and more… 100php + free beer Venue: The Boss Grill Phone: 09233182666

From Monday to Saturday, enjoy live music over drinks Venue: Formo / 9pm-2am Phone: 416 1990

TUESDAYS TUESDAY CLUB CLASSICS with DJ Mael / DJ Jude Dance floor history at its finest, every Tuesday night with Formo resident Djs. Venue: Formo / 9pm-2am Phone: 416 1990

THE OUTPOST PLAYLIST Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

PINK COUCH & CHILL-OUT TUESDAYS Venue: AK&7, The Gallery Phone: 233 3328

TUESDAYS - THURSDAYS OPEN MIC @ IAMIKS Venue: Iamik’s, Chicken & Beer Phone: 238 2366 / 0922 8426457

TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS SEXY LEDGE DANCING CONTEST

Check out the hottest babes competing for the title and groove with DJ Jack Stone and DJ Ryan Max. Venue: Paseo Phone: 416 1980

WEDNESDAY RHYTHMS

WEDNESDAYS

The rhythm crew plays your requests live every week. Wednesday Rhythms is irresistible with Baileys New Flavours in Caramel and Mint Chocolate. Ladies, your next bottle/shot is on us for every order of Baileys Caramel or Baileys Mint Chocolate! Wednesday nights only Venue: Formo Phone: 416 1990

ACOUSTIC NIGHT @ THE OUTPOST

With alternating artists, Juress and 40, listen to some new songs and their signature songs as they go fully acoustic! Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

SUNSET SESSIONS

Acoustic Band every Wednesday in front of Mr. Coffee, Chez Andre & Flame It Venue: Paseo Phone: 416 1980

LOUD WEDNESDAYS

Bedfellas: Loud and Proud. Alternative lifestyle Party, Ultra Techno Sexy House Music. Venue: AK&7, The Gallery Phone: 233 3328

THURSDAYS

PASEO HIPHOP STREET DANCE SHOWDOWN

FRIDAYS

ELEKTRO FRIDAYS

Dance party session with Electro House and Techno Music Venue: AK&7, The Gallery, Mabolo Phone: 232 4285

FRIDAY NIGHT RAPTURE

with triumvirate DJs-- HANS, MAEL & JUDE, their essential mixes, good vibes, Cebu's longest happy hour, some of the best cocktails in town and only the hottest party people! Venue: Formo / 9pm-4am Phone: 416 1990

ACOUSTIC FRIDAYS

With a lil’ bit of Joyce and Up close band Venue: Iamik’s, Chicken & Beer Phone: 238 2366 / 0922 8426457

FRIDAYS & SATURDAY ELEKTRO FRIDAYS

Dance party session with Electro House and Techno Music Venue: AK&7, The Gallery, Mabolo Phone: 232 4285

MASSIVE SATURNDAYS

SATURDAYS

Massive productions, Massive Dj’s. Buy a Bottle and get access to the VIP Lounge and bring along 5 friends. Venue: AK&7, The Gallery, Mabolo Phone: 232 4285

DISCO DELUXE

With Smirnoff Twist new flavors--orange, strawberry, black cherry and green apple every Saturday only at Formo -THE only party venue that offers the best, sophisticated, stylish, glam 80s party in town with Gap Mobile’s Gilbert Go and Ronald Tan. Venue: Formo / 9pm-4am Phone: 416 1990

Catch the mesmerizing moves of dance groups from different universities and communities as they battle it out on the dance floor to win the title of the Hiphop Dance Showdown Champion 2008. No door fee. Venue: Paseo Phone: 416 1980

JAMMING SATURDAYS W/ JOHANNA’S HEIRS

Acushla brings good vibes for the month of November with bossa remakes of your favourite songs at Formo’s al fresco Venue: Formo / 9pm-2am Phone: 416-1990

Capoeira Cebu Academy offers classes w/ award winning Capoeira instructor Jensen Go Chow. Class time 6:30pm Tuesdays & Thursdays. Venue: Sacred Heart Center, D Jakosalem St. Phone: 412 4076

THURSDAY SOUL

OPEN MIC & SONGWRITER’S NIGHT

Jam and sing along with Rommel of Hawak sa Tun-og as he sings both cover and original songs.o area. No cover Venue: The Outpost Phone: 417 2929

LADIES COCKTAIL NIGHT

Venue: AK&7, The Gallery, Mabolo Phone: 232 4285

Venue: Iamik’s, Chicken & Beer Phone: 238 2366 / 0922 8426457

CAPOEIRA

PACQUIAO VS DE LA HOYA BOXING MATCH

View the video coverage of the “Dream Match” Manny Pacquiao vs. Oscar de la Hoya on the 7th of December 2008. Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111

FULLMOON KAYAKING

Venue: Outdoor Perspective (meeting point) Phone: 0918 9089594

MSBC BOXING EXHIBITION

Friendly sparing matches between members and invited boxers within Cebu City. Venue: Metro Sports Cebu Phone: 233-3338

MSBC OUTDOOR THRILLS

10 Teams composed of 3 members per team ( 1 Female & 2 Males) Venue: Metro Sports Cebu Phone: 233-3338

20 6th METROSPORTS ANNUAL BADMINTON TOURNAMENT Venue: Metro Sports Cebu Phone: 233-3338

19-20 THE 2008 ANNUAL MAYOR’S CUP NATIONAL SKIMBOARDING COMPETITION

GALLERY Q GRAND LAUNCHING

Gallery Q. Already in operation since August, is set to have its Grand Launching. more than a hundred paintings and sculptures of Cebu’s finest visual artists will be featured in the exhibit which will run up to December 31,2008. Fifty four artists will participate in the exhibit, these are: Sofronio Dela Cerna, Luther Galicano, Jose Mari Picornell, Bobby Gonzales, Ritchie Quijano, Carmelo Tamayo, Raymund Fernandez, Stella Fernandez, Maxcel Migallos, Rita Piczon, Bernardo Hermoso, Antonio Vidal , Kimsoy Yap, Karl Roque, Javy Villacin, Boy Kiamko, Tito Cuevas, Nunelucio Alvarado, Nomar Miano, Koki Miano, Jet Florendo, Evan Bejec, and many more…

Venue: Gallery Q Phone: 345 6919

MONGOLIA MULTIMEDIA SHOW by Jens Funk

6 weeks through Mongolia by mountain bike 1.779 km without support a ride for the BIKE4U.ORG Foundation Venue: Outdoor Perspective Phone: 0918 9089594

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PASKO SA SUGBO

Christmas in Cebu is celebrated with songs, gifts, twinkling lights—and a month-long program of yuletide events. Check out the nightly cultural shows for taste of the season, Cebuano-style. There’s also the various parol, christmas tree and “daygon” competitions, participated in by students from the city’s numerous schools

CEBU METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL FIESTA

Feast of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. Venue: Cebu City Other places are not as lucky as us here. We can hold skimboarding festivals at the beach when various parts of the world are covered in snow. Skimboarders and water babies will converge at Liloan on Dec. 19 & 20 for the 2008 Annual Mayor’s Cup National Skimboarding Competition. Gentle waves lapping at the shore have found their purpose, and this is your chance to watch, learn and hopefully win. Music shall emanate from the beach, and consider this too as your sandy Christmas Party. See you there! For info, contact 09177358270 Venue: Looc, Lilo-an, Cebu Phone: 0917 7358270

SEE YOU THERE

5-18 PAGE CENTER INAUGURAL EXHIBIT & GRAND LAUNCHING Featuring a Contemporary Art Fair by works of established and well-renowned visual artists. Inaugural Exhibit Opening: Dec 5 / 6pm PAGE Center Grand Launching: Dec 18 / 6pm

Venue: PAZ Art Gallery & Event (PAGE) Center, Ground Floor, Pelaez Bldg. A.S. Fortuna St. Mandaue City (beside Gallery Q) Phone: 422 3014

SADSAD / SADSADAYON FESTIVAL

The word “sadsad”,in the local dialect, means dance. This is where the Sadsad festival got its name. The Sadsad festival is held in honor of the patroness, the Immaculate Concepcion. It was started in Barangay Poblacion but was later elevated as the town festival when the barangay captain became the mayor of the town. It was originally in honor of barangay Poblacion’s patron saint, San Roque, that was honored by the said festivity. When Brgy. Poblacion’s barangay captain became Mayor of the town, he elevated the barangay festival inot the official town festival and changes its celebration from March (San Roque’s feast day) to December (Immaculate Concepcion’s feast day). Venue: Oslob Cebu

13 UP OTAKU FEST 2.0 “THE SAGA CONTINUES” Competitions include: On the Spot Poster Making Competition, Cosplay Competition (Individual and Group categories), Haruhi Suzumiya Dance Competition, DoTA tournament, Digital Photography, and more… At 6PM, there shall be a mini concert followed by the awarding of winners for the competitions. For more details, go to upotaku.multiply.com or contact upotaku@gmail.com. Venue: UP Grounds / 1pm – 9pm Phone: 0906 4656752

31 MARCO POLO NEW YEAR’S COUNTDOWN Few new year’s parties are as consistently good as the Marco Polo Hotel’s in Cebu. Great food and drinks, a fantastic venue, and an energetic performance by Chris Ducker and the Soul Crusaders guarantee that you will kiss 2008 goodbye and greet 2009 in a spectacular fashion. But really, the best part is, once the party is over and daybreak starts to happen, you have the hotel’s cushy rooms and fine service to retreat to, before waking up again to a great 2009. For info, contact 253 1111 Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111 SEE YOU THERE

1-21 THE GALLERY: CHRISTMAS NIGHT BAZAAR Venue: The Gallery Phone: 417 6419 / 412 6413

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PARKMALL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR & FURNIITURE FAIR Venue: Parkmall Phone: 344 7817

CIS CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

6&7

Come and shop for gifts and other items in this year’s Christmas bazaar. Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111

CHILDREN’S WONDERLAND Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111

GIVE A SMILE DAY

Outreach for the less fortunate kids of Consolacion. This will be participated by members and guests of MSBC. Venue: Marco Polo Plaza Phone: 253 1111

THURSDAYS-SUNDAYS PASEO AND PEPSI’S FRESH & GREEN MARKET Fresh vegetables, fruits, sweet corn, flowers and other agricultural produce sold direct by around 25 local farmers from the mountain barangays. Support your local farmers. Venue: Paseo, phase 1 parking area / 8am-5pm Phone: 416 1980

Faces Behind The Artist Text by Paul Dean

Get this team right and you’ve arrived! Artist Manager: A necessary appendage for an artist on the way up. A good manager should be the driving force of the artist, and look after absolutely everything to do with the business side, as well as any issues relevant to the artist other than the actual, performing, writing, recording, i.e the music. A manager should be a hustler, nursemaid, mother, father, brother, sister, advisor, counselor, guardian, defender, marketeer, whipping post, organizer, fortuneteller, hirer, firer, peacemaker, devil’s advocate, publicist, psychologist, - you name it, they have to be it. A manager is actually employed by the artist and is usually given a realistic percentage of pretty much everything an artist earns, before costs. The true sign of a good manager is someone who is willing to invest their own money in an artist in the early days. If they can’t do all the above and more, then they’re not a real manager! It is probably the hardest job in music and a good manager deserves all they get. Behind every successful artist you will always find an excellent manager. There are thousands of artists who have failed purely through choosing a bad manager! Promoter: The person who puts a gig on. He books the venue, artists and ensures that everything else needed is in place, e.g. promotion, publicity, security, refreshments, venue staff, safety. He will usually cover all the costs, but will lay off as much as possible through sponsors. Most promoters will offer the artist a minimum guaranteed fee plus a percentage of the gate (audience) above a certain number. They tend to be out and out businessmen, who don’t like making a

loss! Beware, they tend to smile a lot and are very friendly when things are going well, but don’t like taking a hit. Very Jekyll and Hyde. One unlucky promoter put Frank Zappa & the Mothers on at the huge and famous Montreux Casino in Switzerland in 1971. An over enthusiastic fan fired a flare gun off and the flare got stuck in the roof. The whole place burnt down. Deep Purple were atching the concert and the basis of their famous song ‘Smoke On The Water’ is the story of this disaster. Agent: Many people get confused between an agent and a manager. An agent (i.e. booking agent) basically finds gigs, concerts, tours, festivals. In other words, if you want to perform live, you need an agent. They just take a percentage of any booking fees. There are a lot of cowboy agents, because they act simply as middlemen and their financial outlay is minimal. A good agent always provides a contract, detailing amount to be paid to the artist, time and place of gig, playing time etc., to be signed by the artist, promoter and themselves. Road Manager: He reports to the Manager and Artist. It’s his job to make sure the artist and their equipment get to wherever they need to be, on time, whether it be down the road or on the moon. He will then ensure everything runs smoothly at the gig and liaise with all the other parties involved e.g., lighting, sound, promoter, safety, security. His other job is to look after the personal needs of the artists. Whatever they want, it is his job to arrange it. At times he has to be a miracle worker! Roadies: If it’s a band, each musician will ideally have his own e.g., guitar roadie, drum roadie, keyboard roadie etc. Their job is to look after their musician’s equipment 100% throughout a performance, recording and during transportation. They usually have a close relationship with their musician and end up doing lots of other things as well. A certain famous guitarist had a small reflective metal plate on the front of his guitar. During a gig he would search out a young lady in the audience who he particularly liked and then used the plate to reflect a small beam from the stage lights towards the specific lady. It was then the guitar roadie’s job to find her and invite her backstage. One famous rock guitarist used to get his roadie to hide behind his Marshall stack and play extra bits of guitar during a gig. No wonder some of his live guitar work sounded unbelievable!

Album Reviews

by NoBody

Grace Jones / Hurricane With Hurricane Grace Jones, tosses aside the clubbing hits that launched her onto the dance floor of Studio 54. The vibe that pervades this album is mostly dub. La Jones’s latest whirlwind tears up the bass and throws in both a sliver of rock and ever-so-fashionable ska. The work that was begun with Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell on Warm Leatherette is taken one step further with Hurricane. Her Royal Graceness is back. The album is beautifully produced - with textures that just make you want to savour and unwrap each track. Grace Jones was accused of being ‘’socially sick’’ in her junior high school report. That may be so but with Hurricane she also proves she’s a force of nature. www.theworldofgracejones.com

Humpers: These are the guys who move/carry/transport all the equipment and also act as the artists’ security. If you want to hear some great true stories about the music business, these are the guys to ask. They generally keep a very low profile (other than when drinking), which enables them to see and hear everything that goes on. Beware! Soundman: His job is to run the mixer during a performance and make sure that the PA, monitors and individual instruments are perfect sound-wise for the listening audience and onstage for the artists. He has to know the artists’ music 100% inside out, or he can do serious damage to an artist. Some of them have worked as assistant engineers in recording studios. Unfortunately, it is very rare for a soundman to return to a studio because the volume from live music is said to have a permanent detrimental effect on their studio ears. Lightman: Runs the lighting console and makes sure that all lighting effects are 100%. He must have complete knowledge of the music being played and the stage-show in its entirety. Publisher: These people are basically money collectors for the writers of the songs. Originally they were the producers of sheet music, which is how writers made their money. In essence, if someone publicly plays a piece of music that you wrote, they are supposed to pay you something for the privilege. That includes radio, tv, films, internet, restaurants, KTV, bars, jukeboxes, promotions, campaigns etc. There are different licensing agreements and scales of payment for the various forms of exposure, but at the end of the day writers should always receive some form of payment for their songs. Publishing companies for many years did a 50/50 split with the writers, which was very unfair. Most artists now form their own publishing companies and then do a sub-deal with bigger publishing companies or collection agencies like MCPS/PRS. A&R Manager: The person employed by record companies to find, sign and nurture new talent and look after existing talent signed to the company. He is the link between the artist and the record company. If the A&R fully supports an artist and does his job properly, an artist should have some success. A bad A&R is a one way trip to disaster. Publicist: Their job is to get the artist as much exposure in the media as possible. They will go to any length to achieve this and are expert at terminological inexactitudes. They consider any publicity is excellent whether it be good or bad. Many artists have crashed because they ‘started to believe in their own publicity’. Plugger: Their job is to get music played on radio and TV. They will go to any length to achieve this and use any means possible! Better not to delve too deeply into how they do it! There are other faceless people who surround an artist, and in this day and age of multi-tasking, a single person might wear 2 or even 3 of the above-mentioned hats. For an act that is just starting out, you might need to wear all these hats all at once—in the meantime.

www.myspace.com/pauldeansite www.friendster.com/pauldeanmusic

The Guitar Equation

Text by Eds Estrella Photo by Archie Uy

although the history of the guitar can stretch back to the time when Christ was still on the waiting-list of fame, its contribution and importance to music need not be written in a holy book for it to become THE good news. the guitar’s purpose has transcended its physical structure of wood and strings, and has become an insignia of musical prowess. it may have different names (vihuela, kithara, sitar, kudyapi), different faces (12-string, 10-string, 6-string; electric, acoustic) and could have a family tree as elaborate as Adam and Eve’s, but its role remains unchanged - an evocative medium of human emotion. in fairly recent history, tracing back the guitar’s first shot at the limelight would take us to the time of rock ‘n roll, its debut in the music scene. the guitar, specifically the electric guitar took the lead role as far as instrumentation was concerned. the electric guitar, although not literally by itself, made rock ‘n roll happen. its presence was vital in making songs catch the attention, as well as the hearts of the fans. imagine Elvis Presley performing live without a guitar at hand, not as ‘hot’, no? then came the 60’s and the 70’s, which spelled the British invasion and saw the slow evolution of rock music into different sub-genres. but despite the complicated branchings and the gray delineation of the genres, the guitar remained as the holy cup of music that held all the genres together. from the melodic guitar licks of The Beatles to the almost-metal feel and guitar-bowing exhibitions of Jimmy Paige, the electric guitar became more than just an instrument. however, during the 80’s and the 90’s (and probably until now), because of the heterogeneity of the genres and with pop music mostly taking the center-stage, the guitar factor in the music scene took the back-seat. but its not the end of our guitar story just yet. the guitar’s contribution to music may have not been highlighted as much as the previous eras, but to the Blues, my, the guitar still maintained its sense of authority over other instruments. think Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton, need i say more? then again, the Blues was not that totally appealing to everybody within earshot. it may have served as a convenient opportunity for musicians (who were already into the Blues, to begin with) to go on with their riff-driven lives, but for those other mortals whose melodic life-force (and probably their preferences too) depended on radio plays and MTV like Johnny Lang and The Los Lonely Boys, i’m sure they wouldn’t be playing on their iTunes all night, on loop. on the other hand, looking at music through a contemporary lens, it would be unassuming to say that the guitar aspect in the songs that are currently dominating the airwaves is no longer given much emphasis, as compared to the glorious days of Slash and Richie Sambora. rather, its share is meshed within the entire message and feel of the song. it made a 180-degree turn, from being an instrument that is envisaged (only) for powerful solos to a weapon of heavy distortions and a heavier, thicker sound. you see, the guitar’s role both as an instrument per se and as a gizmo for scratching an artist’s personal itch of the ear does not stop at the hands that humor it. the music that it provides can accommodate a sundry set of listeners and tastes across the entire stretch of the music continuum, guitar-speaking. from the melancholic, to the loud. from the jazzy-wazzy, to the softy. but still, when you mentally conjure a guitar in your head, almost automatically the next slides of images that would come include a tall (and usually skinny) guy, hair drenched with sweat and mouth almost-kissing the microphone, facing a sea of fans howling in anticipation. in other words, when we put the idea of the guitar in a linear equation, i don’t know with you, but i’d say it would look something like, guitar = rockstars. ergo, the concept of the guitar as an instrument would equate to the concept of rock music, in general. that it will always be a thing made for the rock scene, and canceling out one of either factors would dissolve both’s sense of character altogether. thinking that the guitar is just made to accompany a song is thinking 500 years ago, Havaianas time. the guitar has surpassed its original function as a piece of stringed-instrument long before TRL became the opium of the Western (and the “feeling”-Western) youth. aside from bringing words to life, the guitar also brings people together (Cebu Guitar Festival, yeah!), where they can express their gratitude, if not love, for this amazing little piece of wood and string. the guitar will always be a crucial component in music, unmindful of time, influence, and genre. and of course, guitarists will always, always, be hot.

Words by Mona Polo Photos by Apiong Bagares

Carrera Crazy 8

One of the best things ever to be born out of Cebu is this thing called the Carrera Habagat, created by home grown brand Habagat which caters to all needs related to the broad spectrum of the outdoors and outdoor recreational equipment.

The race attracts outdoors & sportsoriented humans of all shapes and sizes, though the minimum age to join the race is still 18 years old (read: legally old enough to sign your own waiver). Many veterans gun for the podium posts, but it never stopped neophytes from testing their mettle against the seasoned robots. Did I say robots? Indeed, the in-race joke is that if these guys tear skin en route, oil, not blood, will seep out. It IS the country’s breeding ground for the toughest allaround athletes. It’s been going for 8 years and the Carrera Habagat is still the Philippines’ toughest outdoor adventure race, arguably Asia’s as well. Subtitled “Isang Linggo sa Sto. Domingo” it was held for the first time in Luzon (outside the usual Visayas & Mindanao islands). Generously supported by the coastal municipality of Sto. Domingo in Albay province, the race was flanked by Mayon volcano’s perfect conical shape on one side and on the other, by the fine black sands that line the Albay Gulf’s coastline. Enduring a start to finish length of almost 270 kilometers with a 4-day limit, non-stop (i.e. the race continues round the clock from day 1 to day 4, barring inclement weather or security issues, you stop when you want or need to),

you have got to be some kind of crazy, not just to subject your body to the rigors of the race, but to actually train your body to withstand the rigors of the race. Dunked at sea for a quick swim followed by a palo sebo (greased pole) challenge for good measure, the real race started with trekking up the foot of Mt. Mayon, biking forty degree gradients, and then to swim-trek-rappel-biketrek-swim-paddle all the while navigating with basic tools and old maps to hit all 20 control points in sequence, rain or shine, from sunrise to moonrise several times over. Joining the race was never cheap, with transport required to and from the race venue (which could be any set of islands in our island-studded country) and meals for the duration of the event (4 race days plus travel days) for six persons (4 racers and 2 support crew). Not to mention uniforms, gear and other technical necessities that were ideally individually owned so you had no one else to blame if it fails or suffers the course of the race. Small specimens of gemstones such rubies and sapphires were said to be found amongst the black sands, but what surely did await the teams who finished at first, second and third place were cash prizes amounting to a total Php 200,000 (two hundred thousand pesos, at 100k, 60k & 40k respectively). For the Carrera crazy however, it was never really about the cash prize. The original 2008 pot of 100k (which was doubled on opening night, thanks to the generosity of the local government) was the biggest in the Carrera’s history, as all these years the teams have put the token cash prize aside and considered “bragging rights” as the best prize ever. For all else who saw the race through, dry, clean feet, a cup of hot noodles, and a serving of Bicol express were all one could ask for. 1st place, Paolo & Keith of Team Davao-Mulatto set a record for being the first racers to hit the top spot two years in a row. 2nd place, the return of the comeback, Team Merrel, returning to the race after a two-year absence with Team Everesters as support crew. 3rd place, what’s in a name? Team Iligan Pride takes a podium finish after last year’s disastrous DNFs (did not finish) other info at www.habagat.com for more photos look up bitemagazine.multiply.com

When was the last time you thought about how good your game sounded? If you’ve been gaming all this time on the crappy speakers that came with your computer, then it’s probably the last thought going through your head. But put titles like Call of Duty: World at War and Dead Space through some serious audio hardware, and you’ll discover that sound is half, if not the whole experience of game immersion. With Christmas just around the corner, consider stuffing your stockings with these audiotastic products. Sennheiser HD555 Headphones In the full-size headphone category, few match the value of the HD555s, a perfect balance of performance and price. At just a few dollars short of $100, you get premium sound and unbelievable comfort rolled into the award-winning Sennheiser brand of craftsmanship. The best part is, these cans will improve not only your gaming experience by leaps and bounds, but your music listening as well. 116 5-star reviews at Amazon just cement the reputation of quality these headphones offer. Logitech Z-2300 2.1 Speaker System I’ve never been a fan of 5.1 and greater speaker systems; the cable management is too much of a hassle to deal with. Give me two powerful speakers up front and thundering bass under the table any day of the week - qualities, as you may have surmised, present in the Z-2300s, Logitech’s hidden gem in its speaker department. Don’t be fooled - those three tiny components push out a bowel-churning 200 watts RMS (peaking at 400 watts) of audio awesomeness. That means when a flashbang goes off beside you in Counter-Strike, get ready to be stunned in real life as well. These speakers are a little to get a hold of, but certainly worth the hunt. Shure SE110 Sound Isolating Earphones If headphones and speakers aren’t your thing and prefer optimal quality in a smaller package, then look no further than Shure earphones - affectionately referred to by most people as “those expensive earphones.” While certainly fact, it’s all about choosing the proper balance of quality vs. price. Just like with the HD555s above, The SE110s are your best bet if you’d prefer discreet, in-ear buds rather than heavy (albeit comfortable) machinery hanging off your head. Vetted by Gizmodo.com to be the best in its class against 15 other in-ear ‘phones, the SE110s are worth every peso. Comments? Suggestions?Topics you’d like my opnion on?Fire off an e-mail to jmobautista+virtualife@gmail.com. Donations, Lenovo ThinkPads, and any words of praise are welcome and appreciated

A Tale of Two Gatherings By mona polo

One, a biennial meeting of visual artists, called the Visayas Islands Visual Arts Exhibition Convention (VIVA ExCon for short!). In the 20 years of the convention, it is Cebu’s second time to host the 3 days of exhibitions, seminars, interactive projects, performances, workshops and art congresses. The opening exhibition, entitled “Uswag Lambigit BIsaya!” was symbolic of the strength and unity of the Visayan Visual artists to keep moving forwards, and was attended by over 200 hundred visual artists of various styles and persuasions—an attendance high amongst most VIVA ExCons and a feat proudly mentioned by the organizers. The SM Trade Hall, however, left much to be desired as an exhibition venue for installations that brimmed with inspiration but struggled with presentation, bringing an important question to surface: Where is Cebu’s cultural center? But dreams of a MoMa or even a CCP or Met still need to take a backseat as other more pressing issues are brought to the fore to be tackled. Kudos and commendations go to the VIVA ExCon organizers and attendees, and gratitude goes to the venues who have provided space where art can be seen, heard and felt constantly, even if only for the duration of the convention. photos by uzi emperado

Two, sequel jitters abound amongst the organizers of the 2nd Cebu Guitar Festival as they sought, not to repeat themselves, but to top the inspiring success of last year’s version—held humbly in a corner of The Outpost called the boathouse and enthusiastically supported by musicians and fans alike. This time around, a bigger stage was set on the parking lot of the same venue, and judging by the fact that all outdoor tables were taken til midnight of a Thursday night, the 4-day festival would transform the old house into a heaving and weaving mass of guitar makers, players, listeners and supporters from all genres. Sparks and magic did fly, as mentors jammed with their protégés, fingers prompted frets, and strings were busily plucked, strummed and bothered every which way. Rare performances by the extremely talented such as Joel Oportu, Scott & Rio, & Edgar Nacua prompted one festival goer to say “Man! Where do these guys play on a regular night?!” For though the festival was meant to be an annual concentrated gathering, many hope that the talent displayed could be heard and appreciated all year round. Thanks to the Cebu Guitar Festival, we have more proof that Cebu isn’t the guitar capital Philippines for nothing.

photos by apiong bagares

Where to Bite After Hours Tapas Lounge (International) Tel: 233-4089 AK & 7 Discotheque

Free

Fiji (International) Plantation Bay Resort & Spa Tel: 340-5900

The Gallery Juan Luna Ave Mabolo Tel: 233-3328

Formo Tel: 416-1990

Aqua (Italian) Shangri-la Resort & Spa Tel: 231-0288

Garden Cafe (International) Marriott Hotel Tel: 415-6100

Bo’s Coffee Club Ayala Center Cebu Tel: 232-9090 SM Fiesta Strip Tel: 412-9233 Capitol Site Tel: 255-4969 Raintree Mall, Ramos St. Tel: 236-0116 Ground Flr., BTC Tel: 345-2342 Asia Town I.T. Park Tel: 412-0267 Synergies I.T. Center Tel: 238-8168

Giuseppe's Pizzeria & Sicilian Roast

(Sicilian) Tel: 3439901 / 415 9880 The Gustavian Tel: 344-7653 Gizmo Emall Tel: 417-7775 / 417-7776

Charge

MB’s Tavern Tel: 340-4069 Mocha Blends Tel: 238-0221 Monster Radio Tel: 253-1059 Mooon Cafe Tel: 415-9779 / 253-3635 NUVO Tel: 0917-6178217 Ocean Jet Tel: 255-7560 Off Roads Coffee Tel: 231-8881 Outdoor Perspective Tel: 0929-6701800

Handuraw 460 Gorordo Ave. Tel: 232-6401 One Mango Square Tel: 416-3200

Palermo (Italian) Plantation Bay Resort & Spa Tel: 340-5900

Big Foot and FTV Tel: 493-8889

Holiday Gym and Spa Tel: 234-4791

Parklane Hotel Tel: 411-7000

Bravio Tel: 236-1800 / 236-1802

iCenter Tel: 416-4675 / 231-0550

Cafe Miro Tel: 232-6777

Ila Puti Asia Town I.T. Park Tel: 415-8800

Pink (International) Hilton Cebu Resorts & Spa Tel: 492-7777

Cafe Marco (International) Marco Polo Plaza Hotel Tel: 253-1111

Kagura (Japanese) Tel: 346-0088 / 346-7776

Casa Gorordo Museum Tel: 255-5630

Kaona Grill (Pilipino) Tel: 343-9994

Club PUMP Tel: 415-9917 Citigym Tel: 232-6888 Cowrie Cove Shangri-la Resort & Spa Tel: 231-0288 ePerformax Tel: 411-9700 D’Vine Wine & Deli Tel: 232-6001

Kukuk’s Nest Tel: 231-5180

Postrio Banilad Town Center Tel: 344-1688 Acacia Place Tel: 231-6468 Seas (International) Hilton Cebu Resorts & Spa Tel: 492-7777 Sykes Tel: 349-9898 ext. 75013

Les Amis de la France Tel: 232-1311 Loft Restaurant / Lounge Asia Town I.T. Park Tel: 238-0532 Manny O’s (International) Hilton Cebu Resorts & Spa Tel: 492-7777

Where to Bite

Tides (International) Shangri-la Resort & Spa Tel: 231-0288 The Brown Cup St. Patrick’s Square Tel: 412-6353 Skyrise Building Tel: 415-8482 The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Asia Town I.T. Park Tel: 412-1388 SM Northwing Tel: 412-5118 The Outpost Tel: 417-2929 Turtle’s Nest Book Cafe Tel: 236-1982 UP Cebu Humanities Department Tel: 233-8202 / 232-8222 Wine Shop (Spanish) Tel: 233-3744

Cebu Province Carcar Toledo MCIAA Tourist Desk Other Regions Habagat Shops and Distributors Tagbilaran, Bohol Dumaguete City Bacolod City Iloilo City Cagayan de Oro City Davao City Maasin Southern Leyte Palompon, Leyte Tacloban Manila Philippine Airlines ticket outlet Kalibo Tacloban Iloilo Bacolod Cebu City Jones Avenue SM City Cebu Mactan Airport (Mabuhay Lounge) PLDT Business Zones Cebu (032) 255 5700 Davao (082) 221 4888

Western Watts Tel: 341-3273 Y101 Studio Tel: 412-6101 DJ’s Booth 412-6102 - Office Vanilla Beach (International) Hilton Cebu Resorts & Spa Tel: 492-7777

Lazy slob

Fat lazy slob Mc Donalds

348-6236 / 348-McDo

Da Vinci’s Pizza

Jones 253-3893 / Lahug 415-8881

Jollibee

Yellow Cab

Mango 253-6611 / 253-7711 BTC 345-2222

Flame It

Escario 412-2033 / A.S. Fortuna 416-1935

Lahug 232-3800 / Mango 254-2268 Shakey’s IT Park 232-8080 Mactan 340-2015

Dunkin Donuts 253-6009

your business could be in these pages. to find out how, call 232-3116 or email us: foundrypublishing@gmail.com

Tea of Spring (Chinese) Shangri-la Resort & Spa Tel: 231-0288

Free

Dimsum Break

234-2397 / 232-0521

Holiday Taxi

345-1621 / 22 / 23

Safeway Taxi 345 0861

Spider Taxi

259-1579 / 254-4335 254-6250 / 253-4602

Corminas Taxi

261-3314 / 262-1907

Sorry slob Police Patrol 166 ERUF Ambulance 161

Charge