It was a Saturday night and instead of just staying at home, Lydia and I decided to watch our daughter Ala’s gig at Bubble Gang Toppings, a student hangout within the Loyola neighborhood. It was an acoustic performance with her band Hiraya which she recently just joined. I was quite amazed at what I heard and saw. Although the sound system was definitely not the best, I could hear Ala’s sweet voice over loud guitars, and I was impressed. She had clear tones and her musicality was very good. And she definitely had stage presence. I know I sound just like a dad would, but I speak as one who has been performing for years, and who has worked with the best. Actually, I could have opted to not write about it but I thought I should praise talent when I see it and not be discriminatory just because it is my daughter. Heh heh!
While watching Ala do her songs, I was telling Lydia how different my musical career would have been if we had not developed as a concert act doing our own stuff but more of club performers doing covers. The repertoire, the jokes, the whole setup would have been different. APO talks a lot and that really works to our advantage. But when you perform in a club, you have to do much more music, and familiar ones too as people drink or eat while watching. You don’t always get wild applause, and not after every song. It’s hard to clap with a glass on one hand and chicken wings or a cigarette on the other. I am quite happy that Ala is doing originals as many other bands are these days. As it was during our time, doing originals elicits respect.
The next act was Nino, Ala’s boyfriend, who was going to play the guitar for another singer. I had wanted to stay and watch him but since Lydia was getting very uncomfortable with the cigarette smoke , we decided to go home. But I took some pictures before I left.
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The 27th run of my creativity workshop ended last Friday, and more than any previous class, we had quite a party after. The food was overflowing and quite delicious. Everyone was in great spirits and wanted to interact with classmates they had gotten close to in the last two weeks. As for me, I was quite exhausted physically even if my spirit was soaring with the rest. Every TCU batch gives itself a name for egroup purposes. Check out the pic and the name they chose below.
The 27th Blockbusters Group
I had announced earlier that it would be my last workshop in a while. To be truthful, I thought it really was till my schedule changed again. I will announce the 28th run of Tapping the Creative Universe soon if I can still squeeze in one by end of November to early December. Abangan.
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There are some people who write me and comment that my archives (on the right of the page) are inaccessible. Strangely enough, I can access it on my Mac but not on the other PCs in the house. Can I ask you a favor? Can you try accessing any of the past entries and let me know if you are successful? Also, please let me know your browser and your computer type (PC or Mac) so I can make adjustments.
Some of you have also been listening to Jim’s music accessible on Jim’s Links. I would also like to know how easy it is for you to download the music. Are you using DSL or dial up? Once again, I would appreciate some feedback.
You can send your feedback by clicking on the comments thing or through jimparedes@gmail.com. Daghang salamat!
No problem accessing your archives and I am using a PC on DSL 🙂
Ollie
No problem accessing your archives on InternetExplorer on PC on T1.
just like a proud father. nothing to be ashamed about that. we all love our children.
thanks jim. had an amazingly good time in your class!
by the way, i use a pc with dsl connection and i’m using mozilla firefox as my browser. can’t see the archives.
– lex
Thanks guys. I think the common thread is mozilla. All my PCs here are on Mozilla and cannot open the archives.
Xandro–glad to be part of your journey. And thanks for the blog entry.
Hi Jim,
I use Safari on a Mac via DSL. The mp3s load quickly while the wav files take much longer. Your archives are visible on my macs (safari + IE) and PCs (IE).
regards!
ernie agtarap
i’m using pc on dsl and can access your links.:)
It was a great class! Thank YOU and to all my classmates of course.
no problem accessing your archives and downloading music using SBC Yahoo browser. 🙂 baka nga iyong mozilla firefox. i also tried that before and couldn’t use some of the functions sa ibang website so balik IE ako and SBC Yahoo browser (clone ng IE).
enjoy si mariz sa workshop!
galing mo talagang photographer! i really like iyong kuha mo kay ala na naka-post sa blog niya.
i’m glad you wrote something about ala’s gig. ok lang naman na maging proud daddy. 🙂 which i’m sure you are to all your children.
see you in SF!
-mac
hi there:). using a pc and archives is not problem:). congrats on finishing another class and touching even more lives!:).
hey Jim,
please send my regards to Ala. good to know that she has a band! hataw!
yeah, performing originals is still the way to go. that’s why i have more respect for Eraserheads than Side A even if Side A is really a good live band.
same reason why i also try to write my own songs, and if i will do a cover of anything, i make sure i give it a very different spin 😉 long live OPM…
btw, i can access the archives, BUT i have to scroll way to the right using the bottom slide bar. the archives are listed there. i’m using a DELL laptop, Windows XP, and Firefox browser. i think it’s a CSS compatibility issue with different browsers.
Your daughter’s band both rocks and cradles the senses. Her soothing melody laces well with their song.
Does she write her own compositions?
–I guess it runs in the genes, huh! —
Ernie, jey, maricar wenk, coolmel,thanks for the feedback. I think it’s really mozilla firefox that the problem.
Tiffany, it was a great class. Your sharing made it a super one.
Maricar, I hope to see you in San Jose.
wenk, coolmel, lothario art– ala is starting to write her own stuff,. nothing like being orig talaga.
imagine where a blog-hop session can lead you to.
i can’t imagine the pride you must’ve felt seeing your daughter up ther in the lights.
would have been nice to hear her out. do tell us if she has any more upcoming gigs.
i love your music.
ah! the workshop sounds very fulfilling to those who participate! too bad i’m not going to be there in nov/dec, but instead, june/july ’06. good luck in vegas!
definitely in the genes!! 🙂
Hi, Tito Jim! I’m proud of Ala. She’s sweet, talented…a free spirit. I can’t wait to see her perform.
I haven’t been able to visit your blog in a while ‘coz I’ve been busy with work and an Online Journalism course. Konrad Adenuaer’s Center for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila offered me a fellowship grant for that certificate course last month. It’s great experience. I’m learning a lot from Prof. Elliot King of Maryland, USA and my classmates from Malaysia, Fiji, Pakistan and here in the Philippines. Dr. King said our class is a “distinguished” group. 🙂
John, ang, salamat sa bisita. Undiscussable dreams, salamat din. Do check ala’s blog for her gig sched and mine for workshops.
Teena–so proud of you. You are definitely getting somewhere with your writing.
Jim
kanino pa nga ba naman magmamana si ala. hehehe:)
mabuhay ang OPM!:)
okay naman po ang pakikinig sa inyong musika mula sa jim’s music. mga ilang minuto nga lang pong paghihintay habang nagda-download. naka-dsl po ako.:)