It was such a coincidence that I was at Back to the 90's yesterday and it was apparently--Hashtag:…read moreThrowback Thursday. My friends from Concerned Artists of the Philippines in UP held a back to back gig of two independent bands there last night (Plagpul and KALIS), so I passed by and gave my support. It was my first time in this bar but I already knew about it for quite some time; it's Back to the Future signage along Tomas Morato, corner E. Rodriguez is simply hard to miss. I was curious at first to see what it's like inside Back to the 90's, only to find out that it's actually no different from most bars ideal for gatherings of independent bands and the underground music scene. The only difference with Back to the 90's is practically, its 90's theme. You will definitely see a lot of Throwback posts on their walls because of the framed movie and music posters from the 90's era. Haha! What a virtual way to describe it, but I would rather stick to such description than say nostalgic because I simply did not get the feel. I was born 1991, so I really wasn't able to get a glimpse of how bars then were like. Although, when I asked some of my older friends there, they said that 'yes, this is actually a recreation of a 90's bar.' What I like about it, is it's cozy but rock and roll ambiance that went well with its small, vertical space; comfortable couches are leaned against graffiti walls showcased by dimmed pin lights. They also have a very cute menu placed in an old school CD case where they offer alcoholic beverages and bar dishes like Nacho's, Fries, Buffalo Wings, etc. Although, I wasn't able to have a taste of any because I was a little broke last night (P200.00 per order), and their selections were not really that inviting, the waiter said that their best seller is the Tapsilog. Overall, it was an OK bar for me. I would go here if good bands will be playing but probably not for a usual late night chill or beer nights.

My husband and I discovered the Music Hall when were looking for a place to chill somewhere in…read moreMetrowalk. With two floors and a mezzanine, this place is surprisingly spacious. Since we had dinner already at home we only ordered a plate of nachos and two bottles of beer (total bill was only Php350. They don't charge an entrance fee). We were disappointed with the nachos because it was served late and cold. We should have ordered the sizzling tofu instead. Anyway, it's a good thing the band playing that evening, Jek Manuel and The Stronghold, was good. We really enjoyed the group's performance. I like the place because it's separated from the crowded and smokey part of the Metrowalk. I don't like their chairs though, very uncomfortable. We will definitely go back there because food (mostly hotplate or grilled) is not expensive, band performances great, place cool, and location is fantastic.

With a very up-to-date sound system, scenic location, and the guest performances of many of the…read morecountry's well-known Original Pinoy Music (OPM) artists, The Music Hall has a simple name but a well-known concept in that is takes a bar with live music and an ambiance of cocktails, buckets of beer, and delicious samples of "pulutan" and other light meals served with alcohol to make it a bar-bistro. Seeing its walls lined with pictures of famous artists who performed there, one would instantly realize how many stars have graced the stage of The Music Hall. During my visit, I witnessed a concert where Philippine music legends Boy Mondragon and Richard Merk performed songs that made them famous. (Yes, not my generation, but it was a fun, entertaining, impressive show nonetheless.) All that while enjoying a smooth Daiquiri with Calamares, Drunken Shrimp, and Sizzling Tofu. With the cool air-conditioning and the live bands and groups like the FBC "Rebirth" and the L & S Femme stoking up the crowd's enthusiasm and letting them sing along to the hits of yesterday and today, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I'm sure you will too. Just check their schedule which is packed with events featuring artists from then and now.

I've been an avid goer of gigs since 2007 and even started my own production company in 2009, but…read morebelieve it or not, I only started frequenting Route 196 in 2014. Of course, I would watch gigs there from time to time, but because I live in Makati and parking can get difficult, I used to get too lazy to go all the way to Katipunan. Since my first gig in April 2014, I'm probably there almost once or twice a week. It even came to a point that I was there four times in one week! Yes, parking can be difficult, but with Mak around, he's sure to find a decent and safe parking spot for you. Once you park, you pay an entrance fee to Ryan, who at times often tease me already. (See? I go there waaaaay too much.) There are times though that entrance is free. Usually for Rockeoke nights, which I've honestly never been to, but come on. Karaoke with a live band backing you up and everyone drunk enough not to judge your horrible singing? Come on. That's got to sound inviting. From time to time, I buy a bottle of scotch that is served to me by my favorite waiter, Mark. If you're a fan of How I Met Your Mother, just imagine Mark as Linus. He never leaves my glass empty! My friends and I have actually gotten close to the waiters,(and by close I mean, Facebook friends and commenting on each others' posts), that we would often tease each other with little inside jokes. On Tuesdays they have drink all you can for P300 on certain cocktails and every night they have buy one take one on pizza until 8 or 9 pm. If you're feeling cheap, go for those two options, but if you're really hungry, try the deviled chicken or deviled tofu with a serving of rice, which by the way, is not even expensive at all! If you're not a fan of spicy food though, try their other pizzas or their rice bowls. Basically, Route 196 has everything I need when I go out: good food, great staff and brilliant music. And of course, an unlimited amount of cheap drinks!

Joining the ranks of bars like Saguijo, Big Sky Mind, and Club Dredd, Route 196 has become a hot…read moreand sought-after venue for today's young artists. Most big names of the independent art scene frequent Route 196, if not for their own events, for the crowd. Route attracts writers, independent thinkers, music aficionados, filmmakers, and patrons of the underground community. Events I've attended here include Stereodeal's album launch, GeekFight! Trivia Night, Deus Sex Machina, a gig with indie bigwigs Bullet Dumas, Ebe Dancel, and Johnoy Danao, and a fundraiser for a dance film. Route may be a bit difficult to get to, with no direct commutes, but it doesn't stop the crowds from going out of their way to get there. The lure of the culture of Route 196 is just too strong.

My friends and I were looking for a cheap place around Morato to have drinks, (in Morato "cheap"…read moreand "drinks" often don't belong in the same sentence) and we ended up at Luna J in Il Terrazo. Their cocktails were a revelation in that though they were inventive in local flavor, which is somewhat the whole theme of the restaurant, but they tasted kinda weird and were off the mark. What was a surprise though was their food--pretty standard Filipino fare, but pretty decent and done well. The price was fair, if just a tad expensive given how conventional the food is. It definitely made up for their odd-tasting drinks, enough that it had us go back another time. The beer wasn't so expensive either, given the area and how easy it is for most to hike up prices for local beer. Add to that their laid-back, pub interiors and a pretty chill night can be had here. Their outside tables on the balcony and in the open-air Il Terrazo area are nice, and I believe a live band plays at the spot on occasion, though I'd much rather stay inside and cradle my beer.

Classy place in Il Terrazo that my uncle took us to when I was visiting the Philippines. I liked…read morethe ambience; it's more of a restaurant than a gastropub (nearby Livestock is more of a gastropub), but that was fine cause I wasn't really drinking anyway. The food was decent. They have your standard Filipino food fare, though it didn't really stick out all that much. The Bicol Express wasn't very spicy, and the Bagnet was more just fried pork belly. Still, the place was clean, and the service was good though a little slow on getting some of the orders. There WERE 10 of us, so it was more of a hassle to serve, but it was fine in the end.

I found out about this rare gem through Reese Lansangan's instagram post about a place in Cubao…read morethat sells Pinoy-made ukuleles. I checked out their page instantly (or should I say, insta-stalk?) to check out if they could apply a decal of the phases of moon on my ukulele. What really piqued my interest was that they conduct a free ukulele tutorial every Thursday at 6 PM. It so happened that it was also a Thursday when I found out about it so phoned my friend and we got there in the nick of time. We both have been trying to learn how to play the ukulele for months all by ourselves and we really never got the time to learn it side by side. We also wanted to learn under the wings of someone who has been playing it for years so that we can ask questions which is obviously quite impossible if your mentor is someone from a Youtube video. Not only did we learn how to play 'Til There Was You by The Beatles but we also met fellow ukulele players and most of them were just as newbies like us who wanted to learn how to play an instrument even at a late age. They also have an open jam every Friday nights to gather ukulele players all around the metro and form a camaraderie with everyone who loves to play the uke. You can also order tea or coffee while you're there and just like the ukulele they sell, they're also made by Filipinos. Hooray for supporting local!

I can say that ukuleles are getting more and more popular these days. I base it on the fact that…read moremusic instrument shops are running out of stocks now more than ever. I got my first ukulele from a huge chain, and when I went back two months later to get one for my brother, they were all gone. Going back a week later didn't help, and neither did trying out some other stores. Of course they do restock, it's just that more people are buying them. I guess more and more musicians are using ukes for their live performances and fans are following. Just think about Meghan Trainor and Vance Joy. Now, I stumbled upon Four Strings Cafe's online page when I was on a roll googling ukulele shops and liking their pages. The cafe is located in Cubao Expo. There you can find ukuleles of literally different shapes and sizes, strings, accessories like tuner and some ukulele bags too. You can also, for some reason, buy Manic Panic hair dyes there. That's where I'm gonna go to once I decide to do a YOLO hairdo, although I doubt they have resident hairstylists there. I'm totally kidding. Their string babies are locally-made and are priced competitively in my opinion. I attended one of their free ukulele workshops where you they teach you chords and songs with some other enthusiasts. All of you squeezed inside the tiny cafe, but for me it was totally worth it.

There are a lot of band rehearsal/ recording studios around the corner in Quezon City but of all…read morethat I've seen and tried, RedVerb Studios in Kalayaan is by far the most comfortable and homey. The usual problems in most band studios is its maintenance; musical instruments are not being well taken care of, especially the drum set which comes as the most important for me because I was a drummer. RedVerb Studios has been running for a few years now and I had a chance to visit again when I accompanied a friend to a band practice. I was amazed by how the studio still looked brand new! They have all their equipment working in good condition, the foam in canvas acoustics is still neatly mounted against the walls and the receiving area was kept clean. Although RedVerb only has one studio room both for rehearsals and recording, they make it a point to keep it tidy and accommodating for up to 12 members in a band. The rates are also not bad for their quality sound system--Php 250 per hour (Php 200 per hour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., minimum of 2 hrs from Monday to Thursday) for band rehearsals, Php 400 per hour for single track recording and Php 600 per hour for multi-track recording. You can check out http://redverbstudios.wordpress.com for more details.

"Look for the polka dot house."…read more "Say what, now?" "Look for the polka dot house!" Yes, these were actual directions given to me the first time I was invited to hang out at Boho Sarapsody Bistro a couple of years ago. Located along Ermin Garcia Avenue on Quezon City, you'll know exactly what I mean when you see it. Boho is the only house on the block that does, indeed have polka dots. Frequented by a wide range of oddballs and weirdoes, Boho Sarapsody Bistro is a converted house that serves excellent cocktails, cheap beer and really good food. Also, the group of regulars and the sexy bartenders are warm and welcoming, so it's easy to feel like you're part of the community. You can count on quiz nights, acoustic gigs, pop-up bazaars and art exhibits to be part of the colorful scene that Boho provides to the Quezon City social scene. My favorite dish of theirs has to be their Smurf Fries, which are essentially deep-fried mushrooms, served with mayo ketchup dip. However, I would opt not to have it with the dip and have it with vinegar instead!

It might not look like much, but BoHo Sarapsody is (in my opinion) one of the best places to hang…read moreout. BoHo is pretty much a cozy house turned into an artsy bar - you get there, order a drink, pick a seat, and see where the night takes you. The place doesn't have a sign upfront, and usually, the only indications you've arrived at BoHo are the sounds of performers or loud voices coming from behind a black gate with a bamboo fence. (No! I won't say it! I hate the term "hipster"!) They've got a witty selection of drinks and food, such as their Wong Kar Wai Wings, their Anak ng Tokwa selections, alcoholic drinks The Remedy and the Alien Blowjob, and arguably one of the best mojitos in the metro. Their food is also great, although be patient with their kitchen as they've only got a handful in their trusted staff. They host quiz nights, live gigs with acoustic musicians, the occasional spoken poetry, film showings, and other random events promoting Manila's independent art scene. I once asked them if they could host a fundraiser for a film and they were the most accommodating of hosts. BoHo isn't just a bar or your everyday watering hole, it's a community! Be sure to drop by when they have one of their events! You're bound to meet someone with a story, make new friends, and overall, have an interesting night. PS: Check out their bathroom as well! It's got a lot of stories from the minds that drop by BoHo and feel like scribbling down a thing or so.

The most absolutely devilish and intense heavy metal event in Southeast Asia, Pulp Summerslam is…read morethe Philippines' annual gift to the heavy metal world. Held ever summer for 15 years now at the humongous Amoranto Stadium, Pulp has consistently sold-out the 30,000 strong capacity of the Stadium by bringing some of the metal scene's most badass names. This year, we watched the legendary band Killswitch Engage play their greatest hits, along with my favorite black metal band, Cradle of Filth. While initially shocked by the vibrations and sheer size of 30,000 fans wearing black, you'll immediately find your equilibrium and realize that it's a hell of a good time. Numerous food stalls selling sandwiches, pizzas, and water bottles surround the arena, and there is no shortage of portalets for the screaming fans. A good time for all, indeed!

Café Cubana is a restaurant, bar, music venue located on Burgos Street in Makati; Metro Manila; The…read morePhilippines. The theme of this venue is the Cuban Revolution. The wait staff wear black berets and stylish olive drab military-esque uniforms. (Although, I doubt any guerilla ever looked as well kempt.) The décor is "tropical". I went to drink beer and listen to live music. (This is one of the few places in Manila where I have found beer on tap; although, it is more expensive than comparable bottled beer.) They have a full menu for food; they have a full bar. But before you exercise your urge to tip, double check your bill. The menu clearly states they there is a VAT and a service fee. Admittedly, Burgos Street has a reputation. But you won't find that type of adventure, unless you're looking for it.

Wonderful vibe. Indoor outdoor seating. Live music. Excellent service. In the heart of P Burgos…read moreexcitement. My favorite server Anne has the best smile in town! Cold beer and mixed drinks. Decor that takes you to old Havana.