DJ Ace is king. In any conversation about famous Filipino DJs, Ace Ramos is almost always going to…read morebe in that conversation. That's why he's almost certifiably gained the title of being the best in the business when it comes to local spinning. It's not only because he's been at the top of his game for so long (he has) but because he has a brilliant ability to get the crowd going insane. And by insane, I mean INSANE. Whether it's at his club gigs, at parties, at festivals, or wherever else, Ace just manages to amaze every time. Ace knows his crowd, and knows, without hesitation, what mixes and what kinds of songs will almost definitely get them going. To give you a backdrop, he was closing at a music fest I attended a few months back. It was a college event, so mostly a young crowd from 18 to 22. He started of his set normally enough: Garrix, Axwell. Diplo, etc. Then, he just absolutely stunned me and the crowd when he played a deep prog house remix of How to Save A Life by The Fray. A song about a teenager with depression? How could that possibly get a crowd going? The crowd when ballistic. Not only was the transition fucking spot on and the drop brilliant, but everyone was singing along like hell since this was something everyone listened to like 8 years ago. It was a perfect case of knowing who he was playing for. DJ Ace is masterclass, and if you wanna hear real good spinning in Manila, check out one of his shows.

Edleen Lim is hot property right now. For those of you who don't know her, DJ Edleen is a fairly…read moreyoung DJ on the scene who plays the club circuit in Manila and plays a few raves too. A few months back, I got a chance to be in an EDM 101 class that she taught in La Salle as part of an org activity. All I can say is that she's as good a teacher as she is a DJ, and she actually managed to make me interested in learning how to spin. (Not sure if I will, but I could maybe want to take a lesson or two.) As for her DJ skills, she mostly plays a lot of prog-house and house staples, stuff that really gets the crowd going. It might be personal taste, but I absolutely love prog house in raves: it brings the mood of the whole crowd up. I've had the chance to hear quite a few of her sets, and it's pretty incredible stuff. In a rave where she actually opened for two fairly huge acts, she managed to completely steal the show. Not only was her set absolutely fantastic and mixed well, but her song selection was fantastic, blending lots of popular tracks with some deep house that let her get these huge drops. Edleen is a great talent, and I'm definitely a fan. You can check out her gigs and ask about bookings through her Facebok page at https://www.facebook.com/leen27

There are some DJs that suck, there are those that are fun, and then there are those that have the…read morerare ability to catch everyone's attention from the moment that they start spinning those discs. And that's exactly the type of DJ that Benjo Marquez is. I was mesmerized from the first moment that I had heard him spin at an event as I was invited by some friends to church to come out and hang with them. Since then I've had quite a number of wonderful opportunities to hear him play and I'm left on a high each time. Music truly has the power to transcend space and time. Perfect for a wedding or a party with friends. Either way, DJ Benjo can come up with the perfect mix.

As far as DJs go, Lucio Pua has been in the business just about as long as anyone at this point…read more The reason for his longevity, I think, is his ability to adapt to the way that spinning works in the moment. I think Lucio Pua plays the most mainstream tunes out of anyone. This isn't a bad thing at all; he plays very great remixes of the mainstream songs. Not only that, but mainstream music does a great job of getting the crowd in a great mood. Lucio plays predominantly recognizable names: Garrix, Calvin Harris, Hardwell, etc. His song selection is everything you've heard of, but I gotta say that his spinning is anything but that. He spins fantastically; in most sets I've heard him play, there was nary a dully drop or a bland buildup. Lucio's a staple in the business, and with the way he spins and picks songs, he's definitely gonna stay at the top of his game for much longer. To book and check his gigs, check out his Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/people/Lucio-C-Pua/534675354

I have had the opportunity to work part time with the ladies of Bride's Maids and Co., and if you…read morewant a worry-free, hassle-free and memorable wedding, put these lovely girls to work and worry only about your life after your wonderful wedding day. The team will sit down with you and plan everything with you. With over 18 years of experience, this wedding planner team has a veritably impressive list of suppliers that will take care of everything for your special day: caterers, fashion designers, florists, events planners, lights and sounds, dj or band, host and the arrangements in the church. They also deploy a dedicated team during your wedding day to make sure that everything is taken care of- from preparations, to pre-wedding shoots, all up to the day itself. While DIY weddings are much more popular these days (and it's okay, especially if you have supportive friends and family who are willing to pitch in their help), but if you have the resources, you can easily sit down and relax and let a highly-professional team handle all the worrying. You can count on Bride's Maids and Co. to make sure that all your guests are well-ushered and well-attended to, and that all details of your special day are being taken care of. Bride's Maids and Co. even handles events such as parties, birthdays and special occasions in your life. Give them a call the next time you have an event, and they will help you out with the nitty gritty details.

No one goes to Parañaque to watch gigs as there aren't really any good gig places here. But if…read morewe're talking about spots that go against the grain, Gara-eh offers a totally alternative scene, and I'm not even referring to the genre here. Garaeh is a LOT of things. Run by super friendly artist couple Yvette & Om as well as a couple of their friends, this place is a community of sorts that focuses primarily on music. Firstly, Garaeh is a space. It's literally a "garahe"--an outdoor garage that's filled with art and curious things. They, as well as their friends, host music gatherings and gigs here. Aside from an events space, they primarily offer rental services for music equipment for events. I HIGHLY recommend their music equipment rental as they do have a complete set of equipment at good rates. They also offer music classes (drums, guitar, voice, keyboard, etc.) for people of all ages, even music-appreciation for babies! Inside Garaeh is an electronics repair shop as well. What else? Occasionally they also do sell vegetarian mock-meat via their small project 'Ngitian Kitchen'. Their mock meat liempo is really, really good. Events aren't regular, as well as the classes or the veggie food, and you can't just barge into this place unannounced. It's best to stalk them online to see if something's up or if there's a gig to catch. If there is, do drop by as you're in for a unique and interesting treat.