New Year’s Past I

I’m back, mga men!

Okay, not the best line to start the first entry of the New Year, but fuck that. Good taste is beyond me.

2009 has come and gone, thank God for that. Last year was a fragmented experience of constant failures and disappointments that would tire the most trying of men. It’s easy to hate 2009 because of the things that did not happen and never materialized. However, that’s what life is all about anyway – the hard falls, the painful consequences of bad judgment, and of course, the perseverance that allows us to live another day. I want things to happen, despite the insurmountable odds and false hopes I’ve been dealt myself. It’s amazing and sad at the same time, but I’m just glad for another chance.

Before I begin romanticizing the drama of the past year, there are some memories of 2009 that I wish to keep until the very end. The Arch Enemy concert at the World Trade Center in Pasay was a highlight. Better than both the Death Angel and Sepultura concerts combined from the previous years, the Swedes tore up a new asshole in the gooch area on those who attended the event. The band ripped through the set with old and new songs and ended on a fiery note with “Nemesis” as their encore.

Much of the enjoyment came from the fact that the crowd was filtered from scene-whores as the concert became exclusive to heavy metal loving folks. I commend Pulp for booking an indoor gig this time compared to having bands play on open grounds during Summer Slam or any annual event they hold. It decreases the ruckus caused by people who attend said events but don’t have any idea who the main acts are and end up disrespecting them during their sets. Mabuti rin naman at hindi amoy singit and jutes yung moshpit, tanginang yan. As a result, this setup helps the real fans to enjoy the music even more.

On the other hand, I’m just glad that the Philippines has become a legitimate destination for foreign artists to perform. Filipinos love music and it’s a great opportunity for its fans to have non-Filipino artists to bring their act here in the country. There are already a couple of bands set to play for this year, notably Lamb of God and Testament (AAAAAAAHHHHHGGGG!!!!!), but if Kings of Convenience are confirmed to play on March 31^st, I’m there, dude. “I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From” FTW tenfold!