SCENE REPORT: Hardcore Shows Back On in the Philippines by RJ

SCENE REPORT | Philippines
RJ

It’s March, and the restrictions are set to Level 1 (lowest) by the country’s pandemic response task force. This means full capacity for venues, and guess what, shows are back! Recently announced are shows from different labels and productions for March and April. Given the fast “scene recovery” this article may not capture all the shows announced but we can try!

Piledriver is currently playing shows left and right to celebrate their 24th anniversary, which they recently played Batangas on Sunday, March 6th, with bands Friends U Can Keep and Sandy Good opening for them.

As for shows that are about to happen:

First is a March 19 show from people a little south of Manila. The lineup includes Aggressive Dog Attack, New Found Heritage, No Way Out, Dead On Arrival, and Barred, among others.

Second is a benefit show in Cavite, which includes No One Wins, Killratio, and Kapital Kulam in the bill. This is on March 26.

Third, is a matinee show from Still Ill Records. One on March 27, with the help of people from Counterflow, a mixed bill show happening inside one of Manila’s historic buildings, First United Building in Escolta. This gig, named MOSHCOLTA (Mosh + Escolta) has Round Off (a new band from members of Clean Slate, Choke Cocoi, Collect, Hangal), Clean Slate, Tidal, Nonentities, The Mind is a Terrible Thing, Catpuke, and Lindenwood.

Next is an April 9 full-on Still Ill Records hardcore matinee show in the new and improved 123 Block, Mandala Park. The bill includes San Pablo City’s Past Forward, Batangas’ Sandy Good and Typhoid Mary, Clean Slate, Denounced (first show in two years), Stable, Gravity Lock, Badwave, and Constriction.

If you still have energy on that day, Unite Hardcore has a show on the same date (April 9), in Matchbox Yard, with headliner Piledriver, and several hard-hitting hardcore bands.

On April 23, there’s the newly announced Skatemosh Fest:

With uncertainty as to the country’s Covid situation in the second half of 2022, show organizers were all in to book shows left and right while this window of eased restrictions is still open. So expect more shows!