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Armi of Up Dharma Down

I said this back in 2005:

Up Dharma Down’s current single [Maybe] is good, and frantic with energy. The rest of their stuff sadly doesn’t deliver as much.

Then when Fragmented came out, I was abroad as an OFW, so I settled for one of those mp3 copies you can find over the interwebs. I proved myself wrong about my previous proclamation, forced the officemates to listen to ‘Oo‘ (which they dismissed, but got into when they became aware it was popular back home), and have made it a point to watch the band when I get back home, and yes, get a copy of their cd.

Despite their current mass appeal, I still don’t think Up Dharma Down’s music can really be that much of a major draw in the local music industry. When I got to hear their newer songs live, I honestly believed the next album would be a stretch for your casual OPM fan. I loved where they were going, with the swirly shoegazing, and post-rock power, underlined with sort of drum programming that recalls recent Radiohead. It was clearly undeniable that this was a music collective that may be too massive, too complex, not enough pop to it. I didn’t factor in Armi Millare’s singing in, because that’s one factor a listener can’t help but be in awe of; even if pogi-rock followers say her singing’s just too odd.

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So I did go out last night.

Been a month since the last gig I shot, and the chance to cover Jack TV’s Boombox event again this year was tempting. Last year’s photos were not bad (see ‘em here), and I’m sure to get good stage lighting.

Taken By Cars at Jack TV’s Boombox 2008 event

Also, I was itching to test the Takumar 200mm f/3.5 lens that Mari Arquiza (aka redsago) gave me, along with her high school camera, a Pentax Spotmatic with a Super Takumar 55mm/f1.8 lens. Both lenses come in the M42 mount, and I already have a lens adapter for my ancient EOS 350D DSLR camera, so these vintage babies did come to a more than willing daddy to adopt them.

And there goes the challenge: can I cover a multi-band gig fiddling with the focus ring from start to finish, since Auto-focus was absent in the test lenses?

The answer: Yep.

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I’ve known myself to be one of those who live for the weekends ever since I got active in gig photography. However, you’d rarely hear me babbling about my past work week, a recent conquered female, or anything else that approximates that. Blame that on the very conscious absence of alcohol in my system, and that I really do focus when shooting gigs.

Past month or two have been different, and, for the record, I shall consider myself resting with the routine. I’m almost certain I’ll be at a gig later though, but that almost always happens during Friday or Saturday afternoons, then I change my mind.

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Thought bullets:

• For me to write anything, and not to run out of ideas and interesting quips, I really should put up an active RSS reader again.
• I’m considering switching from Smart Bro to ComClark Surestream, the same company which provides the house with cable TV. Reasons? Its cheaper, and we could pay two bills at the same time. However, I don’t think their technical or customer support is even near corporate-grade. Their site is outdated and is ridden with SQL errors, and I have not received a response from their customer support re inquiries I sent via email.
• Its shameful that I find US politics ultimately more interesting that what’s happening locally. Blame it on Huffingtonpost.
• Thoughts of travel/vacation have come to mind lately, but rather than pay for it, I really should find a sponsor again. See, I’ve only paid ONE out of my big out-of-town travels (Isla Verde, Batangas), and that wasn’t a breaking-the-bank sort of expense.
• And big news in music: I’m a proud owner of Ang Bandang Shirley’s THEMESONGS album, and my review is currently on draft mode. The third album of one of my favorite bands right now, Te’, just came out, and you can sample the songs, oh, at your usual post-rock online communities. Sigh. If only music of this caliber will ever show up in our local record stores.

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Right after the re-design, comes two other things: the revival of the blogroll, and the sidebar ads. 

The Blogroll is Dead!

Google that statement, and one would be surprised as to the results. But the reason I decided to revive mine is more for personal reasons, mainly: even after being inactive in the local blogging scenes, I have been privileged to be invited to blogger events and travels, and keeping up a network, no matter how internets-primitive it is, should be practiced. It will be easier, and more substantial, to have the links work out on posts, but let’s be practical and organized here. 

Ads! Ads! Ads!

I got invited for BlogBank (thanks Markku!) and signed up for Nuffnang. Lets hope they can help me in my out-of-poverty blog-scheme. 

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