Miguel Ordoñez

The Fete De La Musique Experience By Milan Ordoñez Published June 24th 2015 During the weekend of June 21st of each year, music appreciation around the world comes alive the most. It is when Fete De La Musique season hits the scene once again featuring today’s best crop of talents, from DJs, solo artists, to bands. “World Music Day”, as it is also known, originated in France in 1981. As of 2015, it is celebrated around 120 countries, and in the Philippines, it is kind of a big deal. Superficially, when those in the know talk about Fete De La Musique in the Philippines, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is a music festival held in various venues in Makati City. People get together, have a few drinks, watch live music, and have a good time. But if you’ve gone ahead and immersed yourself into the different crowds of people through each of the various stages, you would know that there is more to it than meets the eye. Like how it has been since last year, the event put up two main stages: the A-Venue Open Parking along Makati Avenue and the Greenbelt 3 Park (also known as the Groove stage). It then had 20 other pocket stages strategically scattered through the heart of Makati, catering to almost every kind of music fan out there. Chihuahua Grill in Makati Avenue opened their doors for Latin music lovers, Black Market featured House party music, and 12 Monkeys had theirs for indie music folks, just to name a few. I personally had the chance to walk through four stages of Fete De La Musique: the Groove Stage, the Blues, Soul, & Funk stage at Heckle and Jeckle, and the Rock and Reggae/Ska stages at B-Side. Basically, it was like going through warp zones of every level in Super Mario Bros. Every spot was an entirely different adventure. Kicking things off at the Groove Stage was quite a nifty idea. At around 5pm, the show was opened by the Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community along with Flow Arts PH, who serenaded the group of families, mall-goers and passersby with their West African inspired percussion music. As the sun completely set, and the rain began to pour (as it always had during Fete De La Musique season), the people began to pile up. It did not matter if the audience needed to crowd under the small tents to keep from getting soaked. Everyone was just too busy enjoying the vibe brought on by the music. For their part, the bands that followed did not disappoint. From Bratpack’s old school blues feel, to CRWN’s one-man performance that he described as “combining classical sounds with modern techniques”, to the jazzy rendition on pop songs by Basti Artiadi and the Jazzy Bastards, the Groove Stage provided an eclectic mix of feelings for those in attendance. Heading over to the Blues/Soul/Funk stage at Heckle and Jeckle was expectedly a different kind of trip. For one, the sweat-inducing yet still very comforting atmosphere of the crowded sports bar replaced the hint of serenity brought on by the greenery of Greenbelt Park. But just like the Groove Stage, the people in attendance at H&J were there for the music, and being squeezed into a tight space was no hassle at all. It was all just part of the charm. Upon arriving, Chocolate Grass had already begun their set. The six-piece Neo Soul band provided their usual groovy, head -bobbing tunes that had the crowd wanting for more after their four-song set. Lady High took the stage afterwards with their unique take on Blues music infused with some elements of reggae. The night ended over at B-Side, where both the Reggae/Ska and Rock stages were holding court. What was interesting about this set-up was how both were kept isolated from each other, despite being located in one space altogether. The Reggae/Ska stage was situated on the outside, were acts such as Reggae Mistress, Coffeebreak Island and Collie Herb played for the more relaxed and carefree folk. But just a few feet away indoors was the rock stage, where bands like Reklamo, Nanay Mo and Lions and Acrobats played. Interestingly enough, there was not even a faint hint that another band is playing full blast from outside. Overall, this year’s edition of Fete De La Musique was another unique experience altogether. The great thing about it is that each year offers a rare takeaway for us fans to enjoy and show support for our local talent. On to 2016!