MALASIMBO Music & Arts Festival

I’ve just experienced a one-of-a-kind trip that I definitely would not forget—the first Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival held outdoors in a natural amphitheater at the foot of Mount Malasimbo last February 18 & 19, 2011. Mount Malasimbo is overlooking the Puerto Galera Bay, a member of the Club of Most Beautiful Bays in the World, recognized by UNESCO. Imagine that. The festival was a success as it aimed to blend traditional and contemporary arts and culture together with musical performances, whilst working towards protection and sustainability of the environment.

Aside from the music, the festival also featured art installations by contemporary Filipino artists such as Arellano’s “Haliya, Moon Goddess”, Bonnevie’s “Dappay”, Dondi and Grace Katigbak’s sculptures, and Lagdameo’s “Behemoth”. All the artists are advocates of sustainable living.

A Mangyan Village also showcased the distinct houses of the 7 different Mangyan Tribes showing their indigenous art and crafts.

The festival was a success also because its aim to upgrade the local tourism was fulfilled. The crowd was a mix of Filipinos and people from Europe, Australia, America and Asia. It was heartwarming that people from around the world came to witness this wonderful event, coming together for the love of music, arts and culture.

The first day featured Julien Drolon, Miro, Diwa De Leo, Caliph8, Live Fillet, Mark Zero, Toto Delgado, Pasta Groove and Nomad Technology. What’s interesting is that these artists don’t only make music, but also speak through music, play for a cause. On a mission for peace, Julien Drolon combines pop, reggae, funk, and rock to promote a cause close to his heart. His debut album is due to release in April 2011. A composer, arranger, film scorer and musician, Diwa De leon’s Hegalong Project focuses on the use of the hegalong, a Philippine two-string lute/guitar & combining it with different music genres. Toto Delgado’s love for the environment and life makes an impact on his compositions. He is a local legend based in Puerto Galera Mindoro that plays folk, rock and jazz.

The second day featured Complex vs Miro, Aquarela, Pasta Groove, Cynthia Alexander, Caliph8, Kadangyan, Kristian Hernandez, Rhosam Prudenciado, Mark Zero, Gongmyoung, Liquid A vs Badkiss, Nyko Maca & GAFiEiRA, DJ Krush, Heavy Boogie. I was impressed by Kadangyan who fuses different Filipino traditional beats with an element of today’s modern music by combining the use of indigenous instruments with modern drums and bass guitar. As a Filipino, Kadangyan made me all the more proud of my country’s rich culture. I’m pretty sure everyone there felt the same. DJ Complex devoted to true hiphop and the art of Djing Complex solidified his position in Australian hiphop scene with his heavy rotation style both in clubs and on air. Kristian Hernandez, DJ, turntablist, producer, musician & designer has moved dancefloors across the globe, using influences from Afro Latin rhythms, jazz subdivisions, from house music, funk, soul, and beyond. Gongmyoung, a Korean percussion quartet composed of Lim Yong-Ju, Park Seung-Won, Song Kyong-Keun, and Kang Sun-II, fusing innovative modern sounds with traditional Korean music. Since their debut, they have become “ambassadors” of traditional Korean music. Nyko Maca & GAFiEiRA, using samba, reggae, jazz, funk, and soul, has crated a new genre of “neo-vintage Brasilipino”, which combines Brazilian musical sensibilities with lyrics rooted in contemporary Filipino experience. DJ Krush is a gifted producer and DJ, worldy-acclaimed with his superb sense in sound mixing and production. Since 1994, he has produced countless releases worldwide, constantly ranking in international charts. “Zen” won Best Electronic Album in the 2002 AIFM Awards (US) while “Jaku” topped RPM chart of CMJ for 3 weeks. He continues to make a huge impact in the international music scene.

Experiences like this don’t come around so often, and I’m extremely happy that I was able to experience that kind of euphoria this Malasimbo event drenched me in. Coming back, I realized that I left and brought something. I left bits of my soul in Puerto Galera and brought too-good-to-be-true memories to Manila. Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival was a blast!