[old.wp] It's been a long time...

[OLD POST] Date: 02.24.2010 | Navigate to the original post here.




It’s been a long time since my last post (about a month, more or less).

A lot of things have happened. Some of made me smile, and some put me down.

In my last post I shared some pleasant experiences. One of them is I got to drive our threesome family home. Since then, I have been driving at least twice a week. I say I’m loving it. Do you remember when you were still young, and your mom or dad promised to give you something you really, really like, like your favorite candy or snack? When they are about to give it to you, excitement fills you up. You feel like jumping up and down for joy. It’ as if
you won’t get tired of thanking your mom or dad for the thing. Well, I think I feel the same way whenever I’m about to drive. No, I don’t do the jumping, of course. But my body is all fired up, and I exert effort the whole time I’m at the wheel, just so I can keep a grin from appearing on my face. Ah, the joy of driving. Some people don’t like it, but I do. Haha!

In my previous post, I also shared a lil’ late night escapade. Well, it happened again, only the second time, we were more than ten people. How, you ask? Well, let me share my experiences in the recent foundation week (about a month ago) that was held in our school.

Wednesday, 02.24.20

One of the awaited events in the annual celebration of the foundation of the school is the battle of the bands; “Banda Mania” in CdD-speak. Early in the morning, the campus quadrangle was already being prepared. As the sun made it’s way from east to west, the stage was prepared. Speakers were set in place alongside the raised platform. The mixers, amplifiers and other audio control equipment were positioned about 8 meters away from the stage. Lights, too, were in place, each positioned in such a way that their projections were directed to the stage. Meanwhile, on the stage, a drum set, several monitor speakers, a few more lights– a pair of rotating spot lights and a blinker, and some smoke-producing thing rests. At around 5 o’clock pm, crowds already filled the quad. Because the school opened Banda Mania 2k10 to the public who opted to buy a 50 peso ticket, some new faces were in the campus. Meanwhile, students were not spared from the no-ticket-no-entrance policy, as they, including myself, needed to buy and present  a ticket worth 20 pesos before being allowed to enter.

The event was started some time past 5 pm, when it still wasn’t dark enough to appreciate the lights that are set around the quad. After some words relating the history of the event, the bands started rockin’ the campus. The following bands were part of the competition:  13th Chapter, Pop Shove It, Whistler Doseca, Ahy Uh!, Eye Curtain, Harmonica, Status Band, Frontless, 16 Pesos, and Random Junction 3. If memory serves me right, among the crowds’ favorites were 16 Pesos, Status Band, and Frontless.Other bands were also present during the event. Being former winners of the past Banda Mania events, they were invited to play 5 songs of their own as intermission numbers.

I am a musician, but I do not count myself with the rakistas. I’m not a fan of hardcore rock music.

• I do not like the idea of strong bass lines overpowering the whole band.

A band plays together because the music, in a particular arrangement, isn’t complete when it is performed by a solo instrument. When the band plays, the instruments should complement each other, not overpower each other.

• I do not like a rhythm guitar that sounds like the volume is set too high for a speaker so small.

Imagine a usual pair of multi-media speakers connected to a PC. Now, you go to a concert hall or theater filled with audiences. You connect your PC to the speakers, open your preferred media player, and hit play. You set your system volume to 100%. You open the graphic equalizer and turn up all the frequencies to the maximum value. Then you turn to your speakers, put them in the middle of the stage and crank up the volume. Imagine the sound of that! It’d be disaster. My point? Rhythm guitarists strumming all six strings of their instrument connected to some distortion device which distorts (duh) the sound of the guitar. Listen to any pop rock song now and you’ll hear what I mean.

• I do not like vocalists that do not do their jobs.

I do no like the sound of people screaming into the microphones like crazy. I do not like vocalists that sing as if they are so hungry that they eat or swallow their words. A vocalist’s job is to sing the song. The song has lyrics. Lyrics are made of words. If the vocalist does not pronounce the words clearly, the lyrics will not be understood. If the lyrics are not understood, then the audience will be clueless of what the song is really about. Sure, emotions can be shared and sensed in the music accompaniment, but the exact, real, or specific  meaning of the song can be found in the words.

I’m not biased, just because I didn’t have a point dedicated to drummers. I think three points are enough elaboration for you to conclude that I often do not appreciate rock music.

Among the technical things that I noticed during the event was the sound mixing. During the event, the bass was given too much volume and resulted to a band dominated by their bass line–not good. Also, the tech committee did not have a dedicated spotlight (the one that usually does not have different colors, only yellowish white, and is dedicated to following the subject on the stage). As a result, when they faded out the colored lights and turned off the blinkers, the emphasis on the subjects too, faded–not good.

I did somehow enjoy the event,  though. Because of the way some bands played their lineup, new arrangements (it’s pretty much like a singer’s own rendition of a particular song, only I’m referring to the how each particular instrument in the band is to be played) came into my head. Also, I got to be with an old, close friend. Old in the sense that we were friends since highschool, not old meaning elderly. She’s turning 20 this year though, so I guess I can call her old. Haha! I also got to be with a then new friend (the one I mentioned in my previous post), my ading, and got to be closer to each other.

Thursday,  02.25.10

I woke up early, because I registered for the On the Spot Essay Writing Contest, and I wasn’t sure if the event was to be held on Thursday or Friday. Arriving at the campus, I saw an instructor-friend, Dr. Xymon (aka Sir Gerald). I asked him if he knew about the schedule, and found out that he did not. We then headed to the CICS Faculty Room. There, the cheering squad were prepping. Some of them were writing stuff on their sneakers. Some were putting make-up. Some were braiding their hair–something they couldn’t do to me. Would you want to give it a try? Haha. After a few minutes, I found myself in a jeepney en route to Leisure Coast Resort. Here I was with Dr. Xymon, Melvin, and CICS male volleyball team who were looking to win the championship game that they were to play in the CdD-Arzadon Gym.

When we arrived at the gym, the CICS female volleyball team were up against CoN. CICS female volleyball team were declared champions after the game. Next, CICS male volleyball team played with the CBA. While it was pretty much a dirty game, compromises on the part of the marshals here and there, suspense and tension definitely filled the gym. Sadly, CICS lost to the CBA.

I was watching the games when I noticed Mam Grace taking pictures. In her hands were a digital SLR camera. Ouch. I didn’t have a camera. I’d have much more fun covering the event using a camera than just being a spectator in the bleachers. I approached her and said, “Hi mam! Wala akong camera. Huhuhu.” After exchanging a few words, we were on our way to the canteen to grab our lunch. At the canteen, we lined up for our food. By this time, the canteen was already jam-packed with hungry people. I had my lunch with some of the members of the faculty, and I had a great time. It’s nice being with instructors because it reinforces the fact in your mind that these mentors, no matter how fun or terrorizing they may be in the classroom, are still people who, given the chance, will laugh their hearts out, smile like children who just got their dream toy, and talk about life, not (sometimes boring) classroom lectures.

Later in the afternoon, the cheering competition was held. VIPs like the school president, Sir. Arzadon, were seated on the stage. While the cheer dancers for different colleges performed, the crowds go wild in screaming, either for or against the ones on the dance floor. I was amazed by the skills of CoN, who threw their ladies so high up in the air, who in turn do maneuvers and all kinds of stuff while in the air, and land just right on the arms of their team mates. That’s cool.

After the competition, I got to be with my old friends from highschool.

We call ourselves “SCAN.Hunterz”. Two parts: “SCAN” being the first letters of the first names of the girls, and “Hunterz ” referring to the guys who were once crazy about the anime series, Hunter x Hunter.

SCAN – (Shalom, Cristel, Abigail, Naomi)

Hunterz – (Don, Jeff, John, Jun)

It turns out Aby, Cristel, and Naomi have been trying to call me even before the cheering competition started. Oh well. We called up other members of the crew, and decided to meet up. We ended up going to Master Siomai (Arellano St., Dagupan City near Region 1 Medical Center). Present were Cristel, Aby, Naomi, Don and myself. cJ (aka Cristel) and I went to the counter and ordered 3 Seafood Ramen Soups for the girls and 2 Seafood Ramen for myself and Don. We also ordered 2 servings of Siomai, and 5 cups of gulaman.

….to be continued