IT’S summer and school’s out. We will go through probably one of the longest “summer breaks” some students will have as classes are moved to August (from June) due to the K to 12 program taking effect in most, if not, all schools in the country.
All the “stay productive” stories have been taken and you will surely read about more of those in the coming days. For now, here’s a quick guide for music lovers in the metro.
Most cover bands are billed in hotels, restaurants and bars. While these bands ensure a good time, some artists choose to take on the risk of presenting to the public their own pieces of original music. For a general listener, surely, you’ve heard hits like “HAHAHAhasula” and “Duyog” on the radio. For the more adventurous fan, tracks like “Elope” or “You and I” are what are hot in Facebook right now.
So, you ask, “Where can I drop by for some good originally written music in Cebu?” Here goes:
Handuraw Pizza (Mango Square and White Gold Branches)
Handuraw and the management behind it have had a rich history of supporting the local arts. From poets to scriptwriters, film directors to drummers, there is a day and time for everyone to share their talents to an audience in Handuraw. The place serves good pizza too, and with the consistently cold bottles of beer, it has become the concrete definition of a chill hangout.
MAC Rock & Roll and Blues Restobar
Located in E-Zone along Panagdait St., the place is usually packed on weekends. Hosting a larger venue for potentially larger crowds, local productions take the chance to organize a themed night featuring Cebu’s independent artists. With an extensive menu for its food and drinks, plus a location that’s right in the middle of the metro, MAC on a weekend is a potential music trip.
Flasher Factory Music Lounge
The latest among the bunch, Flasher Factory is going to a place where no other music venue has gone before—original music, every day. That’s right. If you drop by the place, located in Lapu-Lapu City a few meters after Mactan Doctors’ Hospital, you will find a band on stage playing their original material by 9 p.m. Flasher Factory has band schedules posted on its Facebook page a month ahead!
Notable mentions are Cubana and Koa Tree House (both along Gen. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City), Manggahan (Wilson St., Cebu City), Gaslamp Bistro (Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City) and Club Holic (Gen. Maxilom Ave., Cebu City). These places host gigs with local artists from time to time. Just check their schedules ahead of time.
If I left out any place that’s worthy of mentioning, feel free to leave a message on our Facebook (@livesunstar). Cheers!