Thoughts And Notions photo shoot by Ed Abella

This is our photo shoot with Cagayan de Oro's up and coming Digital Lensman Ed Abella and his friend Hugo. Though Ed's specialty are Goth and Dark in nature, we have to commend him for his valiant effort to produce a very different photo shoot to suit our image. This just proves to show that for every darkness, there is light! Kudos to Ed and his team. Thanks and God Bless to your future endeavors! Visit his multiply site at www.edphotog.multiply.com for more of his works, as for Hugo's site, visit http://flemishdreams.multiply.com/ He's got an assortment of stock photos that one might want to use.

Thoughts And Notions at Christian Bautista's Inspired Concert

Photos of our Best gig as a front act ever! From the Rehearsals to the backstage!

Christian Bautista Rocks!

It was our best gig as a front act ever! We fronted for Christian Bautista's concert here in Cagayan de Oro called "Inspired" and I am so happy to share that the band did a really great performance out there. The sound system was of top notch quality and we really have to commend the sound engineers for a job well done. And i'll have to say that the entire production team was so polite and kind that we never felt alienated from them. And to top it all, Christian Bautista himself was very accomodating and polite, no "arte2x". It was easily the best experience for us. I think this wouldn't have happened with out God's grace. And I could say that this really was his plan for us. We were actually called only a day before the concert by a friend from a Christian station, 103.3 The New J's station manager, John Decleene, if we could front act for Christian Bautista because the production group was looking for a band. I hurriedly contacted Thrina upon knowing of the offer and asked for her availability as well as the band members who would be playing for us. And thank God that Joshua Manguiran was available to do guitar works for us because Erikson was not available. Anthony Rosqueta on the other hand rejoined us after he missed a gig last thursday to resume his drumming chores. Alvin Carreon who also happens to be in town retook his bass spot.

This was a very unlikely group if I might say because Joshua had only played one gig with us before and Alvin (who just recently came back after resigning from his job in Camiguin) had never shared the stage with Joshua prior to this gig. So this in effect is an entirely new group who has never played a single gig for Thoughts And Notions before. So we went on a panic mode and had rehearsals that ended at 12 midnight. We were all so nervous the following day that we decided to lift up this performance to God. And by his Love and Grace, we were able to pull off a performance that we can be very proud of. It was like the band has played together for so many years. The tightness of the sound, the cohesiveness of the members, everything was so well placed that we were generously given thunderous claps of approval from the audience after each song that we played. We played 5 songs, 3 originals namely Brand New Day, Runaway Angel, My Journey Ends, and the covers, Someday we'll know, and Every little thing he does is Magic. 

The concert was called Inspired and I was happy to know that Christian Bautista would be singing inspirational songs as well as a couple of well loved Christian songs. Being a Pinoy Christian artist who is actively promoting the OPM Christian Contemporary Music scene ourself, it was a sight to behold that one of the best balladeers in our country has ever had is now singing songs that shares about God's love. I was able to briefly chat with Christian after the show and I was even more happy to know that this wasn't just any mere publicity stunt, but he himself would love to share his faith to his audiences by singing these types of songs. It was really a very amazing experience to share the stage with Christian and have the same goals with our music. This proves after all that God has indeed called us to be more active with our Christian faith and do whatever help we can to share his love. This gig was heaven sent. Indeed it was God's plan.     

The Christian Bautista Inspired concert was presented by Alejandro Go Beltran (AGB) Development foundation. AGB Development Foundation was founded on October 29, 2003 primarily to serve the less privileged sector and poorest segment of society. It focuses on developing the poor people's capacity to become economically viable, thus improving their conditions and enabling them to actively participate in local economic development. At present, AGB is closely working for the upliftment of the tribal people of Barangay Sibantang, Talisayan, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon, in partnership with the Lutheran World Relief, in a project called the Higaonon crop production and marketing project.  

For more information, please visit AGB Development Foundation at its office at 2nd Floor, Door 2, Sebastian Building, Echem-Capistrano Streets, with telephone numbers (08822) 714-344

Christian Bautista Inspired Live at CDO

Start:	Jul 19, '08 7:00p
Location:	Corpus Christi Gym, Cagayan de Oro City

Front Act for the Christian Bautista concert live at Cagayan de Oro City

Rubato the Zine Launch

Launching of Rubato Fanzine at FU

Some updates from Praise Music.

House of Praise opens new Record Stores!

Philippine's largest Christian Music store House of Praise has opened two record bars recently in SM City Bacolod-South Wing Bridge Way and at Trinoma-2nd Level near Mindanao Car Park Entrance. The record store has a very homey ambiance and it not only carries CDs but also books and Magazines that could help supplement our growth in our faith. House of Praise is the sister company of our band's distribution label Praise Music. And it has over 60 stores in the Philippines. Visit their official website at www.praise.com.ph

Praise Music joins Multiply   

Praise Music has finally joined Multiply. They are featuring sound clips from all of their OPM catalogue. You can preview songs by Thoughts And Notions as well as other OPM Christian artists there. Visit their multiply site at www.pinoygospel.multiply.com 6 songs from our album has been featured in their videos page.

Becca Music

Becca Music is the country's newest events production group that specializes in creating concert events most especially those that aims to promote Christian Music. For more infos, visit www.beccamusic.multiply.com (we are hoping to be a part of their stable of artists whom they would be bringing on a concert tour, please pray for us)

 

Rubato the Zine Grand Launching

Start:	Jul 17, '08 8:00p
Location:	FU Bar, OIC building, Corrales st. Cagayan de Oro City.

Rubato the Zine, Cagayan de Oro's Premiere fanzine and the only source of Original Cagayan de Oro Music and Arts will launch it's Maiden issue at FU bar with guests bands Thoughts And Notions, Novelista Pasta, and more...

The State of Cagayan de Oro's Music Scene

Here's a blog post from my Fanzine site called Rubato the Zine. You may point your browsers at www.rubatothezine.multiply.com for more articles and stories about CDO's music scene.

 

It's a very exciting time for CDO Music. 2008 has been a fruitful year so far as more and more CDO bands are coming up with original materials. This month alone, the bands Southrace and K9 have released their respective albums not only via a low key event, but they launched their albums in full force. The album launching was well attended  as guest bands lend their support to both of these bands. The CDO music scene for years has been in constant struggle. Not only were they lacking in listeners, but they also lacked the proper venues to share their music. This year, FU bar has opened their doors to the different CDO bands. And they have been enjoying good attendance in these once a week event. 89.3 Killerbee Cagayan de Oro is also airing a massive 3 hour countdown show devoted to local indie bands which also includes a live interview with a guest band per episode. Things are really picking up here in our local music scene... and that's why this online fanzine is now existing to further help spread the word.

Years back, during the 90's band explosion, the CDO music scene has been well represented by Art-rock specialists Nuncyspungen and Metal Kings Dahong Palay in our nation's consciousness. And while they made decent splashes in the country's band circuit, Progressive Rock band called Oblivion held their own locally as they were left to hold fort in Cagayan de Oro's music scene. But alas these bands couldn't last long as they have to go separate ways to pursue other personal interests. But not long before helping newer bands such as Alternative Rock Band Tabularaza and Emo band K9 to start sprouting and spread their music. Both of these bands would be the new torch bearers of CDO music as it seeks to carry it in the next century. A couple of veterans would return to the music scene to join the fray as Nuncyspungen's ex-bassist Chuck Bollozos forms a new Dance Rock band called Gasulina. Meanwhile, Oblivion's ex-guitarist Wilbert Tan, would go solo for a short lived E.P. project called CDO Blues Project. He would also later form a new Alterna-Pop band called Drizzle (who would successfully release an album full of hit songs locally) as well as set the foundation for up and coming Christian Power-Pop band called Thoughts And Notions.     

The turn of the new century would give us the debut albums of the latter aforementioned bands. Tabularaza would release their third album (and officially their first full length album) nationwide. Thoughts And Notions would follow suit and not long after Drizzle would also release their own debut album. Guitar prodigy Fayeed Tan would also join the mix as he would also releases his own album in the Viz-Min area. The mid-2000s would see these bands try to carry the entire CDO music scene with them, opening the doors for even more CDO bands to write and create original materials. But nothing could be more original than CDO's premiere Bisrock (Bisaya Rock) band called Southrace. They initially released their debut album locally containing an assortment of different musical genres. Two years after, a new album was released and this time, they found their identity as Bis-rock artists. Meanwhile, Drizzle's effort to carry the entire CDO music scene in it's shoulder would crumble, leading to their disbandment. But while Drizzle disbands, the acknowledged Kings of Dark Metal Dahong Palay would resurrect buoyed by Drue de la Hostria efforts along with a new set of bandmates. Some remnants of Drizzle's string and drums section would later form a new band called Sutil, who would also release an Indie album that would later give them a nomination for NU 107's in the raw award. During these times, K9 would also release their debut album after a very long wait.   

2008 is an even more exciting time for CDO music. While the previous years saw Nuncyspungen, Tabularaza, Drizzle, and Thoughts And Notions' albums being prominently displayed in major record bars, 2008 would soon bring to the nation's consciousness two of Cagayan de Oro's biggest and most talented bands namely the industrial rock band Switch and Gasulina. And it is even worth mentioning that Sutil's vocalist Ram Chavez is currently favored to win the Pinoy Idol singing competitions after blowing away the judges with his awesome renditions of several well loved rock hits. Meanwhile, on the local front, expectations are high for the album releases of several CDO bands like Paid, Superflirts, Novelista Pasta, and Thoughts And Notions. Indeed things are looking up for Cagayan de Oro's music scene.

(Most of the bands that were mentioned above are bands whose albums are in my possession, my aplogies to those who weren't included in the list.) 

The albums featured from left to right on the photo are:

1. Drizzle: Love without logic (Independent release, 2005)
2. Drizzle: Love without logic (Galaxy Records, 2006)
3. Oblivion: Echoes of the Mind (Independent Release, 2002)
4. Dahong Palay: Kapatiran ng Bakal at Apoy (Ivory Records, 1996)
5. Fayeed Tan: Di Nag Iisa (Mindatone Records, 2006)
6. Oblivion: The Crucifixion (Independent Release, 2003)
7. Southrace: Freshwound (Independent Release, 2006)
8. Southrace: BisRock Mindanao (Independent Release, 2008)
9. The CDO Blues Project (Independent Release, 2004)
10. Thoughts And Notions: In awe of his amazing love (Independent Release, 2005)
11. Thoughts And Notions: In awe of his amazing love (Praise Music/Ivory Records, 2006)
12. Nuncyspungen (Lighter Records, 2004)
13. Sutil (Independent Release, 2007)
14. K9 (Independent Release, 2008)
15. Tabularaza: Shewowah (Daybreak Records, 2006)

    Please support YOUR local music scene!