GABBY ALIPE, John Dinopol, Lalay Lim and JanJan Mendoza of Urbandub

The Philippines has never been short of rock bands. Ever since the advent of trailblazers like the Juan dela Cruz Band, The Dawn, Wolfgang and Eraserheads, the local rock circuit has always thrived. But among the newer generation of rockers, one name has stood out and that’s the band from the South, Urbandub. Lovingly referred by fans as Dub, the band celebrated their 10th anniversary with a simple yet effective bang last April 29. And what better venue to rock the night away than at Encore?

Wait, did you hear it right? Yes, Encore! An established name in the club party circuit, the former Embassy is looking at expanding its market and the result is an amazing partnership with JB Music and J2unes entitled Rock N Rogue, which will feature different bands monthly until December 2010.

For the first outing, they chose to go with Urbandub and it was definitely the right choice as evidenced by the full house that night.

The atmosphere was electric and the anticipation palpable as Dubistas waited for their rock idols to take the stage. From the moment Gabby Alipe, John Dinopol, Lalay Lim and JanJan Mendoza played their opening notes, the crowd went wild. And instead of just promoting their newest album “Apparition,” the band gave the fans everything they were hoping for: Playing the best of their songs from all four albums. It was amazing to hear people sing their greatest hits like “Frailty,” “First of Summer,” “Guillotine,” “The Fight is Over.” And in between songs, you could hear shouts from the audience, requesting for this song and that. And by the end of the night, almost all requests were heeded.

And who do we thank for such an amazing night? JB Music of course, which made all this possible, all because they wanted to promote the local music industry into new heights by providing the club with the best audio equipment.

“I just want to give people a nice time, like watching rock bands in a big club with a superb sound system,” says Jerico Fernando, VP-Sales and Marketing of JB Music store chain and co-founder of J2unes.

And the best news is that a donation will be given to the chosen charity of each featured band of the Rock N Rogue series. Amazing band, great musical equipment and selfless philanthropy. What more can you ask for?

The “Rock N’ Rogue” concert series is made possible by JB Music, Encore, and J2unes. In cooperation with Rogue Magazine, Channel [V], Garage Magazine and Manila Bulletin.

Vote for Nikko Ramos on PLDT Watchpad

One can safely say that Nikko is a young jack-of-all-trades. A college student from University of the Philippines Los Baños, 20-year-old Nikko effortlessly juggles school requirements and DJ work. Once a Junior ASEAN ambassador with three years of radio experience under his belt, Nikko spends

his spare time posting his music mixes and graphic designs online.
As one of the Top 10 Finalists of PLDT myDSL’s search for net-savvy, articulate, good-looking people who share a passion for music, fashion, fitness, film and technology, Nikko hopes to join the ranks of Rhian Ramos, Isabel Oli and Drift King Alex Perez as part of this year’s Watchpad Crew.

I recently caught up with Nikko/DJ Tyler as he hosted the Nestle Pops Dodge & Pop 2010 kick-off of the University Dodgeball Games in Boracay with his fellow Magic 89.9 DJs. (Nestlé Pops ice cream, deliciously handy bite-size spheres of ice cream coated in a chocolate coating is now available with rice crispies and in a new hexa box.)

“It’s a big thing to be one of the finalists for Watchpad!” exclaimed Nikko. “I think my love for sports and my training in radio have prepared me for the competition and if things work out, it could jumpstart my career in sportscasting. Either way, the whole experience has been an exciting ride for me.”

Nikko is a strong advocate of sports, aside from playing dodgeball, the handsome athlete who stands 6 ft. flat, was also a varsity basketball player for his alma mater.

Watchpad users can vote for Nikko Ramas a.k.a. DJ Tyler online until May 23rd by visiting www.pldtwatchpad.com/watchpadcrew.

Harp about this: Noelle Cassandra

Noelle Cassandra, Asia’s only harpist, singer, and songwriter recently launched her new album to a packed audience at SM Megamall’s Atrium resulting in remarkable album sales by one artist in a launch. The self-titled album, Noelle’s first under Viva Records, carries a mellow-pop sound from her harp arrangements accompanied by her “angelic voice,” a description by her fans about the quality of her voice.

As a regular guest on our morning radio program “Good Times with Mo Twister, Mojo Jojo, & Grace Lee,” Noelle Cassandra has been wowing our listeners with her special brand of musical artistry.

“She totally mesmerizes her audience,” says Ms. MG Mozo, AGM for Production and Marketing of Viva Records. “Passers-by quickly connect with the show while those who came for the launch were in total enjoyment of Noelle’s songs and spiels,” she adds.

Noelle opened her show with The Corrs’ “Runaway” followed by the carrier single, David Cook’s “Come Back To Me.” She engaged the audience with her own original “Amazing,” the most requested song whenever she guests on “Good Times with Mo” radio show, and for the encore, her rendition of “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” In addition to these songs, Noelle’s album includes three other originals and a total of 10 remakes from a variety of genres.

Noelle Cassandra will be promoting her album in mall shows, radio tours, campus tours and other meet and greet venues. Her album is one that is sure to leave her listeners with music that speaks to the heart through its melodies and lyrics. Her album is available at Odyssey, Astro, SM record bars and other leading record outlets. For more information and upcoming events, visit www.noellecassandra.com.

Tune in to Magic 89.9 for more live performances from Noelle Cassandra in the weeks to come or check out www.magic899.fm.