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Jan 6, 2016
Blues is Alive and Kicking in ManilaLocation: Metro-Manila, PhilippinesManila is a Pandora's Box with a cache load of traffic, congestion, pollution and people with short fuses. But it's underlying hope lies underneath its belly, in its vibrant music bars where Blues music beats through its walls with its chill community who have now become familiar faces. Yes, Blues music comes alive in Manila. Blues Bars 
Ending Thoughts --- TheLoneRider ps - just to make it clear, this blog highlights my Blues experience in the last 2 weeks while hanging out with friends who are in the scene. If you know a noteworthy band or Blues bar I failed to mention, please, shout out! It's always good to know who else is out there. Catch their Gig on Facebook:
Essential map of Manila's music bars
Blues Blogs:
Music Blogs:
Reader Comments:  Tom Colvin(Jan 8, 2016) Great article. There is a full-time blues bar in Manila: Roadhouse Manila Bay has live music 7 nights a week, and usually 6 of those feature a blues band. Kuala Lumpur has a small but very active blues scene, as does Indonesia and Singapore. check out the Facebook Page: Blues Asia Network, which very actively about blues all over the region.  TheLoneRider
"check out the Facebook Page: Blues Asia Network, which very actively about blues all over the region" -- Tom (Jan 8, 2016) great Blues resource - priceless! Motivates me to travel to those places again and check out the local bands. Thank you Tom :)  YourUnderGroundMan(Jan 8, 2016) As much as this is a good article, you're missing out on a lot more of great blues bands out there. The Brat Pack plays in RHMB every Saturday and Strumm's every Wednesday. Bleu Rascals play in RHMB every Friday. These two bands have made an international appeal already and I'm surprised you didn't mention these names. Another blues talent you don't want to miss out is Hoochie Coochie Mikkie. Straight up Delta Blues stylings unlike no other. Two more obscure yet talent that's about to make it big are Spaceman and The Big Beer Dippers. They are two blues oriented underground bands that play around the underground scene in the South Manila. Playing in venues like Verdandi and Checkpoint and former X278 Apache. Spaceman gets a chance to play in venues in Makati like Saguijo while The Big Beer Dippers plays in Makati venues as well like Mang Rudy's. Don't leave these guys out. For me they're pumping up the scene quite a lot and THEY CANNOT BE IGNORED. TheLoneRider
"you're missing out on a lot more of great blues bands out there...THEY CANNOT BE IGNORED" -- YourUnderGroundMan (Jan 8, 2016) I hear you, YourUnderGroundMan. No one is ignoring anyone here, specially the list of impressive bands you mentioned. Can't agree with you more about Hoochie Coochie Mikkie - caught his act in 2014 with the Ian Lofamia Band at H&J. I guess I should have made it clear in my blog (but now I did) that it's not a judgement call on Manila's entire Blues scene. I only talked about my limited Blues experience in the last 2 weeks I'd been around with friends who are in the scene. But thanks for expanding my list of "to watch bands" - unless I get wind of them, I wouldn't even have a clue. Cheers!  Ricky Avancena(Jan 6, 2016) "Manila Blues Big Daddy"! Yeah ...great piece  Elwyn Zalamea(Jan 8, 2016) People ought to start writing their own blogs and articles if what they want to read are their thoughts. Makes understanding what's written difficult when your perception is more like anticipation. Cheer up, people!  Fernando Ado Bantula(Jan 7, 2015) Thanks a lot bro, I'm speechless... TheLoneRider
"I'm speechless" -- Ado (Jan 6, 2016) pagkumakanta ka, speechless din ako :)  Ole Torbergsen(Jan 6, 2016) as far as I know The Roadhouse Manila Bay is a blues bar TheLoneRider
"The Roadhouse Manila Bay is a blues bar" -- Lawrence (Jan 8, 2016) I passed by last night at The Roadhouse...Yamato (?) was playing. Also noticed for the event line-up - Pepe Smith, Bleu Rascals, in the coming days.  Lawrence Bagwan(Jan 7, 2016) And the Bleu Rascals do not deserve a mention inspite of representing and winning for the Philippines in international blues comps? TheLoneRider
"And the Bleu Rascals do not deserve a mention..." -- Lawrence (Jan 8, 2016) I'm sure the Bleu Rascals are as deserving of all the awards they garnered, but I just haven't been to their gig yet...for now. They play tonight at The Roadhouse, btw. As I humbly put it, "I'm not privy to all the bands out there.." and my blog is not a mantle on who's who of Blues, but simply my limited experience of the Blues in Manila during the brief 2 weeks I'd been here. Thanks for the heads-up - I'll certainly catch the Bleu Rascals at some point. Jan 6, 2016
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