FEMALE FRONT ACTS
Above: Up Dharma Down Band & Sessionroad Band
Up Dharma Down
Place of Origin: Manila, Philippines
Type of Music: Post rock, Experimental, Live Electronics
Existence: 2004 – present
Record Label: Terno Recordings
Band Members:
* Armi Millare – keyboards, vocals
* Carlos Tañada – lead guitars
* Ean Mayor – drums and loops
* Paul Yap – bass
The Filipino band “Up Dharma Down” won the “In The Raw Award” at the 2005 NU 107 Rock Awards. The band was also able to win “Best New Artist” as well as “Best Female Award” for the band’s vocalist and keyboardist, Armi Millare – this time, at the 2006 NU 107 Rock Awards. The band’s debut album “Fragmented” which was produced under “Terno Recordings”; an independent record label became one of the most favorably celebrated records by critics and music lovers alike. This made them a band to watch out for during 2006 especially in the local music arena.
Aside from that, Mark Cole’s BBC show branded the group as the Asian band that would most possibly have a successful crossover to the shores of North America. “Up Dharma Down” has also been included in a series of local shows with other bands like Arcade Fire (Canada) and Bloc Party (UK). The band’s eclectic sound gave them the edge they needed to be ahead of the local pack of Philippine bands. This is essentially true since they have been featured in Time Magazine – July 2007; quite a feat. “Up Dharma Down” has also made several endorsement agreements and projects with big time companies such as Adidas, Coke, and Lipton Tea.
The band had the privilege of being the front act for the famous band “Incubus” whose “Incubus Light Grenades Pacific Rim Tour Manila” was done in Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on the 9th of March 2008.
The band is presently recording their sophomore album which is believed to be released within 2008.
Albums:
* Fragmented (2006, Terno Recordings)
1. Layag
2. Maybe
3. Lazy Daisy
4. We Give In Sometimes
5. Oo
6. Fragmented (instrumental)
7. June
8. Sleeptalk
9. Pag-Agos
10. Broken Mirrors and Screaming Turtles (instrumental)
11. Malikmata
12. The World is Our Playground and We Will Always Be Home
13. Oo [Fragmented Version]
14. Hiwaga
15. Lazy Daisy [Ascolto Remix]
* Compilation Album : Hopia Mani Popcorn (The Best of Manila Sound) – “Bitin
Sa’yo”
* Compilation Album: Kami nAPO Muna (APO Hiking Society Tribute Album) –
“Kaibigan”
* Soundtrack: Ang Pamana (The Inheritance) – “Flicker”
* Ad Campaign: Coca-Cola Philippines 2006 – “Buhay Coke, Buksan Mo”
* Ad Campaign: Lipton Tea Philippines 2007 – “Clarity”
* Ad Campaign: McDonald’s Philippines 2008 – “Float Away”
Awards:
* NU 107 Rock 2005 In The Raw Award
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Best New Artist
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Best Female Award
* MYX MYX Music Awards 2008 Favorite Indie Artist
Nominations
* Myx Music Awards 2007 Favorite Indie Artist
* MTV Video Music Awards 2006 Best Video For “Pag-Agos”
* MTV Video Music Awards 2006 Best New Artist
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Vocalist of the Year
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Guitarist of the Year
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Bassist of the Year
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Rising Sun Award
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Song of the Year for “Oo”
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Album of the Year “Fragmented”
* NU 107 Rock Awards 2006 Noel de Brackinghe, Sweetspot and Up dharma
Down for Producer of the Year
Recognitions
* First Filipino Band to be featured in MTV’s “Advanced Warning”, showcasing up-and-coming artists in the Asian region
* Made it to the QTV Channel 11 Show “Ang Pinaka”’s list of top 15 Philippine bands today
* Featured in Mark Coles’ BBC Radio Show
* Featured in July issue of Time Magazine
Sessionroad
Place of Origin: Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines
Type of Music: Pinoy Rock, Alternative rock
Existence: 1999 – present
Record Label: Star Records, Alpha Records
Website: session.com.ph
Band Members:
Hannah Romawac-Olives
Coy Placido
Chavi Romawac
Jimbo San Pedro
JV Romawac
Previous Members (Bassist):
Jonathan Placido (1999-2001)
Glen Laciste (2001-2002)
Jal Taguibao (2002)
Richard Carandang (2002-2007)
“Sessionroad” is another alternative rock band found in the Philippines – the only difference is, is that their vocalist happen to be a “she”. The band consists of the these musical individuals: Hannah Romawac-Olives (vocals, rhythm guitar), Coy Placido (lead guitar, synth), Chavi Romawac (drums, percussions), JV Romawac (percussions, back-up vocals) and Jimbo San Pedro (bass). The main writer for the band’s music would be Hannah and Coy. The band’s genre focuses on a mixture of pop rock, alternative, blues, reggae, soul, and mainstream music.
Sessionroad’s debut album was under the label Star Records. It was produced by Grace Nono as well as Bob Aves. The single “SUNTOK SA BUWAN” was released in September 2004 and the album had the same title as the track. This was then produced by Alpha Records and became the benchmark that acquired a thriving identification from the audience. When the song started to be played on the radio, it instantly garnered a recall with the listeners, which in turn made the song a hit and topped the charts in Manila for more than two weeks straight. In 2004, the band’s song “Suntok sa Buwan” was nominated for “song of the year”. The band’s meditative song “Blanko” talked about emptiness; in search of meaning. This was from the band’s 2006 album. In the another album , the band had the single “Bakit Hindi” (“Why Not”) which eventually led them to win the AWIT AWARDS’ “Best Music Video under the people’s choice category”. This was in 2007.
Albums:
* Session road (1999)(Star Records)
* Suntok Sa Buwan (2004) (Alpha Records)
* Suntok Sa Buwan (repackaged with AVCD and bonus tracks (2006) (Alpha
Records)
* Bakit Hindi? (2006) (Alpha Records)
Collection:
* 2001 mertro pop song festival (compilation) (GMA Records)
* U-turn star cinema soundtrack (2003) (Star Records)
* Bayanihan: building locally, bonding globally (volunteer compilation) (2003)
* Pinoy Big Brother Compilation (2005) (Star Records)
* Pinoy Ako 2 (2006) (Star Records)
* Hopia Mani Popcorn 2 (2007) (Viva Records)
* Bagong Banda…Awit ni Sampaguita (2007) (Ballyhoo Records)
Singles:
* Alone
* Gusto na Kitang Makita
* Gravity
* Talunan na Puso
* Suntok Sa Buwan
* Leaving You
* Cool-Off
* Eager Angels
* Blanko
* Hiram
* Song For You
Awards and Nominations
* 13th Awit Awards 2000 “ALONE” nominated for Best Alternative Recording & Best Performance by a Group.
* 8th Katha Music Awards 2002 “GRAVITY” AWARDED Best Alternative Music Vocal Performance.
* RX Band Breakout November 23, 2002 Grand Prize Winner
* 18th Awit Awards 2005 “Suntok sa Buwan” nominated for BEST PERFORMANCE BY A GROUP, SONG OF THE YEAR, BEST ROCK and MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR.
* August 2005 nominated for FAVORITE GROUP for the MTVPilipinas music awards.
* 20th Awit Awards 2007 “Blanko” nominated Music Video of the Year and was awarded People’s Choice Favorite Music Video of the Year.
