My Take

Friday night was really an ‘ugh’ for me since we (me and my wife) were not able to watch Cynthia Alexander's gig at 70s bistro like we always do.  It was one of her series of send-off performances.  Wish the number of crowd at 70’s bistro last Friday was always like that back then.  If that would be the case leaving the country might not cross her mind.

We can’t blame fans since busyness is just around the corner, my corner also.  So hearing about the send-off series brought some ‘awwww’ and ‘hayz’.  So majority of fans in incubation, including me, wanted to get in and watch her gig.  But when I got there I encountered a large number of mass outside of the bistro.  My wife arrived earlier and informed me that there were a lot of people outside and the gig cost is much higher than usual.  I didn’t imagine that it was that many and it was that costly but then again it’s a send-off I understand.  Cynthia seldom performs at the bistro since conspiracy bar emerged so I do make an effort to watch her whenever I learn she’d perform at the bistro.  Last time I saw her was five years ago, that long, so I guess I’m not an avid fan after all.

I came prepared I have my cds with me, last time I talked to her she told me she’ll sign my cds even after I said that I was too shy to ask her to, I even brought a sharpee just in case.  She’s that friendly and courteous; she had me at “I didn’t catch your name”.  Then again it was our fault; we were not early, not that eager I assume and not that patient.  I easily gave up upon seeing a full house and an angry mob outside the bistro.  My motto for that day was “Convenience over anything else”.  Sorry about that Ma’am.

I didn’t plan to go to conspiracy since I might encounter the same scenario.  I missed her set at ‎ Makati’s 2012 fete dela musique.  So everything was a failure and disappointing and it was entirely my fault.  We are still hoping we can still have the opportunity to listen to her performance again in the near future; we would love that.  I got the picture from a friend, thanks Reginald.

On a side note, while writing, I recalled; I think it was last year or was it two years ago, my wife and I made an effort to go to conspiracy one rainy evening just to learn that her gig was cancelled due to an injury she had.  I don’t know what injury it was but charging the lesson learned to experience, use the telephone dope!  Hahahaha, but seeing conspiracy for the first time was well worth the trip.  

Cynthia's Send Off

THE SEND OFF SERIES: Singer-songwriter Cynthia Alexander embarks on a “Send-Off Series” with five separate performances to say goodbye to friends and fans before she leaves the Philippines. 

Cynthia is relocating to Seattle, Washington, at the end of June.

Performances are scheduled as follows:

June 22: 70s Bistro, Anonas, Quezon City
with Mlou Matute, CJ Wasu, Rommel Sanchez, Louie Talan, Kakoy Legaspi, Zach Lucero & Jonathan Urbano
+ Nityalila & 鍾玉鳳 Chung Yufeng.

June 23: Conspiracy, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
with Mlou Matute, CJ Wasu & Jonathan Urbano
+ Enrique de Dios

Excited to watch this 22nd; remembering the last time I watched her at 70's bistro five years ago...


Comfort in your Strangeness

Migrating from RobotKaBa? Posted Jul 15, 2007

Ito ay isa sa mga hectic na sabado ko, una turo sa lasalle taft 9-12, bisita sa in-laws 2-7 at lakad sa gabi Cynthia Alexander night! wohoo 9-3am, inbetween naman puro byahe. Dapat kasama ko ang kaibigang kong balikbayan na si ver kaso may lakad sya nung araw na iyon, too late the hero iyong yaya ko.  Di ko matyempuhan sa bahay nila eh, at least ngayon alam ko na mobile nya.

So mga nakasama ko mga kababata ko sa conchuville.  Sinabi ko cynthia alexander night, syempre di nila kilala, sabay sundot ng inuman naman yun eh, kahit na anong mangyari masaya.  Ayun ang magic word tuloy and lakad.  Although iba talaga ang dating sa kanila ng gabi kasi nagmistulang fans talaga ako, nyahahaha, sila ride lang.  Ganun ka considerate ang mga kaibigan ko, kahit para sa kaligayahan ko lang call sila.  Lumigaya naman kami eh.  Ayun we had one to many beers, lagi na kaming nakangiti at umuwi kaming nakangiti.

The songs performed by cynthia was the usual set I knew, with a few song that's new to my ear.  Kahit hindi ako gaano makaconcentrate sa set nya, dahil sa kakulitan ng mga taga conchuville, nyahahaha, nagmistulang magical pa rin ang gabi dahil sa performance nya.  Meron pa ring nag interpretative dance sa intertwine, ngayon girl, last time I saw her gig it was a guy, but I think I saw him sa isa sa mga table din dun.  She covered govinda rin, one of the songs I wanted to hear.  Nakakatuwa nga after the first song nya, she ask the audience kung meron daw specific na song na gusto nameng marinig. Sa totoo lang wala akong specifc na naisip, basta pumasok lang sa isip ko gusto ko silang mapanuod mag perform.  Napakatagal ko na rin kasing di lumalabas para manood sa 70's bisto, glad that after a long time si cynthia alexander iyong nagsimula ulet.  hahahaha, sulet!  I keep on taking pictures, handa eh may dala pang digital kamera. Nahiya ng konti di na dinala mga cd ko para ipa-autograph, pero sayang.

After the set sinamahan ako ng kumpare ko sa may stage gusto ko kasi magpapicture sa kanya.  Nakakatuwa kasi ang bata ng crowd ni ma'am, dami pa ring mga bata na nakaka appreciate ng music nya.  Puro chicks pa, kaya after nung isang chick lapit naman kami sabi ko ma'am ako naman para maiba, puro babae ang nagpapa picture sa iyo eh.  Nyahahaha, napatawa ko sya, after the peace picture, she was kind enough to chat with me kahit for a few seconds lang.  She started of with I didn't catch your name, so sinagot ko naman sya, sabay nagkwento na rin ako na gusto ko sana dati pa na magpa autograph sa kanya kaya lang baka magmukha akong alam mo na.  Kaya hindi ko na rin dinala iyong mga cd collection ko, sabi naman nya na there is always a next time.  Wala na akong maidagdag sa conversation kaya nag thank youhan na lang kami.  Yung kumpare ko naman di ko alam kung bakit nagiingles na, nyahahaha, oh well. 

Dun sa kid na kasama ang dad nya na nagpapicture kay ma'am na nawalan ng batteria.  Wag kang magaalala papadala ko sa iyo iyong picture nyo (My kumpare was kind enough to take her picture with ma'am).  Bilib ako sa father mo, sinasamahan ka pa nya sa mga gig na ganyan.  Pakisabi sa kanya hanga ako sa kanya sa pagsuporta sa hilig mo.  At paglaki ng anak ko ganun din gagawin ko.

70's bistro was the same old shack, nagbago lang mga nakasabit na pictures, ay hindi pala nagbago nadagdagan lang.  Same old ambiance, para kang nag time space warp.  Kaya bagay pa rin ang porma kong shorts, shirt and sandals.  At hindi pa rin nagbago ang mga nakaugalian ko dun, had to take #2 as usual.  May mga bagong memories na naman, it was a non smoking night (request ni ma'am, that everybody respected) so iyong mga kaibigan ko sa labas nagyoyosi, funny thing is iyong kumpare ko nabigyan ng isang napaka special na experience ang isang grupo ng mga babae dun sa labas.  Syempre nasa labas naman nagbigay sya ng isang gas release with the sound and all.  Ang hindi nya alam may bangko pala sa may likod nya at may nakaupong dalawang chick.  Nyahahaha, imbes na mandiri natawa na lang meyn napakacool nila.