Sandwich

Sandwich co-founder Diego Castillo once mooned an audience of over 10,000 people. “I don’t know if I should be proud,” he laughs, “but it was the craziest thing.” This is just one of the Manila-based band’s tales of onstage exploits; others feature wrecked instruments and onstage electrocutions.

While Sandwich promises a wild time, it’s definitely no circus act. This band’s brand of adrenaline-pumping dance rock has earned them fans and acclaim in the Philippines and beyond. Over the last decade, the band has garnered a slew of awards, including MYX Music Awards’ Favorite Indie Artist of 2006, followed up with two Album of the Year prizes from the NU107 Rock Awards and a Best Live Act of 2008 gong. With such prime talent, it’s no wonder devotees from America and Singapore are clambering for some Sandwich. For now, they are focused on completing their 30-city tour of the Philippines and finishing their next album, expected to release by the end of the year.

After six albums, the band continues to reinvent its sound, throwing a few cowbells in along the way. They have softened the heavy rock, but only around the edges. While their headbanging days are behind them, they still like to make listeners rock out. Castillo explains, “Now, I guess it’s sort of like an eclectic mix of dance and rock’n’roll, and even a bit of country.” In other words, should New Order and LCD Soundsystem have a love child, its name would be Sandwich.

To preview this fusion, take a look at their award-winning music video for Sugod, a track from their 2006 album Five on the Floor. The techno-aesthetic mixed with rich guitar riffs all adds up to one happening hybrid. Once MTV Pilipinas’ 2006 Music Video of the Year, this extravaganza has the band in all its bass-thumping, glow-in-the-dark glory. When asked if their upcoming concert will include glow-in-the-dark effects, Castilla answers, “Who knows? But you should come to the show, because maybe there will be, among other things, glow-in-the-dark body paint. Perhaps we’ll bring a confetti cannon.” - Timeout Hong Kong

Sandwich co-founder Diego Castillo once mooned an audience of over 10,000 people. “I don’t know if I should be proud,” he laughs, “but it was the craziest thing.” This is just one of the Manila-based band’s tales of onstage exploits; others feature wrecked instruments and onstage electrocutions.

While Sandwich promises a wild time, it’s definitely no circus act. This band’s brand of adrenaline-pumping dance rock has earned them fans and acclaim in the Philippines and beyond. Over the last decade, the band has garnered a slew of awards, including MYX Music Awards’ Favorite Indie Artist of 2006, followed up with two Album of the Year prizes from the NU107 Rock Awards and a Best Live Act of 2008 gong. With such prime talent, it’s no wonder devotees from America and Singapore are clambering for some Sandwich. For now, they are focused on completing their 30-city tour of the Philippines and finishing their next album, expected to release by the end of the year.

After six albums, the band continues to reinvent its sound, throwing a few cowbells in along the way. They have softened the heavy rock, but only around the edges. While their headbanging days are behind them, they still like to make listeners rock out. Castillo explains, “Now, I guess it’s sort of like an eclectic mix of dance and rock’n’roll, and even a bit of country.” In other words, should New Order and LCD Soundsystem have a love child, its name would be Sandwich.

To preview this fusion, take a look at their award-winning music video for Sugod, a track from their 2006 album Five on the Floor. The techno-aesthetic mixed with rich guitar riffs all adds up to one happening hybrid. Once MTV Pilipinas’ 2006 Music Video of the Year, this extravaganza has the band in all its bass-thumping, glow-in-the-dark glory. When asked if their upcoming concert will include glow-in-the-dark effects, Castilla answers, “Who knows? But you should come to the show, because maybe there will be, among other things, glow-in-the-dark body paint. Perhaps we’ll bring a confetti cannon.” - Timeout Hong Kong

This Sunday (July 8) at the Hollywood Bowl-Los Angeles, Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, is celebrating his culture by hosting an event centered around "Global Filipino Music". With a long list of both local and global Filipino talent, it's sure to be one amazing evening, but who should you be looking out for to steal the show?

Sandwich!

You might be asking yourself, what does "two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between" have to do with music? Or like my friend Kaywan, you might just be getting hungry.

Well, Sandwich is not referring to food, but one of the more productive and influential indie acts from the Philippines over the past 14 years (6 albums, w/ 7th on the way). Sandwich has a sound all there own (mixing Indie, Rock, with Punk, Rap, Grunge, and Alternative). They are fronted by former Eraserheads (the Beatles of the Philippines) member, Raimund Marasigan, who is considered one of the Philippines' busier musicians (also from Pedicab and a handful of other side projects).


For those who are attending, be prepared to be amazed, and to be transported as Sandwich takes the stage, directly to the indie bars of Manila. A real trend is brewing here, and it's only a matter of time before the indie scene of the Philippines breaks the mold, with bands like Sandwich leading the charge!
- Bakit Why Entertainment

This Sunday (July 8) at the Hollywood Bowl-Los Angeles, Apl.de.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, is celebrating his culture by hosting an event centered around "Global Filipino Music". With a long list of both local and global Filipino talent, it's sure to be one amazing evening, but who should you be looking out for to steal the show?

Sandwich!

You might be asking yourself, what does "two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between" have to do with music? Or like my friend Kaywan, you might just be getting hungry.

Well, Sandwich is not referring to food, but one of the more productive and influential indie acts from the Philippines over the past 14 years (6 albums, w/ 7th on the way). Sandwich has a sound all there own (mixing Indie, Rock, with Punk, Rap, Grunge, and Alternative). They are fronted by former Eraserheads (the Beatles of the Philippines) member, Raimund Marasigan, who is considered one of the Philippines' busier musicians (also from Pedicab and a handful of other side projects).


For those who are attending, be prepared to be amazed, and to be transported as Sandwich takes the stage, directly to the indie bars of Manila. A real trend is brewing here, and it's only a matter of time before the indie scene of the Philippines breaks the mold, with bands like Sandwich leading the charge!
- Bakit Why Entertainment

Last March 4, Filipino rock band Sandwich launched their sixth studio album Contra Tiempo with a concert that rocked Eastwood City.

Sandwich is composed of Raimund Marasigan (lead vocals/keyboards), Myrene Academia (bass guitar), Mong Alcaraz (guitars), Diego Castillo (guitars), and Mike Dizon (drums).

Mong Alcaraz shared that the album name came upon them when they were coming up with a series of non sequiturs while they were enjoying some downtime in Palawan. “Contra Tiempo” roughly translates to “going against the grain”. The album name can also be heard in the song Sulputin.

The album consists of all Filipino songs. According to Raimund Marasigan, they wondered how other bands found it easy to write Filipino songs, and so they took it as a challenge to write songs in Filipino.

As music lovers, they took it upon themselves to make sure that there is a progression in the music they make, that they are moving forward musically. The band refused to be stagnant. Listening to a lot of music and travelling enriched them. While touring after their 2008 album S Marks the Spot, they honed their craft. The tours even helped them become better performers. Their gigs in smaller venues were also important to them, since they were able to test how people will react to the new songs they were writing.

Of course, not all songs that they have written made it to the new album. There are considerations to make. The band wanted to make sure that the tracks that made it into the album made their toes curl. (I assure you, a toe-curling experience is something that literally happens when you listen to really good music.)

Besides being music lovers, there’s a certain aura of strong friendship that can be felt from the band. It’s like they have known each other since they were babies. The dynamics between them seem to be part-barkada and part-brothers-and-sister. I have always thought that this was a necessary element for any group to come up with a distinct sound, which is what you would get when you listen to all the songs from the new album. There’s a unity to the album. The songs all work together to make listening to the full album enjoyable.

Contra Tiempo includes Putik, a song inspired by the effects of the typhoon Ondoy when it wreaked havoc in the Philippines. As such, the song made it into the airwaves even before the album reached completion.

Lakad is also a single from Contra Tiempo with a music video directed by Jason Magbanua. Jason Magbanua also directed that beautiful pre-nuptial video for Maggie Wilson and Victor Consunji.

Their next single is Pera Pera, the fifth track from Contra Tiempo. The song was written as an observation of how Filipinos flock to television stations in hopes of getting into game shows. As the band has put it, it made lining up for a game show almost seem like a religious experience. The band will be shooting a music video for this song very soon (I’ll post it as soon as it is available online).

—

I am not immersed very deeply into the rock scene, be it local or international. But that doesn’t mean I can’t not like rock songs. So here are a few notes about a few of the songs I have marked as my favorites in the album:

Lapit! Lapit! Lapit! – I love how the singing starts almost a minute and a half after the music starts playing. And I find it appropriate to be the first track in the album.

Takbo – Even if I didn’t know the song title, I would have guessed that the song is trying to tell me about a chase. Even the guitars gave me a sense of running and jumping over some objects that are in the way.

Bisikleta – The song title is Filipino for “bicycle”. I don’t know how to ride a bike. Nor do I know how to drive a car, but the song is something I can imagine myself listening to while on a road trip. There’s a certain young and carefree feel to the song that makes me think of playing mataya-taya in the bukid with friends. Although I usually like my rock music hard, I find myself really liking the casualness of this song.

Dispalinghado – This music from this song matches exactly the way I feel when I wake up Sunday afternoon after getting way too drunk on a Saturday night. There’s that tinge of disappointment or regret I hear when I listen to the guitars and the drums of this song. - Music blog

Last March 4, Filipino rock band Sandwich launched their sixth studio album Contra Tiempo with a concert that rocked Eastwood City.

Sandwich is composed of Raimund Marasigan (lead vocals/keyboards), Myrene Academia (bass guitar), Mong Alcaraz (guitars), Diego Castillo (guitars), and Mike Dizon (drums).

Mong Alcaraz shared that the album name came upon them when they were coming up with a series of non sequiturs while they were enjoying some downtime in Palawan. “Contra Tiempo” roughly translates to “going against the grain”. The album name can also be heard in the song Sulputin.

The album consists of all Filipino songs. According to Raimund Marasigan, they wondered how other bands found it easy to write Filipino songs, and so they took it as a challenge to write songs in Filipino.

As music lovers, they took it upon themselves to make sure that there is a progression in the music they make, that they are moving forward musically. The band refused to be stagnant. Listening to a lot of music and travelling enriched them. While touring after their 2008 album S Marks the Spot, they honed their craft. The tours even helped them become better performers. Their gigs in smaller venues were also important to them, since they were able to test how people will react to the new songs they were writing.

Of course, not all songs that they have written made it to the new album. There are considerations to make. The band wanted to make sure that the tracks that made it into the album made their toes curl. (I assure you, a toe-curling experience is something that literally happens when you listen to really good music.)

Besides being music lovers, there’s a certain aura of strong friendship that can be felt from the band. It’s like they have known each other since they were babies. The dynamics between them seem to be part-barkada and part-brothers-and-sister. I have always thought that this was a necessary element for any group to come up with a distinct sound, which is what you would get when you listen to all the songs from the new album. There’s a unity to the album. The songs all work together to make listening to the full album enjoyable.

Contra Tiempo includes Putik, a song inspired by the effects of the typhoon Ondoy when it wreaked havoc in the Philippines. As such, the song made it into the airwaves even before the album reached completion.

Lakad is also a single from Contra Tiempo with a music video directed by Jason Magbanua. Jason Magbanua also directed that beautiful pre-nuptial video for Maggie Wilson and Victor Consunji.

Their next single is Pera Pera, the fifth track from Contra Tiempo. The song was written as an observation of how Filipinos flock to television stations in hopes of getting into game shows. As the band has put it, it made lining up for a game show almost seem like a religious experience. The band will be shooting a music video for this song very soon (I’ll post it as soon as it is available online).

—

I am not immersed very deeply into the rock scene, be it local or international. But that doesn’t mean I can’t not like rock songs. So here are a few notes about a few of the songs I have marked as my favorites in the album:

Lapit! Lapit! Lapit! – I love how the singing starts almost a minute and a half after the music starts playing. And I find it appropriate to be the first track in the album.

Takbo – Even if I didn’t know the song title, I would have guessed that the song is trying to tell me about a chase. Even the guitars gave me a sense of running and jumping over some objects that are in the way.

Bisikleta – The song title is Filipino for “bicycle”. I don’t know how to ride a bike. Nor do I know how to drive a car, but the song is something I can imagine myself listening to while on a road trip. There’s a certain young and carefree feel to the song that makes me think of playing mataya-taya in the bukid with friends. Although I usually like my rock music hard, I find myself really liking the casualness of this song.

Dispalinghado – This music from this song matches exactly the way I feel when I wake up Sunday afternoon after getting way too drunk on a Saturday night. There’s that tinge of disappointment or regret I hear when I listen to the guitars and the drums of this song. - Music blog

Five-man band Sandwich flies to the U.S. July 6 to take part in Black Eyed Peas' Apl.de.Ap's showcase of Filipino talents at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 8.

Dubbed "Apl.de.Ap Takes You to the Philippines — A Celebration of Global Filipino Music," the musical extravaganza will also include Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid and prominent U.S.-based entertainers with Pinoy roots like Dessa, Florante, Vanessa Hudgens, Lou Diamond Phillips, the Harana Kings, Nicole Scherzinger, and the Black Eyed Peas.

The presentation is part of a regular attraction at the Hollywood Bowl featuring the cultural heritage of the different ethnic communities in the L. A. area. Rapper/DJ Apl.de.Ap envisions his showcase to reflect the evolution of Filipino music from the Hispanic era to the modern times.

Break from hectic sked
It is the first time that the Filipino community has been invited to participate in the annual event at the historic Hollywood Bowl, which has played host to the biggest names in pop music from the Beatles to Genesis to Blink 182.

Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan considers the L.A. gig a rare break from his hectic schedule over the past few months. Considered "one of the country's busiest musicians", Raimund had a hand in the production of the latest album from 6cyclemind, former Yano Dong Abay and his side project Pedicab.

New Sandwich album out soon
Sandwich will be back in Manila by the end of July and the band is looking forward to preparations for their seventh album. It's been two years since their last album, "Contra Tiempo", came out to the usual acclaim. - Yahoo!

Five-man band Sandwich flies to the U.S. July 6 to take part in Black Eyed Peas' Apl.de.Ap's showcase of Filipino talents at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on July 8.

Dubbed "Apl.de.Ap Takes You to the Philippines — A Celebration of Global Filipino Music," the musical extravaganza will also include Martin Nievera, Ogie Alcasid and prominent U.S.-based entertainers with Pinoy roots like Dessa, Florante, Vanessa Hudgens, Lou Diamond Phillips, the Harana Kings, Nicole Scherzinger, and the Black Eyed Peas.

The presentation is part of a regular attraction at the Hollywood Bowl featuring the cultural heritage of the different ethnic communities in the L. A. area. Rapper/DJ Apl.de.Ap envisions his showcase to reflect the evolution of Filipino music from the Hispanic era to the modern times.

Break from hectic sked
It is the first time that the Filipino community has been invited to participate in the annual event at the historic Hollywood Bowl, which has played host to the biggest names in pop music from the Beatles to Genesis to Blink 182.

Sandwich frontman Raimund Marasigan considers the L.A. gig a rare break from his hectic schedule over the past few months. Considered "one of the country's busiest musicians", Raimund had a hand in the production of the latest album from 6cyclemind, former Yano Dong Abay and his side project Pedicab.

New Sandwich album out soon
Sandwich will be back in Manila by the end of July and the band is looking forward to preparations for their seventh album. It's been two years since their last album, "Contra Tiempo", came out to the usual acclaim. - Yahoo!