In recent months, some of us have been trying to reconnect with friends we haven’t seen in years, trying to pick up where we left off. But as uncertainty continues to loom over our outdoor lives, it would be nice to plan our precious meetups extra wisely. And what better way to make the most out of your time outside by returning to your favorite hangouts?
If you’ve been on the lookout for something exciting to do with your gang, here are events to catch in the next few days—art buffs and music fans-approved.
Speculative Library
Meeting up with friends in the South? Stepping inside Buku-Buku Kafe in Alabang this Saturday, July 30, will definitely boost your creative energies. DJ sets will be played as you rummage through zines, posters, indie books, and other merch items—including that collaborative A24-inspired fanzine you’ve been itching to call dibs on—from your favorite local artists. Plus, you can strike up a conversation with Czar Kristoff and Zeus Bascon for the artist talk sessions. Come through from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Little Big Art Show
We thank online exhibits for keeping us sane through the past two years, but nothing beats the magic of IRL viewing. Inside The Astbury in Poblacion, Makati is Vintana.ph’s The Little Big Art Show, the virtual contemporary gallery’s inaugural physical exhibit. Running until Aug. 3, the show takes its viewers through a rich snapshot of local contemporary art with works from Lourd De Veyra, Dex Fernandez, Lena Cobangbang, and many more.
Founded in 2019, Vintana aspires to be inclusive and “a premiere cultural institution of Philippine contemporary art,” while connecting together art’s “academic, commercial, and popular aspects” while they’re at it.
Zild Live in Social House
We headed to our first gig in years a few months ago, and the euphoria is still unparalleled. If live music on a Friday is your gang’s go-to breather, there’s a Zild Benitez show happening at Social House in Makati on July 29. The “Huminga” singer-songwriter promisesto serve a “rare” setlist, and to top it off, “Buzo_Omp” rapper KURIMAW will be opening the stage. Make sure to be there at 7:30 p.m. (and beyond).
Equinox: A Pool Records Experience
Typically spotted on our science books, “equinox” might just bear a new meaning this weekend with Pool Records’ show. Happening at the Karrivin Plaza in Makati on July 30, CRWN and Six The Northstar are launching their collaborative album. “So an equinox is the moment when the sun crosses our equator, and when day and night are of equal length in every part of the earth,” says CRWN about their brainchild. “It was perfect because that was exactly how Six The Northstar and I approached making the album.”
Aside from CRWN and Six The Northstar, you can also catch performances by Curtismith and TALA.
Read more:
Is it possible for long distance friendships to survive?
Behind the scenes: Looking into the local zine culture
A eulogy for Route 196 (and other gig haunts we lost)
Art by Yel Sayo