12.23.2008
QLE AWARDS = QUALITY LISTENING EXPERIENCE
HERE'S THE BEST OF LOCAL MUSIC, AS DEFINED BY QUARK HENARES, LUIS KATIGBAK, AND ERWIN ROMULO! YVETTE TAN GIVES THE LOWDOWN ON THE QLE AWARDS.
It started with a conversation. Three friends talking about what a good year for local music 2008 was, and how this fact was not fully represented in the list of nominees for the NU Rock Awards.
These three friends, by the way, are Quark Henares, Luis Katigbak and Erwin Romulo; perhaps three of the local music industry's staunchest defenders -- and most feared critics. The result of that conversation, by the way, is what became the QLE Awards (which stand for the Quark, Luis and Erwin Awards), the results of which were published in the country's three major dailies.
Having let the country know about their favorite acts for the year, the guys thought their duty done. Little did they know that this one act would snowball into a different creature altogether.
So far, they have produced a podcast, courtesy of Drip manager Mark Laccay, who suggested it, recorded it, and is in the process of editing it; guested on two radio shows -- NU 107's RockEd Radio and Headstart (the latter where the trio dissected Rico Blanco's stick-in-your-head songs, concluding that the singer probably made a deal with the devil, with Quark suggesting that some orifice-penetrating action probably went on, as can be heard from some of "Yugto's" lines); been interviewed for a men's magazine; and staged the very first QLE Awards--although not in that order.
The QLE Awards was staged in Route 196 along Katipunan Avenue, and would not have been possible without Rock Ed's Gang Badoy.
The night of the awards felt more like a get-together of old friends than an actual 'awards night,' with people chilling out while watching some of the winners perform. The trophies given out to the winners varied from CDs of other winners to t-shirt key chains to toy cars and tiny pots of jam. The awards were presented by the three critics, as well as personalities such as graphic novelist Arnold Arre and award-winning graphic designer Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, who presented the Album Packaging of the Year award. Revolver’s Cris Ramos and Sweet Spot’s Paul Pajo presented the Comeback of the Year award. The Star's Ramon de Veyra presented the Band of the Year award, and yours truly presented the Best Live Act award. Filmmaker Kidlat de Guia presented the Video of the Year award, which was accepted by model Model Shawn Yao and athlete Kat Velayo, for Pedicab's "Ang Pusa Mo."
Some of the winners performed, including Loss of Control, of which Erwin says, "You can blame what I wrote on them,” alluding to the band's music being what he listens to full blast while he writes. Other winners who performed were Intolerant, the Itchyworms, and Up dharma Down. Two guest bands, namely Gasolina and Juan Pablo Dream, also performed.
One of the highlights of the evening was Quark doing vocals for Best New Artist (Taken by Cars). The resulting 'band,' affectionately known as "Taken by Quark," sang a few stanzas of "Weeknight Memoir In High Definition", Quark's choice for Song of the year, before TBC's vocalist Sarah Marco (who arrived late) stepped in and the two of them finished the song.
And just like that, the QLE Awards ended. There was no fanfare, no fireworks. Just the love of music that drew a bunch of like-minded people together.
Another thing that the QLE spawned, and that Q, L and E are very happy about, is that other people have started making their own 'awards' as well. "I think it's just the spirit of 'anyone could and should do this' as opposed to waiting for word to be passed down by the rock bosses,'" Luis says, "Which when you think about it, isn't very rock n roll (waiting for word, that is). It's best summed up in that Manic Street Preachers line that Erwin appropriated: 'This Is Our Truth, Tell Us Yours'."
It's always nice to know that there will always be a champion for good music, and that those champions will encourage us to get our voices heard.
The Winners of the QLE Awards:
Best new artist
[Erwin] Intolerant AND Loss Of Control
[Luis] Ang Bandang Shirley
[Quark] Taken by Cars
Album of the year
[Erwin] Ciudad - Bring Your Friends
[Luis] Drip - Identity Theft
[Quark] Taken by Cars - Endings of a New Kind
Song of the Year
[Erwin] Ciudad - My Emptiness
[Luis] Up Dharma Down - Unspoken Definites
[Quark] Taken by Cars - Weeknight Memoir In High Definition
Video of the year
[Erwin] Pedicab - Ang Pusa Mo
[Luis] Up Dharma Down - We Give In Sometimes
[Quark] Pedicab - Ang Pusa Mo
Live act of the year
[Erwin] Itchyworms
[Luis] Yosha
[Quark] Sandwich
Comeback of the year
[Erwin] Markus Highway
Album covers
[Erwin] Up Dharma Down - Bipolar
[Luis] Ang Bandang Shirley - Themesongs
[Quark] Up Dharma Down - Bipolar
Artist of the year
[Erwin and Luis] Up Dharma Down
[Quark] Ciudad
TAGS: QLE Awards Luis Katigbak Quark Henares Erwin Romulo
