lieu JUNE 2013 / ISSUE No3
Academe Aces SIDE TRIP WITH
WHAT’S
INSIDE BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE
I Am Artisan DIY Notebook Gara Sunday! Styling Tips Hollywood Burgers Behance PH Summer Stories
JAD MONTENEGRO
N 3 o
Live to create.
lieu]
noun stead; place (esp in the phrases in lieu, in lieu of)
ROLL CALL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aidx Paredes CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Chi Narciso ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amelia Baird MARKETING HEAD Sol Matalam JUNIOR MARKETING HEAD Michael Lu HEAD WRITER Chit Lacson HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Nikko Zamora ONLINE ADMIN Mo Jaravelo WRITERS Pat Bacaltos Janna Moya Ramon Erum EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: Cheekie Albay, Jad Montenegro, Kristine Serrano
IN LIEU POOF
I Am ARTisan/ DIY Notebook / Would You Rather.../ Gara Sunday at the Blue Room
HASHTAG
What We’d Wear... To School!/ Behance PH in Davao!/ Hollywood Aint Far
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS SIDE TRIP WITH JAD MONTENEGRO
SUMMER STORIES
Swallowed by The Sun / The Davao We See / Golly Sandra / Self Incrimination, Bleak, Sussana /
POOF!
MUSIC
Summer Send Off LIEU MAGAZINE’S MIXTAPE NO 3 This is What It Feels Like (WW Remix) by Armin van Buuren feat. Trevor Guthrie / Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) by Lana del ray / Hey Now by Martin Solveig & The Cataracs feat. Kyle / Safe and Sound (Tommie Sunshine Live City Radio Edit) by Capital Cities / Wasted Time by Fear Club feat. Ashley Garcia / Feel The Love by Hoodie Allen / Lose Yourself to Dance (SUGGA Remix) / Up Up & Away (Dr Gonzo Dance Remix) by Kid Cudi / Boyfriend (Ghostwaves Edit) by Best Coast
ARTS AND CRAFTS
I Am ARTisan By Chit Lacson / Photography by Aidx Paredes
Picture yourself in a room full of multi-hued paper twines hung above wooden book shelves. Imagine a place and think of it as vividly as possible; I found myself there after gracing the streets of V. Mapa under the scorching heat of the summer sun.
her drives in the upkeep of her art.
It was quite amusing to see the face behind the blog filled with DIYs, polka dots, thin stripes, pastel colors, and patterned scotch tapes. Paring her sweet smile with floral sneakers matched with a loose white chambray, April San Pedro started to talk about how she does her craft and
Her adorable handmade crafts reflect her inspiration from the old French, retro and vintage. “Whenever clients would ask for designs, I always go back to the basics. I go back to vintage. That’s where I obtain motifs from.”
Seeing her passion and love for what she does through her works, you probably wouldn’t think that this dainty girl would venture into a corporate world. Having graduated with a degree in accountancy, majority would think that it’s odd As I went inside the studio, I was greeted by for her to dive into the sea of creativity. April’s cheerful smile. It was then that I felt the breeze and freshness amidst the warmth of a Keeping herself away from learning art in formal summer’s day. I sat down on the studio’s signa- institutes, she claims that she’s only self-taught. ture wooden seat, and we chatted about papers, Frustration on not knowing how to draw or paint scissors and other crafts. has led her to strive even more.
Also, April firmly believes that childhood experiences, for the most part, influences one’s art. This is why she runs craft workshops for kids. Her objective in conducting these workshops is to bring back the pretty long-forgotten tradition. “If you notice, kids nowadays are engrossed with iPads, cellphones and all the other hippest gadgets. If you see them on restaurants or coffee shops, they don’t talk to each other or play around. They no longer play the games that we used to play when we were younger. As a kid, I used to play bahay-bahayan and used leaves as money. But now, it’s totally different. I think one primary goal is bringing back the tradition before. Creativity, I believe, starts with papers and any basic material you can find around.”
ing why I call myself an artisan. They thought it’s from the word ‘art’ lang and I just added ‘–an’ to it. Artisan means a person who’s good with their hands.” Before the interview ended, we asked April the question: do you live to create? “Yes. There was a time that I lost the mojo in terms of creativity. There are times that I feel lost. I realized that when I do crafting, it’s a different thing eh. It fuels me up. It motivates me.”
I left the room with the intoxicating warmth of April’s creativity. With her eyes that see every little thing enchantingly, her ability to beautify randomly found objects into wholly unique crafts makes her a standout in her chosen ground. When asked why she calls or considers herself Truly, April is one of Davao’s most prolific artists. an artisan, she answered “I like doing things with my hands. Some of my friends keep on askArtisan Design Studio is located at V. Mapa St., Davao City
Here’s a special DIY Tutorial by April herself! This will probably help you boost that excitement and creativity all throughout the school year. Visit her blog and find more interesting DIYs! WWW.IAMARTISAN.COM
MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED • 1 sheet of thick matte paper • 10-20 sheets of short bond paper • Long stapler or bus ticket puncher • Blank cover notebook • Rubber stamps and stamp pad • Color pencils or pens • Washi tape or fabric tape • Cutter and scissors • Embellishments
DIY!
1. Fold the matte paper {cover} and the bond paper (pages) into half. 10 sheets will make 20 pages. It’s up to you if you want to add more.
2. Use a long stapler to bind in the middle. If you don’t have a long stapler, use a bus ticket puncher on both ends in the middle of the paper. Add twine or string to bind. Then cut the excess paper on the side.
3. Choose either washi or fabric tape then stick on the side where you bind the notebook.
4. After you’re done binding, let’s add some embellishments. I used half of a doily and a heart cut-out. I also add washi tape as a hanging tag on the upper right.
5. Use letter rubber stamps for a nice quote or lyrics. You can also put your name.
FEATURED ARTIST
Q: Be in school or stuck in your room? A: Stuck in my room.
BOJI BOTE is a 24 year old graphic designer, whose portfolio recently topped the graphic design review at the Behance Davao Portfolio Review. Simple, focused and purpose driven are the words he used to define his work. Albeit the popularity of online publications, he goes back to print media for inspiration and believes it as the core of graphic design. PHOTOGRAPHED BY AIDX PAREDES
EVENTS
GARA SUNDAY
Featuring DJ Mon, Turbo Goth and The Diegos at Blue Room, Apo View Hotel Photos c/o Marga Rey
YO MISS U THIS ED CRY ? NOW .
HASHTAG
WHAT WE’D
WEAR.. TO SCHOOL If you’re having doubts on what to wear on the first day, don’t fret because we got you some styling tips on how to be cool in school!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY AIDX PAREDES / TEXT AND STYLING BY AIDX PAREDES AND PAT BACALTOS MODELED BY DIAMOND TIAMSON AND ERIC DULAY SPECIAL THANKS TO METANOIA CLOTHING AND TEAM MANILA LIFESTYLE
Welcome the school year with a bang! Take it up a notch and wear your fashion loud and proud with bold colors. You’ll never get lost in the sea of students!
Ambassador of Positive Vibes canvas bag from Team Manila / Skirt and Top from Metanoia
WASHDAY WOES Take formal clothing to the streets! Wear a colorful backpack and pair it with your favorite sneaks!
Heritage bag from Team Manila / Polo from Cotton On / Chinos from Oxygen
WASHDAY WOES Turn your shirt + jeans outfit from simple to awesome! Wear colored jeans and match it with an easy to wear long sleeve chambray.
The Vandals shirt & Ambassador of Positive Vibes Canvas Bag from Team Manila / Long sleeve chambray from Baleno / Jeans from Oxygen
Take fashion risks. Wear something that you don’t see everyday -- these gorgeous boots, perhaps? Never let the critics faze you. Once you’re confident, you’ll be in place.
Lambingan shirt from Team Manila / Hat, Sunglasses, Vest, Leggings, Boots, stylist’s own
Be the ultimate chic. Tone it down with a cool graphic tee and blazer combo. Rock it up with a skater skirt and you’re good to go.
Alapaap shirt from Team Manila / Silver skater skirt from Metanoia / Blazer and accessories, stylist’s own
WASHDAY WOES Don’t hesitate to wear an all black outfit on a sunny day! Grab an awesome snap back, throw in some colorful accessories and you’re good to go!
Huling El Bimbo shirt from Team Manila / Carrot pants from Oxygen / Comme des Fuckdown cap from Clean Culture
Behance PH in Davao! Text and Photography by Amelia Baird
On May 14, 2013 –a Saturday—photographers, graphic designers, and illustrators flocked together to showcase their portfolios to the Behance Network Philippines’ mentors at SMX Convention Center of SM Lanang Premier. The mentors were Anjo Bolarda and Rai Cruz for graphic design, Abe Garcia and Kenneth O’Bajo for photography, and Paolo Ramirez, Ray Rubio, John Amor for illustration. The meeting room had simultaneous review sessions as the mentors gave their critics on the categories they were assigned to evaluate. Each of the mentors shared and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of each artist’s works. After the portfolio reviews, the Behance TALKS began. Ray Rubio discussed on how to make an effective portfolio. He discussed about the importance of knowing how and what works to select before you start working on with your portfolio. He emphasized that
people should be able to see how much you have grown and how dynamic your work can be. The second speakers were the Swito Twins on “Digital Story Telling for Kids.” The lovely twins discussed the worth of having a good story. They said it the first thing to consider and the aesthetics is just next to that. “You don’t need to have the best equipment to tell a good story.” The last speakers were yours truly and Aidx Paredes of LIEU Magazine. Major important points raised in the discussions were “If you want to start something, you first have to believe in yourself and what you want to do. Select only the finest people who are suitable for the job and surround yourself with artistic and passionate people. It is always necessary to have an active group of people for a dynamic set of minds. It makes everything more interesting. “
On the second day, all the short-listed artists were invited to Backyard Burgers for a mini exhibition and were encouraged to put up works for sale. That same night, DJ Jon Game dropped the beats while John Amor drew on his tablet, cre-
ating trippy images projected onto the screen. Certificates and prizes were awarded to all the artists who gladly took part in the said event. The night ended with more music by Maki Serapio’s band 8-A and Jad Montenegro serenading the crowd with music off of her first EP “Fixed Points and Pendulums”.
To close the three-day event, some came to witness Rai Cruz and Anjo Bolarda paint murals on the walls of Matina Town Square’s parking lot. It was an open paint session; those who wanted to express themselves had a free wall to buff. Some pieces were hyperrealistic and some were fauvist. After the long day, everyone headed to the second floor of Matina Town Square at We Legendary to exchange little talks and have some good time. Some went to Alleycat to grab some
grub and share a cup of tea for a farewell party. The artists were able to make friends at the first ever Behance Portfolio review and plans to collaborate with fellow artists in the near future were made. To know see more photos of the 3-day event, visit fb.com/BehancePH
DAY
ONE
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TW Y A D
DAY
THR
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LAUNCHING PARTY
Hollywood Ain’t Far By Ramon Erum / Photography by Aidx Paredes
“I bet the food there is pretty expensive.” This was the first thing that popped into my head the first time I passed by Hollywood Burgers at The Peak, Gaisano Mall of Davao. A few weeks later, the LIEU team was given a chance to sit and chat with the man behind Hollywood Burgers, Sid Highsmith. Sid did not hold anything back. From his humble beginnings as a man with a vision, to where he is right now -- the owner of Davao’s prime establishment that serves the original, charcoal-grilled, 100% beef burger: Hollywood Burgers. After a little chit-chat with the man himself, Sid offered to grill up a couple of his bestselling burgers for the team. Preparing quality food takes time, so we decided to scout the establishment and take a look at the different antiquities inside. The place is reminiscent of
a modern take to an old school American diner greatly inspired by the glamour of Hollywood. The comfy director seats, tables, and the walls filled with printed posters of household icons such as Marilyn Monroe gave that Hollywood factor to a once bleep loft. After a few minutes, the kitchen doors finally opened. The captivating aroma of the burgers was so strong that it we could smell it from afar. When the waiter laid out the burgers, we were astonished by the size and the arrangement. The components of each burger were stacked in a scintillating manner. The “Kevin Bacon Mush”, “Hawaii’s Burger”, the “Hollywood Monster Burger”, and one of its bestsellers, the “She Is Crazy Burger” – aptly named for its overloading cheesy flavor, a play on words that is also apparent in the other menu items.
Kevin Bacon Mush
Hollywood Monster Burger
She Is Crazy
Hawaii’s Burger
Each of us took turns to taste each burger that was laid out. Every bite was an explosion of pure tender goodness in our mouths. We were indulging ourselves into the sinful taste of each burger. Of course, a meal would not be complete without a matching thirst-quencher. Sid also offered to whip up Hollywood Burgers’ signature Vanilla Milkshake. Its distinct thick, smooth, and creamy texture sets it apart from your typical milkshake. One slurp of this baby will definitely tickle your taste buds.
Filipino mouth, but this is very far-fetched. The prices are in fact very affordable, even for the average student. With the price of on burger ranging from ₱99.00 to ₱225.00, Hollywood is not too far off from here after all.
Hollywood Burgers is open from 10:00AM to 9:00PM. Located at The Peak, Gaisano Mall of Davao City
They are also accepting deliveries, for more informaThe average Filipino customer can easily be put tion please call or text 304-4093 / 0917-777-2022 off by the notion that the food they serve is expensive and that it is way too “American” for the
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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
Side Trip She looks like a rock-and-roll porcelain doll. She speaks with the quick cleverness that is unexpected in the stereotypical likes of her. LIEU got to interview the all-around-artist, odd intellectual, full-time musician and hair aficionado Jad Montenegro and discover that though she’s hopping from one event to another, she’s really a homebody and perhaps a closet introvert. Her eloquence and little pieces of accidental insight should be something each of us can learn from. With the launching of her EP Detours on June 22, we expect to see more of this artist invading the local music scene and beyond. Inspired by the little detours in life, we’d like to cheer her on from Point A to Point Z and back.
TEXT BY JANNA MOYA PHOTOGRAPHY BY NIKKO ZAMORA HAIR AND MAKE UP BY MELODY TINGOY STYLED BY PAT BACALTOS
COVER STORY
Describe a typical day in the life of Jad Montenegro. I work from home, so I attend to all my clients (e.g., photo retouching, writing, marketing) and answer emails before breakfast. Then I cook lunch with my husband, who also works full-time at home as a comic book artist. During the day we either take a break by going out for food or to exercise, and in the afternoon I almost always have an errand either for my hat shop, band practice, or both. So I’m usually at band practice or recording up until late at night, and on weekends I have gigs or events for my events production, which I run with DJ Cheekie Albay, called Hiphouse. Sometimes I have a few free hours so I occupy myself with various DIY stuff (I keep a Do-ityourself blog) and crochet/knit hats, dye my hair weird colors, fiddle around with nail art, read my never ending list of sci-fi books, practice my photography, work on my digital coloring and lettering skills, and make more songs. Occasionally, I watch the latest episodes from all my favorite anime and TV shows because my husband and I are giant nerds. If you could put yourself in the shoes of a college student, who would you hang out with and what would it be like? Well, aside from the usual musicians/artists, because that just kind of comes naturally I guess, when I was in college I usually hung
out with people who conversed intelligently. I never picked the people who dressed the snazziest, I made friends with people who could express themselves properly, eloquently, and most of all, I enjoy being with people who have a genuine sense of humor. On the other hand if a person doesn’t really talk all that much I would still hang out with them because they seem genuine and not full of BS. What was the craziest thing you did when you were in college? The usual crazy things kids try: rebel, stay out late, do dumb stuff their parents wouldn’t like. I tried a lot of things but I’d rather not go into further detail. Tell us about the transition from being a college student to a full-time musician. There wasn’t really a transition. I think I was always a musician, because it came naturally to create music, but learning the technical stuff, you know, recording music, actually playing a guitar beyond the three chords I learned in rondalla class - that came from making friends in the music scene both in Manila and Davao. I would say I learned more from the Davao scene than in Manila, because I was younger in Manila and had college to think about. But basically, experiences with other musicians helped me figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to go, musically speaking.
How was it as a starting musician in Davao? I didn’t really know anybody. But I enjoyed going to gigs and stuff. I met a lot of cool people and the owner of one of the pioneer rock bars became my good friend. He eventually became our talent manager. He hooked me up with my current bandmates. I started out playing solo, on an acoustic guitar while sitting on a chair. It took a lot of practice to make that transition from being a solo artist to standing up alongside my four bandmates. What were your major setbacks when you were still starting out? Figuring out our creative workflow. It took us over a year to record our 1st EP. It was a steep learning curve for me because recording is a lot different from performing. I was learning and recording at the same time. This would not have been possible without my bandmate, Dave Ibao, and our sound producer Maki Serapio. Basically, they handled the recording end, and told me to focus on creating and arranging songs, but I still had a difficult time. What inspired your EP Detours? Probably my experiences with people. I prefer to sit back and observe people around me because I find the human condition fascinating. Sometimes people are shallow and illogical; sometimes they’re profound and brilliant. Often times all those qualities need to be there to make one complete human being and that’s just how strange and beautiful everybody is inside - which to me is just fine. I picked the name Detours because we never really get to where we are making a straight line from point A to B. At least, it was never that way with me. I had a lot of side trips but without those little extra adventures, I wouldn’t be myself. What do you think sets apart the Davaoeño music from other local music scenes? I wasn’t really part of the music scene when I arrived here but they welcomed me and introduced me to the family. I could have just stayed on the sidelines, with my songs in my head, but
because people in the Davao music scene are so friendly and open, I was able to take those songs and play them. I know not everyone in every scene is like that but the majority of people I know here are genuinely nice, really talented people with no malicious intent. What are your aspirations for the Davao music scene? I want bands here to have the confidence that bands in bigger cities have with the audience giving them the love they need to thrive. The audience needs to remember just how huge their role is in helping keep the music scene alive. Bands can practice 10 hours a week and have perfectly played songs - but they need people cheering them on and telling them that all that hard work is worth it. What’s the most overplayed song on your iPod (or mp3 player)? It’s never really one song but right now I’m obsessed with Ben Howard’s Black Flies and also with Jose Gonzales’ cover of Teardrop by Massive Attack. Although in a heartbeat I can find my Garbage discography and press play on The Trick is To Keep Breathing because they’re my favorite band of all time, aside from Toe. As a social butterfly and an active user of social media sites, what’s one thing that most people don’t know about you? That I am a pretty shy person. It’s not natural for me to be loud, bubbly or cheerful. My default state is pensive and withdrawn except when I’m with friends. Having good connections teaches you how to act in certain circles or how to communicate with certain people, and it’s even easier to do that now because of social media. Like when people recognize me at a mall from twitter or Facebook or Tumblr, I am totally able to make friends with them right away and talk with them like we’d known each other personally forever. But that friendliness wasn’t always my default state because I grew up very shy and awkward. I really, really like staying at home.
COVER STORY
Do you wish to remain playing intimate gigs or do you aspire to play in a jam-packed stadium? I’m actually not sure. I’m pretty happy just playing my songs and getting them recorded, but I can’t deny that performing in front of a large crowd can put a certain kind of pressure on you that you can’t find anywhere else, and that pressure drives you to perfect your craft. Sometimes I hate that pressure, though, but I think all musicians need it and thrive on it somehow, otherwise they wouldn’t be in bands. So that question I can’t answer, really. How does having a family affect your bustling career? They’re very supportive. Right now it’s just me and my husband but we want to have kids sooner or later this year or next so if that ever happens my music will have to take a breather while we work around that new important chapter in our lives. But I’ll never stop making music as long as I live. It just needs to take a step back every now and then while I get my life and juggling act together, especially since I am interested and involved in so many creative fields. Tell us your most favorite line from one of your songs. That’s a tough one. Probably from Over: “I kiss you in the vacuum of sound that rainfall creates around you and me. The air is dense like water and you might move slow but there’s nowhere else to be. Nowhere else to be; But with me”
Got any upcoming gigs or events you want to promote? Our EP launch is coming up this June 22. Please come on over to Sa’Less Bar the event starts at 9pm, with guest bands DJ Jon Game (drop bass), Lucas (euro rock), 8-A (alternative rock) and Azimuth (electronic rock). We will be playing 12 songs from both EPs in a long set. Entrance is P150 which gets you a free drink and 1 copy of the DETOURS EP. You can confirm attendance on our event page at: PHOTOGRAPHED BY AMELIA ROSE BAIRD https://www.facebook.com/events/195904180559567/?ref= ts&fref=tsASSISTED BY CHIT LACSON
SUMMER STORIES
CONTRIBUTIONS
Our summer tale has reached its final stop. From roadtrips and drunken nights to being awakened by the kiss of morning light, we shared a part of ourselves with our new and old friends under the same summer sun. A lot of things happened: meeting new friends, going to new places, and experiencing new things. But summer stories should be immortalized, not forgotten. For whatever happens tomorrow, we will always have something to look back on. Heartbreaks, laughter, or just plain old fun under the sun. This is our summer story, what’s yours? PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN TYRON SORIANO
DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
THE DAVAO WE SEE Film photos by Benjie Burdeos
ANALOG LOVIN’
GRAPHIC DESIGN
GRAPHIC DESIGN
GOLLY SANDRA By Karl Aguro
GRAPHIC DESIGN
SELF-INCRIMINATION Cordelia The residues of the forgotten; Are left hanged on twilight walls Pain deserted, unwritten; words taking solitary strolls. Behind the trees’ silhouette; sincerity and lies gradually waning. Hues of the truth and counterfeit, what a sad, grotesque painting. Alas, night will come, and I shall; be comforted on her bosom. The faking stars will fall; upon flowers in half blossom. Sweet hollowness creeping; and shall contaminate me soon. Twilight glows dying, leaving a disguised boon. The night is suicidal; her silence assailing lights flicking: ephemeral soon forever fading, fading.
LITERATURE
BLEAK Kahlil Denise Alcomendras You look at me with sad eyes And I want to will the demons away The smoke that cloud your vision The emnity found in the foray You look at me with sad eyes And I feel the tears that prick your skin Sharp crystals that make you bleed Icicles that pierce your heart in greed You look at me with sad eyes And I see the scars that have shunned its glow And I wish I could say that it’ll all be okay. But then I’d be lying. I know it will always be this way.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAPAAP SA KALANGITAN
LITERATURE
SUSANNA Diobannie Bangkas Now as the bedroom turns cold. We try to reason with lies With wrist metronomes growing flawed Our beating hearts run dry We listen, to a melodic box That sings the symphony of the heavyhearted We watch the ticking clocks As this summer night burns the jaded With a nicotine-induced trance, An alcohol-driven low We wait for another chance When our bodies move slow Now we go on separate ways Taking opposite roads Resentment becomes her praise As we write different odes Farewell, to the one who owns my heart
ILLUSTRATION BY JANNA MOYA