Genre:
rock/pop
Hometown:
Manila/Cebu
Record Label:
DYNA Music Philippines / ISLAND ROCK Entertainment
Profile:
BLACK SUMMER is a three piece group that was formed out of circumstance intended and otherwise. From back to when it all started with Allen Alesna (vox/guitars) and brother Ian (on drums) to the fateful twist with Gboy Munsayac (bass guitars), BLACK SUMMER is a force to reckon with. With Allen and Ian's blood chemistry to Allen and Gboy's playful riff exchanges, it's a prodigious fusion of genres.
Pinkfive Productionspresents Flicker Fusion Double Video Launch! Ten02 Bar, Sct. Ybardolaza St.
cor Timog,
Quezon City
October
09
Sat
Island Rockpresents Behind Bars Ride n Roll Diner, Loyola Heights, Quezon City
July
10
Sat
Pinkfive Productionspresents Boy Band Breakout Night Obsidian Bar & Grill, Ortigas Home Depot Complex, Brgy. Ugong, Pasig City
May
06
Thu
Indie Pop for President Obsidian Bar & Grill, Ortigas Home Depot Complex, Pasig City
21
Fri
Island Rockpresents
Behind Bars Obsidian Bar & Grill, Ortigas Home Depot Complex, Pasig City
2009
December
30
The Island Rock Show 3 Killing Time The Outpost Restobar, Lahug, Cebu City
November
16
The Island Rock Show 2 Speak Your Mind The Outpost Restobar, Lahug, Cebu City
September
25
Fri
The Island Rock Show 1 The Beginning Genre Bar, Cubao X, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
March
13
Fri
Indie Night:
The Superstition Ends Freedom Bar, Anonas Road,
Project 3,
Quezon City
21
Sat
Rubber Duckie The Abduction 6Underground, Pearl Drive, Ortigas, Pasig City
21
Sat
In House Live and RJ Bar presents Genre: Spring of Aphrodite RJ Bar, 28 Jupiter St., Makati City
February
11
Wed
Headstockpresents Groovy Wednesday 6Underground, Pearl Drive, Ortigas, Pasig City
21
Sat
The Ateneo Law School Student Council proudly presents Musika Manila ALS Night of the Arts '09
Contact:
For Inquiries and Bookings:
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Our Story
1997
Black Summer is a three piece rock group. Originally a quartet formed in 1997, they started out as a cover band playing straight rock covers with their edgy renditions tunes from U2, The Cure, The Church and Faith No More. They maintained a medium profile as a band, never exposing themselves too much as a band, rather hangs out more as friends, being from the same school University of The Philippines Cebu College = Visayas Unit. (except for the drummer who hailed from the University of San Carlos)
The group consists of Allen Alesna, (vox-guitars), Archie Reyes (2nd guitar), Tianos Makabenta (bass) and Ian Alesna (drums). Black Summer mostly played in campus gigs, only doing sporadic exposure outside. A year later, Allen gave the first guitar position to a new guitarist Brian, another school mate. This brought the band's sound to a different level as Allen concentrated on his vocal dynamics. Brian's technical guitar skills complemented well to Archie's pocket playing and this came about an edgier sound that is heavy yet droning and steady. Two years later drummer Ian quit the band due to academic priorities and then everyone went to a hiatus.
2000
In 2000, Allen calls on his brother Ian to drum again for a new band, this time doing all originals and doing mostly studio work. It was named YOUTHSKY. They took in Ceasar Labajos as bass player to do the recordings. A year later, the brothers teamed up again with BLACK SUMMER bassist Tianos to try the gigging cicuit again. Struggling as an indpendent band didn't work as planned. Their new funk based rock and jazz grooves somehow didn't appeal to the growing emo crowd of Cebu and at the outset, Allen decided to go on hiatus and went to his painting to find avenues for exploration.
2001
In the mean time, Gboy of the band SOUP, a female fronted band started getting busy promoting a compilation album for a local reality show in ABC5 this was in 2001. But the stint was to be cut short and the band regrouped to form BAYSIX, a three piece set-up playing light alternative covers gigging in the metro. Yet still, to end in an unfortunate demise.
2004
Fours years later, Allen meets Gboy who happened to visit in Cebu, and through common friends they'd hook up later. In the mean time, Allen teams up with producer Barney Borja who happens to be a long time friend. Together with Barney, they explored the mainstream circuit in Manila and meets with executives and A&Rs from different major record labels but didn't come easy. Rejection after rejection, the musician from the south remained relentless, and in September of 2004 ALLENWRENCH was formed with Gboy's efforts. This was going to start a long musical relationship between Allen and Gboy. ALLENWRENCH became a force to reckon, from numerous cover gigs, rock productions and support act stints. The band got their hands busy in radio guestings in Jam88.3, I-FM laoag and some other radio shows on the road. They fronted for Bamboo in Laoag, Ilocos Norte and enjoyed numerous mid level exposures in various avenues.
At some point, the band was scouted by a major label executive but the deals didn't fall through, despite countless meetings, negotiations and a full production music video for the single "Assuming". At this point, the band was renamed JIG and Sonny the drummer was temporarily replaced with a sessionist named Chris and adding a session guitar Dex. They also had semi-regular stint in 70s Bistro, fronting for Paokya Ni Edgar and bands in the same stable. After a long while, Gboy and Allen decided to go on a hiatus and disolved the band altogether.
2007
Finally on November of 2007, Herson Fremista of Fuseboxx (a progressive rock band) and Solace (alternative) sits on the drum kit for Gboy and Allen. Herson's musical diversity would soon surface as he pens the lyrics for a new song that Allen wrote. They ended up with a song entitled "Sana'y Dumating" (Hope for it to come), hit the studio and completed the arrangement with another guitarist. In the middle of 2008, the single lands on the desk of DYNA MUSIC PHILIPPINE's executive producer Howard Dy. and the band gets signed up. After countless nights trying to come-up with a new name for the band, Mr. Dy reckons that why not BLACK SUMMER. Due to circumstance, Herson had to move to Brunie and couldn't be around for the conclusion of the deal. Filling up the void is Ian Alesna, Allen's brother and long time band mate from the original BLACK SUMMER. In a sense, BLACK SUMMER is a veteran with a fresh approach.
