There is a small place along Anonas Street in Quezon City where the Filipino Alternative scene has continually thrived and lived for the past decade. The ‘70s Bistro – home to alternative musicians and artists, has persistently provided the numerous patrons of alternative music a place where they can be who they are.
[[aMp]]litude
CD & ZINE LAUNCH:
Vikno, ABS Combo, Ataraxia, Monroe, Banana Nation, Tonight We Sleep, Verbacoma, Kuwago
SPY
7
8
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10
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13
TBA
Roots of Nature / Salungat
Sleepwalk Circus & Up Dharma Down
Noel Cabangon
Fund Raising for HR – Coffeebreak Island
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15
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19
20
MARKUS HIGHWAY / CAMERAWALLS / ITCHYWORMS
Julianne / Reggae Mistress
Bayang Barrios / Cookie Chua / Diyosa
Brownman Revival / Coffeebreak Island
The `70s Bistro 15th Anniversary Night
feat. THE JERKS, Noel Cabangon, and more!
Kalayo
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Kadyangyan / Unitima
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED
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BAILAN – TALAHIB - UNITIMA
Reggae Mistress
CLOSED
MONDAY TO SATURDAY 6PM ONWARDS ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Building the Home
“… Where you can be who you are.” This is the core description, which guided The ‘70s Bistro for almost eleven years of existence. It has continually ensured that its venue be likened to a house – a home to the diverse, dynamic and enterprising Filipino Alternative music. From December 1992, legions of fans of many alternative artists and bands have passed through the door of ‘70s Bistro, drank thousands of gallons of beer, ate hundreds of kilos of pulutan, and danced and sang with their favorite bands’ alternative songs that have touched, captured the imagination of, and motivated many of them to widen their socio-political and economic consciousness.
The ‘70s Bistro was not born with a silver spoon. It had meager resources at the start, content with the enjoyment of the music, the meeting with friends and kasamas, happy with the psychic rewards it reaps every night. Other clubs – like Mayrics, Club Dredd, Kalye, Pook Luntian – had better beginnings. Fortunately, the owners of ‘70s Bistro had a common mission in mind – that of creating a niche by being the main alternative hub, not only in Metro Manila but in the entire country.
Thus, the Bistro owners embarked on a major production – so ambitious that its success even surprised them. Only on its first year, ‘70s Bistro mounted the classic Bistro sa Amoranto: Tugtugan Pamorningan, a 12-hour concert participated in by thirty-six of the best bands of the 1990s, and attended by more than 20,000 people, which was held in December 1993.
Well-known alternative artists and bands such as The Jerks, Buklod, Ang Grupong Pendong, Joey Ayala at ang bagong Lumad, Susan Fernandez, Jess Santiago, Grace Nono, Binky Lampano, The Wuds, Alamid, and even the then neophyte Eraserheads and many others shared the limelight of the 12-hour ala-Woodstock concert. Alternative music was catapulted to high echelons where it is supposed to be. The ‘70s Bistro was projected as a major player – both a venue and a producer – in the alternative music scene.
Not dwelling on its laurels, The ‘70s Bistro began a long track record of concert production. In 1994 alone, it produced two major concerts – one in Luneta dubbed as Tugtugan Pamornigan sa Mayo Uno and in Kalibo, Aklan in what was called Sadsaran sa ‘70s Bistro sa Kalibo. Countless in-house productions were likewise mounted in its house in Anonas, Quezon City, the major of which are the annual Beatles Night, which give tribute to the Fab Four, and the three mountings of the monumental Webber-Rice musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
These productions, plus the Monday-to-Saturday shows every month for the past decade, have given The ‘70s Bistro the niche it aspired and toiled for.
Maintaining the Home
But because this is the Philippines, maintaining a decent, livable home is so hard to do. Aberrations in the Philippine economy, lowered music fanaticism, and many other factors have pushed many bars and clubs to either close down or bite the bullet of “showbandship.” The ‘70s Bistro was not immune to this. It, too, suffered setbacks when some artists have started losing their luster, thus a lessened spending-customer base from which the continued operations of ‘70s Bistro hinged on. Repackaging or closure faced the owners of The’70s Bistro.
Fortunately, the steadfastness of the Bistro owners prevailed (probably because they were former activists!). A paradigm-shift was implemented, where an inward-looking perspective was brought forth.
Enhanced operational and financial controls, better planning of monthly programs, a more hands-on yet simplified business management concepts were implemented. Thus, a renewed energy has pervaded throughout the corners of this humble home of alternative music in Anonas. An improved capability in serving its loyal, and even newfound, customer base has equipped the ‘70s Bistro in facing the challenges of the new millennium, not only on bars of its kind, but to the alternative music scene, in general. Even the increasing “competition” (“Hindi naman sila competitors but rather partners in the alternative scene,” as the owners would say) of similar thematic bars and clubs in Timog Avenue also in Quezon City could not stop the resurgence of The ‘70s Bistro and its continuing hold on being the main alternative music center in the Philippines.
Preparing the Legacy
Presently, the ‘70s Bistro continues to prepare its legacy. It has begun its long and arduous trek towards greatness what with the grand production, Sangandaan at ang mga Mapagpalayang Awitin set on September 15 and 20, wherein it pays tribute to liberation and protest music of the 70’s and 80’s, launching the ambitious Alternative Music Awards and jumpstarting the establishment of an Artist Cooperative that will provide alternative livelihood and social security benefits to alternative musical artists. Hitting not only two, but three birds with one stone, a singular production, ambitious it may seem, will once again reawaken the Filipino Alternative Music scene.
And, for the ‘70s Bistro, it is just one of their many productions that they hope, would be inherited by the spawning bars and clubs of the same kind. Alternative music will never die, as long as the home that it built continues to stand – The ‘70s Bistro.
