In 1892, Jack Daniel created the Silver Cornet Band to draw customers to his saloons. Yes, the man formed his own band. He even bought the instruments. They weren’t even musicians technically, just simple, hardworking townsfolk from Jack Daniel’s locale of Lynchburg-yet they were loved and well received by the public. Fast forward to today as the same spirit of support is celebrated through Jack Daniel’s The JD Set Philippines. So as history has it, Jack Daniel’s has been known to support music through the years. The JD Set Philippines aims to assemble the country’s top local independent artists, with the promise of the adequate exposure and support to officially jumpstart their career in Jack Daniel’s fashion.
From its rockin’ successful launch just a few months ago (August 19), Jack Daniel’s The JD Set Philippines continues to roll head on parading seven of the metro’s best indie bands on a series of gigs. “Indie” or independent —long thrown around as a signifier of how most artists get things done these days has become reasonably the admired jingle, and Jack Daniels sings to the tune of its support with its diverse display of artists who have seemingly devoted their flair to the local music scene.
Paramita
Kelevra
Playphonics
The JD set attendees are meant to see and hear the differing series on the miscellany of music on single display. Save yourself from flipping channels or getting lost looking for stages called "Which", "What", "This", and "That", unlike the popular television soap opera culture with its predictable premise and banal characters haunting today’s current pop era. The JD Set artists present a more dynamic and vibrant exhibit that outwardly changes colour with every gig set throughout the series with a promising cast of sight and sound: the creatively transcending Paramita, the hard-hitting Kelevra, chill-rock darlings Playphonics, the haunting yet amusingly endearing Mr. Bones and the Boneyard Circus, the youthful verve of Blue Boy Bites Back, the poignant musings of Stories of Now, and the unassailable experience and artistry of Jack vs. The Crab.
Mr. Bones and The Boneyard Circus
Blue Boy Bites Back
Stories Of Now
Jack Vs. The Crab
Though not entirely new to their respective crafts, these bands have taken a leap forward from their cookie cutter alternative steps to further progress or evolve in many ways, unmindful of the series’ underlying context of an artistic competition. Rather a renewed sense of purpose in addition to a developing relationship not just with their fans but with their fellow artists as displayed in The JD Set Collaborations, wherein members from the bands get to work or “collaborate” with the other JD Set artists and perform with and not against each other. This is the artists’ conscious and apparent willingness to have established creative relations not just with the audience but with their equivalents in alternative music.
The JD Set cultivates an air for artists to sharpen talent and an adequate avenue to prove they can stand out and expand the definitions of alternative art. The JD Long Sets series provided both the artists and the fans the intimate occasion of adding a much broader perspective. With more songs, artists were able to express and fans got to experience more about music and it’s evenly essential intricacies. Another highlight event was the recently concluded The JD Set Fright Fest held at the Eastwood City Circle. In the spirit of the Halloween spell, artists and fans got to play dress up, perform, and enjoy the night in an amazing display of fun and fright.
As cliché as it sounds, the 7 JD artists’ collective propensity for hard work, determination, and the infallible do-it-yourself attitude has been the prevailing approach that dominates much of the indie culture today. Unlike any other period in the history of music, Indie artists (and fans) now have access to opportunities thanks to their modish acts, the reach of modern media, and the disposed involvement and association like Jack Daniel’s. These artists continue to improve on their technical style and visual detail without abandoning their artistic “indie” credibility, maintaining consistency in their musical experiments. They have become appealing magnets for motivation and admiration, on and for sustaining the oft assailed local music industry beleaguered by misguided obligatory conformists and creative stagnation.
There’s this all too familiar excerpt from a travel diary: “It’s more about the journey, not the destination.” Lest we forget, most artists are offbeat romantics or passionate idealists that trudge a kitschy winding road that defines their art and life. And looking at The JD Set series progress presently on, the word stays true to form. The experience earned by both artists and fans built and defined the series’ intrinsic worth. At this point of the road to artistic renown, The JD Set Philippines 7 artists and fans are sitting back and enjoying the pleasant ride, looking forward at the road ahead.
