Sancho’s 80s Roadshow

The 80s was a landmark decade for music, touting a radically new sound with New Wave and the Euro Invasion leading the charge, front-lined by the U2, the B-52’s, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, and Culture Club, to name a few. On the local front, Pinoy Rock would never be the same again, with the Eraserheads, Wolfgang, The Dawn, and Cool Carla of Identity Crisis breaking new ground.

Then there were the one-hit-wonders, too: Shriekback ("Nemesis") , Adam Ant ("Strip"), Dexy’s Midnight Runners ("C’mon Eileen"), General Public ("Tenderness"), Alphaville ("Big in Japan"), The Vapors (Who? The guys who sang "Turning Japanese"), Madness ("Our House"), and Seona Dancing ("More to Lose").

Oddly enough, the Philippines seems to be the only country where Seona Dancing made significant waves, ranking a mere 117th in the UK pop charts. The group also represented hit comedian Ricky Gervais’ first foray onto the entertainment scene. Their hit single, "More to Lose", was first aired over 99.5 DWRT-FM, deliberately hidden under the title "Fade", identifying the band as Medium, and successfully preventing other stations from locating its origins. It was only a year later that DWXB-102 and other radio stations eventually uncovered and aired the song, already a wildly popular teen anthem.

Filipinos’ elevated musicality, and the fascination for discovery or even the quaint, have track-skipped us into a different, parallel universe of beautiful sound. In our sonic solar system, the hits keep on playing, albeit in some cool, shadowy corner waiting to be found; or wherever "Sancho’s 80s Roadshow" happily loses itself.

On Friday, October 21, this 80s musical showcase gets lost at the 1018 Hidden Rooftop Bar in Makati. Expect the unexpected from the show’s eponymous creator, Sancho Villasenor, who will not only DJ the music, but will do a LIVE VIDEO MIX of all the visuals behind the songs. Quite a few picks in Villasenor’s repertoire may even be some of the rarest music videos; some of which one may never have seen before. Beyond entertainment, the gig may prove to be educational, too. A journey to the roots of many of today’s hits or even exposing earlier influences to the 80s sound, there is something for all to appreciate and "Smurf" (an 80s dance move, if you must know) to. The show is co-produced by TJ Besa, former MTV Philippines’ Director for Creative & Content.

Alternative "alternatives" from the 80s will be another show highlight, to include the likes of Strawberry Switchblade, Xmal Deutschland, Big Pig, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, MARRS, S Express and St. Etienne-- the last 3 being the early beginnings of Electoronica and House Music.

An 80s trivia challenge is also in the offing, with free drinks going to wizened winners. Event happy hour runs from 6 to 8 PM, with drinks starting at P40 and free bar treats for groups of 5 or more. Aside from boasting a commanding view of the Makati skyline, 1018 has a wide selection of local and imported craft beers, as well as succulent fare from the rooftop grill. The 1018 Hidden Rooftop Bar is located at 1018 Teresa St., Brgy. Valenzuela near the Makati City Hall. For more details visit the 1018 Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/1018Bar