After several persistent calls from my old friends, i wasn't able to refuse their invite to check out this place at Smallville. Perhaps i ran out of excuses or maybe i'm just a bit paranoid and uncomfortable if i just let my wife go alone . Anyways, after spending half of my Saturday at a "Mountaineering Festival" in Guimaras (only to go home after lunch cause i got bored...), and later playing Ultimate Frisbee in the afternoon, i was ready to crash in bed when i received some text messages informing me that they are already there and what time will we be coming... tsk tsk tsk
It was an hour before midnight when we left the house, little Alyssa had fallen asleep while Julian pretended to watch tv but i'm pretty certain once we're gone it's back to this Habbo game where he pretends to be a CIA spy or something...
I usually take the taxi everytime i go out at night, especially if there's some drinking involved, and not to mention my fear of getting caught by the LTO because of the single headlight that "lights up". Sure, both headlights work if i put it on high beam but that's pretty rude to incoming traffic and drivers. I guess i'd just rather get high than my headlights...
The place is called Rooftop Brewery, Rooftop because it is located on a deck, a roof deck actually. It was a very nice idea of the owner of Smallville to add this roof deck thing, it creates a different kind of atmosphere and ambiance. Just always be reminded that it's a roof and not a sidewalk, falling over is obviously not an option, unless of course one want's to be remembered by almost everyone who frequents the place and be seen on tv courtesy of the local news program, not to mention hospital visits and bills.
Brewery, because they sell beers. Local and imported beers. But who gives a shit. I came because my friends say they play New Wave. Ahh, New Wave, a lot comes to mind when such is mentioned, the era, the look, the attitude, romanticism and the music. It's kind of a small place, about 5 by 7 meters, aluminum tables and chairs, an imported scooter (not a vespa) was i think the centerpiece display (although twas not displayed in the center) a bar at the far end and a DJ's booth about three steps from the bar. The sound system is a bit loud you have to raise your voice two notches higher to be heard or stick your mouth next to the ear of someone you are conversing with. That's actually pretty ok as long as you are talking to a say hot chick who smells so good and fresh and who very willingly would offer you her neck and ears everytime you say something, but if you are talking to a drunk, ashtray smelling, sweaty and talkative male specie, man that's the kind of intoxication you wouldn't want to ruin your evening with.
The interior (exterior maybe cause it's on a rooftop) design is pretty simple, there is nothing in there that gives us a hint about new wave, just that expensive scooter which perhaps the owner wants to display to remind us that he's a car enthusiast who owns this car accessory shop all over town.
They did play some new wave classics alright, but to the purist, THEY SUCK!!! I was pretty annoyed when some Menudo tunes was played by the DJ, i was gripping the bottle pretty hard ready to do a forehand huck, lucky him i thought about my kids' future. hahahaha, Rick Asshole, square rooms was their downfall. The DJ, i remember was a poser from way back, he was feeling pretty good about himself though. I remained polite the whole evening...
We got drunk, enjoyed some of the songs, had fun with Butch, Jin-Jin, Leo, Dodoy and his Lady Love. Saw some old and familiar faces. These 80's people sure do need a watering hole they can call their own.
The bottomline? Anybody can do what Rooftop Brewery did or is currently doing. With a perfect location, a bit of marketing here and there nothing can go wrong, it's the sincerity in this thing called New Wave is what matters though. New Wave is not just all about music, it's a way of life, that's what these Rooftop guys misunderstood when they were growing up...
We will be hosting a New Wave party on the 19th of June, in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal's birthday. We will do it our way, our music, our concept. Falling Chair production presents...
