|
THE BUGS. The Moonbugs from Maryland playing at FIve Points last month. (Photo by Feliza Mirasol) EVER since the small venue along Mott Street in the heart of New York City’s Chinatown hosted Filipino-American
artists a couple of years back, it has become part of the Filipino-American music and art movement. Almost all the important bands, solo artists, comics and poets in the New York/New Jersey region have played in the venue. In fact, if a Filipino-American music fan wants to catch a FilAm artist either playing or just hanging around, there are more chances of seeing them at Five Points than any other joint in town. If Britpop had Camden Town, The FilAms have Five Points.
Ex-Rivermaya guitarist Perf De Castro at Five Points last May. (Photo by Feliza MIrasol) In recent months, the influence of Five Points has transcended New York and New Jersey. As we have seen lately, more and more bands from out of state are playing in the venue. Soon, the little place at 30 Mott Street will be hallowed ground and will definitely have a very important place in the annals of Filipino-American music history.
FIVE POINTS IS FRIDAY
Technically, Five Points is more of a state of mind than an actual rock joint. The real name of the venue on 30 Mott Street is Silk Road Place– an Internet cafe that serves baked goods and bubble tea.
Five Points exists only on Fridays. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, Five Points is a non-entity. It is nothing but a dark room, with folded chairs and an empty bar in the middle of Chinatown.
But on Friday nights, Five Points becomes and explodes with life like a newly wound up antique music box.
Almost all local Filipino-American artists play and hang out there: Qwadra, Alfa Garcia, John Violago, Jay Legaspi, Bleud, The Kuwagos, Sodapop Suicide, Matt Sia, The Happy Analogues, Then Again, Trickbag, and many others who are dedicated to bringing the scene to the forefront of New York culture.
Feliza Mirasol, a Filipina-American spoken-word artist, is currently producing the whole thing. She and a team of volunteers work extremely hard to make every Friday night a night to cherish.
The other week, New York’s Blue Mellon Pop and New Jersey’s Trickbag performed at Five Points. It was as usual a momentous occasion. In the audience were some of the well-respected artists in the scene: Bem, Fritz, and Kendall of the hard rock group Qwadra, Jay Estrada of Bleud, Ronnie Lao of the Happy Analogues, and Michael Lesley.
It feels great to see a healthy music scene. It even feels greater to be a part of it.
Five Points throughout the years has welcomed people to the scene with its dedication to the community. The scene we have today wouldn’t be as fruitful and united without this legendary happening.
Tags: Five Points New York NEw York City Mott Street Filipino-American music FilAms Qwadra Alfa Garcia John Violago Jay Legaspi Bleud The Kuwagos Sodapop Suicide The Happy Analogues Blue Mellon Pop trickbag Then Again |
