Philippine Ska Festival To Feature Best of Filipino and Korean Ska

The growth and popularity of ska music around the world continues to astound and amaze. It really is a testament to the original Jamaican musicians who gave birth to the sound 50 years ago in small recording studios around Kingston, that ska has grown into a truly global music and phenomenon.

Witness the growth and popularity of ska across Asia culminating in the Philippine Ska Festival, which will be held over two weekends this December in cities across the island nation. Dubbed the “first gathering of Philippine and Korea ska,” the festival will be headlined by Korea's top ska band Kingston Rudieska (who remind me of Japanese ska band Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra). Listen for yourself:



Ska music has always enjoyed a healthy following among Filipinos since Put3Ska broke into the Filipino musical mainstream with their first hit album in 1994. Since the release of their groundbreaking album, three generations of Filipino ska musicians and artists have taken up the torch and there are now a widely diverse group of bands around the country -- some singing in English and others in Tagalog.  The effect is a local, homegrown sound that still has ska rhythms at its core but is still uniquely Filipino.  Check out a video of Put3ska below:



The first event of the festival, called the 3rd Manila Ska Festival, will be held at the Makati Square Arena on December 8th. It will feature Kingston Rudieska along with the best in Filipino ska including Shuffle Union, Coffeebreak Island, Neighbors, Jeepney Joyride, Baguio Ska Paradise, Stolenshots, Steadymovinbeat, Dandimites, Monsoons and Fingertrapp.

The festival then goes to Cebu on December 15th and 16th for the Southside Skarnival,
featuring Kingston Rudieska together with Skalibre 32, Laidback Allstars, Oneman Down, Seaweed Pasta, Sheperd’s Plaid, Blessed The King, Shuffle Union and Coffeebreak Island.

Check out videos for a few of the Filipino bands performing:

Neighbors


Jeepney Joyride


For details and ticket reservations you can visit www.piliskapinas.blogspot.com. You can also get in touch with Piliskapinas through Facebook and twitter. Enjoy the festival!