Somewhere else to go

There’s this band that I like a lot.  I’ve been singing their praises for some years now; so much so, in fact, that I’ve tried not to write about them so much lately, especially given that I now have a personal connection with them. That doesn’t change the fact that they are one of the best acts out there today — neither flashy nor hype-hungry, they nevertheless have gathered a devoted following, through excellent songwriting and quietly stirring performances. I’m happy to know that I was not the first (and far from the last) person to take note.

I’m talking about the brother-sister duo Outerhope, of course.

This is what I wrote about their second album, three years ago: “Siblings Michael and Micaela Benedicto had already garnered a fair amount of recognition with their debut album ‘Strangely Paired’ by the time they released this follow-up (‘A Day for the Absent’), which proved to be even stronger. Norwegian musician Erlend Øye, one-half of the duo Kings of Convenience, heard their songs when he first visited the Philippines (and jammed with them for an impromptu set just outside SaGuijo) — he praised their harmonies and arrangements, and reportedly said: ‘They make acoustic music, but it’s neither cheap nor corny.’ That’s as good and simple a way of putting it as any: armed with little more than a guitar, a keyboard, their voices, and lovely and original words and melodies (as well as the occasional collaborator or drum machine), this duo makes songs both deeply affecting and timeless.”

So why am I writing about them again now? Well, there’s something special coming up this Saturday (that’s tomorrow, March 3). They’ve been invited to play at the NYC Popfest (in New York City, as the name implies), and in cooperation with the Attraction! Reaction! production night, they’re doing a gig at Route 196 on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City to raise funds for the trip.

“Dear friends,” their Facebook event page says, “The NYC Popfest is an annual four-day-long celebration of indie pop from around the world. Some of our favorite bands have played here, like The Radio Dept., The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Go Sailor, Rose Melberg, and The Drums among others.

“This year we’re lucky enough to get the chance to be part of it! But we are broke and we’ll be needing a little help from you.

“Come to this show on March 3! We’ll be playing old and new stuff in a long set, something we haven’t done in a really long time. Entrance is the regular P150 gate charge, and there’ll be a donation box in case you’d like to give some extra help.

“But really, just come and have fun and see us play Morning After and other goodies circa ’05.”

More details on Outerhop’s Facebook page. For those who have never heard the duo before, this will be a great introduction. For those who have heard them before, you know it will be a show worth watching. Their special guests will include Eggboy (a.k.a. Diego Mapa of Tarsius and Pedicab notoriety), Idkids, and Mount Analogue.

* * *

We’ve all been getting excited lately about all the awesome acts that have been coming here. My Twitter feed yesterday was full of people in hysterics over the Morrissey confirmation, for example, and some of us are still grinning over Toro Y Moi and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. (Not to mention Death Cab for Cutie, this Monday — hope you’ve got your tickets by now, heard they’re going fast.)

It’s good to remember that appreciation is sweeter when it’s not a one-way thing, though, and we should be equally excited about our bands winning over fans over there. Ciudad at CMJ in 2009, Taken By Cars at SXSW this March (they need your support too; go check out their Artiste Connect campaign), and now, Outerhope at the NYC Popfest: it makes a Pinoy music fan proud, to be honest.