• FEMININE FORCE SINGKOmiks, atbp!
• WOMEN'S NIGHT OF ROCK & POETRY
• FEMALE BLUES
• MUSIC & PAINTINGS
  Force Majeure
  Would it be better if we do it the Feminine Force way?
• CHARLIE'S ANGELS PREMIERE
• ALTERNATIVE CAROLING
• FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIG
• MOTHER'S DAY CELEBRATION

WOMEN'S NIGHT OF MUSIC AND PAINTINGS

A pre-halloween special of the Feminine Force Group, this event held at the heart of Manila (MALATE -- Republic of Malate). This event has face painting, henna tattooing, Art Exhibit, and ofcourse, MUSIC. As usual, the price is cheap cheap cheap, only costs P150 bucks.

Awesome chick bands played are: Mother Bjorn, Session Road, Agaw Agimat, Tribal Fish and Barbie's Cradle. Artists to exhibit their works are: Rara and Hannah Carillo, Ene and Camille de la Rosa, Ems Chua and Maritess Martinez. Also at the venue were face painters Patricia Rathmell , Lorie May Quesada and Celine Robledo.

The beneficiaries for this concert is the Foot and Mouth Painting Artists, Inc.

-- October 24, 2000

FORCE MAJEURE

Female singers and artists get together in a different kind of concert celebrating the "Feminine Force" at the Republic of Malate

The event highlights performances by female-fronted bands Barbie's Cradle, Session Road and Tribal Fish as well as an exhibit of paintings by up-and-coming visual artists Rara and Hannah Carillo, Ene and Camille de la Rosa. As is becoming de rigueur in such shindigs, there will be face paintin by Patricia Rathmell and Lorie May Quesada and henna tattooing by Celine Robledo. And since Halloween will be just around the corner, costumes are encouraged. Tickets are P150, but proceeds will go to the Association of Mouth and Foot painting artists, Inc. I swear.

The Republic of Malate gig (which started at 6:30 p.m. for the exhibit and 10 p.m. for the concert, by the way) is the third in the "Rock Series for Gals" being staged by a group of young women calling themselves Feminine Force.

"We all love music, and our objective is to showcase the talent of women artists," syas Donna Fortuny, one of the founders of the group, together with Jhi Gopez and Michelle Banayo. Self-described "female yuppies with meager earnings," the group found common ground in their love for live rock music, and decided to stage events that would combine Pinoy music with literature and art.

"We're not feminists," she hastens to add. "We love men. We're not anti-anything."

Okayyyy, call them post-feminists. The founders of Feminine Force claim to have gotten their inspiration (and name) from the book "Feminine Force," an autobiography of self-made entrepreneur Georgette Morbascher, which seems to be more of a self-help manual for women who want to get ahead than a feminist trace a la Germaine Greer or Kate Millet.

Their battle cry is: "No matter how low the budget is, no matter how small the venue, and even if all the artists are unheard," the girls will presumably rock on.

Luckily, they've managed to snag support from the Republic of Malate, as well as Soundbuzz.com, Pinoycentral.com, NU107, 101.1 YES FM, Monterey Vineyard Wines, and appropriately enough, Whisper.

If anything, "Feminine Force" demonstrates the diversity among female artists in the local music scene, from the gutter grrl snarl of Tribal Fish (memorable non-hit: "Wag Kang Baboy") to the folk rock of Barbie's Cradle to the smoother stylings of the Baguio-based Session Road.

Like the organizers, most of the artists eschew traditional NGO-style feminism.

"It's kindda sexist to say, 'We're celebrating our feminine force.'" says lead Tribal Fish Lani Toquero. "What about our masculine force?" One of the pioneering girl groups during the "alternative" explosion of the mid-'90s, the Fish is in fact no longer all-girl, original bass player Taweng having since been replaced by two guys.

We didn't hesitate in getting the two guys," syas Toquero. "You can be male, female, whatever, basta pasok sa jam."

For her part, Hannah Romawac, the lead singer for Session Road, said: "Feminist ba ako? I think I am, in my own way. It doesn't really matter if you're a guy or a girl -- our focus is the music."

Romawac admits, however, that there is a pressure from the music business for female artists to use their femininity as a selling point.

"It's not about being a guy or a girl anymore," agrees Barbie Almalbis of Barbie's Cradle, who are set to release their second album, "Music from the Buffet Table," this month. "For me it's just a celebration of women in the arts. We have something in common -- our issues, the way we express ourselves -- so maybe we're coming together to celebrate that.

"There's so musch stress on equality, but women are really different from men. Our biological and emotional make-up are different. It's all about recognizing and accepting these differences, and expressing that without any inhibitions."

Pardon my French, but "Vive la Difference."

-- October 15, 2000 -- Sunday Inquirer Magazine -- excerpt from Eric S. Caruncho's article

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WOULD IT BE BETTER IF WE DO IT THE FEMININE FORCE WAY?

Bravo, women! Men and women are equal! Beware chauinist men!

Sounds like cries of female activists lurking in the city?

Oops. You're wrong. These works were not vocally said, though heard. They just came from the thoughts of guests who attended the recent "Feminine Force" concert.

Last October 24, I attended the "Feminine Force (Music & Paintings") gig at the Republic of Malate, and those "cries" are some of what I learned. The Feminine Force concert was an eye-opener that tells us that there are alternative ways of doing cause-oriented projects than rallying along the streets. There is always a way to avoid hostilities.

Conceptualized by young and freespirited women, called Feminine Force Group, who aim to present a show simply done by women and dedicated for the women, the "Feminine Force" rock series was organized. For the third time, they have successfuly tried to uplift the equality of both sexes and they have pushed omnipresent talents of women in the fields of music and arts. They have also amassed to gather, with men on their side.

Moreover, Feminine Force Group (FFG) continuously tapped chosen beneficiaries who they think fit the event or the occasion. The first "Feminine Force" concert coincided with the celebration of the International Women's Day, and the beneficiary was The Haven National Center for Women in Alabang. The second one was a Mother's Day presentation of FFG and they chose the St. Rita College and Orphanage in Paranaque. This time, they committed part of the proceeds of the show to the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists, Inc., since the show had a painting exhibit.

That tuesday night, female rockers and painters dominated the dim, chic bar Republic of Malate to flaunt their skills, talents and thoughts on women. A rock concert by female-led bands and a painting exhibit by young women artists were simultaneously held.

The affair started at 7 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta, chairperson on Committe on Education, Art, Culture, Youth, Women and Family Relations and Manila Bulletin's Entertainment editor Crispina Matinez Belen.

At first sight of the venue, booths that rendered face painting and henna tattooing already attracted guests. Female artists like Patricia Rathmell (considered as the pioneer in face painting), Lorie May Quesada and Celine Robledo personally made their masterpieces on guests' skin. Then, a Feminine Force member clad in Halloween costume cordially greeted the concert-goers upon entering the bar.

Once inside, numerous breath-taking paintings done by professional and amateur women visual artists dealing on different subjects were exhibited. Obramaestras of sisters Rara and Hnnah Carillo, Ene, Ems Chua, Maritess Martinez and Camille dela Rosa were displayed. Also, musicians Barbie Almalbis of Barbie's Cradle and Teta Tulay of Agaw Agimat contributed their works, for the first time in public. (The paintings are have been displayed at Timbuktu / Java Hut Bar on Nakpil St. up to November 8, 2000)

At 10 p.m. the concert kicked off with front-act band Mother Bjorn with the powerful "bluesy" voice of its lead singer, Claire, who unabashedly uttered maternal love to her sons between her songs. Agaw Agimat performed next with the usual hip and feverish presence of QT Padua which drove the crowd into a certain kind of high. Barbie's Cradle performed dittes from their newest album "Music from the Buffet Table." Baguio-raised Session Road dished out pop rock tunes with lead singer Hannah Romawac literally wearing angel feathers rocking the crowd with all robustness. Lastly, punk band Tribal Fish astonished the crowd as their lead singer, Toks Toquero, drank wine while singing.

In between sets, there was also a raffling of gifts by the sponsors such as the Soundbuzz.com, Epiderm-A, Lady Fresh and Monterey Vineyard California Wines. (Otheres who have helped, I was told, were San Miguel Beer, Pulp, and MTV).

Small production, yet successful. A low-budget project that is worthy of emulation. As I left the place, I could not help but start wishing that all social assemblies happening nowadays would be as fun. I still believe that there are alternative ways of asserting ourselves... regardless whether you are a man or a woman.

-- November 3, 2000 -- Entertainment Section Manila Bulletin -- Ma. Karen B. Capinding

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