What Went Down at The First-Ever Esquire Philippines Listening Room

There hasn't really been a sanctuary in the metro for the modern Filipino man whose tastes seek music that resonates with a soul often crushed by the age of vertical scrolling.

This is why Esquire Philippines decided to cultivate this safe haven for all those that seek that much-needed re-run for the warmth of analog media and good old-fashioned live music.

We threw a party in what we simply called the 'Listening Room' on June 9, on a quest to highlight those from the local indie music space telling compelling stories that need an audience. The inaugural edition of this space saw bedroom pop musician and the "King of Sadtown" himself, Peej, take the stage in the hottest vinyl record-spun spot in the town, Gotsoulmnl.

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The mustachioed singer-songwriter/producer charmed the full house, an intimate analog arena, with raw renditions of favorites like Estelle's "American Boy"; "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes; Matt Duncan's "Beacon"; and of course, tracks from his debut album King of Sadtown, which he dropped earlier in March.

In collaboration with local vinyl mastering suite Mix Machine Analog, we were able to produce five limited copies of King of Sadtown pressed in vinyl to culminate this celebration of local musicianship and creativity.

Paulo Alampay, the man behind the solo music project, also played his album to completion with his own commentary behind the board and sweet turntable digs at Gotsoulmnl.

The self-proclaimed monarch of male-yearning and romanticism got his endearing moniker after his friend jokingly called him the "prince of sad boy music."

"I'm not the prince; heck, I'm the king of Sadtown," he earlier told Esquire Philippines in an interview.

The indie musician built a humble following after consistently posting raw renditions of 2010/2020 alternative music favorites on his YouTube channel and eventually producing his own stuff in his bedroom. His breakout track, "I Should've Kissed You Then," is one of our personal favorites for the sincerity it evokes for a universal feeling of regret and blurring the lines of friendship and limerence.

A shelf populated with essentials for the elevated man

The King of Sadtown in full force

Peej gets behind the audio board as the room grooves to his King of Sadtown

We also saw some of the country's biggest stars, such as James Reid and Issa Pressman, and some of the indie music scene's darlings, Ena Mori and Tim Marquez from One Click Straight, join in on the grooves.

Reid, who is also gearing up for the release of the album, Ena Mori, and Marquez, got to chop it up with Peej and the rest of the Esquire Philippines team about how crucial it is to have intimate venues and platforms for any musician to grin ear-to-ear while gushing about how much work they've put into their art.

On the topic of grub, the Listening Room had its own curated menu crafted in partnership with iconic food and beverage brands Spam, Jack Daniels, and even local beer brand Engkanto for some savory bites and smooth-as-heck-can-be cocktails to keep the night rolling on.

The space was also for the suave and stylish aficionados, as essential hair-molding products from Mavericks and the classy Lucien Tassel Loafers from Sledgers were on full display as our chosen tools of the trade for the modern Filipino gent. A special thanks to Wilcon Depot too for making this party happen.

Esquire Philippines' Listening Room wrapped up via tasteful vinyl DJ sets coupled with the overflowing drinks and bites into odd but reasonable hours of the night on that understated Tuesday evening.

A peek behind the high-fidelity audio gear at Gotsoulmnl

These menacingly delicious Spam chips

The King of Sadtown chopping it up with James Reid

A snapshot of how the party went on at the Listening Room

Listening Room guests went home with a swag bag consisting of an Esquire Philippines x Sledgers tote bag; a Sledgers discount voucher; sea salt hair spray from the Maverick; Jack Daniel's Whisky and Engkanto Pale Ale beer, a Spam shirt and chicken singles; and a Wilcon Depot portable fan

Esquire Philippines Editor-in-chief PJ Caña and his coincidental namesake Peej

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