This October, we’re excited to see what events have in store for everyone waiting for the weekend. From enjoying the loud basement venue trips in Quezon City, or the more explosive lineups of a festival in Pasig City, to the subversive art exhibit openings in Makati, there are almost endless choices for you to choose from, week in and week out.
POST-LAPSE RELAPSE
123Block, Mandala Park, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City
October 17
Free Admission
At 123Block in Mandaluyong, One Click Straight is throwing a free show called “Post-Lapse Relapse” to celebrate their new single “Relapse.” They’re joined by a lineup that reads like a cross-section of modern alt-rock and pop in Manila: Toneejay, ena mori, Of Mercury, and The Itchyworms. Each opener has built their own pocket of loyal listeners, and the show is a communal moment disguised as a free show, one where everyone onstage shares the same upbringing of homegrown sound.
Counterflow Anniversary
Mang Rudy’s, 483 Bagtikan Street, Makati City
October 18
Pay What You Can
Counterflow are celebrating their anniversary at a pay-what-you-can benefit show for staff member Joana Borjal, who recently lost her home in a fire. The night doubles as a celebration of Mang Rudy’s place in the city’s gig scene — a canteen-turned-venue that’s fed and hosted countless musicians — and a reminder of how deeply the music community looks out for its own. Every peso raised goes to help Joana and her children rebuild, a simple act of solidarity that cuts through the noise of the weekend.
Korapchella
Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, Osmeña Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
October 19
Free Admission
Korapchella takes over Quezon Hall at UP Diliman for a night that blends music with movement. Billed as “ang pinakamaingay na laban kontra-korapsyon at pang-aapi sa kanayunan,” the event gathers artists, activists, and farmers to protest exploitation and government greed through sound and solidarity. The event will gather national democratic mass organization members who will call out those who plunder public funds while honoring the courage of farmers and rural workers.
Kinofest 2025
Shangri-la Plaza, Shaw Blvd, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong
October 16 to 19
Information on ticket pricing and screening schedules can be found here
As part of German Film Week in the Philippines, Kinofest returns with a showcase of 13 acclaimed German films, as well as several short films from Philippine cinema. The lineup includes the controversial documentary Riefenstahl, the jazz musical Kölm 75, the unplanned pregnancy drama Vena, and more. Highlights from the Filipino short films include Gab Mejia’s documentary Baradiya, Whammy Alcazaren’s experimental comedy Water Sports, and Carl Joseph Lara’s fantasy Rumbles of the Earth.
PROTEGERI
The Gallery at Greenbelt 5, Greenbelt Dr, Makati
October 18
6:00 p.m. onwards
In support of Ayala Foundation communities in El Nido and Makati, Protegeri is an intimate fundraising exhibition that highlights sustainable art aimed to help protect the future. The exhibition will feature several art pieces from artists such as Leeroy New, Vito Selma, and Solenn Heussaff.
Made of Stone
Modeka Creative Space, Warehouse 20A, La Fuerza 1, Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati
October 11 to November 8
Exhibition is free and open to the public
Made of Stone, gallery Modeka Creative Space’s latest group exhibition, dissects the extent of influence of celebrity culture in and how it governs the macro and micro aspects of our everyday life. Participating artists include Allan Balisi, Jun Sabayton, Dong Abay, Christina Lopez, Erwin Romulo, MM Yu, Romeo Lee, Lourd de Veyra, and more. These artists are from a cross section of interests and creative practice to present multiple perspectives of this social phenomenon: Kpop fans, documentarists, filmmakers, writers, local celebrities, and more.
Audacity
Plaza 3 Tower II, RCBC Plaza, Makati City
October 15 to November 15
Entrance is free
“In a landscape where histories are layered and futures uncertain, radicality takes many shapes — reinvention, recalibration, refusal,” the exhibition notes read for “Audacity.” Here, curator Chloe Magpayo brings artists such as Judy Freya Sibayan, Doktor Karayom, and Derek Tumala, among many others, into the deconstructed office space at RCBC Plaza, placing works that push the limits of their media and methods in the corporate heart of Makati.
A Dance in a Day in a Dance
Doreen Black Box Theater, Arete, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City
October 17 to 19
P1500 / P1800; tickets can be purchased here
This month, Filipino dance company Mari Dance dazzles audiences with a dance in a day in a dance. Directed by Mikko Angeles and choreographed by JM Cabling, who also serves as associate choreographer for the upcoming Manila staging of A Chorus Line, this original production gives audiences an intimate look into the everyday lives of dancers, their struggles, and their ambitions.
Walang Tatahimik!
Z Compound, Malingap St., Quezon City
October 17
Entrance and participation is free
In line with Concerned Artists of the Philippines’ calls for weekly noise barrages in protest of government corruption, the artist organization is holding a Black Friday noise barrage with musical performances at the Z Compound food park in Quezon City. Bring anything that’s sure to make a lot of noise. “Kung may kurakot, may kalampag.”
