No way!
The UP Music Circle invites all those who made it through their quarter-life crisis to No Way Are We 26—a musical reminder to keep rocking out despite the unknown future. Taking place at Mow’s Bar, Matalino Street, Quezon City on July 28, the prom-themed gig also celebrates the organization’s 26th year in the music scene, and, in light of recent events, supports those affected by Typhoon Carina.
No Way Are We 26 promises an unforgettable night—a fever dream, even—of hypnotic acts* like Stef Aranas, VENUS, arkyalina, Warpten, Bird Dens, and The Crinkles. Local artists umibeetle, siningsusi, OYBA, ARISING, and Blacksleep Audio are also gracing the event with their art prints, stickers, and various merchandise.
Yet besides being an evening of dreading the hazy future, the gig acknowledges the growth that comes with time.
“This shows how much the UP Music Circle has grown in the past 26 years—that it’s not just a venue for musicians but a shared platform for artistic expression,” shared Victor Soriano, No Way Are We 26’s co-overall head.
The event succeeds In Bituin, the organization’s sold-out and star-studded concert for its 25th anniversary. Though diverging from last year’s theme, No Way Are We 26 still honors its tradition of urging the audience to come wearing their best prom attire. Proms, much like birthdays, are just as much of a rite of passage from the quarter-life to its next fractional iteration.
“We wanted to bring it back home—with artists from and close to us and with Mow’s which we’ve considered our home. We wanted to honor that 26 good years by choosing to celebrate it with the people, places, and music closest to our hearts,” said Lesly Alimganohan, the UP Music Circle’s current president.
To symbolically honor the past and present, alumni Fiona Bacani and Chino Borromeo together with current members Zoe Arellano and Val Raval lead the event as hosts, bringing with them memories of the organization they’ve known over the years.
Founded in 1998 by University of the Philippines Diliman students Christopher Datol and Aristotle Canlapan, the UP Music Circle has kept its promise of being a haven for all forms of music, musicians and enthusiasts, and of infinite musical and personal growth.
Twenty-six years later, members have come, gone, and flourished ranging from renowned local bands Any Name’s Okay and Oh, Flamingo! to the organization’s very own member-artists featured in the recently released Homegrown 2024 album.
The UP Music Circle basks in the memory of the past twenty-six years. And it dreams of decades more of nights filled with spontaneous boat rowing and dramatic Beyblade tournaments smack dab at the center of mosh pits. It yearns for crowds clad in black, moshing in the sweatiest, most cramped spaces—whether in virtual Mowsblox at 3 AM or deep in the basement of that Chinese restaurant.
Through No Way Are We 26, the UP Music Circle hopes for these moments to linger, all for the love of music.
Purchase tickets here. Pre-sale and walk-in tickets are priced at P400 and P450, respectively. The pre-sale period will run until July 27.
This event is presented by UP Music Circle.