saguijo

Where it is always about the Music

Filipino Music

It was always about the music. At the risk of sounding just a tad too militant, saGuijo’s prime objective is to provide a proper venue for the music lover. In the spirit of the late, great Club Dredd, we aim to work as a location where unsigned bands and independent groups alike can perform alongside more established acts. Rather than being an out-and-out performance space where musicians are required to cover the latest Top 40 hits, saGuijo is a bastion for individual creativity. We like to think of our artists as true talents and live performances as a healthy alternative to the spirit-crushing programming that television bombards us with on a daily basis. Although firmly rooted in the traditions of a rock club, we encourage experimentation with the entire musical spectrum…be it in pop or folk, jazz or rap, funk, electronica and even soulful ballads. Genres be damned, we seek the fresh, the vital and, above all else, the original in contemporary Filipino music.

More importantly, saGuijo is a community. It is a safe haven where emphasis is placed on informed ideas and unfaltering passion. This is not your typical “see-and-be-seen” nightspot…and if you’re into that type of thing, there are many just down the road. This is a place where patrons and performers alike can (quite literally) let their hair down. No judgment. No pretentiousness. No social bigotry. SaGuijo is about genuine fun and good conversation. And if, along the way, you happen to make a new friend, enjoy a few beverages and listen to some really good tunes, you can rest easy knowing that you’re always welcome to come back.

And when a brief respite from the music and controlled chaos is necessary, you can always take a breather upstairs. In the all-encompassing spirit of an alternative space, saGuijo is proud to house its very own gallery for the visual arts. Showcasing today’s up-and-coming talents (along with more recognizable maestros), The Theo Gallery is quickly gaining a reputation as a home for the avant-garde. No concept is too far-out, no image too unpalatable as long as the work is grounded in sincerity. Like its namesake (Theo Van Gogh), the gallery is a staunch believer that the process of creation is a labor of love rather than economics. Romantic as that notion may sound, The Theo prides itself on artistic integrity…as a location and with its growing roster. Without being contrived or trite about it, saGuijo is built on the principles set forth by previous Bohemian Revolutions (c’mon, we all know the song): “Freedom. Beauty. Truth. Love.” Clichéd, yes, but oh-so necessary in these dire times. Just check your baggage at the door. At the very least, a night at this bar is one hell of a good time.

-Chris Carlos