Sa'less: An Underground Haven

What started out as a small karinderia in a street surrounded by banks, coffee shops and just a few blocks away from Sta. Ana Church is now considered, if not the only, one of Davao’s most visited music bars. After Moonstamp in Matina and Durian Bar in Quirino, (which music enthusiasts considered “the music bar” of the early 2000’s) both shut down for business and Taboan in Matina Town Square now usually showcasing show bands, Sales Bar is considered the place where musicians with their fan boys and fan girls all get together to bond over beer and music.

Sa'less crowd on the brink of a mosh pit.

Sa'less Diner and Moozika opened for business in around mid of 2010. Located in Sales Street just near Chimes, Sales Bar Tekanplor once was a small time eatery by day and an improvised music bar by night just to be found beside the present Sales Bar building. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Moshe Papica, their cousin Paolo Papica and RJ Tan, Sales Bar was only visited by people looking for budget-friendly everyday food during daylight. As the sun goes down the eatery turns into an improvised music bar with instruments for the owners Moshe’s and Paolo’s band mates and friends.“Syempre, mga music lovers kami, and so we started to form our own band. Since we already have our own place, so why not play in our own place diba? So karinderya sya by day, and inuman slash music bar by night.” Since then, Sa'less evolved from being a mere eatery to a chill hangout where various artists have been invited over the place to play and freely expose their craft.

During the middle of 2012, the current Sales Bar building which was once just an abandoned three storey storage place was put up for sale. The owners then decided it was time to expand Sales Bar and move into the building next door (the existing Sales Bar building) for a more solid location for dining and music showcase. It was also time to give the complaining neighbors about the noise control a break. Hence Sales Diner and Moozika was in existence located in the current building’s first floor. The once ignored second floor is now the main floor. Hence, Sales Bar Tekanplor.

Unlike other music bars that feature cover and show bands, Sales encourages individual creativity. Ergo original pieces from different artists are being performed for the crowd enjoy. When asked why, Paolo simply said “It's something we don't have here in Davao, before there was D-Bar pero nagclose na... so when we heard na nagsara na sila, we were like ok let's do this, kita nalang baya nabilin. Wala nang ibang outlet ang mga local artists who make their own music, kaya ito, pinatuloy namin to.” Aside from the music they advocate to, Sales Bar Tekanplor can also be distinguished from other music bars in the city for other reasons. Sales Bar second floor locates a small stage in the middle of the room which would be the first your eyes will meet as you enter. In front of the stage is an open area where fans can stand and crowd in while watching the music acts perform. Or if like Threadfest nights, the area is ready for guys to start a brawling moshpit in. The air conditioned room covered in egg trays (for noise control) has a capacity of 70 people. With a bar on the right catering the customers’ orders and tables, chairs and comfy sofas spread out in the room. Behind the bar is the supremely lightened up logo with the words “Sales Bar Tekanplor, Sales Street, Davao City” written on it. Beside the bar is a door leading to a narrow small staircase which leads up to the rooftop. The rooftop is an open space overlooking the Sales Street with chairs and tables and bar on the right side. On the left side is a concrete wall with graffiti drawings on it to intensify an urban atmosphere. Moreover, with the Davao City ordinance of no more smoking in public areas, well news flash! You better get your packs of cigarettes prepared because it’s a smoke-till-you-die scenario up there.

Rise From Oblivion's front man, Tatot.

Although Paolo states underground to be his kind of music, Sales as the place where “he belongs” and reassures the establishment’s passion for supporting the underground music movement, he clarifies that he has nothing against the mainstream media. “It's not a bad thing to listen to it, it's somehow of learning, kasi ako personally dira ko nakatuon sa mainstream music... siguro lang lucky lang talaga yung people who made it through the mainstream scene, we salute them. We don't discriminate them.” He also adds that perhaps balance and respect would be the fundamental elements in avoiding musical disintegration and discrimination. And this theory of his apparently proves reliable through the evident flourishing state of our city's underground music. As of today, Sales Bar Tekanplor has metamorphosed to showcasing not only Davao local bands and musicians but also music acts from all over Mindanao, Cebu and Manila all playing their original compositions. From being super duper underground, the local artists hailing from the area such as Rise from Oblivion, Jad Montenegro, The Sound of Go, David vs Goliath, and To the Tune of Lilies have gradually revealed their individual and diverse music styles. Their creative differences have slowly bound audiences not only from Mindanao, but also going as far as Laguna. In fact, 2013 marks the second year of the Excursion Tour, and for the second time around, Sa'less has been the chosen venue for that event here in Davao City. Excursion is one of the biggest events for underground artists where they tour around the country to play and sate the thirst of a music-hungry crowd. From the name itself, it's seemingly an outing where these artists just hang out with anyone (fan girls, fan boys, friends or it could even be you!) and chill like how ordinary people do. It features some of the well-known national indie artists such as Gaijin, The Diegos, Tarsius, Turbo Goth, Taken by Cars, Ciudad and many more together with front acts from some local underground bands. Moreover, Sa'less has come to the verge of featuring an underground hardcore band all the way from the far ends of Europe – Traces of You. And just recently, Sales hosted another major event called Threadfest Invasion where they didn't only feature underground artists from all over the country, but also the creative and innovative designs of a new wave of Philippine based clothing lines such as Nick Automatic, Dopee, Strawberry and Scars.

Sa'less crowd eagerly waiting as another band is yet to perform.

Considering the fact that Sales, in all fairness, has gone a long way in pushing through the recognition of the Davao's undergroud music movement, Paolo explains that“Actually hindi naman naka plan ang events, muabot lang jud siya, impromptu lang.” For him, it's not a matter of planning and looking forward to more exposure for public relation purposes but instead, he says “as long as we have the place, and people still enjoys the music we expose them to, then go!” He also expresses his gratitude to all those people behind this growing list of accomplishments – his cousin, Moshe Papica (co-owner), most especially, who has helped him make Sa'less do its part in supporting local original music. Apart from that, he thanks the artists and listeners who unceasingly expose and appreciate music despite this stuff being non-commercial by definition. And for this, Paolo continues to encourage up-and-coming bands and artists to never cease to let the art in music be known.

Sales Bar Tekanplor may not be as big as MTS or as old as Durian Bar but it definitely is a first of its kind. One of the admins of Sa'less' group in Facebook states that it “is not your usual "buttercup-baby-give-it-up" type of a place. It is actually more of a "cantina" or a "grungy" bar, if anything. More of a "get-down-and-do-your-thing" kind of a live music bar where both musicians and audience can hang loose.” In a span of three years, it has proven itself to be a place where putting on an alien-esque outfit is definitely uncalled for just to appreciate music – underground music at that. Located at the heart of the city, Sales is the perfect destination to treat oneself after a hard day’s work because for what it’s worth, Sales is an underground haven.

Written by: Kirvy Waga & Pamelle Funa