Pet School performs during Fam Sessions at the Fam Lifestyle Store in Los Baños, Laguna. (Photo by: Chris Quintana)

Audience members stand and watch during Fam Sessions at the Fam Lifestyle Store in Los Baños, Laguna. (Photo by: Chris Quintana)

Street party is how I would describe the recently held Fam Sessions in a nutshell. The gig, which was held at Fam Lifestyle Store in Los Baños (LB), Laguna, featured local electronic music artists from Manila and Laguna.

Electronic music started becoming popular in the ’70s and ’80s with the introduction of affordable synthesizers. From there, electronic music evolved into many different forms, especially in the 2000s with the development of computer software that catered to music production. It generally sounds futuristic. Artists are constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be utilized to make music.

Fam Sessions was an intimate setting, since the venue was quite small. Most of the audience members were just outside Fam, looking through the store’s open sliding windows. Ambient, hip-hop, and funky beats echoed from the store as friends and supporters bobbed their heads and danced unabashedly to the beats.

High fives, laughter, and the occasional cigarette smoke filled the cool January night air. Booze was free-flowing, with paper cups containing mixed drinks, and beer bottles being passed around from one hand to the next. The young crowd mingled freely with the artists. Being a newcomer to the electronic music scene, I couldn’t quite tell the artists from the audience members, which I guess is a good thing.

Friends and supporters mingle outside the Fam Lifestyle Store during Fam Sessions in Los Baños, Laguna. (Photo by: Chris Quintana)

“People who came to the event seemed to be people who’s really into the music,” commented Eeman Bulotano or also known as Paincake Patrol, a member of Pixel Collective. “It reminded of house gigs that I watch from videos from the early nineties—bring your own booze, DIY everything. It’s super cool.” This laidback feel of electronic music gigs is contrary to what I am used to—metal gigs and their energetic vibe and almost deafening sounds. Fam Sessions was a nice break from all the loud music, growling, and screaming.