Ten years of Mow’s, according to those from the local underground
For those seeking an escape from the ordinary, Mow’s Bar has become a sanctuary with a peculiar address: Matalino Street, Quezon City, under the giant Kowloon House sign.
The downward trek to the bar is a literal descent into the heart of the underground music scene. My first time at Mow’s in 2022 redefined how I experience music and friendship. It blurs the boundaries between performer and audience.
This June, the famous gig venue celebrates its 10th anniversary. I photographed some frequent clubbers—people who make up the local underground scene, who found a home in the small basement of a Chinese restaurant.
Bea Iñon, 22 and Zigy Gozo, 22
Day Job: College students at UP Diliman
Band: Goon Lagoon
What year did you start going to gigs? 2022
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Eine Kleine by Ivy Hill
What makes Mow’s special? Sometimes, you can feel Mow's breathe back at you, slowly suffocating everyone within its walls with a humid embrace. You start forming intimate connections with people you've never talked to with each breath you take. Maybe Mow's couldn't breathe at all. But we could. Maybe we've been breathing each other's breaths. Your presence is noted (inhaled, even).
Jude Diño, 30
Day Job: Live sound engineer at Mow's
Band: amat_jamal
What year did you start going to gigs? 2010, during my college days even before Mow's, like in Saguijo and Freedom Bar.
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Things by Amateurish
What makes Mow's special? Mow's Bar has been a home to communities from different subcultures. It's where new artistic expressions thrive. It has earned a reputation as the place where your favorite local indie band played when they were just starting out. I always hear Gen Z bands/artists say it's always been their dream to play at Mow's.
Jason Fernandez, 24
Day Job: Business Development Manager
Bands: Hazylazy, Fatigued, Serotonin, Peter, Happier
What year did you start going to gigs? 2016
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Wag Magalala by Eggboy
What makes Mow’s special? The community of artists that frequent it. Over the years, I’ve met the smartest, most creative people in Mow’s which helped me grow creatively. The unique thing about Mow’s is the quality music that was spawned from the outsider culture it cultivated. It’s a very influential landmark for local music.
Iñigo Lapuz, 25
Bands: Cheeky Things, Ivy Hill
What year did you start going to gigs? 2016
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Waltz Disney by Ourselves The Elves
What makes Mow’s special? Mow’s has become a newer-school Cubao Expo, despite being even further from Parañaque (where I’m from), because it’s become a – if not the – cultural touchpoint-at-large. Entire subcultures have formed, solidified, and interacted during the several iterations of the Mow’s floor layout. This has been happening for a while and will keep happening due to Mow’s being in the cultural consciousness.
Pat Sarabia, 36
Day Job: Musician and record label executive
Band: Oh, Flamingo
What year did you start going to gigs? 2007
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? I wouldn't wish that on myself. For me kasi, parang wala eh, ‘di naman ako inggit eh. They can have it.
What makes Mow’s special? The people and the cheap beer.
Tim Ng, 33
Day Job: Kowloon House Manager, owner of Mow's Bar
Band: N/A. I started Mow's for my musician friends.
What year did you start going to gigs? 2010
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Friday Noon by Ciudad
What makes Mow’s special? The fact that a culture sprang up out of here. We never created any gigs. We never invited anyone. People just came and we wanted an events place. I don't know how it came to be, but it's a good community.
Dana Franco, 30
Day Job: Writer
Band: Bowling Night
What year did you start going to gigs? 2016
What’s a local song you wish you recorded? Jacuzzi by Tanya Markova
What makes Mow’s special? I think of Mow's as my home. It's a place I will always go back to; the place I’ll commune with others. I will always find a way to go to Mow's kahit malayo ako. It's something na babalikan ko.
