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From the moment it first appeared on the Manila gig circuit in 2007 with its danceable brand of intelligent and elaborate indie rock, Taken By Cars has released two acclaimed albums (Endings Of A New Kind in 2008 and Dualist last June), performed in Singapore and Malaysia (including a slot at Singapore’s prestigious Baybeats Festival …

Madonna, undisputed queen of pop, was right when she sang, “Music makes the people come together.” To get you in the mood, we’ve rounded up five music festivals you shouldn’t miss. Parklife Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane (Australia) September 24-October 3 What started out as a small garden party among music junkies 11 years ago has …

Music is huge in the Philippines. If you want a truly defining travel experience, listen to the music. Whether it’s at the local karaoke joint, or the top hotels, you’ll hear a real Filipino’s heartbeat.  The country’s indigenous music was crafted in its earliest days from natural instruments such as wood and bamboo, while traditional …

Photographer STEVE THOMAS picks the six best on-foot adventures in Southeast Asia. The southeastern slice of Asia is an extensive and varied place. It boasts of amazing landscapes and diverse terrain, made even richer by a fascinating cultural and ethnic character. Whether your choice of hike is a nature and wildlife spotting exploration, a rugged …

It’s in the falling rain, the marching band, the bumpy ride. It can be in a break dance or a pirouette; it’s in a heartbeat, it’s in a song. Rhythm—that thing that measures poetry and motion—is the music produced by our everyday lives, built by cycles and stops, routines and things that shock. Here we …

BLANCHE RIVERA-FERNANDEZ receives a parcel from Pedala and discovers the city’s most eco-friendly and efficient courier service. You’ll never guess he’s an IT consultant at Accenture, but you’ll never doubt he’s a delivery boy. All geared up on a Monday, Choy Calunsod is one of the part-time messengers working for Pedala, a bike messenger service …

Words by JESSICA BRUDER © 2011 New York Times News Service/Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate NEW YORK—“I’m in love with all of them,” said Louis Smith, 28, a lanky drummer from Williamsburg. Five minutes later, he had bought a dark blue 1968 Smith Corona Galaxie II for USD150. “It’s about permanence, not being …

Words by JOYCE WADLER © 2011 New York Times News Service/Distributed by The New York Times Syndicate LOS ANGELES—There are a number of things that delight Moby, once the ultimate downtown New York musician, about his castle in the Hollywood Hills: the gatehouse turret, from which the original owner’s pet monkey screamed across the canyons when …

How do you distinguish a music lover from an audiophile? BLANCHE RIVERA-FERNANDEZ hears the answer in the ultimate listening room. The problem with going to Jack Duavit’s basement is that you’ll never hear music the same way again—and that can be depressing. How do you simulate the pure, powerful sound produced by a USD500,000 system …

In this digital age of reality-TV celebrities and overnight YouTube sensations, one 11-year-old is using her voice to send the world a positive message. Just days after her arrival in the Philippines, Maria Aragon chatted with NYX MARTINEZ in an exclusive interview for Mabuhay Magazine. A lot of kids have access to the internet nowadays. …