Filipina-Americans run riot with Drama

Filipina-Americans run riot with Drama

by rick olivares

Picking up the baton from 1990s riot grrrl bands such as Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney that combined feminist consciousness with punk-style politics is San Francisco-based Drama.

The three-woman band of vocalist-guitarist Monica, bassist Krista, and drummer Aimee just dropped their self-titled debut extended play album on cassette via Bay Area-based Filipino underground label Aklasan Records (and now made available domestically by Mutilated Noise Records). Drama features six tracks of blistering punk delivered at breakneck speed. The rage and abject feminism is over in 11 minutes.

The album opens with “Parking Meter” with metronomic measure before the tortured voice of Monica wails right in. That song sets the table for the rest of the album that reminds one of early Yeah Yeah Yeahs without sacrificing the venom.

“On our cassette released by Aklasan Records, we talk about being working class, struggling as the daughters of immigrants, being in love with another girl and wanting to be her sugar daddy and working as a janitor at a kink shop; all inspired by real life events,” cheerfully shares Monica.

In fact, that kink shop is the subject of a song by the same title.

“We love to be simply transparent, no frills, raw,” declared Monica who sports a clean shaven head. “We are just being ourselves and it’s how we are together when we practice, when we go out to Cat Club for some goth dancing, eating tacos, making art, and others. We live in a very diverse world and believe that by expressing ourselves other women can feel empowered to do the same with no apologies.”

“We started out as a band to have fun and to challenge ourselves,” added the guitarist of Drama’s origins. “Being in the band for just a little over a year we have grown and learned so much from each other. We come to practice together, openly share details from our lives, talk about what’s going on in our community, listen and talk about music and how we want our sound to be portrayed. Krista didn't have any experience playing bass, Aimee was just learning the drums and I had never played in a band with all women. We wanted to create a space where we can appreciate and explore our creativity with no judgement and no men. We all come from creative backgrounds: Krista got an education in art focusing in printmaking, Aimee went to school for art history, while I attended music school.”

And the music Drama creates is powerful prompting Aklasan Records’ impresario Rupert Estanislao to release their music on his label. “Drama is by far one of the most unique, compelling, and quintessential releases in Fil-American punk rock,” said Estanislao. “The music is driving, eerie, and reminds me of David Cronenberg film (that was known for exploring visceral body transformations and infections).”

When Drama’s music sinks its collective teeth on one, it is hard to let go because it leaves a lasting mark. At the end of the last song on the album, “Doo Dah”, Monica’s denouement is explicit for all to hear, “I am a beautiful woman. You are a beautiful woman.”

Talk about statements. Musically and for the community.

“We have been able to do some great things for and with the community just by playing music,” summed up Monica. “This is one of our favorite things of being a part of Drama. There are two festivals that really stand out to us and hope to keep giving back by playing. Last year we attended the Universe Is Lit, the first and only Bay Area Black & Brown Punk Festival. This year we had the honor to play the festival re-birthed as the Multiverse Is Illuminated, alongside bands such as the legendary ONO, Scissoring, Wizard Apprentice, Bedroom Witch, Sister Mantos, Squid Ink, and so many more talented and wonderful bands.  We love seeing beautiful black and brown performers in our community and hope to support and sustain this magical time. Our third show we ever played was at Aklasan Festival in 2017, the Filipino Punk and Hardcore Festival at Bindlestiff Studios which is the US’ only performing arts space dedicated to Filipino arts. We played with Aninoko, Hafner, Saliva Tribe and DeathGlam, which was really an empowering experience because it opened our eyes to the community of Filipino musicians in the Bay Area. Not only were we inspired by these amazing musicians, but we were also in the SoMa, the heart of the Filipino community in San Francisco.”

Needless to say, Drama continues.

(To pick up their cassette album, look up Mutilated Noise Records on Facebook or you can go directly through Aklasan Records).