HOW MARIKINA JUMPSTARTED THE MUSIC SCENE AFTER THE 2020S PANDEMIC
by Jared Isaiah Cortado
01 October 2025
Local Filipino musicians, bands and artists alike, all play gigs in bars, cafés, restaurants - whether it’s a "pwesto", a variety gig, or like in our world, an indie production. You can find these venues all over the Philippines. Just like other form of business establishments, there will be times they will close down. Right after the COVID-19 lockdown, when establishments were opening again, every musician was itching to get themselves on a live gig on stage but the question was: "What bars or venues are still open or have opened after the pandemic?" Enter Marikina City. Although well-known for being the shoe capital and its cleanliness, the post-pandemic period saw Marikina as one of the hotspots and epicenter of the music scene.
Here’s a list of the 5 biggest venues that left a mark in the Marikina Music Scene:
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PIT 88
Pit 88 was a "Sabong"-based Restobar. It primarly was a pay-per-view type of viewing for cockfights and the betting associated with it. But it was also a music venue for both variety gigs & productions. Many considered it as the pseudo-19 East of Manila East, featuring all kinds of musicians whether underground, indie, or even mainstream ones such as The Dawn. It was open to indie productions especially in the weekdays, since weekends tend to be for more established artist. Unfortunately, it was the 2024 Typhoon Carina caused flooding to the area and all the venue’s equipment were damaged beyond repair. The sad news slowly broke out that they would close it down, and that venue would be annexed as an extension by the sister restaurant in front of it.
Photography: Pit 88
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RUINS BAR
A venue right at the center of Marikina. It was a remnant of an Italian restaurant, turned into a bar. This bar is a small but quite a noticeable one. It had two floors - the one below (at street level) being the main area – for dining, drinking, and love music; while the one above served as the gaming room. It was a very affordable bar for patrons and was a go-to hang-out spot for moto-bikers and the like. It was an al fresco location so it was as underground as it got since the music can be heard along the road and sidewalks. Ruins is still open. However, no productions nor gigs are held there anymore, due to a noise curfew implemented around that area (as per the band studio near Ruins informed me).
Photography: Jared Isaiah Cortado [Jam Lemon Records]
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CITYBOY BREW MAIN MARIKINA AND CALUMPANG BRANCH
From a mobile bike coffeeshop to a home for indie bands and artists. The rags-to-riches story of Cityboy Brew is an inspiring one. This venue gave bands, both the experienced and the underground ones, a home to rock out. From rap shows, unplugged sessions, to all-out rock gigs, it just feels like true indie venues. Calumpang's branch is more focused on rap and unplugged sessions, while the main branch is for band productions. Unfortunately, it was closed down last March 2025 due to the due to bankruptcy. Allegedly, the owner failed on aspects of franchising and investing on the cafe, and could not guarantee returns to the investors and franchisers. The founder, at the time of this writing, is still in hiding.
Photography: Reyster Altares Frames [Maven Manila]
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MILENYA
Famous for the length design of the venue and its brick wall aesthetic, Milenya was one of the go-to venues during the post-pandemic period. Established bands have performed there, and various indie productions considered it a favorite. It had a BGC vibe around it and the quality shows it. The elongated shape of the bar shows a different approach when watching a gig. It was also nice to see the name of the bands on the marquee sign in front, adding that aesthetic prestige. But all good things come to an end, and end recently it did. In June of 2025, Milenya finally closed their doors. The reasons for it are more on the business standpoint.
Photography: Abe Cabarroguis
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IMAJIN: ARTS AND MUSIC
Owned by Def Jam Producer/R&B artist Alan “Daddy A” Silonga and his son Blaster Silonga of the recently reunited band “IV of Spades” or IVOS, Imajin opened around the summer of 2022. I recall playing at this venue on its opening night. Its aesthetic is more of the current alt-scene of kids these days - the door is a wardrobe, and the setting is intimate. Imajin is leans it focus on more established indie productions and those associated with Daddy A and Blaster. These past years, it was not too active of a venue, and sparingly held gigs. It was the place to be if you’re a Gen Z pinoy music fan.
Photography: Imajin Arts and Music
OTHER VENUES:
Other bars, and music venues also came and went in the Marikina Music scene, namely:
-Sandugo Music/Eastside Marikina
-The short-lived Boredom bar near the river down the city
-Venues like “The Curve” which frequently opened their venue for indie gigs or production events such as launchings
-Edge TV Kafe/Studios providing a live guesting broadcast
-A recent one for the Gen Z audience: the Pegfuffin’s Café
-Noise Control Studio, a studio that hosts underground productions gigs
-Turning Tides which is more for mainstream artists and bands
I had a few words about this resurgence back in 2023 with End Street Frontman Symoun “Dred” Durias in this vlog below (around the 6:22 minute mark) :
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