Sirak shines after dark in Tacloban

Kbox Studios have been the forefront in nurturing and supporting the artists of Eastern Visayas. Musicians, visual artists, literatis and poets have found a space to promote their pieces—and unleash their creative expressions.

Every year, Kbox Studios holds it’s anniversary in a spectacular fashion that engages the local artists to the community. Like how we did our 7th anniversary last year at Robinson’s Marasbaras.

This year, we have reinvented ourselves as we push further the limits of what our small team of guerillas can achieve. We have brought to our community Sirak Festival.

A Little History

This festival is the brainchild of Architect Kendel Esperas of Kbox Studios. A concept, that he and his small team have been dreaming and trying to achieve for years. It started out as Sinirangan Rock, which loosely translates to eastern rock for the Eastern Visayas. Based on that, anyone can figure out how the wordplay came to be Sirak, in Waray-waray translates to ‘sunlight’. The word itself gave a lot of meaning to Kendel and his team. As sirak nurtures life to all living beings; the vision of the festival eventually became clear – to cultivate and nurture the artists of Eastern Visayas. The decision to push the festival together with the Kbox Studio’s anniversary was something sudden, yet foreseen; as the vision of Kbox Studios in developing young artists has always been the core values.

The Festival Logo

The logo showcases the pride of our local culture, written in Surat Binisaya, with the help of the local artist Dante Enage. The festival advocates in promoting local culture and heritage of Eastern Visayas—may it be music, visual arts, or literature.

(Below) The music fest lineup was insane. We couldn’t possibly get them all to play their hearts out. Next year will be much much more something to look forward to.

(Above) This magnificent mural painted by ISLA Island of Leyte Artists Inc. This mural is for the community, and thus anyone is encouraged to join, paint, and express themselves in this visual feast.

Viva Airport’s Album Launch

One of the featured events in the festival was the album launching of Viva Airport’s first album “Tibok ng Puso”. Recorded and produced by Kbox Studios. A dream come true for both Kbox Studios and Viva Airport. Kbox has been receiving a lot of great feedback through the years, and requests have been made on becoming more than just a professional recording studio, but also to be its own record label. The team from Kbox has been relentless in extending their support for the young Viva Airports desire to be able to record their original compositions. At present, Kbox has been working together with the band to promote and distribute their music.

The Future of Sirak Festival

The festival has just ended last month, yet we are already preparing this early on the great things that will be expected for the region. New talents are emerging; the young and the bold is making its way to be known, seen and heard. Everyone is ambitious as ever. Of course we are looking forward for everyone to join us in this unbelievable display of talents that the region has been hiding. We all want them under the sun, we want them to be in the Sirak Festival.