It has been my daily habit to enter the world of "Facebook" from the time I registered in this social networking website. I am glued to it once given the chance to be online. If there’s a "Facebook" addiction, I am guilty of it. But things changed when I came across a website that features what I really like most in the field of recreation and leisure…gig.castpel.com. How did this happen?

Let’s go back to "Facebook". From this site, I encountered that website. There is this feature of "Facebook" in which you are able to click what you like and presto these things that you like will be featured in your "Facebook" account. One time as I was browsing my account, I noticed that one of my friends "like" "gig.castpel.com". Out of curiosity, i typed castpel on the search bar of my account. As I was reading the features of Castpel, I came into the conclusion that, yes it deserves to be liked and if there’s a "Super Like" button, without any hesitation, I will definitely click it. So, paging "Facebook" when can you have a "Super Like" button? Well, what is really gig.castpel.com?

It is my honor to introduce a website, a neophyte in this field yet shows a lot of potentials to be at par with the leading websites in the cyberspace. Let’s first take a look at the word gig, which is the main focus of this website. Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance. More broadly, the term "gigging" means having paid work, being employed. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians describes it as "a term commonly applied to a musical engagement of one night's duration only; to undertake such an engagement." From these definitions taken from Wikipedia, it is clear that the word gig is a compliment of the word music. Just like coffee and creamer, or fries and catsup, or even bread and butter, music without gig is

incomplete. And to add gig without gig guide is empty. With the introduction of gig.castpel.com, gig with the presence of gig guide is almost complete. A simple logic nobody can debate.

Moreover, as I ponder on the definition of the next term which is "castpel", I was not able to come up with a definite meaning. Maybe the creator of this website got it by coining the terms cast and pel. Cast means select to play,sing, or dance a part in a play, movie, musical, opera, or ballet and pel is synonymous to pixel or it can be an acronym which stands for permissible exposure limit. I maybe wrong but with those definitions it all boils down to the exposure of music in a different light using computer. Based on the website per se and I quote "the term 'Castpel' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner and contributors of the website. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website". Such a nice one. And I am liking and eventually loving it.

Castpel's purpose is to provide the most updated Band Profiles, Gig Schedules, Albums & Music Videos of Filipino Bands/Musicians to anyone who loves OPM and has the passion of Filipino music with the help and information supplied by everyone in the music industry. With regards tom their mission and vision, it states that "Our mission gives us the purpose and standard as an organization, it is also the reason of our innovations and decisions. To offer free website tool for bands and musicians. To create a one-stop website for band and music lovers. To make and innovate a difference. Our vision serves as the backbone of Castpel. It is serves as our guide to achieve growth. The Team: Be a great team where the team members can showcase their web talents and be inspired to bring it to the next level. Our Service to the Bands and Musicians: Be the #1 web portal that offers free innovative online tools for every musicians and bands. Our Service to the Bands

and Musicians Fanatic: Be the #1 all-in-one web music-portal. Partners: Nurture a good networking-relationship and create a mutual and strong value. Website: Be a highly effective and highly visited online portal." gig.castpel.com by the way is the brainchild of Teodulo Otoman, a successful computer wizard.

Basically the website features what I really want to satisfy my crave as far as my desires for gigs or concerts are concerned. It is a website where you can inquire the up-to-date concert guides and venues of your favorite bands, latest information of these bands, and even their latest music videos with lyrics. You’ll just make a simple click and you’ll get what you want. There is also part where you can find what’s hot and what’s not. And to add, the website also features the whereabouts of the hottest, the hippest and the coolest music bars in the country and what makes those music bars different from the rest. It is not just a website that shows you gig guides it also informs and eventually makes you choose the best that suits your discriminating taste of gigs for free.

Moreover, gig.castpel.com also also paves way for amateur and semi-professional bands. These bands need the best exposure they can get to allow prospective customers to find them, listen to their music and book them to play which can be provided by gig websites. As what one of the neophyte band says on the internet and I quote: It is no good being a great band, with great music, if nobody knows you exist! So we are so glad to have gig guides. It is probably the best marketing money you can spend to get noticed and also to promote your gigs. It’s really easy to use and doesn't cost the earth. Let’s be honest here, not many bands concentrate on internet marketing and it’s really all about the music for most creative types. So if you are one of those bands who want more exposure and seem to end up in studios all the time, because the live gigs don't seem to hit home for you, then go with gig guides. Give it a go, what have you got to lose? One of the

famous bands these days did a few years back and now they are as busy as ever. Don't sit back and wait for other people to do things for you. Your destiny is in your hands!" And I may add, gig.castpel.com can make that dream within their reach.

With these things in mind and on the internet, cliché as it may sound, but what else can you ask for? It is not just a free gig calendar for our website, it is definitely a lifestyle determining website and even make or break website for neophyte bands. Just like that of the "Facebook", I think I am getting an addiction to it and I am proud to say that I am guilty of it. Definitely, my "Sabado" nights will be active again.