Art you can wear on your sleeve

MANILA, Philippines - Not so long ago, band shirts were a serious rarity. Local music fans sought and bought shirts and merch only at the band’s gigs, running the risk of a limited supply quickly depleting as each song ran its course. It was either that or a hostile, two-second shirt grab from a fan during a mosh pit.

Things have improved since then, especially for local indie music label Terno Recordings which recently collaborated with Artwork for band shirts for just about every band on their roster. Talk about accessibility. From vets like Up Dharma Down to new acts like Robby Mananquil’s band Pulso, Child/ren of the Pilgrimage and Yolanda Moon, the tie-up is surely a Terno fan’s dream come true.

Here, Young STAR talks to Terno head Toti Dalmacion about the ideas behind the new collab.

YOUNG STAR: Congrats on the cool-looking shirts. What triggered the idea to make these band shirts?

TOTI DALMACION: Thanks. It’s obviously a promotional angle on the part of the label to further the bands’ popularity and reach. Terno Recordings has been building the following of all its artists old and new via regular monthly gigs for years now. Given that we’ve done in the past and continue to do so) available for the fans of both the artists and the label, this time via this collaboration with Artwork.

What about Artwork made you choose and collaborate with the brand?

I’ve been dealing with Artwork for the past couple of years now for a previous project they’ve had that included the participation of Up Dharma Down. It’s been easy and fun working with Artwork so that to do a collaboration featuring all the acts on Terno Recordings was and is inevitable. I also like the quality of the shirts and printing are quite good, which is important to me and the artists on the label.

Why do you think band shirts are still important for fans to covet and own?

Because it’s their way of showing their loyalty and admiration for a particular band and that they’re part of that particular community. It’s also reflective of their taste and personality.

Can we expect other Terno bands to have shirts available as well?

Yes, we’ll pretty much showcase the whole roster of Terno Recordings. Expect shirts from Radioactive Sago Project, Skymarines, Not Another Boy Band, Pasta Groove, and Populardays.

Will there be other band merchandise coming soon?

There might be. It’s an area that Terno Recordings hasn’t really capitalized on even with the ever-growing following, so yes, that’s a possibility but nothing too extreme and far from the usual band merchandise. No Up Dharma Down jeans, nor Hidden Nikki cologne just yet.

Aside from the merch, what other plans can we expect from Terno this year?

Loads of more quality releases from the likes of The Ringmaster, Radioactive Sago Project, Maude, Yolanda, Moon, The Sleepyheads, and more.

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Terno’s band shirts will initially come out at Artwork branches in Trinoma and Glorietta this weekend, and will be available at all Artwork stores in about two weeks. For updates, you can visit www.artwork.ph.