Manolet Dario
Undoubtedly the most popular DJ in the country. For a scene that doesn't have many stars - especially not locally - Mano, as he is known to his close friends, has achieved rare stardom.
Manolet has certainly earned his popularity. DJing for over 20 years now, it was in 1979 when he first put his hand on the decks, and he has not stopped since. His first major gig was for an exclusive all-girls high school party in 1980, where he played in front of over 200 people. During the 80's to early 90's, he was in charge of music programming in some of Manila's biggest bars and discotheques: Faces, Zu, Cats and Giraffe.
In 1994, he together with some close friends set up a few parties in warehouses which the young movers and shakers of Manila's society attended. A "rave" it definitely was not, but that was not its original purpose. Later on, fellow DJ Robert Villaluz, who had just set up the trendy Insomnia Café, came into the picture and together with other friends formed the short-lived Brady Bunch. The Bradys set up more and more parties, and the parties then progressed to be more music-oriented.
Today, Manolet is acknowledged to be one of the Philippine club scene's very best, opening for many of the major international DJs who have come to Manila, including the world's best Sasha, Steve Lawler, Danny Howells, Paul van Dyk, Dave Seaman, John Digweed, Anthony Pappa, Timo Maas among others, and becoming a crowd-drawer in his own right, too.
Aside from DJing at gigs, he kept himself busy with music programming for Fat Willy's in Fort Bonifacio right from its opening night in 1998. Fat Willy's in turn transformed the stiff former military base into one of Manila's hottest night life districts. Manolet was also a regular fixture at the legendary and controversial ABG's and seveneightorange, DJing until they both closed down. Lately, his gigs in Manila's well-known bars and clubs like Pravda, V Bar, Olive, Mustang and Shiraz have seen people packing them in every week, a rare feat indeed considering Manila's famed fickle night life.
Manolet's music is pretty much diverse. The scope of his music is anywhere from groovin' funky house to pumping house and a little techy house all the way to energetic trance. He has this ability to find and play the hits before any other DJ can get his hands on them. Often criticized for playing the familiar crowd-pleasing anthems and not pushing the boundaries of dance music, he has no qualms about being populist; he believes that a DJ's primary job is to entertain.
Still, it must be said that Manolet never blows his own horn. His success is proof that if you work hard and are persistent, success will follow.
Manolet plans to come out with his own album very soon. Whatever the result of his own production will be, this ground breaking endeavor will surely be awaited by his numerous Filipino fans and almost certainly erase any disrespect and animosity thrown at him.
