Cover Noname emotions volume II with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at the First United Building (Photo: Noname)
Noname emotions volume II with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra at the First United Building (Photo: Noname)
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After seeing the lack of third places in Manila, Noname decided to take matters into their own hands
A community built on love for films, wine, and jazz, Noname aims to create more third places around the metro where like-minded people can meet and make friends. Established on October 1, 2022, by lifelong friends Echo Bueno and Chili Perez, the clique has grown tremendously—attracting dozens of people to their intimate events with more looking for a way to get invited. Tatler sits down with Noname’s founders to learn more about their humble beginnings and future plans.
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Before becoming what it is today, Noname went through a slew of ideas born out of Bueno and Perez’s desire to meet new people. After a trip to Singapore and visiting The Projector—a movie theatre in Singapore that specialises in bi-weekly themed screenings—Bueno wanted to build a similar one that’s closer to home. “This is the kind of place I would want in Manila but can’t necessarily find. Sure, I can meet people in the gym during or after workouts but that’s it. So I got bored and started a book club,” he says.
While the book club plan didn’t reach its full potential, it paved the way for something bigger. A club that combines the duo’s passion for music, films, art and wine. “We piloted a film screening in Sine Pop, Quezon City for Chili’s birthday to see how many people would be interested,” says Bueno.
Noname made its debut on the first of October 2022 with a film screening that less than 20 people attended. “Our first film was something super close to our hearts—Cinema Paradiso. We wanted our first screening to be meaningful, so what better way to do that than to watch a movie about movies? We managed to lure around 20 of our friends who are now regular attendees of our events—our [so-called] Noname Platinum Mastercard Visa members,” shares Bueno with a laugh. Every event would be accompanied by wine brought by Perez, who teaches people how to appreciate a good vino.
Noname would grow into a full-fledged community—hosting various events that attract folks from all walks of life. “One day, we’ll be talking to a hair transplant surgeon at our concertos, and then the next, we’ll have lawyers, film directors, and expats who would chance upon our events. It’s a great way to expand our social circle,” says Bueno. From jazz and quiz nights to more movie screenings and concertos with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, Noname celebrates every brilliant thing about life. “Other than the lack of ideas, we’re called Noname because we don’t want to be tied to one name. Every event and project we do is a new name for ourselves,” shares Perez.
While their Instagram bio says “invite only”, everyone is welcome to join their events. “When we started Noname, we put ‘invite only’ because we wanted to make sure that we don’t get overwhelmed by the number of people. It’s just there because we forgot to change it. It’s funny because Echo and I would get a lot of messages from random people asking for an invite, and there were so many of them, so we’d just feel flattered that they wanted to talk to us without knowing they wanted in on what we do,” says Perez. It wasn’t until Gabby Gloria, Noname’s head of PR and a high school friend to Perez, informed them of the messages’ nature that they understood the call to action. While this is a funny misunderstanding, Perez explains it was a great way to get to know their members more. “These people would introduce themselves to us through chat by listing out what they do and what they like. We want to know the people who come to our events and make them feel welcome,” she adds.
Regular attendees to Noname’s events can attest to the duo’s commitment to building a community. Its almost confidential nature makes every get-together much more hospitable, and it’s easy to make friends with the person you’re next to. “I just feel like everyone’s so open when I’m there. The events also allow me to broaden my horizons while making my nights more exciting,” shares Tasha Roy, a Noname regular.
As for what the future holds, Bueno and Perez are looking forward to more events around the Metro. Probably their biggest dream is to host an event at the National Museum, the Manila Metropolitan Theatre or the Masungi Georeserve. “We really want to do museum-related stuff. I’m shouting it to the universe!” quips Perez. The soonest Nonamers can attend an intimate jazz concert with a side of wine and doughnuts on the 21st at their favourite location—the First United Building in Escolta, Manila.
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About
Gabriel found his passion for writing through poetry in high school. He sharpened his skills at Ateneo de Manila University and hopes to write a play worthy of Broadway one day. A self-proclaimed geek, he loves to spend his free time playing video games and board games. When he's not clicking heads on Valorant or roleplaying as a barbarian in Dungeons and Dragons, you can find him exploring art galleries or watching stage plays.
Work
A creative writer who writes about anything and everything, Gabriel loves to dive deep into the arts and culture scene—as well as going on long road trips for travel pieces.
You can reach him on Instagram at @gbohol for any leads, casual conversations or game invites.
