Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — There’s Coachella in the US, Laneway in Australia, Wonderfruit in Thailand, Clockenflap in Hong Kong, and Fuji Rock in Japan. Here, we have our very own Wanderland music and arts festival.
In its 5th installment, Wanderland goes through a rephrasing of its theme, calling this year’s edition the Wanderland Jungle. This is partly in line with their transfer of venue — usually at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds in Makati — where they’ve gone further south at the Filinvest City Event Grounds in Alabang, and they encourage “wanderers” (their patrons) to “pack their bare necessities and leave their worries behind” in the haze and humidity of Manila.
Despite the exotic thematic twist, the lineup still hits home. One of their 2013 headliners makes a comeback three years later: Australian indie alt-rock band The Temper Trap. The more ambient post-rock band Explosions in the Sky also joins the lineup, and to make people dance, Wanderland recruits indie dance act The Ting Tings and synth pop duo Purity Ring. As the festival is also known to cater to R&B tastes, Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna, in her Manila debut, rounds off the list of headliners.
But Wanderland, like every year, doesn’t fail to include relatively lesser known but equally spotlight-deserving artists such as electronic duo Honne, alternative pop band Lany, and folk group Woodlock, the three of which represent the three main musical sensibilities of the festival: R&B or electronica, alternative pop or rock, and acoustic, respectively.
And of course, there are the local acts: pop quartet Up Dharma Down, Gab and John of rock band Urbandub, math rock trio Tom’s Story, indie folk band Fools and Foes, and indie pop singer-songwriter Reese Lansangan.
To give way to budding local indie artists, Wanderland hosts an annual battle of the bands called Wanderband, whose finalists get the chance to share the festival stage with musicians they admire, as well as to showcase their burgeoning talent. In line with the tweak of the theme, last year’s Wanderband, which was held in November, was named the Jungle Battle. The victors who will get to play with their idols are runners-up pop jazz act Mickey Sulit and soul/funk band Banna Harbera, and first place winner Lola Amour, an indie rock group.
As a new addition to the contest, Jungle Battle has accepted entries from visual artists vying for the opportunity to do live art performances and installations. This year’s artists who will be doing so are Jappy Agoncillo, Ysabella Lalu, KFK Collective, and Quatro Hapimeel.
With Wanderland’s promise to constantly bring artists — both big-named and slightly obscure — that cater to the youth’s tastes, music fans are provided with a stage to enjoy both the bands that they love, and might end up loving. Every lineup announcement is a thriller, and every lineup is a surprising (almost exotic) mixture. Who knows? Your favorite band (or soon-to-be) just might end up in Wanderland next year.
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Wanderland music and arts festival will be held on March 4, 2017 at the Filinvest City Event Grounds in Alabang. Tickets are available in four packages: Wanderer for ₱5,500, Star Wanderer for ₱8,000, Wanderbuddies which is four tickets for ₱18,000, and Star Wanderbuddies which is five tickets for ₱35,000. To avail and for more details, visit the Wanderland website.
