This year’s Wanderland Music and Arts Festival cut straight to the feeling of buoyant pop music, enjoyed with fervor by by the crowds who flocked to the Filinvest Events Grounds from March 4 to 5. The annual festival’s last iteration set to take place in March 2020 was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this comeback made the long wait worth it with headliners like Phoenix and Carly Rae Jepsen. The late addition of Dashboard Confessional may have initially seemed like a curveball, but the pipeline from “Hands Down” to “Run Away With Me” isn’t as distant as it initially seemed.
It’s laudable that the festival is now featuring Asian artists like Sunset Rollercoaster and Leo Wang from Taipei, HYBS from Thailand, and George and Balming Tiger from South Korea. Despite K-pop artist Bobby backing out shortly before day 2 began, the already diverse roster of artists brought new flavors into Wanderland’s trademark folksy, laid-back, and danceable musical palette. Men I Trust, Raveena, FKJ, and Stephen Day flew in from the West to round out the international line-up.
Saturday and Sunday kicked off with The Sundown from Cebu and The Ridleys from Manila respectively, who both won Wanderbattle 2020, a yearly competition where independent artists vie for a spot on the Wanderland bill. The other Filipino artists on the festival roster proudly held down the homecourt, like Pinoy rock legend Rico Blanco, Blaster and the Celestial Klownz, Ylona Garcia, (((O))), August Wahh, and Flu. No Rome, who is now based in London, also made a warmlyreceived homecoming.
Balming Tiger’s Manila debut was a peak of the entire festival thanks to the group’s incendiary stage presence and an unpredictable arsenal of choreography, jump rope included. FKJ’s lushly orchestrated performance was another highlight, finding him swapping guitars, synthesizers, saxophone, and piano in an awe-inducing display of virtuosity.
Of course, the headliners’ performances were packed with crowd interactions. Carly Rae Jepsen was a radiant embodiment of all that is good in this world, unleashing hit after hit under confetti showers. At one point, she wielded a Minecraft sword bestowed upon her by the audience. Phoenix’s glorious theatrics was complemented by stage and light bombastics. Vocalist Thomas Mars soared into the crowd, surfing across the countless hands that reached out towards the indie rock royal. During Dashboard Confessional’s set, it seemed there were more folks sporting hi-cut Chuck Taylors and black shirts than what’s usual for Wanderland. It was heartwarming to see some parents with kids by their side, waving along to “Hands Down.” The music brought generations together, from Gen Zs to millennials.
A nook of the festival grounds was dedicated to live art by Filipino artists Alaga, Amiel Rivera, Faith De Leon, and Wika Nadera. The concessionaire area was spacious too, with an array of options. Aside from major restaurant chains, there were homegrown businesses from southern Metro Manila like Riot Kid Burgers, Grouphug specialty coffee, and Chewie’s.
The festival also encouraged attendees to bring their own water bottles, with plenty of refilling stations scattered around the area. Dehydration is a very real hazard when you’re spending hours on your feet to keep a hard-earned barricade spot or waiting in line for a refreshment. Rico Blanco even halted his performance of “Yugto” to call the medics for someone who fainted near the front of the stage, which is a gesture that the crowd showed appreciation for with cheers. Keeping it easy for anyone to stay hydrated or take care of their own trash is a fantastic example that other Philippine concert promoters should do as a necessity, not a luxury.
Wanderland also demonstrated a solid way to keep the grounds almost garbage-free, with segregated waste disposal booths scattered abundantly and staff on rotation across all areas to collect trash. These environment-considerate practices and work are often invisible, until having to clean up used paper cups just to lay down a picnic blanket kills the vibe. A music festival is best enjoyed without garbage in sight.
Overall, Wanderland 2023 was smooth sailing, aside from one artist backing out and schedule delays on both days. Wanderland’s demographic is also much more receptive to music from neighboring Asian countries, which is an opportunity brimming with potential for concert promoters who want to ride the wave of amazing Asian music being made these days, waiting to be discovered by new audiences.
Below are some highlights from Wanderland’s two-day run.
‘ ’16’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:086f0822-b508-4630-b5f9-4abbf19d78c9’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The Sundown from Cebu kicks off the festival on a high note
