Concert recap: Biggest Wanderland festival so far | ABS-CBN
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Concert recap: Biggest Wanderland festival so far
Concert recap: Biggest Wanderland festival so far
Joko Magalong-De Veyra and Ida Torres
Published Mar 18, 2019 09:28 PM PHT
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Updated Mar 20, 2019 12:35 PM PHT
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MANILA -- One can get sentimental thinking about the seven years of Wanderland, the trailblazing music and art festival in the Philippines, as it’s been a crazy journey filled with good indie music, wonderful art, and a lot of Instagram posts along the way.
MANILA -- One can get sentimental thinking about the seven years of Wanderland, the trailblazing music and art festival in the Philippines, as it’s been a crazy journey filled with good indie music, wonderful art, and a lot of Instagram posts along the way.
After every successful year, it’s always a question of ‘what’s next?’ for Wanderland.
After every successful year, it’s always a question of ‘what’s next?’ for Wanderland.
For Wanderland Magic, this year’s iteration held last March 9-10 at the Filinvest Event Grounds, the answer was raising the stakes by growing the festival into a two-day affair. It was a daunting task, wonderfully accomplished though with two fun filled days of magical, digital, and musical activities.
For Wanderland Magic, this year’s iteration held last March 9-10 at the Filinvest Event Grounds, the answer was raising the stakes by growing the festival into a two-day affair. It was a daunting task, wonderfully accomplished though with two fun filled days of magical, digital, and musical activities.
Magical activities abounded with illusionists roaming around the festival grounds astounding wanderers with their awe-inspiring tricks, fortune telling booths, and Instagrammable installations like a giant house of cards on hand for some IG action.
Magical activities abounded with illusionists roaming around the festival grounds astounding wanderers with their awe-inspiring tricks, fortune telling booths, and Instagrammable installations like a giant house of cards on hand for some IG action.
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Festival sponsors also stepped it up a notch with booths filled with magic and enchantments. (Wanderers also had the chance to win tickets to next year’s Wanderland by fulfilling a mission by going to all the booths of the sponsors, as well.)
Festival sponsors also stepped it up a notch with booths filled with magic and enchantments. (Wanderers also had the chance to win tickets to next year’s Wanderland by fulfilling a mission by going to all the booths of the sponsors, as well.)
Globe had a top-hat shaped Magic House, where several live magic shows were held during the day. During the interim, guests could also enjoy digital projections onto its walls, akin to the Team Lab projections in Japan. Grab, meanwhile, had an immersive installation that had wanderers stand in position while lighted kinetic balls moved up and down with music around them.
Globe had a top-hat shaped Magic House, where several live magic shows were held during the day. During the interim, guests could also enjoy digital projections onto its walls, akin to the Team Lab projections in Japan. Grab, meanwhile, had an immersive installation that had wanderers stand in position while lighted kinetic balls moved up and down with music around them.
For the staple festival activities, the live art spotlight received a new arrangement with the artwork displayed in one wall, in contrast to previous festivals where art installations were painted around a cube. This format made it easier for festivalgoers to watch art being made (a tarpaulin ‘mat’ also helped this along), as well as giving easier access to Instagramming activities to many.
For the staple festival activities, the live art spotlight received a new arrangement with the artwork displayed in one wall, in contrast to previous festivals where art installations were painted around a cube. This format made it easier for festivalgoers to watch art being made (a tarpaulin ‘mat’ also helped this along), as well as giving easier access to Instagramming activities to many.
Adjacent to the live art installation was the Art Market, filled again with art finds aplenty from earrings to socks to cute plant life.
Adjacent to the live art installation was the Art Market, filled again with art finds aplenty from earrings to socks to cute plant life.
Beside it was a large Wanderland Store tent where exclusive Wanderland Magic merchandise, as well as some of the performer’s merchandise were available for sale.
Beside it was a large Wanderland Store tent where exclusive Wanderland Magic merchandise, as well as some of the performer’s merchandise were available for sale.
Food and drink-wise, Wanderland Magic exceeded expectations this year. This year’s selection for food was inspired, with booths from well-known brands like Potato Corner and the Moment Group (8 Cuts, Mannam, Shawa Mama, etc), as well as pop-ups from far flung places like Mad Monkeys from La Union, to name some.
Food and drink-wise, Wanderland Magic exceeded expectations this year. This year’s selection for food was inspired, with booths from well-known brands like Potato Corner and the Moment Group (8 Cuts, Mannam, Shawa Mama, etc), as well as pop-ups from far flung places like Mad Monkeys from La Union, to name some.
What was especially great this year was the involvement of Grab, in which Platinum members could order food from the Grab genies around the fair, and have it delivered to them. No need to line up!
What was especially great this year was the involvement of Grab, in which Platinum members could order food from the Grab genies around the fair, and have it delivered to them. No need to line up!
Parched? Kleen Kanteen provided water stations to anyone with their own tumbler, and if you didn’t bring a tumbler, you could conveniently buy soda or iced tea which came with a Wanderland tumbler that you could use for any refill.
Parched? Kleen Kanteen provided water stations to anyone with their own tumbler, and if you didn’t bring a tumbler, you could conveniently buy soda or iced tea which came with a Wanderland tumbler that you could use for any refill.
Then, there was the music. This year had a well-rounded list of performers with different genres and styles aptly represented. While the two headliners were prominently in the English alternative rock genre, jazz and R&B lovers who enjoyed last year’s roster surely found gems in acts like Masego, Alina Baraz, and Jmsn.
Then, there was the music. This year had a well-rounded list of performers with different genres and styles aptly represented. While the two headliners were prominently in the English alternative rock genre, jazz and R&B lovers who enjoyed last year’s roster surely found gems in acts like Masego, Alina Baraz, and Jmsn.
Folk and indie pop provided many fun moments as well, with the likes of Honne, Gabrielle Aplin and Clairo taking the stage. It was also very refreshing to hear Asian acts like Adoy and Charlie Lim, it’s a trend that I’m in full support of, as we need more Asian talent on the Wanderland stage.
Folk and indie pop provided many fun moments as well, with the likes of Honne, Gabrielle Aplin and Clairo taking the stage. It was also very refreshing to hear Asian acts like Adoy and Charlie Lim, it’s a trend that I’m in full support of, as we need more Asian talent on the Wanderland stage.
Then there was the local talent. OPM was beautifully represented with styles ranging from jazz to alternative rock. The inclusion of Sandwich was a brilliant move. For me, it gave me the same nostalgic feeling when Wanderland brought back bands like Death Cab for Cutie, and Nada Surf (which has been missing for a few Wanderland years now), and it’s a chance for a new generation of fans to discover Sandwich’s music.
Then there was the local talent. OPM was beautifully represented with styles ranging from jazz to alternative rock. The inclusion of Sandwich was a brilliant move. For me, it gave me the same nostalgic feeling when Wanderland brought back bands like Death Cab for Cutie, and Nada Surf (which has been missing for a few Wanderland years now), and it’s a chance for a new generation of fans to discover Sandwich’s music.
Wanderland has always flourished by having their finger on the musical pulse of the Filipino youth. With this year’s festival, they took a giant leap forward, and it’s exciting to imagine what’s next.
Wanderland has always flourished by having their finger on the musical pulse of the Filipino youth. With this year’s festival, they took a giant leap forward, and it’s exciting to imagine what’s next.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look back to the long magic-filled days of Wanderland 2019.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s look back to the long magic-filled days of Wanderland 2019.
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