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Despite hiccups, Wanderland was bigger, better than ever in year 5
The fifth edition of the Wanderland Music and Arts festival, which happened last Saturday at the Filinvest City in Alabang, got off to a rough start. Heavy rains in the morning caused some flooding and threatened to wash the entire show out. But the skies thankfully cleared just after gates opened and the weather cooperated for the rest of the day and night.
The result: I had a blast, and I think most people who were there did so, too, and that’s all you can really ask from these types of events.
The big issue, however, that many in the crowd had was the delay in playing times. When you’re dealing with a succession of local and international music acts playing, scheduling is key and one holdup would have a domino effect, essentially setting everything (and everyone) back.
Bands played about an hour and half later than scheduled, but Karpos released a statement explaining what happened.
“The weather really played a big role,” said Stephanie Uy, Karpos president. “The heavy downpour in the morning, before the gates opened, really blindsided us. The backstage was flooded and some of our equipment got wet. Most of the soundchecks had to be moved because everyone’s safety is one of our main priorities, thus delaying our scheduled program. In the end, all the bands appreciated our hard work to still make the show work even with the unfortunate heavy rain in the morning.
“We’re doing our best to come up with better solutions for scenarios like this and we appreciate the patience of our community.”
I was one of those who stayed until the final act of the evening (The Temper Trap) took to the stage at around 1:40 a.m. I could see how people patiently waited for the band, and witnessed how they showed their appreciation when the group finally started playing.
One other thing I noticed: people exchanged cash for tokens which simplified the process to buy food and drinks (including alcohol). There were long lines in some of the food stalls, especially during dinner hours, but for the most part, it was a huge improvement from the madness that happened last year.
Still, the focus was on the music. Here are some of what I thought were the highlights of the show (besides the big announcement that Phoenix will be back in Manila later this year):
Reese Lansangan
The quirky singer-songwriter played at the Globe Stage right before one of the evening’s biggest acts, LANY, so I’m sure she must’ve felt the pressure. She bristled every time audiences at the main stage screamed out loud when one of the band members materialized onstage to do a soundcheck. But Lansangan handled it all quite well. She played her big hit, “Grammar Nazi,” full-band style accompanied by friends from other local bands, as well as her personal favorite, “St. Petersburg.” It was an all-too-brief set, but the artist made the most out of it. If you ever get the chance, you should watch her for a full set. She’s a bright spot in the current OPM music scene.
LANY
I thought Wanderland scored a coup when they booked the Los Angeles trio this year. The band is starting to break out in a major way. After releasing a string of EPs, they’re finally releasing their full-length debut album in June this year. The crowd was obviously into them, especially with the charismatic frontman Paul Klein. Their 10-song set included “yea babe, no way,” “Bad, Bad, Bad,” new single “Good Girls,” and their explosive hit “ILYSB,” upon which they were accompanied by a thousand girls (and maybe even a few guys) swooning and sighing. Klein announced that the Wanderland crowd was officially the biggest crowd they have ever played for in their still young career. And yeah, they promised to be back.
Explosions In The Sky
Instrumental or (post-)rock has a steady following here in Manila, but I was still pleasantly surprised at the warm reception audiences gave to Explosions In The Sky. Most people might not understand the complex guitar arrangements that goes into their songs, but the musical journeys they take audiences on are universal. Free from the distractions of words, the band is able to lift listeners and carry them far off into their own private little adventures within the span of one song. Now that’s REAL talent.
Yuna
Yuna has been making music for about 10 years but this is the first time she has made her way over from neighboring Malaysia, her home country. The songstress is also starting to make waves outside of the region, particularly in the US, but it turns out she has her fair share of Pinoy fans. After high-energy sets from full bands, Yuna slowed things down with her genre-crossing brand of music. Afterwards, she tweeted that she didn’t think she could “get a crowd like that.” But she did and it was clear she kept people wanting more. If she came back to do a solo show that wouldn’t be the most farfetched thing in the world.
The Ting Tings
If fun had a soundtrack, The Ting Tings would have several songs in there. The British duo’s infectious beats livened up a crowd that was fast losing steam after four or five hours of almost nonstop live music. The band’s indie-dance-pop hybrid was one of the best of the night. With Jules behind the drums and Katie rampaging across the stage wielding her guitar, the band tore through some of their well-loved hits, including “Shup Up and Let Me Go” and “That’s Not My Name.”
The Temper Trap
It’s a testament to the Australian band’s popularity in the Philippines that (one) Karpos invited them back again to headline Wanderland for the second time after the inaugural edition in 2013; and (two) people last Saturday stayed even past 1 a.m. to wait for them to play. When the band finally materialized onstage and started playing “Thick As Thieves,” I was instantly reminded how talented they are. Frontman and vocalist Dougy Mandagi expressed his appreciation after the third song (“Fall Together”). “You guys are officially the best fans in the world. I know it’s super late. Thank you for waiting for us.” The band played a full set of 15 songs, capping off the long day with their biggest hit “Sweet Disposition.”
All in all, the exhaustion people felt as they slowly filed past the gates in the small hours of the morning is a small price to pay for the gift of genuinely good live music. Here’s hoping we get to play in and experience Wanderland for many more years to come. — BM, GMA News
Paul John Caña is a writer and live music geek. Check out his blog manontheotherside.blogspot.com. Email him at pjcana@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram @pauljohncana.
