Death Cab for Cutie, Bon Iver to headline Wanderland music fest

The Wanderland Music & Arts Festival is only on its fourth year, but it’s proving to be one of the most exciting, eagerly anticipated music celebrations in the Philippines.

This year, the festival promises an out-of-this-world experience in Wanderland Planet 2016, to be held at the Globe Circuit Events Ground on March 5 and featuring a lineup composed of both foreign and local acts. 

This outdoor festival has previously featured foreign acts like Nada Surf, The Drums, Architecture in Helsinki, and Kid Cudi. But the 2016 lineup could be the biggest yet. American alternative band Death Cab For Cutie has been named a festival co-headliner, making social media explode with delight. This would be their second time to play in the country—their first concert happened in 2012 at the NBC Tent in Taguig, which incidentally also happened on the fifth of March. 

Death Cab For Cutie has released eight studio albums, the most recent of which is last year’s Kistungi, a follow-up to 2011’s Codes and Keys. This is the final album where founding member/guitarist Chris Walla participates as a full member—he announced in 2014 that he was leaving the band after 17 years to pursue other projects.

Also appearing at this year's Wanderland is American indie folk band Bon Iver, which has released two studio albums (For Emma, Forever Ago and Bon Iver) and an EP (Blood Bank). Frontman singer/songwriter Justin Vernon said earlier this year that there were no plans for a new album or tour despite their July headlining show in Wisconsin’s Eaux Claires Music Festival, which is curated by Vernon.

Last November, however, they announced that they would be playing shows in Asia because they’ve never been. The Philippines will be their penultimate stop.

Other acts that the festival is flying include Kiwi electronic group The Naked and Famous, Australian indie pop San Cisco, electric duo Panama!, San Francisco-based Blackbird Blackbird (Mikey Maramag), English artist Chad Valley (Hugo Manuel), and Sydney-based Commandeur.

Every year, Wanderland searches for that one local band that will get to play with the big acts. Out of all the talented Filipinos bands, indie rock quartet Oh, Flamingo! has emerged victorious, and deservedly so. Listen to the songs on their SoundCloud page if you haven’t yet.

Other homegrown acts who will be playing are CRWN + Jess Connelly, Curtismith, Cheats, and Jensen and The Flips. — BM, GMA News

Tickets to the Wanderland Music and Arts Festival on March 5 are already up for sale. Early Wanderer tickets are still available through January 18. They’re priced at P3,500++, and Wanderbuddies Bundle (groups of 5) are priced at P15,000++.

Starting January 19 until the day of the event, tickets will be priced at P4,800++. Tickets are available at SMTickets.com or any SM Tickets Outlet nationwide.