Concert review: An occasional breeze: A visit to Wanderland 2015

This does not necessarily purport to be a full review of Wanderland 2015, the third iteration of the annual music event geared toward a somewhat younger generation of music lovers. Sadly, I did not get to see what a friend described as a “party, party” atmosphere the second RAC and Kid Cudi came on board, or the unexpectedly warm reception given to local headliner Hale (more on that shortly).

But what I can offer is what happened earlier in the day, when the sun was hot and the Circuit Event Grounds was not yet that packed.

Swelter shelter

Every year, the festival tries to come up with a new way to imagine its setting, and if there is a statement that ought to be repeated about Wanderland every time something is written, it is that it is all about atmosphere. This time, organizer Karpos Multimedia chose to turn it into a “day camp,” with merit badges for completing a range of activities, many of them sponsored by advertisers looking to tap into the festival’s perceived main market—millennials. The feel, especially upon arriving before the gates actually opened, was more minimalist than last time, where one of the event’s co-presenters even came up with a great way to draw people into its booth: free air conditioning.

The same co-presenter offered a much-needed amenity though: a big tent under which people could take shelter. It was quite hot that afternoon, with bouts of overcast skies and the occasional breeze blowing from the Pasig River. It did not dissuade the early-comers from enjoying the music from homegrown acts.

There was one appreciable difference from last year. The sound system was much better, and the techs knew what they were doing. It took less than five minutes for Austin to set up and get things going, and even an electronic act like Sinyma, which required a bit more time to hook up their gear, did not hold up the works for long. More importantly, the result was as close to perfect as what I could expect. Austin’s set was almost flawless, and after a slightly shaky start, Wanderband winner The Strange Creatures played tunes that reverberated throughout the grounds with quirky charm. Sinyma’s set carried me on a bit of a groove while I took shelter.

The notable part of the early sets was Kate Torralba’s performance. Her music has enjoyed a special place in my time covering the scene. Her set was a stark contrast from the days where few of us caught her playing such tunes as “Northfleet,” partly because it was a much bigger crowd. She then sprung two surprises on early visitors: a new animated music video for “Pictures,” and Leeroy New’s video for “Northfleet,” which unfortunately could not be completed due to time constraints.

Running to the side stage

One other problem from last year was the amount of dead time, caused partly by the longer set-ups some of the visiting acts had to do. To cure that problem, the festival inaugurated a “new stage,” which was a place for a selection of homegrown beatmakers and other electronic musicians to show off their craft while people waited for the main stage acts. Kate Torralba’s set was followed by the first side stage act, The After-School Special. It felt like a glimpse of a night at Black Market, a place where all the side stage acts have played and which would not be unfamiliar to some of the festival’s visitors.

The most memorable set I caught from the afternoon main stage acts was Youngblood Hawke. I enjoyed how they began and ended their set on a percussive note, and how their first song, flavored with a sound that I could recognize from an earlier era, set a remarkably catchy tone. Their rapport with the crowd, now slightly larger, was also remarkable. I could see that the band was enjoying themselves, and their enthusiasm was infectious.

For story-telling on stage, though, nothing topped what Sam Hales of the Australian act The Jungle Giants told the crowd. He wanted to get a closer glimpse of the sunset on Manila Bay from their hotel, and he caught a passing kalesa which took him to a nearby firing range. It was told in quite a bit of salty language, but it made me crack a bit of a smile.

Just before I left, Lewis Watson played a set which, while not quite as memorable as Lucy Rose’s last year, was technically impeccable. As he was playing, I noted that the side stage would be featuring someone who was recently featured on these pages, BP Valenzuela [link to article]. It was a testament to her prominence that I saw quite a few people waiting for her while Watson was on and she was setting up.

As Valenzuela began her set, people ran over to the side stage. The thought that went through my mind, and that of one of the few friends of my generation I met, was that she was ready for next year’s main stage. Only time (and the organizers) could tell.

Geared to the market

One reason someone like Valenzuela could draw such attention was that she was part of that generation that comprised the overwhelming majority of the crowd, and to which this event was geared. The choice of Hale for the local headliner, a band that was making a comeback after a long hiatus, turned out to be inspired. This was the generation that first heard the band as kids, and this was the chance for them to relieve childhood nostalgia.

Wanderland has somehow found its footing. It fixed many of the problems it faced last year, and this year’s concept was intriguing enough to pique my interest. At first it did not seem as jampacked as last year's event, but a representative of Karpos Multimedia told us that most of the crowd arrived later mainly to watch headliner Kid Cudi.

I do wonder how the festival would fare next year, but my only wish would be for the festival to get an act that would get the crowd’s older siblings to drop by too. — BM, GMA News