MANILA, Philippines – Picture this: you’ve just viewed the lineup for a music festival, and there are a few acts that immediately get you to purchase your ticket. The rest are artists you’ve maybe heard of before, but haven’t tried listening to. Do you stream their songs ahead of time to prepare, or just go to the music festival with an open mind?
For music festivals like KARPOS’ Wanderland, the latter is arguably the best way to make the most of your experience. Because it’s one thing to listen to an artist’s discography, but it’s a totally different thing when you get to hear them live — and there are so many music acts that shine further when you see them perform in the flesh. It becomes even more special when it’s your first time watching them in action.
During the festival’s 2025 edition, held on March 22 and 23 at the Filinvest City Events Grounds in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, rising music acts and big names alike from the Philippines and all over the world came together to stage a 10th Wanderland anniversary special to remember.
Day 1: Indie favorites, OPM icons, and R&B acts lead the show
Filipino city pop band ALYSON officially kicked things off on Day 1, each of the members setting foot on stage donning matching bright red suits. It was their groovy instrumentals — care of their saxophone, trumpet, and trombone — that set the tone for their set, which panned out to be an enjoyable start to the entire festival.
Thai soloist Varis, who was the latest addition to the lineup, switched things up with an electrifying rock performance. Not only was it his first time in the Philippines, but it was also his first time performing outside Thailand in general.
Singaporean singer-songwriter Regina Song, meanwhile, returned to the Philippines just two months after she first visited the country for her “fangirl” tour in January. Back then, she gave her Filipino fans a first listen of her then-unreleased track “fairy.” This time, she surprised the crowd anew with a preview of another upcoming single, “love me again,” which is about wanting someone back despite them having moved on already.
Regina’s set was for all romantics out there, as it covered everything from heartbreak to being head over heels for someone.
Waiian then effortlessly got attendees to flock to his side of the stage with his quirky charm. He opened his performance with “MALAKING BIRD,” which started off with a resounding introduction by one of his backup vocalists.
If it wasn’t his bars that turned heads, it was the looping visuals from his BACKSHOTS album (complete with his face on his back) flashed on the LED screen behind him. Instead of “BACKSHOTS,” though, it said “WANDERLODS.”
“My name is Waiian, they call me lods, and this is Wanderlods,” he declared.
Indie hitmaker TONEEJAY, meanwhile, performed classic favorites like “Parang Magic,” “Aurora,” and “711.” For the first time ever, he also performed his upcoming single “Hele,” dedicated to his four-month-old son who was also in the crowd!
While other acts thrive on the high energy they bring to the stage, 92914 does things best when everything is calm. Save for the cheers from the crowd in between songs, the South Korean duo was able to emulate in their live performance the same relaxing vibe people have come to love their music for.
It was a complete 180 when legendary OPM band Mayonnaise began their set. Twenty-two years into the game, the five-piece rock ensemble are veterans when it comes to putting on a lively show and engaging the crowd.
They’d often encourage attendees to put their hands in the air, clap, jump up and down, and of course, scream at the top of their lungs (which is free, Mayonnaise’s Monty Macalino playfully emphasized) — actions that stayed consistent throughout all the songs they’d perform, including fan favorites like “Tayo Na Lang Dalawa” and “Jopay.”
It was a back-to-back OPM heavyweight affair as the band SinoSikat? took the reins soon after. They delivered a classic jazz and soul-laden performance of timeless favorites like “So Blue” and “Magic,” and even sang their unreleased song, “Constellation.”
Australia’s Chet Faker then made his Manila debut, performing some of his top hits like “No Diggity.”
As festival goers transferred to the opposite stage awaiting Dayglow’s appearance, he had turned up on the dot at 9:30 pm wearing a Jollibee shirt, opening his set with none other than “Hot Rod.” He earlier mentioned in an interview with Rappler that it wasn’t creative burnout he often had to fight; it was getting people’s attention — and the Jollibee gimmick was a successful attempt.
He even took a quick break to put a Jollibee crew uniform over his shirt! Attire aside, though, Dayglow also knew how to get people to dance, breaking out his other tracks like “Close To You” and “Can I Call You Tonight?” in the process.
The last act of the night was Daniel Caesar, who had made a suspenseful entrance. His entire journey from backstage going up to the stage in front of the crowd was flashed on the LED screens at the venue, and people were eagerly awaiting the moment he’d finally make his way on the platform.
As soon as he did, he opened his one hour and 15-minute-long set with “Ocho Rios” and “Let Me Go.”
Perhaps some of his most awaited songs of the night were “Japanese Denim,” “Best Part,” “Get You,” and “Always,” all of which the crowd had sung along with him.
Even when the confetti popped and Daniel walked off the stage, people hadn’t begun to leave yet. They were right in doing so, as the R&B singer sang one last song: the unreleased “Indecision,” from his holding room, before ending his set for good.
Day 2: Breakthrough artists, hidden gems, and comforting old faces
It was rising indie-alt collective Nameless Kids which opened Day 2 of the festival, and it had impressed a pretty special member of the audience: Tim of the Plain White T’s — who mentioned in between songs during their own set how much he loved listening to “the first band.”
Thai soloist and one of the day’s standout acts mindfreakkk drew crowds in with her dreamy vocals. She sang some sway-worthy, feel-good songs, as well as some that spoke about her mental health.
Following soon after was Canada’s PRYVT, a relatively new indie rock duo that was just formed in 2023.
The second Filipino act to perform on Day 2 was Baguio rock band Dilaw, which staged an almost theatrical performance and really maximized the big space it had on stage by jumping and running around as much as they could.
They’re one of the City of Pines’ most loved for a reason, thanks to the natural knack they have for putting on an energetic show each time, regardless if it’s under the sun or late at night.
It’s not a Dilaw set if doesn’t end with a song dedicated to all the “thirsty” ones out there: “Uhaw (Tayong Lahat).” Instead of the usual quicker tempo “Uhaw” encore they do towards the end, though, they brought out a special budots dance break version this time.
Canada’s yung kai’s first-ever performance in the Philippines came at the perfect time — at the peak of his hit song “blue,” which he says changed his life.
“Philippines, you are beautiful,” declared the young singer as he was met with a collective scream from the crowd that was both funny and endearing.
Beloved Australian indie band The Paper Kites also came to impress, breezing through its setlist and frequently changing instruments between songs. Last performing at Wanderland in 2014, The Paper Kites’ return to Manila was a long time coming, and Filipinos who had waited to hear their music again were finally able to do so over a decade later.
“Okay na ‘to,” the band’s lead singer Sam uttered when he was switching guitars, referencing Grace Tanfelix’s viral line.
They had even brought out Moira dela Torre on stage for a special performance, with Sam saying that the Philippines was lucky to have a talented musician like her.
Fresh off their appearance at the inaugural edition of KARPOS’ ASIYA FEST, Cebu’s Urbandub came to light up the show with longtime favorites such as “The Fight is Over,” “First of Summer,” and “Evidence,” among many others — living up to its “Giant Sound of the South” moniker as always.
“Hey There Delilah” hitmakers Plain White T’s, meanwhile, brought its music to Manila for the first time, and got to experience what it’s like for a Filipino crowd to wholeheartedly sing along to their songs.
“Thank you guys for making it worth it to come all this way,” the band’s member Tim Lopez told festival-goers, adding that despite sitting through a 20-hour-long flight to get to the country, he was feeling better than ever thanks to the crowd’s energy.
For lovers of electronic beats, Australia’s Hermitude also played a long DJ set, which got both adults and Little Wanderers alike to get up and dance!
The final act to share their music to Wanderland 2025 attendees was English electro-pop duo HONNE, which rightfully had several surprises under its sleeves as the festival’s Day 2 headliner. On stage, it had a big inflatable of Poco, the character from their OUCH album.
“Philippines, you truly are ‘sobrang Latina,’” James, one-half of the duo said as he drew laughs from the audience.
Midway through their set, James “disappeared” and came back on stage wearing a mascot head, playing a legendary cover of Blur’s “Song 2.” A proposal had even happened during “Woman,” a song that Andy dedicates to his wife.
One of the most enjoyable parts of their performance, though, was when they handed out four cameras for the crowd to take photos of each other, on the agreement that they would all be returned after their set. They did, and HONNE posted the photos the very next day!
This year’s Wanderland lineup captured the homegrown music festival’s reputation of providing a platform to promising music acts across many genres and bringing together some of the most well-loved acts from the country and across the globe. Some performers returned to the country years or even a decade later, and others were rising newcomers whose music was a joy to discover at the festival.
But another thing that’s worth mentioning is how on time the entire show was. They really stuck to the schedules on the playtime sheet the organizers released days before the festival — with the performers coming out at the exact minute they were supposed to start their sets. It’s a seemingly trivial effort that will always be much appreciated.
Above all, the best highlight of the whole festival was bond the crowds and each performer were able to develop quite quickly during each set. Filipinos were always receptive to the artists’ crowd work efforts, so it was an enjoyable time for everyone on all fronts, especially for the music acts which were in the Philippines for the first time! – Rappler.com
Content shared from www.rappler.com.