Zark’s Fest 2023 delivers hot and fresh live music from OPM’s best

Zark’s Fest 2023 delivers hot and fresh live music from OPM's best

The lineup included Gen Z crowd favorites alongside iconic scene veterans

MANILA, Philippines – Good food and good music will always be an unbeatable combo, and Zark’s Fest delivered on both fronts with their 2023 offering on Saturday, May 13. 

Zark’s Fest 2023 has only been the second iteration of the music and food festival organized and produced by the Zark’s Burgers chain. The first festival happened in 2019, and then the pandemic got in the way.

The event moved to a much larger venue this year, compared to 2019’s Century City Mall venue, treating everyone to an outdoor music festival experience this time around. OPM fans of varying ages and music tastes flocked to Circuit Event Grounds in Makati to catch their favorite artists in the intense summer heat. 

While Zark’s sizzling-hot burgers and food challenges provided some juicy distractions, festival-goers were focused on the stunning artist lineup, one that spanned a range of genres and generations within OPM.

Entrance to the festival. Micah Go/Rappler
Zark’s Burgers being prepped. Micah Go/Rappler

The lineup included Gen Z crowd favorites, such as headliners Ben&Ben and Zack Tabudlo.

Ben&Ben. Micah Go/Rappler
Zack Tabudlo. Micah Go/Rappler

There were also iconic scene veterans, such as Ebe Dancel, Sandwich, and The Itchyworms.

Ebe Dancel. Micah Go/Rappler
Sandwich. Micah Go/Rappler
Itchyworms. Micah Go/Rappler

The show even had one of P-pop’s frontrunners, the so-called “nation’s girl group” BINI

BINI. Micah Go/Rappler

I’d like to give props to Zark’s Fest 2023 and its organizer, Gabi Na Naman Productions, for how they followed the time slots allotted per artist; the event thus ended around midnight, as previously announced. That’s something I rarely get to see at music events here in the Philippines, and it definitely made the overall experience more enjoyable for someone like me, who rarely has the energy anymore to go through gigs that end at 3 am.

The crowd goes wild. Micah Go/Rappler

Highlights such as BINI performing at the golden hour while BLOOMs, their ever-loyal fans, cheered them on; Autotelic playing “Takipsilim” at dusk; and Zack Tabudlo serenading a fan onstage with “Yakap” made the Zark’s Fest 2023 experience magical.

And if you’re like me and still dealing with Post Concert Depression from last Saturday, below are more photos to remind you of those moments and more!

Strolling across festival grounds. Micah Go/Rappler
Jamming offstage. Micah Go/Rappler
Lola Amour. Micah Go/Rappler
SOS. Micah Go/Rappler
Kiyo. Micah Go/Rappler
Kiyo’s fans. Micah Go/Rappler
BINI. Micah Go/Rappler
BLOOMS cheering for BINI. Micah Go/Rappler
Autotelic. Micah Go/Rappler
Urbandub. Micah Go/Rappler
Sandwich, Micah Go/Rappler
Sandwich. Micah Go/Rappler
Ebe Dancel. Micah Go/Rappler
Ebe Dancel. Micah Go/Rappler
Itchyworms. Micah Go/Rappler
Itchyworms. Micah Go/Rappler
Zack Tabudlo serenades a fan. Micah Go/Rappler
The crowd lights up. Micah Go/Rappler
Ben&Ben. Micah Go/Rappler
Ben&Ben. Micah Go/Rappler

Overall, Zark’s Fest 2023 delivered to their “Zarkadas” a good mix of filling food choices and live music – sprinkled with doses of kilig, positive energy, and nostalgia from a carefully curated lineup, showcasing some of the best that today’s OPM has to offer. – Rappler.com

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