Going to a Clara Benin show feels like coming home. Once you step inside, a sense of comfort washes over you, making your insides feel like warm honey. It's cozy and intimate, and whether you're a coffee gal or someone who enjoys a cold one after a long hard day, there will always be room for you at a Clara Benin show.
Following the success of her befriending my tears album launch at the Music Museum last September, the 'blink' singer-songwriter embarked on a tour across Metro Manila to share her new record live in three different settings—stripped down, afternoon set, and evening set. Each show has offered a different experience, catering to the many walks of life Benin's fans follow.
Together with tour director and A Spur of the Moment Project founder Li Perez, who also worked on Gabba's Recollections tour and Sofar Sounds Manila, her manager Andrea Dela Calzada, and furniture store Playback Room, Benin has mounted six intimate gatherings with one more to go at 19 East in Sucat this weekend. Every performance has shown a new version of Benin, a more confident artist and performer who may be soft-spoken, but is capable of drawing your full attention.
Bandwagon caught up with Clara Benin and the minds behind her befriending my tears tour about how they conceptualized the Metro Manila leg of the tour, their favourite moments, and the story behind the Eeyore she brings with her on those shows.
befriending my tears was released last year, and you celebrated with an album launch at the Music Museum. What made you decide you wanted to do a Metro Manila tour to support the album's release?
Clara Benin: It was on my goals list to tour my album around Manila (and eventually outside Manila) in more intimate settings. The more I perform (especially the new songs from the album), the more connected I feel with my listeners and my goal for this tour is to bring the befriending my tears world to my listeners.
Andrea Dela Calzada: We wanted a bigger album launch, because this is her first album in eight years. In the Philippines, when you release an album, you do an album launch in a bar. But then we thought let's make it a little more special. Her last official concert was in Teatrino when she announced her hiatus. At that time, we wanted to do a tour after.
How did you end up working with Li (Perez)?
Clara Benin: I've always been inspired by Li's vision when it comes to producing events! I met her when she got me to play in SoFar Sounds Manila a long time ago. After witnessing her produce Gabba's Recollections album, my team reached out to her and asked if she could spearhead my album tour.
Andrea Dela Calzada: We were thinking, who would be the perfect person to help us out with these [gig] concepts? Li Perez. We had a concept, but we needed someone to bring it to life and execute it. We really enjoyed what she did with Gabba's Recollections Tour, and thought it would be nice if we could also do shows in intimate settings. We had a lot of ideation meetings, and Li really helped us to figure out what we wanted from the tour. We ended up agreeing that we wanted a variety of shows.
Li was also the one who approached Iya Forbes of A Slow Life Coffee for the specialty coffee, and she also thought of reaching out to Playback Room for the set design. She handled the partnerships.
There are different concepts for each show: stripped-down set, afternoon set, and evening set. How did you come up with these concepts and decide on which venues would get a certain concept?
Li Perez: When Dre and Clara reached out to me, they mentioned that most of Clara's audience isn't the people you would normally see at the usual bar gigs. If you would notice, all the shows are afternoon shows except for the usual gig venues. Those stops that would have the stripped-down sets are the smaller venues as smaller venues are naturally more intimate. Essentially, it's a mix-and-match that will work for the venue at that certain time of day.
Andrea Dela Calzada: The idea of doing a bar tour was too typical. Clara's fans, they're not really drinkers. They're more of coffee shop people. We also didn't want to just do coffee shops, and alienate her other fans. We were thinking about the fans and their experience. As Hannah Montana said, "The best of both worlds." Let's have some evening gigs, some afternoon gigs.
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How does each experience differ from the other?
Li Perez: I'm not sure if I'm the best person to answer this since at the end of the day, the attendees would have ownership of the experience. But my hope is regardless of the audience's listening habits or preferences, they get a better appreciation of Clara's music.
Andrea Dela Calzada: The set design. For example, when I entered Balcony Music House, I was so amazed at how nice it looked. It's so nice that it's the same elements for each stop – a different lamp, a different couch, a different rug – but it's a different vibe every time. For the past shows, Clara's outfit has matched the rugs that they've sent over.
befriending my tears is a comforting album, so we thought what would be more comforting than home? So we wanted homey vibes talaga. Everywhere we went on the tour, we wanted it to feel like home. I think that encapsulates everything.
The fans asked me what plushie Clara would like and I suggested Eeyore. When we were younger, in our friend group there would be Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, and then Clara was Eeyore. They gave Clara a small Eeyore plushie, and she brings it to each stop on the tour.
Everything on this tour has a meaning.
Each show also has its own set of special guests. What's the decision process that goes into selecting the acts for each show?
Clara Benin: I wanted to choose artists and bands whom I am a fan of! I also considered my fans and who I know they want to play at the shows.
Andrea Dela Calzada: Every artist we've gotten for the show has a personal relationship with Clara.
What are your favourite moments on the befriending tour so far?
Clara Benin: It's honestly so hard to pick! I’ve been loving every moment of it. But if I have to choose, it’s the afternoon acoustic shows—it reminded me of how I started my career, just me and my guitar and a bunch of songs that I wrote in my bedroom.
Li Perez: Being able to play with lights and the set design! Meeting Clara's fans was also a good experience for me as I don't think I've had that type of interaction before. They're such sweethearts!
Andrea Dela Calzada: The one with I Belong To The Zoo. It was the first time I heard Clara do an acoustic set wherein they rearranged the songs for the acoustic set-up. They worked hard to make it different.
What are the most challenging parts of mounting this kind of tour?
Li Perez: Pagod, haha! Each type of show would have its challenges but for tour specifically, you would really need to be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared. Personally, I'm juggling this with my day job so compartmentalizing and time management are just some of the biggest challenges for me.
Andrea Dela Calzada: Usually at concerts, Clara and I are so hands-on, and that's why we get so stressed. But we trust Li so much, so we'll just show up. I don't have to worry about anything, especially on the day of the show. I can focus on taking care of Clara. We didn't have to worry about anything.
Tickets are sold on an online presale basis, with tickets at the door (depending on availability). How do you think this helps in ensuring a smoother gig experience? How can fans make sure they don't miss out on tickets to the shows?
Li Perez: It helps with peace of mind, haha! Frankly, for any show, ticket sales are the nail-biter, especially if the bulk of the funding comes from it. It's also an indicator of how much push you would still need to do to break even. For the fans, the best tip is to buy early on.
You have one show left on the Metro Manila tour, what can fans look forward to in these shows?
Clara Benin: The last two shows are evening shows with my full band set up! We’ll be performing all the songs from befriending my tears and I always do a surprise song from my first album in the middle of my set (inspired by Taylor Swift, haha) and dedicate the song to my OG fans.
Fans outside of Manila are curious if the befriending tour will make it to their cities. Are there any plans for shows outside of the metro? How do interested parties get in touch with your team to book a show?
Clara Benin: Yes! We’re planning to bring the befriending tour outside Manila and we’re also open to partnering with different venues for the tour!
Interview by Camille Castillo
Clara Benin's befriending my tears Manila Tour wraps up on 2 March 2024 at 19 East. Get tickets here.
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