It’s been a week since Wanderland Neighbourhood and it still feels like we’ve come home. 

Wanderland Neighbourhood fosters its community through good music – festival reporthttps://t.co/ObhmOtarnl #WanderlandMusicFest @wanderlandfest pic.twitter.com/N7b0E3OQSm

— Bandwagon (@BandwagonAsia) March 18, 2024

The moment we entered the familiar grounds we knew. March 9 and 10 were like the vacation days we'd take to see our families and old-time friends. Filinvest City Event Grounds was our hometown. We were greeted by members of the Karpos Multimedia team we recognise from years back. And while the lay of the land has changed (into something very refreshing, might we add), there was a tender sort of nostalgia in the breeze. Is it the familiar faces in the crowd? Is it this year’s pick of performers? Is it just the beer or those sugary whiskey cocktails? 

We may never know for sure but one thing is certain: Wanderland Music and Arts Festival felt like the safe space it always has been for celebrating beloved music artists in the flesh and discovering new favourites we shall have added to our playlists thereafter. For its ninth edition, Wanderland has completely gone back to its core. Home of good music and good people, indeed.

ASIA SPOTLIGHT

We have always been supportive of Wanderland’s efforts to bring regional talent into the local festival fold. Watching Korean alt-rock band Bosudongcooler early on the festival’s first day was energizing. Listening to Taiwanese guitarist Cloudriver live on a literal sunny afternoon was also a vibe. But seeing Filipino talent – from here and all over the world – take centerstage was quite an experience in itself.

Hearts were won when grentperez sang endearingly as the sun set. And for many in the audience, seeing Jeff Bernat perform live was proof not only of his knack for music but also of his respect for his heritage. “So touching to hear [him] say he’s a proud Filipino and that it’s the first time he’s performing [here],” Liane, a longtime Wanderer shares. “[It was also great] that he sang [snippets] of his favourite classic Filipino songs.”

Many local gems were showcased at the festival this year. bird. and dwta, who opened Days 1 and 2 respectively, had early attendees drawn to the Wanderland stage. Gabba, as always, performed a solid set that had attendees humming to his math rock tunes. 

Lola Amour’s performance was so special as the crowd sang their hits back to them–from those watching them in the audience to those listening to them from the Wandermerch booths. This is the band’s second time to perform in the festival after winning Wanderband in 2017.

A spot in the Wanderland lineup is still coveted by most local musicians, and Paolo Sandejas definitely made the most out of his turn. The singer-songwriter shares, “It has always been a moonshot dream of mine to perform at the festival. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve mentioned it to friends, family, and even interviews. When asked about my dream festival to play in the Philippines, Wanderland has always been the bar that I’d set myself to reach (so when I got the call,) it was truly an honour and a full circle moment for me. [...] Looking back on the experience, I don’t think my first festival experience could’ve gone any better. It was a perfect day that I’ll probably hold on to for the rest of my life.”

Jose Miguel’s set was also a clear winner; his amazing band of skilled musicians further proved that local talent is truly world-class.

The case is the same for Ena Mori, who could have brought her powerful stage presence and kawaii charm onstage and that would have been enough. Instead, she offered so much more. “When I got the offer, I knew it was a big deal, and I got to try something cool, so I approached my friend(s) Sam from One Click Straight and Zild, inviting them to join me in the performance. The idea was to expand the live sound from the original trio with guitar and bass and some percussions. Rehearsing with them was a blast, just like a casual jam! I will never get tired of playing music together with my good friends. They knew exactly what we needed in the show and they killed it, it was just a fun experience for all of us.”

TALENT THROUGH THE ROOF

With good music comes great performances, and this year was no exception. Some might argue that this year's lineup isn't as popular as the previous ones; we see it as a tastemaker's choice: most, if not all, the acts on both stages were insanely talented. 

Party Pace may have been an “accidental pandemic band” but has shown everyone that being included in the Wanderland lineup is no accident at all. Time slowed down as PJ Morton started singing stories with his soulful pipes. And we still have no idea how South Korean rapper Beenzino’s set could be so cool and swoon-worthy at the same time. 

Hwasa’s performance was easily a crowd favourite, something that even the other performers were looking forward to. Dwta claims, “I was extremely excited to see Hwasa perform that night because she’s one of the artists I really enjoy listening to. I enjoyed every bit of her set and was amazed by her performance.” With the K-pop star’s allure (and dance moves), it’s easy to see why.

This year may also boast one of the most memorable acts we’ve seen in Wanderland history: Parcels’ performance was completely ineffable. For Ena Mori, it was definitely “a highlight. Their high-energy show, the lights syncing up with the music, and the whole set's perfect pacing blew me away. I'm an even bigger fan after that.”

And really, how can one ever forget Thundercat’s set? The bassist brought the good, the bad, and even a little bit of the sad (his tribute to the late Akira Toriyama was touching). Truly a masterclass in music mastery, we could not have imagined a better way to close this year’s festival, even without the confetti (which actually earned the event points with the more environmentally-conscious festival goers).

BETTER TOGETHER

There seems to be no more perfect embodiment of Wanderland Neighborhood than Jack Johnson. “Tonight, this is our home,” he now famously announced during his headlining set, and the Hawaiian singer-songwriter made everyone present during his set that they weren’t just an audience, they were part of a community. 

The man walks the talk, too. His spontaneous collaborations with Parcels and Jose Miguel are already indicative of this but we also know that he is quick to show appreciation to his fellow musicians in the lineup. In fact, he approached drummer Chico Macorol to commend him for his performance during Gabba’s set.

"The thing with Jack Johnson was quite the trip. I was backstage [...] I approached him and I said, 'Hi, Jack! I'm a big fan. I've been listening to your music for a while now.' I introduced myself [...] and we just spoke for a little bit and he said, 'Hey, do you wanna do a song together tonight?' I couldn't believe it." Jose Miguel retells. "Like I said, this whole experience is like a dream. It was like something from the movies, you know? And I said, 'Absolutely! I'd be honoured to.' So we went to his dressing room and his band was there; they were rehearsing. I met everybody and they were all so kind and humble; they embraced me as I walked in. We were trying to figure out what song to do. I was talking about my influences and we were able to share the music that we could potentially play. So we did a little bit of Sinatra, some Bobby Caldwell. And after jamming to (those) two songs, Jack said, 'Why don't we do 'Banana Pancakes'?' And I said, 'Man, that's probably my favourite song from you.'

"We rehearsed it, (a) one-time run, and next thing you know, the Parcels just ended their set, they came through the door. [...] And we were all able to sit down and talk, mingle a little bit, it was a good time...another moving moment, honestly.”

The spirit of community doesn’t lie in Johnson alone, though. Backstage, we saw musicians reaching out to other musicians simply to connect and let them know that they were heard and appreciated: Hwasa told Jeff Bernat that she’s “a big fan”, and Clara Benin met Novo Amor’s Lowswimmer in person for the first time, following their musical collaborations last year. We have also seen many incredible moments when the audience collectively felt and consumed the music around them: they cheered The Walters on, danced to Cosmo’s Midnight, partied with Breakbot & Irfane, and cried to Novo Amor.

WELCOME, FAM

At first glance, this year's theme doesn't seem as quirky as their first few editions, as stimulating as 2019's magic, or as compelling as last year's comeback. But we soon realized that Wanderland Neighbourhood may be less about how the event looked like and more about how it felt like. 

Henri, a Wanderer since 2013, seems to have gotten this from the get-go. “For a lineup [I wasn’t] super crazy about, I came for the vibes and the vibes delivered.”

While we noticed some missed opportunities in maximizing the Wander artists’ art house installations – it would have been cool to have added elements that would make everything more cohesive, sort of like a little village – there was one thing was vastly more important for many of those present: smoothly executed logistics. First-time attendee Camille lauded how the experience was great, from getting into the festival, buying food and drinks to using the (much improved) portalets. “Walang aberya (there was no hassle at all).”

Despite some sound system difficulties and slight delays in their Day 2 schedule, it seems like Karpos finally has their logistics down to a T. This perhaps led them to have space to envision and eventually pull off how Wanderland can actually be a more family-friendly festival. 

Given the selection of carefully curated activities courtesy of Playscape Manila, it is obvious that inviting children into the festival grounds was not just for the parents who want to see their favourite artists live: it really is an effort to welcome a new generation of listeners to explore and discover all kinds of genres. And if you think they might be too young, think again: we saw how those Little Wanderers enjoyed Gabba’s set.

Ultimately, the many memories we've made in this festival through the years would take up permanent residence in our minds–and we have room for so much more. As early as now, we’re already counting down the days before the next one. We can hardly wait to see what Karpos has in store for us in Wanderland's tenth edition.

Wanderland 2025 is happening on 22 and 23 March at the Filinvest Event Grounds. Loyal Wanderers get access to an exclusive sale from 15 to 20 March 2024. Find out more here.