Cebu is ready for bigger concerts

CEBU, Philippines — The concertgoing experience in Cebu has shifted dramatically for the better following BINI’s successful debut concert at SM Seaside Arena, where the group was the venue’s maiden performer last July 11 as part of their Signals World Tour.

It wasn’t just the entertaining two-hour show that made everyone’s first experience at Seaside Arena so memorable. With a sold-out show at an arena capable of accommodating a standard seating of 16,000, while a full house can bring up to 25,000 seats depending on the set-up – the concert that day also became known for its solid crowd control and surprisingly efficient traffic management before and after the show, raising the standard for what a concertgoing experience in the Philippines can be.

The Nation’s Girl Group opened the concert wearing special Sinulog-inspired outfits for this stop. Designed by Cebuano avant-garde designer Axel Que, he incorporated the red colors and elements of the city’s patron saint Señor Sto. Niño in the costumes of Jhoanna, Aiah, Colet, Maloi, Gwen, Stacey, Mikha and Sheena.

They kicked off the first half of the set that included “Unang Kilig,” “I Feel Good,” “Ang Huling Cha Cha,” “Lagi,” “Step Back,” and “Tic Tac Toe,” with hardcore Blooms singing every lyric while casual fans bopped along to the infectious hooks.

The group then delivered their sub-unit performances, with Aiah, Colet, Jhoanna, and Sheena covering Sarah Geronimo’s “Duyan,” while Mikha, Stacey, Gwen, and Maloi performed their viral rendition of Donnalyn Bartolome’s “Kakaibabe.”

It wasn’t just the eight-member group that took the stage, but also their backup dancers, A-Team Dance Group and Besties, who showcased their own performances, as well as their backing band, which performed “Golden Arrow.” While they changed costumes backstage, their backing band turned “Golden Arrow” into a giant karaoke session as lyrics flashed on-screen. Cameras focused on a male audience member who was handed a microphone to sing along during the song’s second verse, much to the amusement of the crowd.

The latter half of the concert was a repeat of BINI’s Coachella performance as they donned the same golden salakot costumes designed by Marian Zara for “Shagidi” before pulling off their onstage costume change to reveal their mint-colored sea siren outfits by Raf Villas while performing “Zero Pressure.”

It was during this set that the arena reached its loudest point, with the audience singing “Out of My Head,” “Karera,” “Salamin, Salamin,” and “Cherry on Top” so loudly that the girls were barely audible over the speakers, proving just how passionate Cebuano audiences can be when their favorite hits come on.

For “Salamin, Salamin,” in particular, Sheena’s “Ayokong maniwala” lyric was changed to Bisaya as “Oh, dili ko mutuo.” Likewise, many of the members amused the audience by saying random Bisaya phrases such as “Daghan kaayo” or inserting “gyud” at the end of their sentences.

The group also previewed their upcoming song, “A Parallel World,” part of the soundtrack for DreamWorks Animation’s Pinoy-led film “Forgotten Island.” A handful of fans learned parts of the choreography during a pre-show rehearsal and enthusiastically danced along during the performance, possibly to be recorded as part of the film’s promotional materials.

The girl group also confirmed that they have a “global project” with a Korean production company after netizens spotted a dressing room designated for a Korean filming crew a day before the concert.

BINI wrapped up their show with “Blush,” where the “kalami” lyric sung by Aiah and Colet echoed throughout the arena, followed by “Bikini” before closing with their Coachella remix of “Pantropiko,” complete with its dance break.

The arena lights remained off after the finale, convincing many concertgoers that an encore was coming – and they were right, as BINI returned to perform “Strings” to give an explosive ending to a memorable, highly energetic concert.

Many Ceblooms (the name of BINI’s Cebuano fans) couldn’t help but feel proud after witnessing the group’s remarkable evolution, from being one of the performers of a Sinulog concert in 2024 to becoming the first act to headline their own concert at SM Seaside Arena two years later.

The concert also marked a milestone for Philippine live entertainment, as BINI became the first Filipino act to inaugurate a major concert venue in the country. Historically, newly opened major concert venues have typically been inaugurated by international performers, such as Neil Sedaka at the Araneta Coliseum in 1960, Lady Gaga at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in 2012, and K-pop acts such as Super Junior, Girls’ Generation, BTOB, and Red Velvet at the Philippine Arena in 2015. With BINI being the first act at Cebu’s new arena, it shows a growing confidence that a Filipino act can draw an arena-sized audience.

The concert also served as a homecoming for Lapu-Lapu City’s Aiah, and an advance birthday celebration for Stacey, who turned 23 years old two days after the show.

No matter how talented the performers are or how engaging their stage presence is, a concert is only as memorable as its audience, and the energy of the crowd that day played a huge role in making the night unforgettable.

Although Cebu has hosted major concerts before, BINI’s show felt like a citywide celebration. The arena and the CCLEX Bridge illuminated the group’s signature colors, while NUSTAR displayed the group’s flower logo ahead of the concert. Congratulatory billboards put up by fans also appeared across South Road Properties (SRP). A few hotels around Metro Cebu welcomed visitors with BINI-themed pamphlets at their lobby desks, reflecting how local establishments anticipated the influx of fans who traveled to Cebu for the concert.

With the opening of a world-class arena and its inaugural major concert headlined by one of P-pop’s biggest acts, it is easy to see why Cebu is pulling out all the stops to position itself as a premier concert destination – not only for Cebuanos but also for audiences across the Visayas and Mindanao, many of whom no longer need to fly to Metro Manila just to watch their favorite artists perform live.

Considering the scale of the event, many expected SRP to be filled with traffic congestion as thousands of concertgoers made their way to and from the venue. Instead, traffic flowed more smoothly than anticipated, allowing many attendees to get home earlier than expected.

The seamless experience was made possible by the Cebu City Transportation Office, whose traffic personnel efficiently managed the heavy volume of vehicles throughout the busy weekend. It also helped that some establishments at SM Seaside City Cebu and the MyBus service extended their operating hours that day, giving concertgoers ample time to travel home, while others opted to dine at the mall after the show before heading home.

More performers are set to headline their own shows at SM Seaside Arena, with OPM band IV of Spades bringing their Andalucia Tour to Cebu tonight, followed by KZ Tandingan and TJ Monterde, Yeng Constantino, and Hillsong Worship with their respective shows in September, and LANY in November.

If BINI’s sold–out Cebu concert is any indication, particularly in how the event was handled before, during, and after the show, Cebu may be ready to host even bigger concerts by major performers, both from the Philippines and abroad.