MANILA, Philippines - We can all sigh with relief that better bands are flying in to the Philippines. We’ve seen names like The XX, Bloc Party, Stars, Tegan and Sara and Metric in 2013 alone, and it’s looking more ambitious for 2014. We’re not sure how this little cluster of islands at the edge of the Pacific became a wanted destination for the big names of music, but we are welcoming them with open arms.
For miracles such as these, we can thank groups like Karpos. At first blush, you might brush them off as kids with no experience and too much entitlement. But it’s pretty damn difficult to pull off a stunt like theirs. You wouldn’t believe that it was this sibling trio: Stephanie (24), Nicole (21), and John (20) Uy, who are responsible for the Wanderland Music Festival, with names like Temper Trap, Nada Surf and Neon Trees.
How did they manage do it? Perhaps it was just a legitimate love for music, a lot of support, and good old hard work. They really are rookies in a playing field that deals with industry bigwigs, dealing with marketing, sponsors, publicity and events coordination. Business dealers are always surprised when they realize they are liaising with a bunch of 20-year-olds. But the kids have learned to do the job well, and they’ve got a lot of balls to go big. After all, they’re starting the new year with a bang—the French band Phoenix is first up.