Into the Scene

MANILA, Philippines – A lot of music festivals have been cropping up the past couple of years. From acoustic afternoon sets in the park to four days of non-stop raving, such events have gained so much attention that they evolved to be the perfect counter counterculture. And with everyone looking forward to Coachella and Tommorowland — or low budget versions of it— every single year, the rest of us can’t help but settle for the same generic experiences served by money-hungry producers who feed on the generation’s need to feel “alive”. But what if we had the chance to make our own music festival? One where we call the shots as to where and how it will be and, most importantly, who will be in it. Young STAR asked 5 people from the local music scene to help define the music festival of our dreams. Because if there’s anyone who can tell what the scene needs more of, it’s probably those who already go to a lot of it.

LI PEREZ, coordinator for Sofar Sounds Manila

- Feel: It's gonna be very homey and chill.

- Venue: Open-field under a parachute tent and the stage will be at the heart of the tent.

- Time: It starts in the afternoon around 4 or 5 when the sun's still out and it's not too hot.

- Lineup: Sofar alumni from other cities (e.g. Bastille, Karen O)

- Decors: It will have carpets as flooring with bean bags and throw pillows scattered across the area. I'd love for it to have boho flags and string lights. Very minimal. No side activities as we try our best to keep the attention to music. If ever though, on the top of my mind, I think a freedom wall wouldn't be so bad.

- Collaborators: I'd love to collaborate with interior designers or a furniture shop like Heima or Urban Abode. I think they have brilliant ideas on how to make a large scale event feel more like home and intimate without losing the festive vibe.

JAM PASCUAL, writer and front man of IMELDA

- Lineup: Unfortunately my ideal music festival can never happen unless we as a civilization find a way to bring the dead back to life. Ideally, it has Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain. Throw in Dicta License and Greyhoundz to jam with each other. Put Kendrick Lamar too because he should be in every music festival ever.

- Genre: Rock and rap festival

- Venue: It will be a floating chunk of rock ala the one in the second Avengers movie.

- Crowd: Strictly no mobile device. The event can never be recorded, and once it concludes, can only exist in memory. Everyone in the crowd is completely and totally sober. Entrance is free too.

- Effects: Every power chord is followed by a crack of thunder. And each set is accompanied by visuals of powerful political figures run through effects in such a way that they look like they're being dethroned or destroyed! 

ELLIE CENTENO, scener and event host

- Venue: it would be staged in my favorite park in Manhattan, Union Square Park, in the middle of springtime.

- Time: The festival would take place in four consecutive days and four consecutive nights, with each day having two different genre-based line-ups, one for the afternoon, and one for the latter part of the evening

- Genre: There will be a folk/Americana line-up, a post-rock/shoegaze line-up, a hip-hop/R&B line-up, an indie/pop line-up, a rock/alternative line-up, an electronic line-up, and a jazz/soul line-up. 

- Decors: For the afternoon shows, there would be mats and bean bags scattered all throughout the park for people who just want to lay back and hang out.

- Lineup:  A diverse mix of artists both local and international acts such as Shakey Graves, Lady Lamb, Drake,  Tom's Story, Ourselves the Elves, Modest Mouse, Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande, tide/edit, and Kagu.

KAREN DELA FUENTE, music photographer

- Concept: The goal is to help sustain and reflect the local music and arts culture - prime spotlight on the artists and local start ups.

- Venue: Think Fuji Rock! Field type with a lot of areas, probably in the mountains where it's not too hot so people are free to roam around anytime.

- Stage Design: 

• Art Installations or exhibits where local design studios can hold mini-workshops 
• Outdoor or open air stages for silent disco and a cinema or library (music & arts) that can double as a lounge and a place for signing
• Tents for Acoustic sets, main stages for main acts, mini area where artists can talk in depth about the industry and share stories, and merch booths for artists/musicians where they can also do signing
• Artisan markets with booths for local start ups and other collaborators - food / drinks, vinyls, arts, even barbershops, etc

- Line Up: Each stage should have a mix of local and international bands such as Florence & The Machine, Arctic Monkeys, Passion Pit, HAIM, Tandems '91, Bullet Dumas

- Genre: From indie-pop / indie-rock to instrumental rock / post rock

BP VALENZUELA, performer

- Venue: It’s nice to escape from Manila, so it would be so nice to camp out somewhere windy, green, and mountainous for a whole weekend.

- Genre: Nothing genre defined, just a genuine sense of community

- Decors: a lot of tents, local art installations, local food trucks

- Lineup: a killer lineup with an equal amount of local and global talent would be nice