By Ian Ureta
The Southeast Asian music festival held its first Philippine edition on Aug. 21 at the World Trade Center, with Steve Lacy, Two Door Cinema Club, FLO, Dermot Kennedy and Matthew Ifield leading a lineup that also featured some of the Philippines’ current OPM acts.
Presented by Wilbros Live, the Manila edition marked the festival’s first staging in the country.
For Steve Lacy, the festival appearance came as his song “oh yeah?” entered the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 at No. 39. The track is from his latest album, also titled “oh yeah?”
The American singer, songwriter and producer was among the biggest names on the Manila bill, bringing his alternative R&B sound to a festival lineup that leaned heavily into contemporary and indie music.
British R&B trio FLO also made their Manila appearance as part of their “Therapy At The Club” tour. The group’s Philippine stop served as the opening date of the tour’s Asian leg.
Then there was Two Door Cinema Club, whose appearance gave the festival a dose of indie rock nostalgia. The Northern Irish band arrived in the Philippines during the 15th anniversary year of its debut album, “Tourist History.”
Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy and Australian artist Matthew Ifield were also part of the international lineup.
But the Manila edition was not built entirely around foreign acts.
Ben&Ben, Maki, Over October, Dilaw and fitterkarma represented the local scene, while Indonesia’s Isyana Sarasvati, Thailand’s KIKI and South Korea’s HOA added more regional names to the bill.
The festival also featured a separate DJ stage, with OOKAY, Rave Republic, Harry Hayes and Lizzy Wang joining the program.
LaLaLa Fest began in Indonesia and has since expanded its reach across the region. Manila’s inclusion gives the festival another foothold in a country with a notoriously enthusiastic live-music audience.
For its first Philippine outing, the festival chose a lineup that did not stick too closely to one genre—or even one market.
