"OPM Con Generations 2026" promised a meeting of artists from different corners of Original Pilipino Music. Curious to see how that idea would play out, we joined the thousands who packed the Smart Araneta Coliseum on July 11.
We were not there as devoted followers of any one act. Like many from an older generation, we came simply to see what "Generations" meant in today's OPM landscape.The answer came not from any single performance but from the audience itself.
Parents sat beside teenagers. Friends arrived wearing the colors and symbols of their favorite groups. Light sticks filled the arena while phones were raised throughout the night. Different fandoms shared the same space, and when a familiar song began, age and musical preference seemed to matter less.
That, more than anything, became the defining image of the evening.
Alamat opened the show with The Dawn frontman Jett Pangan joining them for the OPM classic "Salamat." It was an early example of the concert's theme, with artists from different generations sharing the stage.
XONARA followed with "Tabi." Not being familiar with the group beforehand, we found ourselves watching the crowd as much as the performance. One member, Eurekah, appeared to have a particularly strong following, with fans repeatedly calling her name between songs. The cheers grew louder when the group announced that a new album would be released this August.
KAIA came next in coordinated outfits that prompted one concertgoer near us to describe their look as having "fairy vibes." Comparisons with BINI may continue online, but inside Araneta those discussions seemed secondary. The audience responded warmly, especially when Sam Concepcion joined the group for "Walkie Talkie." Several fans nearby also noticed that the singer appeared noticeably more muscular than they remembered.
G22 continued the showcase of rising female acts and earned appreciative reactions from the audience around us.
"Ang gaganda nila," one woman said.
"Their harmonies are fine, too," her companion added.
SunKissed Lola, joined by rapper Kiyo, demonstrated how quickly their songs have become part of the listening habits of Filipino audiences. The band barely needed to carry some choruses themselves as fans across the arena sang along.
Flow G brought a different kind of spectacle, arriving beside a customized car before launching into "Dripstar" and "Rapstar."
Introducing "Lokal," he said it was a song every Filipino could relate to and currently his favorite to perform. He later surprised the audience by joining Chito Miranda for an acoustic version of "Harana," showing another side of his artistry.
Skusta Clee kept the energy moving with guest appearances from Yuri Dope and South Border's Jay Durias before later sharing the stage with Flow G. During one moment between songs, he told the audience, "Masaya na ako." He didn't have to elaborate. The response from the crowd showed that the feeling was shared.
Then came Ben&Ben, whose set produced some of the evening's loudest reactions.
From the opening notes of "Araw-araw," the audience immediately joined in, singing through "Sunrise," "Lifetime," a refreshed version of "Leaves," "Paninindigan Kita," and "Sarangola."
Their performance with Armi Millare of Up Dharma Down's "Tadhana" became one of the night's most memorable collaborations.
A concertgoer seated beside us offered a simple observation.
"Yung mga sigaw ng fans, alam mong sila talaga pinunta nila."
Whether that was literally the case for everyone in the arena is impossible to know, but Ben&Ben clearly drew a crowd that knew every word.
Closing the evening was SB19, whose appearance highlighted how far Filipino artists have traveled beyond local stages.
The group acknowledged their recent appearance at Lollapalooza before launching into "GENTO," followed by "EMOJI," "Memories," "Wakas," "DRIP," and "Visa."
The biggest reaction came when Bamboo joined them for "Tatsulok." It was a collaboration that perfectly suited the theme of the night, bringing together artists associated with different periods of Filipino music while showing that their audiences could meet in the middle.
By then, the meaning behind the word "Generations" had become clear. The concert was not simply about older artists passing the torch to younger performers. It reflected an OPM scene that has expanded across genres, from P-pop and folk-pop to hip-hop, alternative music and contemporary pop.
It was also reflected in the crowd.
Fans who came for, say, Flow G, stayed for Ben&Ben. Rappers to pop rockers. Younger listeners embraced songs that predated them. Older concertgoers found themselves watching artists who represent a new chapter in Filipino music.
For organizer Puregold, that sense of connection was at the heart of the event.
"The Big Dome has long been a home to some of OPM's most iconic acts and unforgettable performances, and seeing it come alive once again for Filipino music is something Puregold will always be proud of," said Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold Price Club Inc.
Three editions in, OPM Con has become a gathering point for artists at different stages of their careers and audiences with different musical tastes.
