There’s something so special about an entire arena crowd understanding the vibe without doing too much.
Related: St. Vincent’s Manila Debut Was An Amazing Start To The 2025 Concert Season
Cigarettes After Sex may not come at you with a level of extravagance and bombast as compared to other artists. But the American band does know where to hit you where it hurts with their moody and haunting music, which is the stuff of playlists and sentimental IG posts. It’s that energy they brought to their sold-out show at the Mall of Asia Arena last January 14 in what was their biggest show in the Philippines to date. So, what happens when you’re in an arena filled with people singing along to Sweet? Everything and then some.
IT’S SO SWEET, KNOWING THAT YOU LOVE ME

Artists often inspire their fans to dress a certain way whenever they attend their concerts. For Cigarettes After Sex? The unspoken rule of the night was that everyone wore black to match the band’s black-and-white aesthetic. Just past 8 PM, the lights dimmed to the screams of fans as Greg Gonzalez (vocals and guitar), Jacob Tomsky (drums), and Randall Miller (bass) headed to the stage and kicked off the show with X’s. The stage was minimal in design with just the three members, simple background visuals, and a giant disco ball at the center of MOA Arena, but that was enough for the vibes.

For more than one and a half hours, the band treated their Filipino fans to a mix of new tracks from their latest album, X’s, as well as CAS favorites like Apocalypse and Sunsetz. Their angst-filled tracks and dreamy synths filled the arena with a mesmerizing melancholy as Greg Gonzalez’s soft yet distinct voice reverberated throughout the entire arena. CAS didn’t have to do too much to make people feel vulnerable. And once again, the Pinoy crowd superpowers kicked in when our nonchalant king Gonzalez broke his nonchalant persona a few times to smile at the crowd’s reaction and singing.
HEAVENLY

Did Cigarettes After Sex give the most energetic performance MOA Arena has ever seen? No, and maybe for some people, that won’t be their cup of tea looking for a more upbeat concert. But for the thousands there, it was more than enough. Besides, this is CAS we’re talking about. High energy, pyrotechnics, and backup dancers do not make a CAS show. All you need is to let their music do the talking. Filipinos love to get sentimental, after all, and the dream-pop indie band had the crowd moving, swaying, and reflecting on life. It was moody, but not depressing, with how CAS had you sitting with yourself while taking in all the good music.

As the concert came to a close with Opera House, it reminded us that while our time with the band was coming to an end, we will always have these memories to cherish. The first major concert by a foreign act in MOA Arena this 2025 served as CAS’ Manila comeback, and it was decidedly muted, but in a way that felt appropriate for the band. For two hours, you had permission to feel it all. Seeing your CAS playlist come to life was not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night.
Photos by Ber Garcia and courtesy of KARPOS
Continue Reading: Upcoming Concerts, Live Shows, & Fanmeets In The Philippines This 2025