With ENNHYPEN set to christen the New Clark City Athletics Stadium this weekend as the first solo musical act to hold a concert there, here are a few things to know before you attend.
The relatively new and far-flung New Clark City Athletics Stadium is opening its doors to music fans. Along with the anticipation building up for K-pop idol group ENHYPEN’s FATE World Tour show at New Clark City, there’s also some apprehension regarding the venue and how to get there, as it’s the first time the stadium is being used for such a large-scale musical event. The New Clark City complex is far from complete, what with new facilities and amenities being planned, and functions being enhanced, but they promise a hub not just for sports, but also for many other events, like concerts.
With ENHYPEN being the first musical act to hold a solo concert at the stadium on February 3, organized by PULP Live World, we’ll definitely find out more about what it’s like to attend a show there, but for now, here are a few things you’ll want to know before heading out to the New Clark City Athletics Stadium.
WHAT IS THE NEW CLARK CITY STADIUM?
The New Clark City Athletics Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium that officially opened in 2019 in New Clark City and hosted some events of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. With a capacity of 20,000, the stadium is open air (with awnings over the bleachers) and looks like a typical sports stadium with a grass field and a running track. But if fellow idol group SEVENTEEN’s back-to-back concerts at the Philippine Sports Stadium are any indication, a sports stadium can totally handle a full-out K-pop concert.
HOW DO YOU GET THERE?
@kyesees Going to New Clark City Stadium #newclarkcity #enhypen #fatetourenhypen #fate_in_newclarkcity #fate_in_asia #engene #hallyutalkph #tiktoktainmentph ♬ SHOUT OUT – ENHYPEN
Known for being quite a distance away from the Metro, New Clark City isn’t the easiest to get to. Despite its name, it’s also not located in Clark, Pampanga. It’s actually situated in Bamban and Capas, Tarlac, less than an hour away from Pampanga, but around two to three hours (ideally) from Manila. You’d have to take a private car to the area, or make use of any offered shuttle or carpool services made available by both show organizers, or fellow attendees.
There are also buses from Metro Manila headed to Capas, Tarlac, where from there you can take a taxi or tricycle going to the stadium. The Clark International Airport is also about 30 minutes away if you’re flying in, and you can also take a taxi from the airport to the New Clark City complex. Read up on some more options here.
WHAT KIND OF EVENTS COULD BE HELD THERE?
@diowenay New Clark Stadium #enhypen ♬ shout out – hanna🎧⭐️
Historically, sports events were held at the stadium, like the SEA Games, but since they’re expanding and developing more facilities and trying to improve the complex, events such as concerts can now start to be held at the stadium.
WHAT AMENITIES ARE NEARBY?
The stadium is about 20 minutes away from the city of Capas, and about 30-40 minutes away from the Clark area, where fans could stay before they head out to the stadium, from cafes to hotels to malls to Airbnbs. At Clark Freeport, for instance, there’s a whole commercial center with restaurants, a hotel, cafes, and more amenities at your disposal before or after the show.
On the way, there are fast food outlets Jollibee and McDonalds, but given as it’s a newly-established area, it’s still pretty bare bones. However, the New Clark City complex has a few restaurants and shops in its commercial area near the stadium, and concert organizers, like PULP, often get food vendors and concessionaires to offer food during these kinds of events.
A FEW REMINDERS
- Utilize navigation apps. Waze and Google Maps are good examples, and could really help not just in getting you to the venue, but to also know what’s around you, where you could head before or after the show, routes you could take, and more.
- Always be aware of organizers’ instructions, rules, and guidelines. They often post maps, rules, and information that could make your concert experience that much smoother.
- Always be prepared. Pack an umbrella, powerbanks, and the like—better to overpack than underpack, especially when you’re going somewhere quite far.
- Bring water and snacks—the trip could be very long and there might not be time for you to stop anywhere to get food or drinks.
- Bring cash. Even in Metro Manila, you’re never sure if your card or e-wallets will work, so it’s better to have cash on hand for easy transactions.
- Make sure you have cellphone signal. Get different e-sims if you have to. The sheer volume of people usually makes it difficult to have proper signal or fast Internet, but it’s better to have options.
- Be vigilant! New Clark City is relatively isolated, and most likely an unfamiliar area to you, so always be careful and cautious. You’re there to have a good time, but stay safe all the time.
Continue Reading: 6 Ways You Can Keep Yourself Safe At Your Next Concert
