In celebration of Wanderland Music and Arts Festival’s much-awaited return this March, here are some of the highlights from past editions.
Related: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Miss Wanderland Festival’s 2023 Comeback
Just like that, we’re now entering the last days of February, which means a new month beckons with all its challenges, uncertainties, and surprises. But March doesn’t just signal the start of the summer season, it also offers one of the most exciting musical events this year with just the right amount of wonder and motivation to keep you going: Wanderland Music and Arts Festival.
Produced by Karpos Multimedia, Inc., Wanderland is set to make its much-anticipated return this year after its in-person activities were put to a halt in the past few years. Dubbed as Wanderland: The Comeback, this edition promises the Wanderers a much bigger and wonderful sonic and artistic experience. With March 4 and 5 just a couple of weeks away, let’s look back at past performances that, whether you’re a patron or not, will give you all the right reasons to grab that Wanderland ticket.
UP DHARMA DOWN
One of the OG performers of the first-ever Wanderland edition almost a decade ago is the Pinoy indie rock band Up Dharma Down. UDD first graced the Wanderland stage in 2013 where they performed alongside other international and local alternative artists. The foursome came back in the jungle-themed 2017 edition where they once again brought some 2000s nostalgia to the Wanderers like in their Sana set that’s filled with vibes you’d wish you were there.
LANY
Speaking of Wanderland 2017, a definitive highlight was LANY’s ILYSB performance that left attendees with a core memory to look back on and non-attendees a case of FOMO. Thanks to Wanderer, Danwill, a special moment where the audience passionately sings along with Paul Klein was captured. That’s the magic of Wanderland we’re for sure looking forward to in its comeback.
IV OF SPADES
Now who would forget that time when a wedding proposal opened IV of Spades’ Wanderland stint last 2018? A magical moment, yes, and knowing that the rock band is still on a hiatus, watching their Mundo performance is a great way to remind us of the hitmaker group’s spellbinding talent. And more importantly, this is also a reminder of the wonderful experiences that you get to have in Wanderland.
SANDWICH
Another legendary OPM act who has shared their greatness in Wanderland is Sandwich. The five-piece alternative rock band stayed true to the magic-themed fest in 2019, rocking it out with their fans to their iconic banger, Betamax. The way the audience joins Raymund Marasigan in singing “Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon…” is really something to marvel at. And it hits different especially knowing that this was the last Wanderland edition just before the pandemic happened.
LAUV
Another performance that will go down in Wanderland history as one of the most memorable is Lauv’s presentation of his smash hit of a bop, I Like Me Better, in 2018. What’s a better feeling than to vibe to your favorite music with your favorite artists just like the Wanderers during Lauv’s set? We’ll wait. Just look at that satisfying artist-fan chemistry that we all want to revel in.
KID CUDI
Look at how the crowd went wild at this Kid Cudi set back in the 2015 camp edition of Wanderland. The headline act that year, the American rapper and songwriter was in his element, casually dropping the bars and beats of Pursuit of Happiness as per his nature. And with Wanderland’s jam-packed lineup this year, this festival energy is not to be missed.
BON IVER
Imbibing the space theme of Wanderland 2016, American indie folk band Bon Iver gave an otherworldly performance that transported the audience to an ineffable sonic space. Band founder and singer-songwriter Justin Vernon flexed his musical prowess, captivating his audience with a wondrous rendition of Woods.
PHUM VIPHURIT
As we’re all aware of, 2020 was the year everything stopped. But while in-person concerts and shows were put on pause, the Wanderland magic continued with a sports-themed online event called Homecourt that featured an irresistible roster of artists. One of them was the Thai musician and Lover Boy hitmaker Phum Viphurit who blessed us all with his groovy earworms including Softly Spoken and Hello, Anxiety. His performance, all 40 minutes of it, was filled with the feels and beats that would put you in your best mood.
BEN&BEN
And finally, we have Ben&Ben’s Maybe The Night performance. Our go-to band for everything achingly beautiful, the nine-member folk pop act’s rendition of their hit romantic ballad shows us why music festivals like Wanderland should be on your bucket list. It allows us to just stay in the now and appreciate each second with some great music to comfort us.
Continue Reading: And We’re Live: Concerts, Festivals, And Fanmeets Coming To The Philippines This 2023
