13 Standout Performances From Bobapalooza 2024: Pale Waves Atarashii Gakko, December Avenue, Rico Blanco, And More

When this year’s edition of the Bobapalooza Music and Arts Festival released its first lineup, it billed itself as the “grandest” music festival in the Philippines. It was a level-up from last year’s run held at Circuit Makati, seeing international headliners, a great mix of rising indie acts, established names in the local scene, and two days’ worth of performances.

This year’s Bobapalooza found a home in the South of Metro Manila, bringing their retro games-inspired setup to Filinvest Event Grounds. The no-strings-attached play area featured spaces like a mini basketball court, mini-golf play area, and a series of slides for people to goof around with, while the arcade (or what few game machines were there) gave some people the opportunity to play games the old-school way –– reminiscent of the Timezone trips that many of us spent with friends back in elementary school.

On the other side of the event grounds, several quaint merchandise booths offered cute trinkets and clothes that were fitting for the event but the distant location away from where all the action was happening did little to promote their goods as well as it could’ve been. And while the live art installations nearby were beautiful to witness being made, the small space of the walls provided didn’t maximize the full potential of what these artists could have contributed further to the art aspect of the festival.

And while, all these attractions — on top of a massive stage — made the festival grounds feel like a playground, there was one thing missing. The festival drew in a noticeably small crowd, leaving the vast venue looking empty. It was particularly notable during performances early in the day with the likes of Boba Brawl’s battle of the bands winners Crazymoon, Moontyde, and The Mox as well as rising acts like Shanni, Halina, and Faspitch playing to a sparse crowd.

But, like Gabby Alipe of Urbandub pointed out during their performance on Day 2, it wasn’t about the quantity of the people, but the quality of the crowd. Small as it might be, the audience was sprinkled with the acts’ dedicated fans. They paid no mind and spent the night singing their hearts out and dancing without a care. But of course, the true highlight of every musical rests on its lineup –– with which Bobapalooza delivered on quite a strong note. 

Having quite the stellar lineup of local acts that includes rising acts like The Sundown, Syd Hartha, and One Click Straight alongside more established names in the industry such as Autotelic, The Itchyworms, Juan Karlos, Rico Blanco, Bad Suns, and Pale Waves proved to be a great combination of artists that kicked off the first day of the festival to a great start. Even on the festival’s second day, the performances were filled with heavy-hitter rock bands like Chicosci, Urbandub, Sandwich, Tanya Markova, and December Avenue. All of them delivered electrifying performances, and the crowd went nuts for.

Check out some of our favorite performances from Bobapalooza 2024 below.

Syd Hartha

Syd Hartha’s set was like a comforting embrace, a genuine exchange of whispers between her and the audience. It felt as though she was sharing intimate stories, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that transformed the set into a beautifully enriching experience –– which differed almost entirely from the other acts that followed her performance.

The Itchyworms

The Itchyworms’ performance in particular highlighted just how much fun both the band and their audience were having on stage, with their sensational hits like “Beer” and “Akin Ka Na Lang” eliciting rapturous audience participation that had almost every member of the crowd screaming their hearts out to every lyric. And with everyone’s energy perhaps reaching its biggest peak of the evening –– it marked the perfect time to bring out Juan Karlos for his highly-anticipated set.

Juan Karlos

Though he wasn’t considered a headliner, Juan Karlos’ set began with the smashing opener that is “Sad Songs and Bullshit”, which pulled in a massive crowd to gravitate toward the stage. The hitmaker’s magnetic charisma and irresistible stage presence had everyone captivated from the get-go, as whether he sang heartbreak anthems like “Buwan” or the more anthemic tracks “Shot Puno”, no one could pull their eyes (and ears!) away from JK. So by the time “Ere” began to play, the crowd became a large chorus of singers who belted every bit of their hearts out with a palpable fervor that felt particularly unmatched.

Rico Blanco

Of course, worthy of recognition as a headlining performer is local rock icon Rico Blanco –– who delivered a spectacular performance that served as further proof of his title as a living legend across the OPM scene. Blanco’s performance exuded an awe-inspiring nature across the crowd, proving his guitar wizardry with “214“, while simultaneously showcasing a vocal prowess that’s only aged like fine wine over the years with “Your Universe” and “Antukin “. And as everyone was fully immersed in the wistful nature of his hit songs, Blanco’s highly emotive rendition of “You’ll Be Safe Here” had everyone filled with an irreplaceable warmth that left a lasting impression well beyond the end of his performance. 

Bad Suns

As the first international headliner to perform for the night, Bad Suns undoubtedly performed an exhilarating set to their Filipino audience for the first time. Their performance was a seamless blend of high energy and crowd engagement, with each track maintaining a strong momentum throughout. The familiarity of their biggest hits worked exceptionally well as an introduction to their music for Filipino fans –– even though it’s worth noting that the lack of variety in the screen background on stage could have enhanced the visual aspects of the show to better match the energy and dynamism of their show.

Pale Waves

Undoubtedly though, the final performance of Day 1 that the majority of the people in the crowd were waiting for was that of Pale Waves. With the demand for their Manila debut imminent since 2018, the anticipation was high as everyone crowded even closer to the stage to witness the group make their long-awaited Manila debut. And boy was it worth it –– for the band delivered an electrifying opener to “Lies” and “You’re So Vain”. Their riveting live take on their hit “Television Romance” had people screeching at the top of their lungs, while “Unwanted” and “Change” developed a growing mosh pit near the front of the stage, to which lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie expressed her amusement towards. 

Performing one of their earlier tracks for the first time in years, Pale Waves delivered a surprise treat for Filipino fans with “My Obsession”, which Baron-Gracie dedicated as an expression of their gratitude for the warm reception and loyal support that their dedicated Filipino fans have demonstrated over the years. “Red” and “She’s My Religion” served as crowd favorites that had fans lifting signs saying “Pale Waves, you saved my life!”, while others were screaming “Heather, you’re a bakla icon! Say bakla!” in reference to the band’s unapologetic queer identity. 

By the time the group reached their final track “Jealousy”, Baron-Gracie was gifted a rainbow flag –– to which she lifted with pride, as she and the rest of the band poured their whole hearts and efforts to ensure that they closed off the night on a very high note. “This isn’t going to be the last time we’ll be here Manila, we love you and we hope to see your lovely faces again very soon”, she said as they walked off the stage.

Chicosci

During Chicosci’s sets, you could even spot mosh pit circles in the crowd while during Sandwich’s set, everyone was jumping and singing along. It was nothing short of electrifying, as their high-octane setlist (with their hits “Raspberry: Girl” and “Chicosci Vampire Club”) and energetic stage presence created a rocking time, amplifying the crowd’s enthusiasm to unprecedented levels. As the group that built up the second day’s energy, the air was palpable as the band effortlessly upped the ante –– leaving the audience exhilarated and craving more

Tanya Markova

Tanya Markova delivered their signature style of performance, injecting several comedic aspects into their set. Whether it was throwing items to the audience like a T-Rex Toy and confetti, their set seamlessly blended physical comedy with exceptional music –– creating a highly entertaining experience that captivated the entire audience. The band’s skillful combination of humor and musical talent not only showcased their versatility but also ensured the crowd was fully engaged throughout the entire performance Even MowMow, who usually doesn’t sing, performed a humorous medley of Bruno Mars songs –– to which the audience went absolutely wild for.

Urbandub

Urbandub was as tight as ever, opening their set with their breakout hit “Soul Searching.” They kept the energy up and the crowd was bringing that energy right back to the crowd, making it a transference of vibes that further pumped up the energy of the audience in attendance. With their powerful stage presence, the band was able to captivate audiences with their dynamic fusion of alternative rock and post-hardcore elements –– of which their passionate vocals, intricate instrumentals, and an engaging stage demeanor left a lasting impression on fans.

December Avenue

However, if there was any act of the second day that the crowd was extremely excited about, it was December Avenue. It seemed that the crowd that was there was primarily filled with December Avenue fans and they didn’t hesitate to hold up their phones with signs on them, just like they’re known to do so at the band’s concerts. Upon noting the ambience conveyed by the band’s performance, several couples were seen holding hands and holding one another in a tender manner –– which was most evident with “Huling Sandali” and “Kung ‘Di Rin Lang Ikaw.”

Surprise Headliners: Blaster and Zild

Finally, the festival revealed their surprise headliners: Blaster and Zild. While the former confessed that he was nervous for his set, even commenting that he thinks he isn’t headliner-worthy, the band was impeccable with their performance. Blaster seemed to waver, but when he sang “Come Inside Of My Heart” from his IV of Spades days, the crowd couldn’t help but feel nostalgic for that era of his career.

On the other hand, Zild gave one of the best performances of the festival as a whole. He was infectious; playing around on the stage and giving that rockstar style of performance that he’s been known to do. He even brought out a surprise co-performer for his closer, a little boy, who knew all the words to “Isang Anghel” (An Angel), which made the crowd fall in love with him even more. His kitschy visuals, like playing a Windows Movie Maker-style montage of celebrity couples that broke up recently during “Dasal/Kasal” (Prayer/Marriage), brought his internet personality to a whole new level.

The Band Camino and Atarashii Gakko!

The night capped off with long sets from The Band Camino and Atarashii Gakko! Despite some initial technical difficulties, The Band Camino performed songs that their fans loved, going as far with one fan putting up a sign asking if he could play with them. With Atarashii Gakko!, their choreography and loud vocals rang through the event grounds. Even if they played past midnight, the crowd was loving their high, contagious energy and the colorful visuals displayed on the screen. A couple of members in the crowd even wore their own versions of Atarashii Gakko’s schoolgirl uniforms to match. 

Though billing itself as the “grandest” music festival for both arts and music feels quite presumptuous in hindsight, the second year of Bobapalooza was, at the very least, an enjoyable experience filled with great music all throughout both days. Following this year’s festival, for sure there is a lot of potential moving forward, highlighting the promising nature of how next year’s festival could be the “grandest” one yet.