We Play Here’s Second Campus Concert Sings To The Blues – Review

The Ateneo leg of the We Play Here concert series brought some of the most vibrant performances to the land of the Blue Eagles.

Last November 9, Warner Music brought their school tour, We Play Here, to the Ateneo de Manila University campus. With a stacked lineup of local artists, the home of the Blue Eagles was decorated with live music performances by some of the most renowned Original Pinoy Musicians to date. Nine different sets took place from 4PM (originally scheduled for 3PM) to 10PM (originally scheduled for 9PM), giving each act around four songs each to perform.

The venue was filled with all kinds of audience members; people attended with friends, with their significant others, or even their parents, while some arrived alone — but this didn’t stop everyone from mingling with one another. It was the kind of event wherein one would leave with more friends than they originally came with. This was especially true for the A’TIN (SB19 fans) who attended the event in support of the group’s ROCKSTA, FELIP, who, while queueing for the show, could be seen making friends with each other, treating the Ateneo Junior High School Covered Courts like a space for family reunion.

Likening the school’s gymnasium to festival grounds, the vicinity was adorned with various Warner-related booths and activities. At the edge of the venue were a booth themed around Rosé and Bruno Mars’ joint chart-topper, “APT.,” a booth recreating the cover of Jason Dhakal’s collaborative piece with DENY, “Favorite Song,” and a booth where attendees could score signed merchandise from Dilaw.

Prior to the event’s start, light rains washed over the campus, making for a somewhat gloomy atmosphere. Fittingly so, an observable running motif throughout the night was the ever-recurring theme of heartbreak, almost like an homage to the sawi. As a number of these performers would open songs dedicated to those hurting over lost loves, being ghosted, and even more, it would appear that there was truly something peculiar charging the energy that night.

The night started off with a sweet, intimate vibe through Atenean folk singer-songwriter Franz Guico’s stage. Performing in a space that’s almost native land to him, he was able to pull through his set in spite of technical difficulties thanks to his sheer charisma and confidence on stage. He captivated the crowd with his distinct but sweet vocal tone, singing his song “Dahan Dahan Ka Nang Nawawala,” breakup tracks “Masyado Kitang Minahal” and “Distansya,” and ending on a lighthearted note with “Ikaw Na Ang Buhay Ko.”

Following the downbeat folk tunes, reggae quintet Yah Bles turned the heat up with their high yet well-coordinated energy. With energetic covers of Sojah’s “So High” and Bob Marley’s “Sweat,” Yah Bles covered the venue in their unique and colorful summertime glow. The band then introduced their independent discography with the songs “Syantu” and “Bakasyon Grande.” People in the audience couldn’t resist the urge to rise to their feet to jam along with these funky grooves — who wouldn’t with a band as infectiously upbeat as Yah Bles?

Bringing back the acoustic guitars for the night, Warner’s recently signed rising artist Jan Roberts took the stage. Serenading the scene with his sweet folk-pop tunes, he implored the audience to sing along to his live rendition of “Patlang.” Following the performance of his hit track “Sagip,” he brought the heartbroken energy back with “Hirap Kalimutan.”

Charging up the stage afterwards was solo singer-songwriter Arthur Miguel, bringing some of his hottest hits to the campus tour. He danced confidently on stage, dedicating “GHINOST” to those who’ve been ghosted. For his next number, he sang a cover of “I’ll Never Let Go” as an homage to his late cat. Following this, heartbreak season was in the air once again as he sung “Ang Wakas” and “Lihim,” and ended his set by bringing out Albay native act dwta for their joint work “Tahan Na.”

Jason Dhakal then led into the night with his signature contemporary R&B/pop sound with his sensual hit, “can’t get enough,” from his 2023 album BEING. As it was his third time performing in the Ateneo campus, he treated the audience like close friends in cheeky exchanges of banter during his spiels. Through his live rendition of his most recent cover piece “Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko,” he had everyone dancing to the modern version of this OPM classic. He closed his set with the song that initially pulled him into the limelight, “Body & Soul,” and his smash hit cover of Sitti’s “Para Sa Akin.”

Excitement for Sugarcane’s set filled the venue as members of the crowd rushed to the front as the band prepared onstage. With fog shrouding the stage for their atmospheric set, the six-piece folk band boomed with energy as they rocked along to their hit “Paruparo.” Next, members of the audience sang along to the performances of their latest releases “Pagbigyan” and “Lagi Na Lang.” On a sentimental note, they finished off their set with their smash hit “Leonora.”

Davao-based hip-hop group PLAYERTWO lit up the stage as they made their entrance with their hype anthem “LET ME!” Fans were waving around signs with each of the members’ names, doing each rap word for word as proof of their dedication. They prefaced their second song by saying it was an unreleased track that would soon be dropped on streaming platforms. Once their fan favorite “THINKIN OF LOVE” hit the speakers, everyone couldn’t help but sing along to the iconic chorus. With “Safe Ka S’akin” and “THAT’S MY BABY,” everyone at the venue could be found chanting and dancing along to the catchy tunes. To end their set, they came down from the stage to party with the audience with their banger, “SHOWER MUSIC.”

There was a rising anticipation in the venue for SB19’s FELIP’s long-awaited performance — and so, he delivered. Packing his set with hit after hit from his acclaimed solo album 7sins, he kicked off his performance with a rousing live rendition of “envy.” Sending temperatures through the roof with “wrath” and “sloth,” fans couldn’t help but rush to the front to get a closer look at the P-pop icon; one even brought out a full-sized tablet to snap pictures of the artist. He then powered through the last song on his set, “foes,” leaving the audience with a compelling anthem.

Last and definitely not the least on the lineup for the night was the much-awaited Baguio-bred rock band, Dilaw, who treated the stage like a playground for a spirited and energetic performance. Starting on a high note, each member of the band commanded the stage with their unique colors in their opening song, “Maskara.” Through a more rock-angled rendition of “Orasa,” the band channeled energy from the audience who sang along to each lyric. Their lead vocalist, Dilaw Obero, took on the stage with boundless energy as he would jump around and dance with audience members singing along to their performance of “Nilalang.” They prefaced their staging of “Janice,” as well, as a rock song and an inside joke amongst fans and listeners alike, and took a witty crack at the audience with the relatable woes of their latest release “YIEE.” Nevertheless, their smash hit “Uhaw” provided the ultimate singalong as everyone knew the lyrics to their biggest hit, ending the night on sentimental and sappy note.

All in all, We Play Here’s second leg of its campus tour was a testament to how music forges everlasting bonds, as concert goers could be seen leaving the venue with more friends than they came with. The six-hour duration of the event served as a time for gathering, connecting, and at its purest essence, celebrating local music with one another.