Reveller’s Pack: Wanderland Music Festival 2016

The Philippines’ music and arts festival Wanderland returns in its fourth edition on March 5 at Globe Circuit Event Grounds, Circuit Makati, Makati City, and it’s bigger and better than ever.

Co-headlined by Death Cab For Cutie and Bon Iver, Wanderland 2016 not only showcases world-famous acts but also local and international indie bands. This year music lovers will witness great performances across genres from The Naked and Famous, San Cisco, Panama, Blackbird Blackbird, CRWN and Jess Connelly, Cheats, Chad Valley, Commandeur, Jensen and the Flips, Curtismith and Oh Flamingo.

With Wanderland right around the corner, we present you a comprehensive guide to those going, still deciding and simply facts craving. Drum roll please!

History

Wanderland is brought to music lovers by Karpos Multimedia Inc., the team behind great many concerts in Manila, including Bastille, alt-J, Bombay Bicycle Club and The Cranberries. Back in 2013, mastheads and three musketeers of Karpos, Stephanie, Nicole and John Uy decided to launch Wanderland after talking about how there’d been no festivals in the Philippines that catered to what many people and they themselves are passionate about: music, art and design. With an influx of festivals emerging in Asia, the siblings wanted Filipinos to have their own go-to, one of a kind summer sonic festival.

With passion, innovation and partnership with various big brands, the inaugural edition of came about in the summer heat of May 2013, presenting revellers a wide range of outdoor activities – a merry-go-round, inflatable slides and Velcro walls were all the rage – art installations and performances and, most indispensably, live music: Australia’s quintet The Temper Trap and American alternative hit makers Neon Trees were the festival’s very first headliners. They were also joined by Nada Surf, Tully on Tully, Avalanche City, Colour Coding, Up Dharma Down, Pulso, Yolanda Moon, Taken by Cars and She’s Only Sixteen.

In the following years, Wanderland stayed true to its founding pillars. What changed was the theme and scale: under “Circus Carnival Music Festival”, it became an ultimate playground with more exciting carnival games and attractions. American indie-pop duo The Drums headlined the festival in 2014. Other highlights included a wave of Australian acts like Architecture in Helsinki, The Paper Kites, Last Dinosaurs and Woody Pitney; Stockholm-based four-piece The Royal Concept and British songstress Lucy Rose.

2015 was the first year Wanderland delved into hip-hop and electronic music alongside the usual alternative and folk sounds to appeal to a wider fanbase, evident from its top-billing American rapper-producer Kid Cudi as the headliner. DJ and indie-electronic soloist RAC hailed from Portugal to fuel the thumping energy while SINYMA and FXXXYBLNT served some fresh, homegrown electronic beats.

Venue

Wanderland 2016 is going back to Makati City’s Globe Circuit Event Grounds, an outdoor concert grounds that can host over 20,000 attendees. There are several ways to get there via public transport:

• From Magallanes MRT or Gil Puyat LRT1: Take the PRC-Mantrade-Katamanan-C jeepney. Get off at Globe Circuit Events Ground.
• From Guadalupe MRT: Take the Guadalupe-Leon-Guinto or the Guadalupe-Del Pan jeepney. Get off at Globe Circuit Events Ground.
• From Landmark Makati: Take the Makati Loop jeepney located at the ground floor exit of Landmark Makati facing Greenbelt 3. Get off at Glove Circuit Events Ground.
• Taxi: Get a cab from any corner of the city and tell the driver to drop you off at Circuit Makati.

Tickets

For Philippines-based visitors: General Pass or Wanderer is priced at PHP5,160. Grab yours here until the day of the festival (Mar 5). Call 470-2222 for ticket inquiries.

For international visitors: General Pass or Wanderer is PHP4,782. VIP packages or Star Wanderer are still available at PHP5,953 through Viagogo. Perks include:

• Access to the priority lane
• Access to VIP viewing deck and bar
• VIP restroom
• 2 drinks

Note:

• You should exchange your e-ticket to a physical ticket beforehand to avoid all lining up trouble.
• Do not buy tickets from a third party sellers, scalpers or selling sites (e.g. sulit.com, ayosdito and olx).
• Any tickets or wristbands purchased elsewhere may or may not be valid; it can only be verified at the entrance on the day of the festival itself.

Survival Kit

Here’s an official guide to what to bring and what not to bring.

What to wear: comfortable, action-ready wear and footgear + sunglasses W
What to bring: your Wanderland pass + photo ID + cash/ATM card + sun block + hat + poncho (in case it rains) + mat (for you to sit on) + foldable umbrella + camera (no DSLR or professional camera) + your happy self!
Prohibited items: Food + cans + bottles + glass + chairs + anything studded, spiked, or chained fashion items + fireworks + sharp objects + professional cameras + laser lights or pens + scooters or bike + pets + alcohol and illegal substances.

2016 sure is going to be another successful year for Wanderland. Even though there’s only been three festivals bearing the title, the festival is now a tradition to many locals. For those going, still deciding or simply curious, we hope this quick guide is of some help for you in one way or another!