It is with bated breath that Manila ticks off the final days to the fourth installment of Wanderland, an annual music festival the of the indie rock persuasion. In a refreshing departure from the arguably overdone trend of flower crowns and tribal themes, organizers Karpos Multimedia are taking Wanderland 2016 into outer space. As festival day draws ever nearer, Philippine Concerts takes a closer look at this year’s headliners and what to look forward to.

Death Cab for Cutie

From the college town of Bellingham, Washington hails Wanderland’s main headliner, Death Cab for Cutie. The Grammy-nominated group’s style is unmistakable with their steady, almost hypnotic music helmed by frontman Ben Gibbard’s distinct vocals.

We’re most excited for…
While Death Cab is known for layers upon layers of instrumentation, we can’t wait to hear the stripped down side of their music and sing the single-dramatic-tear-inducing words of I Will Follow You into the Dark.

Bon Iver

It was in the miserable throes of a previous band breakup, a romantic breakup, and a bout of mononucleosis that the band’s founder Justin Vernon began to bring Bon Iver to life. The Grammy-winning band is known for their indie-folk style that doesn’t pull at the heartstrings so much as yank them with industrial strength clamps.

We’re most excited for…
Let’s face it. Bon Iver was made for the hugot-afflicted and there will be no better time to let those flags fly. Feel free to throw your hands up and ugly-cry during Skinny Love and For Emma. Don’t worry, we’ll be too busy ugly-crying ourselves to judge.

The Naked and Famous

Ah, The Naked and Famous. These New Zealanders are probably on everyone’s road trip playlist ever with their infectious indie electronic hits like Young Blood and Hearts Like Ours. The young and bouncy beats they bring to the stage are just the right amount of pop we’ll be needing to even out the band’s heavier co-headliners.

We’re most excited for…
While Young Blood is sure to be a crowd favorite, has anyone ever tried ACTUALLY punch dancing to Punching in a Dream? It’s great, and we can’t wait to do it at Wanderland. (Keep a safe distance please.)

San Cisco

The list of headliners balances out with even more lighthearted tunes to come from Aussie indie pop band, San Cisco. The quartet will definitely have Wanderers up and dancing with their playful, brisk sound. We can’t help getting Neon Trees vibes from these guys, right up the Wanderland alley.

We’re most excited for…
With all the futuristic revelry we’re sure to be surrounded by at Wanderland, we think Fred Astaire will give us some great contrast with its rock-n-rolly feel.

Panama

Another Aussie band joins the roster in the form of electronic group, Panama. The duo fuses funk and indie dance rock to elicit a hazy, almost ethereal experience.

We’re most excited for…
We’re loving the otherworldly combination of tracks in Panama’s Stay Forever, A song we think will be perfect for Wanderland’s space theme this year.

Blackbird Blackbird

San Franciscans Blackbird Blackbird rounds up the list of international headliners for this year’s festival. Heavy handed on the reverb and noninvasive vocal tracks, Blackbird Blackbird adds just the right dosage of dreaminess to the spirit of Wanderland.

We’re most excited for…
Sitting on the grass with a nice cold drink and nodding along to the sparkly layers of Pure.

While there’s much to be said about our headliners, there is also no ignoring the rest of the talent that will be in Wanderland’s orbit this year. A solid lineup of fast risers and stellar Philippine artists peppers the festival with the likes of CRWN & Jess Connelly, Cheats, Chad Valley, Commandeur, Curtismith, Jensen and the Flips, and Oh, Flamingo.

With all of the above awaiting us in Wanderland’s space station, we can’t help wanting to blast off sooner. See you soon, Wanderers!

By Carla Barretto

Wanderland Festival 2016 Schedule

Ticket Prices:
WANDERBUDDIES BUNDLE (5 TICKETS) – P16,130
STAR WANDERER – P6,450
EARLY WANDERER – P3,770

Tickets now available at SM Ticket Outlets or visit smtickets.com

More info at http://wanderlandfestival.com