Fete de la Musique Philippines Gets Bigger for its 25th Year

The highly anticipated music festival presents a more diverse array of acts on an even greater number of stages within and outside of Manila

Nearly three decades since it was first staged in the Philippines, the annual Fete de la Musique continues to hold audiences in thrall thanks to numerous acts from various genres, suiting the diverse tastes of local music lovers. Keeping this in mind for the festival's 25th year in the country, its organisers are set to present what may possibly be the biggest Fete yet, spanning several key dates throughout the month of June in locations both within the Greater Manila Area, as well as in key provinces throughout Luzon.

As Alliance Francaise de Manille executive director Jean-Pierre Dumont puts it, "2019 is a big year for Fete de la Musique, and we wanted to make sure that this year's event will be a special one."

Above (L-R) Bizooku's Dondi Chiongbian; HE Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of France to the Philippines; Giselle Tomimbang, president of B-side Productions; Alliance Francaise de Manille Executive Director Jean-Pierre Dumont

FetePH 2019 kicks off on Saturday, 15 June 2019, with not one, but three pre-event stages in Manila, Taguig, and Makati. Filipino rock icon Dong Abay headlines the main pre-Fete stage, SXManila, at the Rizal Park Open-Air Auditorium. DJ Manolet Dario, director of Groove Manila, is set to spin the tunes at the Sunset Collective Stage hosted at the KMC Skydeck in BGC. Those who would like to belt out their favourite rock anthems can head over to the Rockeoke Stage hosted at Salon de Ning at The Peninsula Manila.

The main events for the festival will be held through two consecutive weekends. At 4:00pm on 22 June, Makati will be transformed into a musical mecca with two main stages at Greenbelt 3 Park and at the A Venue Open Parking Area. 53 pocket stages where acts from a number of genres ranging from rock to electronica will be mounted at key venues in Legaspi Village, Salcedo Village, Circuit Makati, and Poblacion.

Those going to the A Venue Main Stage can look forward to a spectacular 25-minute, multi-genre performance led by Brass Pas Pas Pas' Francis de Veyra, and featuring a number of renowned performers including Bituin Escalante, Aia de Leon, Vic Facultad, Cooky Chua, Bayang Barrios, and Kat Agarrado, among others. This is the Philippine music community's way of paying homage to an event that continues to celebrate the creativity and artistry of local musicians, as well as a way of being one with the rest of the globe for World Music Day.

Above Local artists put a funky spin on the brass band at the 2018 Fete

The walled city of Intramuros takes centre stage on 28 June as a stellar lineup that includes acts like Sandwich, Juan Karlos, and Leanne & Naara play at the Puerta Real Gardens. A haunting French-Filipino medley will be sung at the event by an all-female group led by singer-songwriter Radha, Filipino-French singer Vanessa Monot, and local discovery Fatima Palma-Loo.

On 29 June, the best acts from outside the capital shine on the provincial stages in Baguio, Laguna, Batangas, Pampanga, Palawan, and Bulacan. On the same evening, Fete de la Musique formally closes with an anniversary party at 20:20 in Makati.

This year's Fete also marks the beginning of a new philanthropic initiative called Music Heals, a pop-up performance geared towards highlighting the healing and restorative powers of music on both body and soul. For its initial salvo last 8 June, Music Heals brought hope and inspiration to the children of the Virlanie Foundation in Manila.

Likewise, those coming to this year's Fete stages will get the chance to win a trip for two to France by way of the #FeteStories competition. All they need to do is post a 25-second video of their fondest Fete memories or best experiences via social media. The winners will be announced at the Intramuros Main Stage on 28 June.

Fete de la Musique is organised by the Alliance Francaise de Manille, in cooperation with the Embassy of France to the Philippines and B-Side Productions. The event is also co-presented by Globe Telecom and San Miguel Pale Pilsen.

For more information of Fete de la Musique, visit their official Facebook page.

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FetePH25 Fete de la Musique

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Fete de la Musique Philippines Gets Bigger for its 25th Year