A new two-day EDM festival will launch in the Philippines next month, featuring more than 60 acts from the East and West.

The 10,000-capacity &FRIENDS festival lands in the capital city of Manila between 30-31 May, featuring the likes of Zedd, Bbno$, Illenium, Seven Lions, Euro Trash, Kiara and Ylona Garcia.

The inaugural edition will take place at the five-star hotel Okada Manila, with full festival tickets starting from $149 and single-day tickets starting from $61.

“We’re looking to be the destination festival for EDM in the Philippines,” says Justin Banusing, CEO of Clout Kitchen, which organises the festival.

“We’ve seen how festivals like Coachella, EDC, and Tomorrowland unite music lovers from all over the world, and now it’s Manila’s turn. We want to bring EDM back as a festival mainstay in the Philippines.”

But bringing internationally renowned acts to Manila is just one part of the puzzle for &FRIENDS, says Banusing. The festival’s organisers are intent on investing in regional talent, especially as they look to export the brand to other markets in South East Asia.

“We want to bring EDM back as a festival mainstay in the Philippines”

“We don’t just want to be another music festival that brings big names – we also want to be the festival that platforms EDM acts from around the region,” explains Banusing.

“We’re working together to bridge Asian EDM from across the globe, having HOANG, Botcash, Hoaprox, and Foxela from America, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, respectively.”

“We have also invited the amazing Ylona Garcia to headline our OPM (Original Pilipino Music) stage. She’s supported by amazing musicians such as Kiyo, Amiel Sol, Barq, and Alys,” he concludes.

Alongside the festival’s musical ambitions, &FRIENDS promises to be a “celebration of Gen Z pop culture, the creators leading the charge, and the communities around them”.

Clout Kitchen will draw on its clientele, as a consumer AI startup focused on creator-driven interactive experiences in gaming and pop culture. Headquartered in Los Angeles and Manila, the firm is backed by investors like a16z Games and AppWorks.

“The festival is built around the creators we work with, content creators and artists, giving them a space to connect with their fans not just online but in real life, in ways that feel personal, immersive, and memorable,” says Banusing.

&FRIENDS festival launches as the EDM industry reaches new heights to a valuation of $12.9 billion, according to the IMS Business Report 2025.

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A Philippines senator has tabled a new bill promising stiff penalties for ticket touts including fines and jail terms

The Southeast Asian country hosted gigs by Coldplay and Dua Lipa in 2024, as well as Filipina-American singer Olivia Rodrigo’s biggest show to date, drawing more than 2.1 million fans across 154 concerts overall.

But senator Mark Villar warns that the increased demand has led to challenges “including the proliferation of ticket scalping or the practice of reselling admission tickets at an inflated or predatory price”.

Villar says the trend undermines “the consumers’ right to fair access to entertainment scenes” as well as “encouraging price gouging”, and has filed the Anti-Ticket Scalping Act. The bill seeks to prohibit touting in the country “to protect consumers from exploitation and guarantee fair access to events of their favourite artists or performers”.

Under the legislation, resale of tickets for more than 10% above face value would be banned.

“We filed this bill to stop or curb the worsening scalping in the country that is taking advantage of our fellow concertgoers or avid fans,” says Villar. It is no longer reasonable for these scalpers to charge inhumane prices for concert and event tickets.

“Our goal is to provide fair access to fans and concertgoers who truly desire to go to concerts at a reasonable price. They do not deserve the unrestrained exploitation of scalpers. Every fan and every Filipino deserves to enjoy concerts without being extorted by scammers.”

“These scalpers are scammers and we will not allow them to increase in number and continue to deceive Filipinos”

There is currently no specific law criminalising touting in the Philippines at a national level. However, the bill aims to prohibit the “offering, hoarding, selling, distributing, buying, dealing in, disposing of, or otherwise acquiring admission tickets for entertainment events, without written permission from the authorised event producer, organiser, and distributor”.

In addition, financing, managing, or operating ticket scalping activities “on a large scale” will also be penalised.

“As a prevention measure, event ticketing, event production and event service entities will also be required to publish or post reminders against scalping on their premises or websites,” says Villar. “They are also ordered to adopt and implement internal policy guidelines and mechanisms to prevent scalping activities among their employees, contractors and agents.”

According to the bill, anyone convicted of ticket scalping will be fined Php 100,000 (€1,673) and/or six months in prison for the first offence. The punishment could then increase to Php 500,000 (€8,364) and/or three years’ jail for the third and subsequent offences.

“In addition to the company, directors, members, officers and employees involved in scalping can also be held liable,” adds Villar. “We will actively promote and fight for the enactment of this bill against these scalpers and to give our countrymen fair access to concerts and events. These scalpers are scammers and we will not allow them to increase in number and continue to deceive Filipinos.”

An in-depth report on secondary ticketing regulation around the world will appear in the upcoming ILMC edition of IQ Magazine.

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Olivia Rodrigo delivered the largest concert of her career on Saturday night during the Philippines stop of her arena outing, the Guts World Tour.

The Filipina-American singer delivered a sold-out show to the 55,000-capacity Philippine Arena, the world’s largest indoor arena located 30 km (18.6 mi) outside of the capital city of Manila.

The 21-year-old plans to donate all profits from the concert – her first in the Philippines – to Jhpiego, an international nonprofit organisation providing healthcare for women and families.

The Johns Hopkins University-affiliated initiative provides access to reproductive healthcare, infectious disease prevention, and immunizations, operating across more than 40 countries including the Philippines.

“I’m SO stoked that all the net ticket sales from last night could be donated to @jhpiego through my fund 4 good,” Rodrigo wrote on Instagram. “I got to visit the organization while I was in Manila and was so impressed by the work they are doing providing healthcare to women and girls in the Philippines.”

“It was the most special show and the most meaningful trip. To say I’m grateful doesn’t even cut it! Mahal kita [I love you].”

Tickets for the show were sold for PHP 1,500 (£20/$25), with all net proceeds allocated to Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good, a global initiative to boost women and girls through “direct support of community-based non-profits that champion girls’ education, support reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence”. The reduced ticket price supported her Silver Star programme to increase affordability and access to the tour while sustaining the Fund 4 Good.

“It was the most special show and the most meaningful trip. To say I’m grateful doesn’t even cut it”

Launching the initiative alongside last year’s tour announcement, Rodrigo has aided local organisations throughout the 99-date venture, which is due to end with eight shows across Melbourne and Syndey later this month. The former Disney actress has partnered with the National Network of Abortion Funds in North America, 600 Canadian women’s shelters, and Women Against Violence Europe across her regional tour legs.

While the arena tour will end this year, Rodrigo is lined up to headline four Latin American festivals in March 2025: Lollapalooza Argentina, Brazil, and Chile and Colombia’s Festival Estéreo Picnic.

The Guts World Tour will soon be visiting homes worldwide as Olivia Rodrigo: Guts World Tour is set to debut on Netflix on 29 October. The concert film was recorded across two performances at Los Angeles’ newest arena, the 18,000-capacity Intuit Dome, in August. The LA-based songwriter performed six nights in LA, with four shows at the Kia Forum (18,000).

“I am so excited to share the Guts World Tour with my fans,” Rodrigo said. “For those of you who didn’t get a chance to rock out in-person, now you can have the best seats in the house! And to the fans who cheered, screamed, and danced with me, I am so glad we get to do it all over again!”

The Live Nation-promoted trek has traversed North America, Europe, and Asia, and will hit Australia on Wednesday (9 October). The singer-songwriter released her critically acclaimed second album GUTS last September, with its support tour beginning in February at Palm Spring’s Acrisure Arena (11,680).

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The Philippines is planning to build a ‘Taylor Swift-ready’ stadium by 2028, after missing out on the star’s Eras Tour.

Singapore was the only Southeast Asia stop on the world tour due to a reported exclusivity deal between promoter AEG and the island nation’s government.

Filipino lawmaker Joey Salceda criticised the deal, adding that it was “not what good neighbours do”.

Now, leaders in the Philippines are taking matters into their own hands.

The Clark International Airport and Corp. (CIAC) has announced plans to construct a stadium that can accommodate large concerts and performances from superstars such as Taylor Swift.

The stadium would be “walking distance” from the Clark International Airport (CRK) in Pampanga, northwest of Manila, and around 40 hectares in size, according to CIAC president and CEO Arrey Perez, who shared details at the Build Better More Infrastructure Forum at the New Clark City on Friday.

“I hope by the time we build our complex, we are ready to host [Swift] because the Philippines has always been a music-loving industry”

The new venue is estimated to cost P32 billion (€502m) and will be a public-private partnership, he added.

“When we host big events, we always see Philippine Arena,” continued Perez. “So, you have something like a 55,000-seater but the problem is it causes a lot of traffic. It’s a major gateway… NLEX (North Luzon Expressway). And apart from that, Clark really needs also more attractions so that we can really attract more passengers, more airlines to the airport. Our business is not entertainment but really, all these developments are meant to support the growth of the CRK.”

Perez said that so far, a mix of local and international companies from Singapore, the US and the Philippines have expressed interest in the proposed Clark arena project.

“I hope by the time we build our complex, we are ready to host [Swift] because the Philippines has always been a music-loving industry,” Perez adds.

The Philippines isn’t the only Southeast Asian country that has reacted to Singapore’s deal with Swift.

In March this year, Thailand’s prime minister said she wanted the country to follow suit and become a ‘strong hub’ for international concerts and festivals.

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Touring K-pop festival series Waterbomb Festival will debut in Manila, Philippines, this year.

Manila is the latest stop to be confirmed for the 2024 Waterbomb World Tour which includes dates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Japan, Bangkok, Taipei, Los Angeles, Ho Chi Minh, Xiamen and Bali.

The tour kicked off in May in Xiamen, China, and most recently visited Seoul, South Korea, where it was first held in 2015.

Waterbomb first expanded to new markets in 2023 with two editions in Japan and one in Bangkok. The event was launched by Hong Kong-based streaming platform Viu and Singapore-based Evergreen Group Holdings, with local promoters helping bring it to new territories.

Waterbomb intertwines various water activities alongside local and international lineups of K-pop, hip-hop, and EDM performers

As the name suggests, Waterbomb intertwines various water activities alongside local and international lineups of K-pop, hip-hop, and EDM performers.

Acts vary with territories but the most recent Seoul edition of Waterbomb featured the likes of Zico, Jay Park, Simon Dominic, Hwasa, Changmo and Taemin. Dates and acts for the Philippines edition are yet to be announced.

KCON, the world’s biggest K-pop fan and artist festival, also announced expansion recently.

The Korean pop music and culture convention, operated by Korea’s largest media conglomerate CJ ENM, will debut in Germany this September.

Karsten Jahnke, in cooperation with AEG Presents and CJ ENM, will organise the premiere at the Messe Frankfurt complex on 28–29 September.

The Waterbomb World Tour schedule is as follows:

May
18-18: Xiamen, China

June
1-2: Hong Kong

July
5-7: Seoul, South Korea
13: Jeju, South Korea
13: Fukuoka, Japan
20: Daegu, South Korea
27: Busan, South Korea
27-28: Tokyo, Japan

August
3: Incheon, South Korea
10: Daejeon, South Korea
10: Osaka, Japan
17: Sokcho, South Korea
17: Nagoya, Japan
24: Suwon, South Korea
24-25: Singapore, Singapore
31: Gwangju, South Korea

September
TBA: Bangkok

TBA
Los Angeles, United States
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Taipei, Taiwan
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Manila, Philippines

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Live Nation has launched in the Philippines following its acquisition of promoter Music Management International (MMI).

MMI has brought the likes of Coldplay, U2, Shawn Mendes, Blackpink, The Chainsmokers, Maroon 5, One Direction, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Backstreet Boys to the country’s capital Manila in recent years.

In the wake of the deal, which signals Live Nation’s further expansion across Asia, MMI boss Rhiza Pascua has been appointed to the role of MD of Live Nation Philippines.

“Rhiza has put the Philippines firmly on the global touring map,” says Roger Field, president of Live Nation Asia Pacific. “We have a long-standing and successful relationship with MMI and the launch of Live National Philippines is a the natural next step in our committed growth in the Asia Pacific region.”

“MMI has delivered industry leading world-class service to attract the biggest and best talent to the Philippines”

The companies are long-term collaborators, having entered into a partnership to promote concerts in the Philippines back in 2014.

“MMI has delivered industry-leading world-class service to attract the biggest and best talent to the Philippines,” adds Pascua.

“Through the launch of Live Nation Philippines, the sky’s the limit. We look forward to bringing even more of the globe’s biggest stars and connecting fans with the artists they love and the magic of live.”

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The team behind Hong Kong promoter Magnetic Asia (Clockenflap, Sónar HK, Feast) and ticketing platform Ticketflap are rebranding their ticketing division from Asia Ticketing to Total Ticketing in a push to take the brand global.

“From our beginnings as technology experts and event promoters, we are very proud to have been able bring all of our skills and experience together to provide a fantastic ticketing experience for staff, customers and stakeholders alike,” comments Magnetic Asia CEO Mike Hill. “While we remain proud of our Asian roots and will continue to focus on serving the varied markets in the region, we are extremely excited about this new chapter in our evolution to a truly global offering.”

Central to Total Ticketing’s offering is its new Enterprise Ticketing Solution (ETS), designed to meet the needs of promoters, ticket agencies, integrated resorts, attractions and theme parks, and multi-venue businesses such as convention centres, theatres and stadium complexes. The company is active in Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan and the UK.

“We are currently leveraging our feature-rich systems to further diversify”

Peter Gordon, MD of Total Ticketing, explains: “Our ETS has the power to help so many different types of businesses turn their ticketing operations from a cost centre into a profit centre and to open up manifold business development opportunities with valuable new stakeholders.

“As well as helping our clients to transform their ticketing operations and profitability, we are currently leveraging our feature-rich systems to further diversify into cutting edge skill-sharing and booking platforms, live video streaming and immersive audience experiences – with some exciting new product news coming very soon.”

Ticketflap is one of the five major primary ticketing companies in Hong Kong, according to the International Ticketing Yearbook 2019.

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TEG-owned Ticketworld, one of the largest ticketing companies in the Philippines, has appointed a new general manager, as chief executive Bob Sewell retires.

Sewell, who founded the Manila-based ticketing service in 1995, will stay on at TicketWorld in a consulting capacity.

TEG has now appointed John Maclang as general manager at TicketWorld.

A lawyer by profession, Maclang has led technology and e-commerce platforms as a county manager in the Philippines, most recently for Hotel Link.

Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG acquired TicketWorld in November 2018. The ticketing company joined TEG’s Singapore-based Asian division, which is headed up by former Ticketek managing director Brendon Bainbridge.

TEG chief executive Geoff Jones praised Sewell for his work building the company, saying: “I want to congratulate Bob on the great work he’s done to make the business what it is today and thank him for his generous contribution in integrating the company into TEG.”

“I want to congratulate Bob on the great work he’s done to make the business what it is today and thank him for his generous contribution in integrating the company into TEG”

Commenting on the new hire, Jones comments: “John brings a strong commercial and management background in technology, leisure and the law. We welcome and look forward to working with him to deliver on our commitment to grow rapidly in Asia.”

Maclang, who has been effective in his new role since 24 July, states he is looking forward to “further develop[ing] Manila as a world class entertainment market.”

Sewell wishes Maclang and TicketWorld “all the best” for the company’s “next phase of development and growth.” The TicketWorld founder notes the maturity of the Philippine entertainment sector, which “is displaying all the signs that will ensure its position of strength in the Asian market.”

In recent years, TicketWorld has provided ticketing for tours by Guns N’ Roses and Katy Perry, as well as theatre productions the Lion King and Mamma Mia.

TicketWorld provides ticketing services to Philippine venues including Solaire Resort and Casino, Resorts World Manila, BGC Arts Centre (500-cap.) and the Cultural Centre of the Philippines (8,458-seated cap.).

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Diversified Australasian live entertainment powerhouse TEG has acquired TicketWorld, one of the largest ticketing companies in the Philippines.

Founded in 1995, Manila-based TicketWorld has in recent years ticketed a number of major international tours, including Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime tour and Katy Perry’s Prismatic world tour.

It also has a strong presence in the local theatre ticket market, having worked with productions such as the Lion King, Mamma Mia!, Les Misérables and Wicked, and provides ticketing services to many of the Philippines’ premier venues, including Solaire Resort and Casino, Resorts World Manila, BGC Arts Center (500-cap.) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (8,458-cap.).

According to TEG, the parent company of leading Australian/New Zealand ticketing platform Ticketek, as well as a host of other promotion and data analytics businesses, the acquisition “complements existing TEG businesses in Asia”.

TicketWorld becomes part of TEG Asia, the division based in Singapore under managing director Brendon Bainbridge, and which also includes affiliated ticketing operations in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau.

“The opportunity to grow the market in the Philippines by delivering more entertainment choices will be well received”

“TEG is the largest integrated entertainment company in Asia Pacific, and we have a track record and accumulated expertise in the live entertainment industry,” says TEG CEO Geoff Jones. “We see great opportunities in many Asian markets and our strategy puts us on course to becoming a truly pan-Asian promoter.

“TicketWorld has built a great reputation and lasting relationships in the Philippine live entertainment industry. I am delighted that CEO and founder Bob Sewell and his management team will remain with the business under TEG ownership.”

Sewell adds: “I look forward to working with TEG and its team of entertainment professionals. The opportunity to grow the market in the Philippines by delivering more entertainment choices will be well received in the Philippines.”

“TicketWorld is a strong ticketing business that will be enhanced by having access to TEG’s ticketing technology, data-driven marketing expertise and e-commerce experience,” comments Bainbridge. “We are delighted to see TicketWorld join the TEG Asia division and help expand our reach in the region.”

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Thirteen people are facing criminal complaints over the deaths of five people at last May’s Closeup Forever Summer festival in Manila.

Following an eight-month investigation, the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (NIB) has asked for negligent homicide charges to be brought against 13 executives of promoter Closeup, its parent company, Unilever Philippines, and several security companies, which it alleges “had the ability to prevent the unwanted incidents but failed to do so”.

The victims, all of whom collapsed at the festival and died later in hospital, had ingested a cocktail of alcohol and drugs, reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was previously reported the five had taken ‘green amore’, a potentially lethal mix of MDMA and shabu, or methamphetamine.

“We acted in good faith in the staging of the event and will continue to cooperate in all the upcoming proceedings”

The NBI complaint, filed yesterday, with the Department of Justice, says the companies – Unilever, Closeup, Activations Advertising, Hypehouse Production Corp. and Delirium Manpower Services – should have put in place more effective measures to prevent drugs entering the festival site.

“Yet given all their occupational and professional standing, expertise, skill and experience […] they apathetically forgot the inclusion of illegal drugs or its possible inroads during the event,” it reads.

Closeup spokesman Ed Sunico said in a statement: “Our management team is deeply saddened by the events that took place at the Forever Summer music festival last year. We acted in good faith in the staging of the event and will continue to cooperate in all the upcoming proceedings.”

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