#MalasimboMagic: The Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival 2015 Experience

Beneath starry skies and neon trees; a night at Mt. Malasimbo

 

What do you get when you bring together a beautiful mountain with a view, the finest world music acts and abundant good vibes? You get #malasimbomagic, that’s what. (Photos by Shutter Panda Photography for Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival and Lance Cha)

 

  

 Sax sessions around the campfire at Dap Ay

 

Five years into it and Malasimbo continues to go above and beyond everyone’s expectations; its fifth music and arts festival brimming with depth and character, enthralling and engaging its audience like never before. The festival showcased an impressive line up of musical gems from various genres, from earth-shattering drum ensembles and compelling vocal harmonies to funky danceable grooves and mind-blowing DJ sets. Each act seamlessly transitioned into the next, as spectators were ushered deeper into the night by one sharply delivered performance after another.

 

Enrique de Dios of Brigada

  

  Peter Golikov of Golden Sound

 

Ky-Mani Marley taking command of Saturday night’s crowd

 

 Saturday night was most memorable for me, starting with the crisp and über chilled mixes provided by CRWN, taking the easy-going atmosphere up a notch before the night even began. The night then picked up pace as Aussie-based Golden Sound and Fred Wesley and the New J.B.’s got everyone on their feet, followed by Brigada’s bombarding the crowd with powerful drum beats. Culminating the night’s festivities was none other than Ky-Mani Marley signature brand of reggae music that perfectly suited the night’s vibes and surrounds.

 

Noli Aurillo works a guitar unlike anyone I’ve seen before

 

  Saturday night party

 

The crowd’s collective energy was almost palpable as each and everyone swayed in unison to the irresistible rhythm and beats echoing throughout the mountains. Sunday was equally amazing, as the day fizzled out into a colourful blur under glowing neon coconut trees that lit the path around the mountains, scarfing down as many kesong puti paninis and savory bowls of dabodobo as my stomach can hold, while being simultaneously held in awe of Noli Aurillo’s guitar prowess.

 

 

Installation by Catcat Mendoza 

 

  One Way Road by Troy Silvestre

 

 #WIP

 

The artists and their works featured for this year were an entirely different element altogether. The sun rose and set around the breath-taking surrounds of mount Malasimbo, casting light upon the curious bits of art that littered the grounds, constantly giving visitors something to pore over and photograph. Mount Malasimbo’s slopes served as the perfect canvas for this year’s set of art, which showcased a more colourful and intricate set of installations as compared to the previous year’s large-scale sculptures.

 

 

 What better place to experience and appreciate great music than at the top of a mountain? Flanked by rows upon rows of billowing coconut trees, surrounded by the salty ocean breeze and the cascading slopes of its natural amphitheater, Mt. Malasimbo is bound to cast its spell on you. A place this gorgeous only ought to be shared with the world, and that’s exactly what Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival does; celebrating nature’s splendour with the beauty of man-made music and art.

 

 

 

Malasimbo Music and Arts Festival 2015

 

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