Fans Criticize Organizers of Ben&Ben’s “Stressful” Homecoming Concert; Band Issues a Statement

Though many lucky fans were able to catch the magical and electrifying concert of the 9-piece Filipino band Ben&Ben last Sunday, December 18, many others went home that day frustrated by how it had been managed.

Many netizens expressed their ire online for multiple incidents that had happened prior to the concert, namely the long snaking lines just to enter the SMDC Festival Grounds, the marshalls or guards not at all checking if the people entering had physical tickets or not, and the alleged absence of segregation between areas. Some claimed they gave up after such a long wait and just went home despite being ticketholders. They then called out the concert organizer, Ovation Productions, and called Ben&Ben’s homecoming show the “worst” they’ve ever attended.

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Following the complaints, the band issued a public statement on their social media accounts to apologize for the “stressful experience.”

“We hear you. We feel your pain, frustration, and anger,” it began. “While we are grateful that the Ben&Ben Homecoming 2022 concert was an unforgettable night of music and emotions shared between the band and Liwanag [the band’s fans], we’d like to sincerely apologize to those of you who had a deeply stressful experience with the queuing, the entry to the venue, and the general gaps in the organization of the event.”

“We know that you have given so much in order to be able to attend our concert. Thus, we are deeply affected by the experiences of those of you who went through so much last Sunday,” the band added.

Ben&Ben then promised their fans that they will be “more vigilant” in the planning and preparations of their future concerts and that the incident “won’t happen again.”

“You deserve only the best. Again, pasensya na at maraming salamat. While we can’t undo the pains that you’ve been through, we can help make things right moving forward,” the statement continued.

“Words can’t explain how grateful we are for you, Liwanag. Thank you for coming to the Ben&Ben Homecoming 2022 concert. Every song we sang was for all of you.”

(ALSO READ: Ben&Ben Records an English Version of “Paninindigan Kita” With Indonesian Singer-Songwriter Pamungkas)

Were you at their concert? Share with us your experiences in the comments below.


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