11 things to know about the 5th Malasimbo Arts and Music Festival

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1. It’s going to be a two-weekend affair. On the first weekend, Mar 6-8, the focus is going to be music and the arts. On the second weekend, Mar 13-15, the focus will be on lights and dance. The second weekend, especially, caters to the younger set, given its strong hip-hop slant.

2. 12 international and local acts are confirmed as headliners for the first weekend. The 6 international acts are: Ky-Mani Marley (son of Bob Marley), Fred Wesley and the New J.B.s, Taylor McFerrin (son of Bobby ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ McFerrin), beatboxer Tom Thum, French Kiwi Juice (France) and Gocoo + Goro (Japan).

On the local front: Brigada, Noli Aurillo, Akasha, Bleu Rascals, Adinkra Lumads Djembe Community, Crwn. More will be announced in the coming days.

3. Over 30 visual artists will present on the two-weekend festival. So far, 27 are confirmed including Wawi Navarroza, Leeroy New, Ling Quisumbing Ramilo, Ernest Concepcion, Iya Regalario, and of course Olivia D’Aboville.

4. Expect a huge Japanese crowd on the second weekend. Why? Because 6 DJs are flying in straight from Japan (DJ Kentaro, DJ Mitsu the Beats, To-Ru, HiFaNa, and Tetsuji Tanaka & MC Cardz).

Also performing on the second weekend are DJs from around the world, including our very own Manolet Dario and Lyrically Deranged Poets.

5. Expect a lot of dancing, too. The Philippine All-Stars, Planet Zips Luminaries, and Daloy Dance Company are confirmed for the second weekend.

6. Check out the malasimboat. The music and the dancing, they’re all done in the evening. So what do festival revelers do in the middle of the day? Have some fun in the sun on the malasimboat. There’s a bar inside, a double slide in the middle — perfect for a day-time party, indeed!

7. Don’t forget to enjoy the eco-cultural activities. The organizers couldn’t emphasize it enough: environment and local culture complete the four pillars of the festival (the two others are music and arts, of course). That said, do check out the Mangyan village, which represents the 7 Mangyan tribes of Mindoro, which you can find right in the middle of the festival grounds.

8. Remember the tamaraw. Speaking of Mindoro, this year’s festival social responsibility arm is focusing on the preservation of the tamaraws. There’s urgency here because at the moment, there are only 400 tamaraws left in the province. And you can only find the tamaraw in Mindoro. Yikes!

9. Drugs are not welcome. Hubert D’Aboville, who is pretty much the god in the scheme of Malasimbo things, has made it very clear: illegal substances are not welcome in the premises. Apart from the Galera police that the local government is providing, the Malasimbo team has also employed a 50-strong security team to make sure the festival grounds remain safe.

10. Bring coco water! But that said, Migo Grgic says you have to come prepared just in case. He advises for everyone to come prepared and keep hydrated. His suggestion? Why, drink coco water!

11. Get your ticket prices before Mar 5. We just missed the super early bird promo, which ended Jan 17. The current ticket promos, which start at PHP2,495 for Friday pass, ends on Mar 5. After Mar 5 and at the gate, tickets start at PHP2,995 for Friday pass. Check out the festival posters below and be guided accordingly:

malasimbo poster

malasimbo poster

 

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