I’ve always dreamed of going to Coachella and when i heard that we will be having an arts and music festival here in Manila, i can’t help but get sooooo excited!

I was hired for the first time as a freelance photographer and though i had feelings of fear and uncertainty, i enjoyed listening to good music with hipster-eque vibe and the sunset as the backdrop.

With comfort, style and bonafide bad-assery in mind, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a true bohemian spirit, an indie-inspired rocker chic or casual cool city hipster. And this was my chance to be a poser-hippie with my “im too cool to shower” look. Maybe i’ll switch my laidback style to boho!

The event won’t be amazing without my sister Look she was at VIP/Media section with posh seating. There were also the famous portable (port-a-potties or portalets) toilets for that music festival feel.

Hundreds flocked to the desert (or let’s just say Alphaland Bay City, Aseana Avenue) on Labor Day to brave the heat, show some skin and to celebrate art and music from local and international scene!

I’m loving the live action graffiti wall painting, silkscreen and tie-dye booth floating in between the two stages.

The weather went from sunny to cloudy then to drizzling. We spotted Erwan Heaussaff, Solenn Heussaff and Mike Concepcion! Other celebrities like Raymond Gutierrez, Georgina Wilson and Nicole Anderson were also there

Water guns and soakers beat the heat! The vibe on MMF? That bold, balls-to-the-wall bravado that comes when people aren’t afraid to look ludicrous and be silly in the name of fun. It’s an up-for-anything attitude!

The Meg team! I was with ate La (Fashion Assistant), Klara (Associate Editor) and Ning Hilario (Beauty Assistant). I missed Lea that day

Everyone killed the event with their sense of style and spirit! Some festivals like Bestivaland T in the Park in the UK and Ultra in the US, revelers are encouraged to come in costume to hike up that crazy celebratory mood! Filipinos at MMF came in carnival-inspired outfits. Finally, my tank tops and cut offs are De rigueur in such events

The drinks were unbelievably overpriced (P100 bucks for a small bottle of water and P200 for a can of beer) so it’s either you have an instant pick-up party at the parking lot with the drinks you brought or you use the mini jeepneys to bring you outside. Haha.

Philippine All-Stars grooved that night in the background with dance-worthy beats. They were the ones taking a photo of themselves.

Music festivals don’t exactly offer the most comfortable experience on the planet. Imagine the scorching heat. The sticky crowd. The standing for hours on end. The lack of a decent restroom. But you have to suck it up and throw you hygiene with the wind. Perfect for my sister. Hahaha. Just kidding! After all it was all about that music festival appeal.

In addition, food stalls, ice cream carts, and mobile bars littered the festival grounds. Sand and dust were all over us! In our drinks, food, hair, face, shoes and eyes! Who would have thought that there is a desert here in the Phils?

My sister and i literally ran from one place to another as both stages played live music continuously and simultaneously. We were drenched in a mix of rock, hiphop, reggae dancehall and house all at once! Coolio!

On the right stage, rockers and cult followers enjoyed the live acts of homegrown performers that thrusted the stage such as Nameless Heroes, Razorback, Kjwan, Wilabaliw, Sinosikat, Lady I and June Marieezy and more!

On the left, partyphiles were energized as DJ sets of Similarobjects, Noodles, Katsunami, DJ Kristian Hernandez, DJ Skratchmark and DJ Nix Damn P! brought the house down in the Red Bull stage. The music was diverse and eclectic!

Local favorite Shinichi Osawa, A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Zulu Nation’s Afrika Bambaataa (Father of Electro Funk/ Amen Ra of Universal Hip-Hop) headlined the show. From ambient electronic, to afro funk, to deep tech to hip-hop, the good music was infectious!

Host Sarah Meier kept warning us about the sandstorm. Haha. Manila Music Festival was hatched by the same team behind the Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival in Puerto Galera. Plus they were supported by Department of Tourism. Good job guys! You pulled it off!

This is the jumpstart of a musical event that will indeed carve its name in Philippine Music History. And i’m lucky to be part of it and i survived the heat, rain, hunger, thirst and exhaustion. It was an amazing wet-and-wild experience

From those who were dressed in Coachella swag to the rock-soul-reggae-and-hip-hop heads coming together for the love of music, the festival became the crown of culture, fashion (for festival-goers) and talent (for artists and musicians).

I can’t wait for the next year’s MMF or maybe my Coachella pie in the sky would happen by then. But for now being a photographer at this Manila Music Festival, was actually a dream come true Thank you Lord so much!