The tail-end of 2023 marks the awaited holiday season, and while the -ber months normally foster gathering, giving, and (at times) leaving for other countries, concert sleigh bells begin to chime, welcoming the sound and flavor of concerts populated across October to December.
The Philippine concert scene finds warmth in witnessing its audience gather at the front of the barriers, anticipating performances from international acts in the flesh.
Sam Smith: GLORIA the Tour
Instagram: @livenationph
Date: October 21, 2023
Venue: SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City, Metro Manila
Tickets: SM Tickets
Reuniting with his Filipino “Sailors” for the third time, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sam Smith docks at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on October 21, 2023, this time embracing a more eccentric and colorful persona in comparison to his last. GLORIA the Tour evidences Smith’s “creative revelation” while simultaneously showcasing his “personal revolution” as an artist. His fourth studio album captures an “emotional, sexual, and spiritual liberation”—similar to a coming-of-age story.
Lukas Graham Live In Manila
Instagram: @ticketnetph
Date: October 22, 2023
Venue: New Frontier Theater, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Tickets: TicketNet
Lukas Graham last appeared on the Smart Araneta Coliseum stage in January 2019 for the 4th Wish Music Awards, as their return to Manila did not take 7 Years to surface. Led by vocalist Lukas Forchhammer, the Danish pop-soul collective schedules a date at the New Frontier Theater on October 22, 2023, with tracks across their four albums. They became among the first 25 acts to enter Spotify’s Billions Club, with 7 Years amassing over 1.6B streams, as other notables include 3’s (The Purple Album) Love Someone and Lukas Graham’s Mama Said.
Charlie Burg Live in Manila
Instagram: @insigniapresents
Date/s: November 16, 2023
Venue: Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Metro Manila
Tickets: SM Tickets
Manila is waiting for you, Charlie Burg. The Detroit-born R&B/Indie Rock musician will appear in front of SM Aura Premier’s Samsung Hall on November 16, 2023, with staples across his near-decade discography. Responsible for “I Don’t Wanna Be Okay Without You” (Life in Peter’s Attic), “Lancaster Nights,” and “Lovesong” (One, Violet), his versatility peers across genres, combining elements of alternative R&B, indie rock, folk, and electronic pop, with his debut studio album Infinitely Tall in 2022.
Joji Live in Manila: Pandemonium Asia Tour
Instagram: @insigniapresents
Date/s: November 28, 2023
Venue: Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Tickets: TicketNet
Pandemonium strikes the Smart Araneta Coliseum on November 28, 2023, awaiting the return of 88rising poster child JOJI on Philippine soil. Last appearing in front of Manila’s 2022 Head in the Clouds Festival, the Japanese singer-songwriter reconnects with his local supporters after successful legs in North America and Australia. His third album, SMITHEREENS (2022), reached first in Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums and fifth on the Billboard 200.
Kiana Ledé Live in Manila
Instagram: @insigniapresents
Date: December 6, 2023
Venue: Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, Metro Manila
Tickets: SM Tickets
While most of the roster for 2023’s fourth quarter bears a certain familiarity when performing in the Philippines, December 6, 2023, marks the first appearance of Kiana Ledé with her Grudges The World Tour. Insignia Presents’ fifth installment of its concert series invites the sprouting R&B/Soul artist to SM Aura Premier’s Samsung Hall with her “soulful voice, relatable lyrics, and unique sound” under its spotlight.
Fall Out Boy Live in Manila
Instagram: @livenationph
Date: December 9, 2023
Venue: Smart Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Tickets: LiveNation
Thnks fr th Mmrs, Fall Out Boy, though hopefully we have many more to come. A resident when it comes to the roars of its Filipino fan base, the Wilmette, Illinois quartet’s reunion in the country marks the end of a 10-year hiatus with their last appearance in 2013 with Save Rock and Roll. Spanning four albums and several hit singles since their previous appearance, the alternative/rock/pop band’s legacy is forever cemented in its Filipino faithful, going down swinging until their final bow.
