It all started on June 21, 1982. With the goal of bringing people out in the streets through music, the first ever Fête de la Musique was held in Paris. The idea was to set up stages open to any musician and free for anyone to attend. Proof of its cultural potency, soon, Fête became a global phenomenon celebrated yearly in more than 700 cities in 120 countries.
Here in the Philippines, we mark the festival’s 25th anniversary. And best believe, the Alliance Française de Manille with the French Embassy and B-Side Productions did not hold back in the celebration. The much-awaited musical event is definitely pulling out all the stops by giving us 52(!!!) pocket stages highlighting specific genres. This year, we’ll get to see big and upcoming local artists in different stages perform at Intramuros and Makati, as well as six different areas, namely, Baguio, Batangas, Bulacan, Laguna, Palawan, and Pampanga.
Since it is the 25th anniversary, the organizers have prepared new and exciting things for us to celebrate the milestone, such as the Music Heals Fête de la Musique Pop-Up, and Pre-Fête parties which happened last June 8 and 15, respectively. In case you missed those, don’t fret. Here are some you can still look forward to at this year’s Fête.
New pocket stages
As mentioned, Fête will have 52 pocket stages across different areas. One we’re especially curious about is the Zodiac stage by GIG productions happening at the Gallery in the Gutter, featuring performances by Apex Chudian or Floating Sound Nation, Datu Arellano, Dona Marquez, and V432 Wellness. Another is the Femme Fatale Stage by Bigtimetado Production and ChixxxMnla at Handlebar Bar and Grill. The likes of The Soledads, Buttercream, Lady I, and Crab and Corn will dominate that stage. Oh, and the All Female French-Filipino Medley led by Radha in collaboration with other artists at the Intramuros Main Stage on June 28 is something to watch out for as well.
A chance to fly to France
Yes, this is real. By sharing your most memorable Fête story in a 25-second video, you can win two round-trip tickets to France. So get recording and upload! Details and updates on this contest are available through Fête de la Musique PH app.
#GlobeFete Production Number
Fete will open on June 21, with the A-Venue main stage. Aside from performances by the likes of Ebe Dancel, Unique, Itchyworms and Extrapolation, a medley led by Francis De Veyra is also a must-see. The production number will feature artists such as Aia de Leon, Vic Facultad, Cooky Chua, Bayang Barrios, Tarsius, Kat Agarrado, Bea Lorenzo, and Brass Pas Pas Pas Pas.
Fête closing party
If you find that the three dates aren’t enough, you still have the closing party to look forward to. It’s happening at 20:20 and XX XX on June 29 and organized by Alliance Française de Manille with DocDef Productions and Gabi Na Naman Productions.
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Fête has always been special because it’s at the forefront of showcasing what our lush music scene has to offer. With the festival’s 25th anniversary celebration, we’ve especially come to see just how rich our music culture is. For sure, we’ll be among the fans supporting them this year. We’ll see you there, yes?
Photo courtesy of Fête de la Musique PH’s Instagram account
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