my 7107 international music festival experience
SOLID. EPIC. AWESOME.
There aren't enough adjectives in the dictionary to describe the total 7107 experience. It went way beyond my expectations (and those were already high to begin with).
First off, I'd like to congratulate and commend Tina Herrera, Jon Herrera and the rest of the event organizers for pulling it off flawlessly. Despite the huge crowd, everything was orderly and extremely organized. There were more than enough portalets available (always with tissue, mind you, and they were constantly cleaned by friendly maintenance people..they'd even hold the door shut for you if the latch was broken), lots of police visibility and security, there were people hired to pick up garbage throughout the day, there were lots of food kiosks to choose from (but maybe not enough beer stands) and it was extremely easy to find a staff member to help you out in case you needed guidance as to where what was located.
There was a lot of talk about the first day line-up being mediocre as opposed to the second day..I had the same sentiments as well in the beginning but after being there and witnessing it, I have to say, it all played out perfectly. The first day was a nice contrast to the second and I don't mean that in a bad way.
Also, Marc Abaya + Kwjan's performace was legendary...
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| 7107 imf clark |
I am not an EDM fan but being there watching Kaskade, Alvaro and the rest of them with an electrifying pulse going through the crowd and just masses of people dancing and having fun together in a pumped up but at the same time relaxed atmosphere was just exquisite.
Not to mention we got to party under the stars with cool winds blowing and free flowing beer provided by Guess and Vans at the VIP area. Man, it was well worth it and the most fun I've ever had with electronic music in the background.
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| 7107 international music festival fashion |
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| 7107 |
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| 7107 vip area |
(The Guess/Vans VIP area where you could relax on the couches in an airconditioned tent with free water, beer, beer pong, cocktails, etc)
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| 7107 international music festival vip area |
2nd Day.
Clear skies all the way...
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| 7107 imf |
I was more than pumped. In a way, I was also speechless. I still couldn't believe that it was actually happening in a few hours. Watching the Chili Peppers play live has been a dream of mine since the 90s and it was about to come true.
As a bonus, there was also Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Kendrick Lamar and Empire Of The Sun to look forward to.
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| 7107 international music festival |
Going back to the event, the stage/audio set up was superb. There was no confusion between music coming from the first and second stage. The VIP areas also had their own jam but somehow they managed to engineer it in a way that none of the three clashed.
I was able to record snippets from the performances from my iPhone and was surprised at how clean the performances sounded despite my being in close proximity with the stage.
Clarity, clarity, clarity.
These people spared no expense and made sure that what we got was something world-class, something we could talk about for years to come, something we would be proud to call our own. Most importantly, it was worth every single centavo.
That fact was visible and audible.
Mind-blowing.
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| 7107 international music festival |
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| Another thing I loved about the festival was that you could do and be whoever and whatever you wanted. It was so relaxed. Just lay down your mat, have a picnic with your friends and enjoy the best live music in the background. If you wanted to party, hit the main stage. If you wanted to chill, set up for a couple of hours at the second stage. There were thousands of people but the crowd was well managed and I never felt like my personal space was being invaded except when Kendrick Lamar, RHCP and Empire hit the stage but that was understandable and that's what made it a lot of fun. Just one gigantic, dancing mosh pit.  |
| 7107 international music festival |
Another highlight of my experience was when me and Ana met the bassist for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus! He was just hanging around their merch booth so we decided to approach him and have our photo taken together:
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| red jumpsuit apparatus joey westwood |
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| 7107 international music festival fashion |
About the performances:
They all brought their A-game.
Imagine watching full concert after full concert because that's how it was. Kendrick Lamar was a HUGE favorite especially among the younger crowd, he played more songs than I was familiar with. Halfway through his set, I had to sit down cause I was tired from all the dancing (bouncing up and down cause that's all I know how to do :P).
Empire Of The Sun was spectacular. They brought their full set up: back-up dancers, elaborate costumes that light up, 4 costume changes (or more, I lost track), fog machines, hydraulic platforms, etc. During Walking On A Dream, Luke Steele joined the crowd and even asked some of us to sing along to the song. Highlight was probably when he smashed his guitar at one point during their performance. I loved that, so Kurt Cobain. (LOL, but seriously, props to him for being such a rockstar. A rare breed nowadays)
RED.HOT.CHILI.PEPPERS.
The Setlist:
Need I say more?
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| red hot chili peppers 7107 imf setlist |
20 songs. An hour and a half of pure magic. Just like fine wine, they get better with age. Flea and Chad Smith still play with the same amount of enthusiasm as they had in the 90s. Flea is still crazy and childish. He still moves like a flea onstage. He even walked in while in a handstand position. The energy of that guy plus the comedic randomness of what comes out of his mouth is just priceless. Anthony Keidis' voice was clear, powerful and strong. More like the seasoned singer he is than the awkward kid that used to rap with his band in the 80s. It still felt like Blood Sugar Sex Magik but with more experience under their belt.
I was close to tears during Under The Bridge. I'm sure the whole audience was too judging from the impromptu way everyone lit up their phones and lighters and held them up in the air without instruction. It just happened simultaneously. The moment was so inspired.
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| kendrick lamar 7107 |
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| 7107 international music festival fashion |
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| fireworks display at 7107 |
Last weekend was one of THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE and next year can't come soon enough.
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| 7107 clark |
To all the haters out there, I don't know what the hell was going through your mind but if you are a fan of any of these performers...even if you aren't, even if you're just generally a music fan...you should've swallowed your pride and bought a ticket. Who cares where the money went? The experience has made me richer in more ways than one and no amount of money can compare to that.
Having said that....start saving because I am 101% sure next year is gonna be even BIGGER!
for more on 7107 International Music Festival:
download the APP, visit: http://7107imf.com/
you can also search the hashtags: #7107Hangover #WeAre7107 and #7107
To everyone who was there, I am honored to have been able to share this experience with you.
(thanks for the good vibes)
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***special thanks to madhousemnl.com, niche, manila concert scene and ana for some of the photos used in this post
***special thanks to madhousemnl.com, niche, manila concert scene and ana for some of the photos used in this post
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