The 2018 edition of The Rest is Noise’s year-end gig-slash-music festival – now named All of the Noise – was an eclectic and exciting occasion. Held last November 24 to 25, All of the Noise made Century City Mall’s events hall jampacked with dozens of music fans.

Bringing together some international acts and mainstays of the local scene – each with distinct genres – this installment was certainly one for the books. 

Musicians from neighboring countries (and beyond) also shared the stage and interacted with some of the best from the local scene – not just from Manila, but also outside of the capital city.

Here’s a look at how it went all went down, in photos:

Day 1

Saturday, November 24

Tarsius, the duo of Diego Mapa and Jay Gapasin, kicked off the two-day affair with their rousing and pulsating electronica.

 

The producers were also gunning for inclusivity in employing sign language interpreters, who – even if some songs didn’t have words – still danced along to the beat.

Singer-songwriter Jason Dhakal toned down the tempo by a notch, giving the crowd a chill pill with his own take on R&B and soul. Similarobjects, fresh from his stint at Berlin’s Red Bull Music Academy, assisted him from behind the decks.

tide/edit’s electrifying post-rock tunes echoed throughout the cavernous venue.

 

BuwanBuwan Collective, a group of beatmakers, took over the stage lined up like a formidable phalanx. For them to perform as a singular unit – or a “laptop boy band” as they called it – was something to behold.

 

The boys of Rusty Machines kept the crowd’s energy up as they rocked the stage with some upbeat anthems.

 

Hip-hop collective Uprising delivered a set as slick as the bars they spat.

Nine-piece folk pop outfit Ben&Ben was a clear favorite among the evening crowd. They sang the band’s hits – such as “Kathang Isip” and “Ride Home” – in unison and with much gusto. 

Cheats came prepared to “call out the animal,” but they were interrupted by some technical hiccups. This caused the set times to be pushed back, but when they came back on, they gave the fans what they deserved: an electrifying performance.

 

Cosmic Child brought their dreamy, ‘80s alternative-esque brand of rock all the way from Singapore.

 

Young idols IV of Spades took festivalgoers to the disco with their groovy, retro-like music. The trio of Zild Benitez, Blaster Silonga, and Badjao de Castro played a short but sweet set, but their performance was also a highlight of the evening.

 

Sobs, who also hail from the Lion City, seemed to have a loyal following in the Philippines – and for good reason. Their catalog has plenty of jams – dreamy, magical, and infectious. Having just done a Manila stop for their Southeast Asian tour earlier this year, this return via All of the Noise was indeed a welcome affair.

 

Taiwanese post-rock trio Elephant Gym clearly captivated the Filipino crowd with their music. Although there were Mandarin numbers in their set, this didn’t stop the audience from humming along to the melodies – overcoming the language barrier in such a poignant way.

 

Day 2

Sunday, November 25

.FC, the Visayan hip-hop duo consisting of beatmaker Carlisle and Nigerian-born MC Freshoeas “Fresh” Temile, opened the second day with their electro and reggae-tinged music.

 

Andy Chlau (pronounced “schlaow”) gave festivalgoers a taste of good ol’ alt-rock early in the afternoon.

 

Punk outfit Irrevocable shaked up the afternoon as they leaped and shredded their guitars.

 

Tom’s Story mesmerized the crowd with their signature brand of math rock.

 

Ang Bandang Shirley filled the hall with their oh-so-relatable anthems – the likes of “Nakauwi Na” and “Umaapaw.”

 

Alt-rock quartet She’s Only Sixteen carried on the energy from the preceding set with their own crowd-favorite tunes – even a cover of Ariana Grande’s recent mega-hit “thank u, next.”

 

 

Out of their hiatus, Tandems ‘91 brought a danceable, groovy vibe to All of the Noise with their disco-like bops.

 

Grinning ear-to-ear throughout his set, Thai-New Zealander artist Phum Viphurit was greeted by his screaming, adoring fans as he played his well-loved upbeat tunes.

 

Pinoy rock stalwarts Sandwich – as usual – brought down the house with a livewire performance.

 

Singer-songwriter Polo Reyes, also known as Mellow Fellow, dazzled the crowd with his soothing croon and psychedelic rock fare.

 

Thai power trio Yellow Fang brought their distinctly ethereal post-punk sound to the All of the Noise stage.

 

Boy Pablo ended the festivities with an buoyant and dynamo performance. The Norwegian indie pop musician and his band turned the stage into their playground – strumming on their guitars, leaping across the stage, and shaking the tambourine with joyous abandon. 

This Manila stop was also the last show of his tour, he said. But his fans showed their fondness for him with sweet (and crazy) gestures – from soundcheck until he left the venue.

Were you there at All of the Noise 2018? What were your favorite moments? Sound off in the comments. – Rappler.com

All of the Noise 2018 was presented by Johnnie Walker and event producers The Rest is Noise.