IN PHOTOS: Ben&Ben’s ‘The Traveller Across Dimensions’ concert

MANILA, Philippines – Nine-piece folk band Ben&Ben lit up the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, December 14, during their “The Traveller Across Dimensions” concert, and it was nothing short of a cinematic experience.

Before Ben&Ben took the stage, the concert was already off to a strong start as ena mori performed some of her original music for the crowd. The Japanese-Filipina artist brought her own signature flare to the arena, and it was her high energy that helped build up the anticipation for the main show.

When it was time for Ben&Ben to finally begin their set, the “Araw-Araw” hitmakers were able to pull off a fusion of live music and animation to effectively tell the story of Liwanag, the titular character in the band’s The Traveller Across Dimensions album.

This concert marked the band’s first official, large-scale indoor show, as they had staged their previous arena concert online over the pandemic. This time around, they were able to perform surrounded by thousands of their fans.

“[The fans’ presence] is how we draw a lot of our energy and how we channel a lot of what we’re feeling throughout the performance [because] art becomes art when it is perceived. It’s such a communal experience,” said the band’s percussionist Andrew De Pano in an interview with Rappler, weeks before the show happened.

It only made sense, then, that the fans would also play a role of their own in the concert. Each attendee was given an LED wristband, providing a constant source of light throughout the show, and creating a sea of lights that was breathtaking to witness in person.

The show was divided into three acts: Light, Energy, and Feel, patterned after the three dimensions in their latest album. The band had actually released the setlist ahead of time, just with some songs blurred out — and it was an interesting choice.

One would probably think that this would take away the element of surprise. But even though the attendees already had an idea of what to expect going into the arena that night, they were still in for an unforgettable experience they wouldn’t have been able to predict beforehand.

It was no secret that Ben&Ben would incorporate animation into the concert. Their fans already knew that. What they didn’t know, however, was how exactly it would pan out. And to put it simply, it was magical. Attendees got to learn the story of Liwanag through all the projections and effects put up in the arena, all while being treated to a long set of the music of the band they’ve spent years listening to.

During Act 1 (Light), Ben&Ben performed nine songs — most of them from past releases, and just two of them from their latest album, The Traveller Across Dimensions. They had started with “Could Be Something” and Paninindigan Kita,” singles that were released in 2023 and 2022, respectively, followed by the early fan-favorite, “Pagtingin.” The band then introduced “Supernatural,” one of the songs that was blurred out of the initial setlist they posted.

Meanwhile, Act 2 (Energy) was just six songs long — slightly shorter, but it included “Triumph,” which the band described as their “fight song.”

“We’ve been through so much struggle as a band, and individually too, especially with the changing life phases, and all of us coming from a pandemic. We’ve always wanted to write a song about rising above those struggles and fighting on, but we’ve never found the words and the music for it until ‘Triumph,’” vocalist Paolo Benjamin told Rappler in a past interview.

Act 3 sees Ben&Ben perform a mix of their old releases like “Sa Susunod Na Habang Buhay” and “Leaves,” alongside four tracks from their new album, which includes “Tomorrow With You” and “New Dimensions.”

But of course, it’s not a Ben&Ben concert if fans have to go home without hearing some of their greatest hits — most of which were probably how many Liwanag first discovered them. The encore songs were fitting, then. The band officially closed out the concert with “Kathang Isip,” “Araw-Araw,” and lastly, “Ride Home,” arguably the perfect send-off anthem as Ben&Ben and their fans “came home” to each other. – Rappler.com