Move over Coachella—Manila’s dialing up the decibels this May.
The newly announced &FRIENDS Festival is gunning for Southeast Asia’s crown jewel of destination raves, and it’s making a hell of a first impression. Slated for May 30-31 at Okada Manila, the two-day spectacle brings together a heavyweight, star-studded lineup—Zedd, ILLENIUM, bbno$, and Seven Lions, alongside a long list of global and regional talent—for what’s shaping up to be the Philippines’ most ambitious festival yet.
Headliner Heat!
Headlined by some of the biggest names in EDM and pop music, &FRIENDS is positioning itself as Southeast Asia’s new destination rave, with a dual mission: to celebrate international artists while putting a spotlight on homegrown talent and creators. And for many international fans, it could be their first encounter with the heart of Filipino music culture.
Among the most anticipated sets? Grammy-winner Zedd, fresh off global festival circuits like Coachella and EDC, makes a Manila comeback after three years, armed with bangers like “Clarity” and “Stay the Night”. Meanwhile, emotional bass titan ILLENIUM—the first electronic act to ever sell out SoFi Stadium (twice)—will be making his Philippine debut. Viral rap star bbno$, known for explosive hits like “Lalala” and “edamame”, is also performing in the country for the first time.
They’ll be joined by Dutch duo €URO TRA$H, Singaporean DJ Kiara, dubstep favorite Seven Lions, and a stacked roster of acts including BOTCASH, Jeonghyeon, Hoang, Fairlane b2b Siangyoo, NGHTSHIFT, and more. The weekend promises a genre-defying ride that jumps from soul-shaking drops to high-energy rap.
But this isn’t just about raves and remixes.
Beyond the Mainstage!
By night, the Creator Stage After-Hours transforms the event into a celebration of cross-cultural energy. Night one (May 30) will be a full-blown K-Pop Rave, headlined by heavyweights 2Spade and Hoaprox, while night two (May 31) shifts into an OPM (Original Pilipino Music) Spotlight—a homecoming for Ylona Garcia, plus sets from indie darling Amiel Sol, lo-fi favorite Kiyo, and the genre-pushing Planet Workshop.
“I’m honored to be back in the country that I love, and that made me who I am,” said Ylona. “Even though I moved to the U.S., I still consider my music to be OPM—When the &FRIENDS team asked if I’d headline, I jumped at the opportunity to do so. Through thick and thin, I just hope to make the Philippines proud.”
The Creator Expo: From URL to IRL
Daytime at &FRIENDS isn’t downtime. The Creator Expo merges online culture with IRL energy, with fan-favorite names like Ironmouse, Shoto, Tuonto, and Antony Chen hosting panels, meet & greets, and live content sessions. Local icons like Charess and Jujumao join the mix, alongside indie Filipino art collectives setting up shop at the Crystal Pavilion.
Passes & Perks
Festival passes are now live at andfriends.live, with options for every kind of fan.
Two-day general admission starts at ₱8,500, while VIP goes for ₱15,000. Single-day passes begin at ₱6,000 (Day 1: Zedd, €URO TRA$H, etc.) and ₱3,500 (Day 2:ILLENIUM, bbno$). Want the full squad experience?
A bundle of five 2-Day GA tickets is available for ₱34,000 until March 30. VIP cabanas for nine people start at ₱54,000 (Day 2 only—Day 1 is already sold out). Every pass includes full access to the Creator Expo, making this one of the most immersive festival experiences to hit Southeast Asia in recent years.
Vibe check: This isn’t just a music festival. It’s Manila raising its hand in the global conversation—loud, proud, and with one hell of a beat drop.
Tickets, meet & greet passes, and full lineup details are available at andfriends.live. Follow @andfriends.fest on Instagram and across all socials for real-time updates.
For more stories on music festivals, artist spotlights, and everything that’s shaking up the global music scene, head to Lyrical Muse.
And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and X for real-time updates, behind-the-scenes content, and all things music—unfiltered and fresh.
Leave a Reply