A reunion, so they said; well, it turned out to be that, but with a fresh batch of party goers and up-and-coming talents in the nightlife industry who jetted in for BASS N’ BACON #BNBandFriends! A total of 479 people, including artists, walk-ins and attendees with BNB invitations, participated in the event, despite the fact that Casablanca only had room for 250 people.
Undoubtedly, bass, bacon, and additional food consisting of squid and fish balls were presented in a cup in a fashion that was analogous to that of traditional Filipino street food. And, of course, the party would be incomplete without a drop of Jose Cuervo! What is a party without a pulutan and alak?
Given their schedules, it’s not every night for this kind of lineup of artists to be under one roof, but the crew at BASS N’ BACON (Midnight Rebels) were able to pull it off, with the unwavering support of each artist involved. That’s safe to say it was a night for the industry. There were a total of 28 artists performing across a wide variety of musical genres under one space in Poblacion, during the night, which took place on two stages, outfitted with Pioneer DJ equipments known as the Midnight Stage and the Rebels stage.
It wasn’t just a party; rather, it was a safe space in which artists were given the freedom to openly express themselves, just as that has been the goal of BASS N’ BACON from the very beginning. In addition to that, it was intended to highlight up-and-coming artists engaged in the nightlife industry. While partygoers of every generation were exposed to a new environment and a diverse range of musical genres while artists performed. Some people thought it was defiant, while others said it was one of the best parties they’d been to since the pandemic broke.
The manner in which the event was publicized online was distinctive, and it demonstrated that BASS N’ BACON genuinely cares about every artist that participated by providing each of them with an artist reveal, along with a great poster and a written backstory about them by me. Along with one of Poblacion’s leading club promoters, Aggressive Media for the BNB end and Sneaky Souls for the Casablanca end. It wouldn’t be complete without the presence of the guys from Manila Hypin, such as RVP!
We weren’t exaggerating when we said the event was one-of-a-kind; it truly was. Eko and Freddy Lee came all the way from Singapore and Los Angeles to perform for us. We let MC Roc and MC Jams take over the decks instead of hyping people up over the microphone. Smunk, Motherbasss and Stick Figgas’ excellent drummer, was there on the decks, laying down some sick ass wobbles. With MC Boo, MJ Collarga, DM, and Benj Miranda serving both stages with a megaphone, it was highly distinctive since they perfectly captured communicating with the crowd in their native tongues. While the gorgeous Jade Dee kept the crowd happy all night by giving away Smok vapes. Razikyle, on the other hand, had been itching to get the crowd head banging and succeeded despite deviating from his usual act. Strodano provided Ravepops to support the event, for which we are grateful, as well as a surprise return of Manila Bombsquad with Alwyn + Marxx on a last-minute reveal! Katsy Lee and John Odin were both very helpful during the event’s planning phase, and they both gave their all during their performances. Jet Boado soared around on two stages to sense the presence of each and every attendee. MIAOW also killed it, undeniably electrifying the Rebels Stage with her fearsome sounds and skills, something you wouldn’t usually hear from her. With Elle and Zaiten opening both stages, the early attendees were warmed up and had a great time. Jerome Abaloyan, on the other hand, is already acquainted with the crowd and had them dancing without hesitation. The Kobeast and Ivan Tizon B2B set was also a pleasant surprise, since both artists have distinct sound preferences, which got the crowd going. It’s amazing how they can pull it off without hesitation, with Adrian Legarda offering up some fresh spins on popular club poppers and Ais NiCaution presenting a remarkable set that includes OPM hits. And, with Velle‘s moombahton set and a reunion with the BNB team, it was undeniably a night in place.
Without the creative vision of the photographers, notably Sai Zacarias and Raffy Dela Pena, that night would not be memorable and flex worthy. It wouldn’t be a reunion if some of the event titans, like Mac, Nick Hernandez, Louie Lizardo, and Chai Cruz weren’t in the building, along with ravers from a wide range of groups, like Team Lowkey, Luminescence, Rave Manila and RAVE.PH. In addition, booths were put up outside of the venue, selling things like apparel from Dizkret and alcoholic popsicles made by Ravepops. Furthermore, attendees received freebies and other items from sponsors such as Ramirez Dental Clinic, Further Beyond clothing, Smok vapes, and P&P Tattoo in the form of vouchers.
Going further, being as bold as possible for BASS N’ BACON while yet staying true to its roots, it’s planning more parties that will be intimate and stay true to the spirit of the event. Looking back, the event only proved that after 2 years of lockdown and restrictions, what people crave the most is an unforgettable experience. We turned back time through reuniting with industry friends that have turned family and we all look towards the future – eager to share the joy, the chaos, the magic, the madness of BASS N’ BACON…one sizzling strip at a time. See you at the next one!
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