Wanderband champ from Cebu to open Wanderland Music Fest

CEBU, Philippines — A band from Cebu is among the performers at this weekend’s Wanderland Music and Arts Festival.

Intertwined, a 16-piece band, won the San Miguel Wanderbattle finals in January after competing with three other indie acts from Manila and Cebu.

The competition began October last year through online submissions where aspiring bands performed an original song and a cover. These submissions were shortlisted into ten acts who then needed a number of video reactions combined with the judges’ score to be able to compete in the semi-finals. Only two acts were reaped from the semi-finals (one held in Cebu and another in Manila), so that four finalists got to perform on the finals.

Intertwined, performing their cover of “Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin and originals “Be Mine” and “Feels Good,” won P50,000 and the honor to perform at the Wanderland Music and Arts Festival.

Starting off as a duo between keyboardist/producer Henrick Pestaño and 20-year-old singer/lyricist Amanda Gabucan, the gospel funk band is currently composed of 16 members. With drummer Joshua Culanag, guitarist Ray Miguel Sabanpan, bassist Jkoi Galanida, alto saxophonist Ron Liston, tenor saxophonist Gressin Rosales, trumpet players Niño Rico and Welth Villarba, with Christina Gabucan and Les Paul Pineda lending their voices as backup vocals – the synergy between these passionate artists create the spell that is Intertwined.

Upon becoming Wanderband 2019 champion, Amanda took to social media to express her gratitude, saying that she is “so grateful” for all the support the band has received since day one. She also thanked the rest of Intertwined who “make the band what it is,” telling them how they’ve come a long way.

“My heart is full of love and determination to do even better. I am literally the happiest girl in the whole wide world right now and I feel like I’m still dreaming. We really wouldn’t be able to do this without the grace of God,” Amanda wrote on her Facebook handle, adding how she can’t wait to play in Wanderland.

Lucky for this year’s Wanderers, they will get to experience Intertwined’s prowess firsthand as the band takes their rightful place within the world of Wanderland Magic.

Happening on March 9 and 10 at the Filinvest City Event Grounds in Alabang, Interwined will be opening the Wanderland Music and Arts Festival on the first day, with Autotelic and Reese Lansangan leading the rest of the afternoon.

Singapore’s Charlie Lim will be making his Wanderland debut, followed by Unique. US indie breakout stars Joan, UK artist Gabrielle Aplin, British DJ SG Lewis, Honne, JMSN, and the Two Door Cinema Club will also take the stage on the same day.

On Sunday, Wanderband runner-up Nathan & Mercury will be performing prior to an OPM afternoon with band Dayaw and singer Clara Benin. South Korea’s Adoy and New York’s Mac Ayres, our very own Sandwich, followed by Clairo, PREP, Alina Baraz, Masego and the Kooks are up for the rest of weekend.

Priding itself as more than just a music festival, Wanderland has become an annual tradition that celebrates good music, and even better, people.

Curating a following from their community of Wanderers, the festival by Karpos Multimedia, makes a fine point in putting much-awaited international and local acts in one place along with good art, all the while catering the to all sorts of music taste.