Summary
- I attended the Wacken Metal Battle Philippines 2023 and enjoyed seeing many local and international bands.
- I faced two major issues: the heat of the open-air venue and the muddy sound system.
- I still appreciated the event and did not mean to disrespect the organizers or other attendees.
- I suggested some improvements for future events and expressed interest in attending more.
As a metal enthusiast, I recently had the pleasure of attending a metal band contest that was part of a larger metal festival, the Wacken Metal Battle Philippines 2023. My decision to go was based on the incredible value I perceived in getting to see so many local and international bands in one event, at an affordable price. I was also excited to experience the notoriety of the stadium as a staple venue for metal festivals in the Philippines.
The vibe of the whole place was electrifying, and I couldn’t wait to see the elaborate production of the massive stage. It was my first time attending an event of this magnitude, and I felt like it was a rite of passage for me as a metal fan. There were medics on standby, and I was pleased to see that food supplies were well-managed, so no one went hungry.
While I thoroughly enjoyed many aspects of the metal festival, there were two major issues that made the experience less than perfect. Firstly, the venue was open-air, and the sun was blazing hot, which wasn’t ideal for enjoying the type of high-energy music on offer. Despite my expectations that hardcore metal fans would tough it out, most sought refuge in the roofed bleachers that were the box office hit and left a sea of black t-shirts covering it. The heat also drained people quickly and took a toll on the energy of the crowd. By the time the headlining band took the stage, everyone was already feeling exhausted.
The second problem I encountered at the metal festival was with the sound system. While it was acceptable, I’ve definitely heard better set-ups before. In particular, the performance of Greyhoundz was compromised by muddy sound (I was surprised to hear too much sub frequencies on a strat through a Marshall cab), even when listening to the speakers from an optimal angle. I believe this was a set-up issue, rather than a mixing problem, as even the headliner band’s FOH engineer seemed to have been unable to address the issues. The music was good, but I think it could have been more intelligible if the subs were more controlled, and I could hear the bass notes more clearly.
Despite these issues, I still thoroughly enjoyed the event. I appreciated the smooth program and the opportunity to see so many talented musicians perform. While some people may have had issues with the order of the line-up or the management of food and beverage queues, these were not major problems for me.
I also acknowledge that my experience could be subjective, and perhaps metal concerts are meant to be experienced in this way. I also want to clarify that my comments are not meant to disrespect the tremendous effort put in by everyone involved in organizing the event. Despite the issues I encountered, I still believe that the ticket price was fair, all things considered.
Overall, I feel that the event was great, but it could have been even better with some improvements. With better organization and more attention paid to the comfort of the attendees, the event could be truly enjoyable for everyone involved. As a metal fan, I look forward to attending more events like this in the future, and I hope that organizers take these issues into consideration to ensure that the next event is even better.
Disclosure: The name “Wacken Metal Battle 2023” mentioned in the article has been edited to “Wacken Metal Battle Philippines 2023” for the sake of clarity.
Full disclosure: I wrote this post with the help of ChatGPT. ChatGPT helps me flesh out ideas and deliver them in the clearest way possible all in a shorter amount of time. Having said that, I remain fully responsible for what has been written and the specific ways that they have been expressed in this article. I strongly discourage the use of ChatGPT in school or in any other formal or academic contexts.