By Dyan Rezette Suaco
The lodi’s or idols of Philippine rap and reggae came together for a night of spectacle and pumping beats at Sydney’s Metro Theatre on 17 March 2024. The NUMINOUS X ASINTADA Australian Tour featured a huge line-up of artists from the Philippines: Hero, Hellmerry, Omar Baliw, John Roa, Shanti Dope, Chocolate Factory, Gloc-9, Flow G, and Skusta Clee, making it the largest ever Filipino rap and reggae tour to be held in Australia.
PHOTOS: Nicky Anacin
Some lucky fans were delighted to a Pre-show Meet and Greet opportunity with the nine artists then at 4:30pm, a spectacle of lights and diverse sets of music filled the stage. With a drink on one hand and phone on video in another, Pinoys were singing along and jumping to the beats. Hits such as “Hayaan mo Sila”, “Nadarang”, “Letra”, “Hari ng Tondo”, and “Rapstar” were among the many songs in the 4-hour show. Gloc-9 especially did not disappoint with his collaborative performance with Chocolate Factory during “Paglipad” before starting his own set. The latter paid tribute to Bob Marley, uniting the Filipino community to use their torch lights as they sang a cover of “One Day”. Encores were then asked of Gloc-9 as he finished of with “Bagsakan” and “Wag ka matakot sumayaw” reminiscent of early 2000s music.
The theatre was filled with energy from start to finish where there was certainly no fear of dancing. Presented by Variant Productions and Tala Entertainment, the NUMINOUS X ASINTADA Australian leg kicked off in Perth, then toured Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane with a record turn out for Filipino rap and reggae.
