MANILA, Philippines — They say that music is a universal language. It transcends cultural boundaries and brings people together to create communities that share the same passion for their craft. That’s what this year’s All of the Noise was all about.

Curated by The Rest Is Noise (TRIN), a music events production outfit based in the Philippines, All of the Noise is an annual festival that aims to celebrate all things music through live performances and discourse led by figures from the industry. To mark their 10th anniversary, TRIN expanded their program with even more insightful, multi-format activities that strengthen their core of community-building and creating inclusive spaces for artists, music enthusiasts, and industry professionals alike.

Held at The Astbury in Makati City on April 4 and 5, All of the Noise 2025 was two days full of music documentary screenings, cultural discussions, a photography exhibit, and live performances of artists and bands from the Philippines and different parts of Asia.

Here’s a recap of what happened at the event:

Getting the rhythm of Filipino music culture through documentaries

An homage to a now-defunct music magazine and a deep dive on the grassroots music dance craze that took the world by storm — these are the two documentaries that kicked off the series of activities for the event.

Day 1 started off with a screening of Budots: The Craze (2019) by Jay Rosas. The film explored the creation of “Budots,” a type of Pinoy electronic music originating from Davao that was pioneered by Sherwin Tuna, better known as DJ Love. 

DJ Love’s Budots has rightfully transformed into a dance craze and a genre of its own — going on to become a pretty important part of Filipino culture.

On Day 2, Jingle Lang Ang Pahina (2012) by Chuck Escasa went on to reintroduce Jingle Magazine, an independent publication that served as an outlet of the song industry and emphasized teaching its readers guitar chords. 

Founded by Gilbert Guillermo, Jingle Magazine was dubbed the country’s music bible that revolutionized music journalism in the Philippines. 

During the talkback session, Escasa shared that he wanted the editing of the documentary to be “irreverent and cheesy” but remain transcendent to viewers at the same time, in an attempt to reflect how he felt when he was reading the magazine in his youth during the ’70s in the province. 

Once he secures the rights to use the songs in the documentary, Escasa shared that he has plans to remaster and expand Jingle Lang Ang Pahina, so it can be screened for wider audiences.

More volume to the industry

Building deeper on the discourse sparked by the two documentaries, All of the Noise 2025 also included “Cut through the Noise,” a music conference program where resource speakers and moderators spoke about varying topics related to the local music scene.

Day 1 aptly started off with a discussion on the VisMin music community’s roots, evolution, and its fight to further expand the local music scene — where the country’s acts thrive not just in the metro, but also everywhere else. One of the resource speakers was Karl Lucente of the Cebuano band Mandaue Nights, which later performed during the music showcase.

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This was followed by a discussion on kickstarting a sustainable career in music, which featured insights from industry figures David Siow, Dylan Amirio, and Gino Rosales, and was moderated by TRIN co-founder and creative director MC Galang.

In Empowering Queer Visibility and Imagery of Pinoy Music, singer Pixie Labrador, alternative music artist Pette Shabu, and musician Ed Croix shared the importance of having genuine queer representation in order to hone real-life narratives and create safer spaces where art can prosper. 

Meanwhile, in Brash Maximalism: ‘Budots’ and the Global Future of Pinoy Electronic Music, author Lex Celera, sound artist Jorge Juan B. Wieneke V, and Budots: The Craze director Jay Rosas highlighted how the Budots phenomenon, once dismissed as “baduy,” (kitschy) reflects internalized self-loathing and serves as a decolonizing force that embraces regional identity and artistic expression.

Visual tribute to music

TRIN also mounted a photo exhibit featuring the works of renowned music photographer Karen De La Fuente.

The collection, titled “Welcome to the Static,” is a curation of the photos De La Fuente has taken of local and international music acts throughout her career. Her shots of Ben&Ben, Autotelic, Zild, Sandwich, and Japanese Breakfast, among others, were defined by the vibrant colors she used to add depth to the photos.

A whole universe of sonic lanes

Of course, it’s not a music festival without live performances.

For All of the Noise 2025, bands and artists from the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand were invited to bring their music to The Astbury — making for a live music showcase that had representation from any genre you could think of. 

On Day 1, Pixie Labrador kicked off the show with performances of songs that chart her experience as a queer artist who grew up studying in an all-girls Catholic school.

Audiences in the event space then began to let loose and dance when six-piece band cheeky things took the stage. 

Hip-hop artist San the Wordsmith then brought his bars from Singapore to the Philippine shores — even doing several rounds of freestyle with the help of the audience who fed him words like “chicken” and “Jollibee.”

Hailing all the way from Cebu, Mandaue Nights also came to bring their fun synth-pop sound to The Astbury.  

When Pedicab set foot on stage, you could immediately tell that the 20 years they’ve spent in the industry was built on their unique ability to really make people move with the help of electronic rock. Nobody in the crowd stood still during Pedicab’s set, and it was a moment you just had to be there to experience yourself.

It was the same for solo artist ena mori, who danced just as much as the audience did when she sang her synth-rich hits like “VIVID,” “Funny,” and one of her oldest songs, “Telephone.” 

The last act of the night, SOS’ All of the Noise 2025 appearance came at the perfect time — just after the release of their second album in eight years: It Was A Moment. During their set, we got to hear a good mix of old and new favorites, such as “Favoritism,” “Please Lang,” “Seryoso,” “Whatever That Was,” and as an encore, “Leave Me Out of It.” 

Bacolod-based musician Novocrane set up a perfect starter for the second day, easing into their set with the soothing “Safe and Sound” before amping up the energy with “Mosh Pit.”

This energy carried over to Cebu’s IIICCCYYY’s set. Her performance encouraged the crowd to unleash their wildest, most authentic selves as she powered through originals like “Habit,” “Love Gun,” and “Anything for You.”

Fresh off his Wanderland 2025 debut, Waiian brought a dose of his playful hip-hop prowess to All of the Noise 2025. His set featured tracks from his latest album, including “MAN IN THE MERROR,” “LOSE MY NUMBER,” and “MALAKING BIRD.”

UDD’s Paul Yap and Musical O’s Mario Consunji then debuted their collaborative electronica project Double Shy, followed by Indonesian soloist Logic Lost’s own electronic set.

Obesedogma.777’s set was an homage to budots, something you couldn’t help but just dance to, even if it meant bumping shoulders with those next to you.

Other experimental artists who came to showcase their unique blend of music were Fashion Island and alternative rapper Pette Shabu.

The penultimate act of the night, Taiwanese band The Chairs showcased their vibrant fusion of ‘60s to ‘70s psychedelic pop through the songs “Maybe Maybe,” Paradise…How Far,” and Rollin’ On.”

Wrapping up the two-day event was Thai indie-pop band KIKI. 

This artist lineup was what brought TRIN’s community-building vision to life. With the open-room layout of The Astbury coupled with a variety of both eye-opening and sonically appealing activities, music fans, industry professionals, and artists could freely mingle and connect through different sounds — almost like exploring parallel universes linked by music.

What’s especially commendable about the event is its commitment to addressing social struggles through different lenses in the music industry. Beyond just a celebration, All of the Noise 2025 served as a space for reflection and advocacy, encouraging its audience to see and use the art of music as a tool for change. – with reports from Tris Tolentino and Franz De Castro/Rappler.com