On the evening of Friday, June 21, 2024, 14 local artists came together to showcase the rich music and arts of Davao City at the inaugural Duaw Davao Music Festival held at Rizal Park, Davao City. Claire Agacambot/SunStar Photo
On the evening of Friday, June 21, 2024, 14 local artists gathered at Rizal Park to showcase Davao City’s rich music and arts with their original compositions and crowd-pleasing hits at the inaugural Duaw Davao Music Festival Light up the stage, Davao City.
It was a night full of excitement, with Davao’s best musicians and a cheering crowd supporting their favorite bands, the whole place was buzzing with energy. A lively performance from duo Guava, formed in early 2023, set the tone for the event.
The five-piece multi-instrumentalist Precal Dropouts then treated the audience to indie rock and shoegaze music, followed by local band Cerise, formed in 2016, who fuse pop, funk and soul.
The Duaw Davao Music Festival is also graced by Kuntaw Mindanao, a band from Tagum City known for fusing indigenous instruments with modern genres, specializing in world music and ethno-rock fusion. They were formed in 2007 by Neil Cervantes and their performance was a highlight of the evening.
Other notable performers include Mau Ria, Kael Bhyadogg, Maric Gavino, Tortang Talong, Chud Festejo, Bud Vibes, Big Mac and DAS.
CeriseCerise Rounding out the night was the much-anticipated performance by local musicians Popong Landero and Yano, who delighted the crowd with their timeless hits.
Duaw Davao Music Festival is one of the main events of the first Duaw Davao Music Festival 2024, a tourism event led by the Municipal Tourism Operations Office (CTOO). The event coincides with World Music Day, making it a special celebration for all music lovers.
Underscoring the city’s commitment to nurturing local talent and enhancing cultural tourism, the Duaw Davao Festival aims to provide artists with a platform to showcase their work and connect with a wider audience.
“We want to celebrate local artists. This is also a great platform for them to be recognized,” said Jennifer Romero, director of the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO).
Duaw Davao Music Festival event organizer Toffy Ledesma echoed the same sentiment.
“It’s a combination of different genres of our local artists and through this we are able to celebrate not only Davao’s talent but also Davao’s music. It’s a great way for us to showcase Davao’s culture and tourism through music.
Following the success of its debut, Duaw Davao Music Festival is expected to set a high standard for future events, bringing artists and audiences together to celebrate music, art and community.
SunStar Davao’s Duaw Davao Festival Special Report is in partnership with the Davao City Tourism Operators Operations Office (CTOO) and sponsored by Santos Land Development Corporation, Converge and Alsons Development. DSCA
