Let’s turn back the clock a bit to 2023. Events were genuinely more affordable, with convention tickets being roughly a portion of what they are now. Prices were more reasonable, and con-goers got more bang for their buck. Enter CONQuest weekend, and for better or worse, cons as we knew them changed considerably.
Coming off the disaster that was CONQuest, the &FRIENDS team had a lot to make up for. Genuinely speaking, as a con-goer myself, I stand by the first day of CONQuest being one of the best conventions I’ve ever been to. International acclaim, a wide assortment of booths with activities as far as I could see. This was what I envisioned an international convention to be and then some. But it all tumbled down in the days that followed.
All that hype, excitement, and anticipation were brought to naught with days 2 and 3 being so bad that it even made international headlines. But this isn’t about CONQuest anymore. It’s about whether or not &FRIENDS was able to be the international spectacle it was meant to be. But before we get into that, let’s talk about it.
&FRIENDS and what?
Originally advertised as a three-day affair, &FRIENDS is a pop culture and music festival meant to gather top creators and music acts in Manila, with Zedd and BBNO$ being the main attractions for nights 1 and 2, respectively. Other content creators such as indie VTuber Shoto, gaming and lifestyle content creator Antony Chen, and viral vlogger and foodie Fred Liu were also advertised. Local content creators joined in as well, including Charess, Een Mercado, Razziebinx, Amara, and Sskait, who had their own booths and segments throughout the day.
So far, it’s looking similar to CONQuest, as both revolved around pop culture. But the key difference between the two events was how CONQuest focused on gaming and the business side of things, whereas &FRIENDS had a heavier emphasis on the music festival, bundled with an “expo.” Another aspect to consider was the venue: SMX in Pasay for the former, and Okada Crystal Pavilion for the latter.
You’d think that a change in priorities and venue wouldn’t do much—but when you’re charging ₱500 for an expo on a Friday and ₱1,000 for Saturday, there should be more in store for guests. In this budget-conscious society we have, every peso counts.
Chop suey
There’s no denying that the event was a success from a financial standpoint, especially considering how the exorbitant tickets for the EDM concerts were sold out. If we’re only talking about the concert, sure. But the same couldn’t exactly be said about the expo, at least from an onlooker’s perspective. Don’t get me wrong, there were lots of activities at a glance and tons of great booths but when you’re there in person, you’ll feel something was lacking.
I need to add a disclaimer here, but I’ve been to quite a number of events this year, including another music festival, gaming conventions, cosplay and anime events, and even another event in the Crystal Pavilion itself (for free, of all things) so comparisons will always be made. With that said, the booth diversity felt like a mishmash of all the events I’ve been to, and that’s saying something. It didn’t feel like an event worth the ₱500 price tag on the first day. To top it all off, there was so much empty space that it looked like somebody just played Tetris with the booths and jammed them all together.
Not to take away from the booths present at the event, but when you have a ball pit there, the first thing that comes to mind (as someone from the Tumblr era of the internet) is DashCon. You can Google it to see how it looked in my eyes. (Slight disclaimer: the ball pit was genuinely fun, and I was distraught seeing it absent on the second day.)
Take away the sarcasm, though, everyone did their best with what was given. I am in no way, shape, or form someone with the influence to sway thousands to my beck and call, but the lack of marketing for the expo was definitely felt. The booths, whether sponsor booths or not, deserved better. I genuinely hope everyone was able to break even or get the exposure to help propel them down the line. You win some, you lose some, they say but hey, getting to say you were part of &FRIENDS is something, right?
The hall felt somewhat empty, especially compared to their first outing in CONQuest, with little to no foot traffic. Considering it was a Friday (aka a school or workday) it was to be expected. But the event venue, Okada, played a big factor as well. While the venue is nice, it’s just so difficult to go there without a private vehicle. Did you know you can’t take a mototaxi to the entrances? Because I sure didn’t.
Day 1 was alright, but all in all, it didn’t really feel like an expo, more like an accessory to the music festival. And that would’ve been fine, if it weren’t for the price tag blocking it. I had high hopes for the event. Heading into day 2, all I felt was hesitation but I was hopeful. Day 1 ended with a program featuring content creators like Stella Chuu and BBNO$ himself. Unless you were a fan or into these hijinks, I still wouldn’t say you got your money’s worth. Events like this come sparingly, and its success would determine whether or not it could be done again. Think of it as an event litmus test.
Day 2 arrived, and the feeling of melancholy filled the air. Same time, same place, same crowd, and for some reason, it felt a bit more lax than the day before. As booths opened and patrons entered the hall, I stayed hopeful that things would get better. Just a reminder—tickets for the expo on day 2 were priced at ₱1,000, literally double what they were on Friday.
As the day went on and the afternoon rolled by, I finally felt it. This was what the event was made for. The crowd, the electricity, the fanfare, and the vibe. All for this moment: to see your favorite up on stage. And for that moment, it was worth it.
Wrapping it up
While the expo itself scored slightly above passing marks, primarily due to day 2 and the fan interactions throughout, there was just this feeling of unimportance for the general expo-goer that made it feel overpriced or even unfair. Toycon Summer Prelude in the same venue was free, yet offered excitement in every corner. But for the general con-goer that paid full price, this was their personal Fyre Festival.
If you’re the target demographic, whatever that is at this point, you’d definitely enjoy it, especially if there’s a celebrity you’re eyeing to interact with. But that’s assuming you were aware of the event schedules and meet-and-greets, which I wish they communicated better.
It wasn’t the best, nor was it the worst but when it gets right down to it, this is a step in the right direction for international-level events. If there’s anything to take from this, it’s that a convention should be celebrated with your community, and in this case, with your friends.
Whether you win or lose, a semblance of success doesn’t give you the right to call people losers. Because let’s face it, even if you’re up in the skies, that doesn’t mean you should look down on people. At the end of the day, we’re all on the same level. And I sincerely hope that if this event does happen again in the future, there’s some degree of accountability, even for past transgressions.
