Ronnabelle Lora

American band Culture Wars shares a close connection with Filipino music fans

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

<p>After their first visit in Manila last year as the opening act for LANY’s concert at the Philippine Arena, Texas-based alternative rock band Culture Wars returned to the country, this time as part of the first stop of Maroon 5’s Asia Tour. The group shared with ABS-CBN in an exclusive interview why they will always have a special connection with their Pinoy fans. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDF-x5ptXPd/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A235244%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="880" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9indz4ppBX/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A235260.90000009537%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="602" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFXX1WMSyva/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A235275.40000009537%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="746" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>“The fans in Asia are great in general, but here it’s something like a little bit deeper and I really feel like even in social media, like when we had a show in Phoenix, Arizona in the US and we got a bunch of DMs from fans just telling us, ‘Have a great show and we’re so proud of you!’ And those were fans from Manila  and all over the Philippines. So we didn’t have that connection necessarily with any other type of fans. Southeast Asia is just an interesting melting pot of cultures that is cool to see and also the people and the food,” said Culture Wars bassist Dillon Randolph. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFW3Ky6OMeu/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A236743.09999990463%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people/2025/1/30/-thrilla-in-manila-maroon-5-calls-sold-out-manila-show-an-epic-kick-off-to-their-asia-2025-tour-0648"><strong>READ: &#x27;Thrilla in Manila&#x27;—Maroon 5 Calls Sold-Out Manila Show an &#x27;Epic&#x27; Kick-Off to Their Asia 2025 Tour<br/></strong></a></div><p>Having been the front act to big name artists is nothing new to Culture Wars, who said they are not worried about winning over the concert goers in each new venue. </p><p>“I think the hard part in some markets is that people aren’t there for you. It’s not your show. So the only hard part sometimes is when you know the audience doesn’t know the music and you kind of have to win them over. But over here most of the shows we played last year here in Asia, the audience was ready for somebody to perform and give a good performance and to be entertained and we were more than happy to oblige,” admitted guitarist Caleb Contreras. </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFejwL7OTxn/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A236785%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Whether as show openers or the main act, Culture Wars said they love to entertain those who enjoy their music. “We pride ourselves in the high energy performances that we bring. And I think even if they’re not able to come to the show, the music translates in the records. In everything that we do, we don’t want to be background music, we don’t want to be background anything. We want to catch your attention and make songs you want to live life to. Especially if you come to our show, we will entertain you,” Caleb explained </p><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DFOZ9w9SL9i/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A236829.29999995232%2C%22ls%22%3A234965.59999990463%2C%22le%22%3A234971.70000004768%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="857" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><p>Culture Wars lead singer Alex Dugan said that performing in this part of the world feels like a blessing on both ends for him. “I would come to Asia since I was little. One of my close buddies&#x27; dads was in Hong Kong so we would go and hang there a lot. I just think (performing here) also helped us understand from a music perspective that there’s a big world out there and there’s a lot of fans and shows to be had. This has become a crucial part of our existence as a band and our strategy, if you call it, is coming here as much as possible because this is just where incredible fans and places to be.”</p><p>Apart from widening their market, Caleb said performing in Asia also made them realize how music can be appreciated by people from different backgrounds. “I think it’s crazy that we’re on opposite sides of the world. I think people forget and you don’t learn until you cross it and meet people of other races and nationalities. Everyone has similar interests and likes in certain aspects and I think that’s cool to be across the world and still share things in common. Until you come to this side of the world and actually play shows, especially being an American act, you can get so stuck and not think that there’s a big world out there,” he added. </p><p>Culture Wars is composed of Alex Dugan, Caleb Contreras, Dillon Randolph, David Grayson, and Josh Stirm. The band is set to release its much anticipated debut album which was mostly recorded by the band in Los Angeles, California. </p>

<p>Texas-based alternative rock band Culture Wars talks about starting off the year by returning to Manila as front act for Maroon 5’s Asia Tour.</p>

Texas-based alternative rock band Culture Wars talks about starting off the year by returning to Manila as front act for Maroon 5’s Asia Tour.