Filipino alternative band fitterkarma is taking its biggest step yet as a live act, announcing its first major solo concert at one of the country’s most storied performance venues.
The four-piece outfit will stage kung tayo’y nasa isang horror na pelikula, tiyak ako ang una mong papatayin: The Album Concert on Sept. 19 at the Metropolitan Theater Manila, marking the band’s most ambitious headline production to date. Produced by fitterkarma and GNN, the one-night show celebrates the release of the band’s long-awaited debut full-length album, which arrives two weeks before the concert.
Rather than presenting a traditional setlist, fitterkarma will perform the album in full, giving audiences the opportunity to experience the record exactly as it was intended—from its opening moments to its emotional conclusion.
For vocalist and guitarist Joao de Leon, hearing the songs performed live is integral to understanding the album.
“Witnessing the record live will be a more fulfilling experience,” de Leon says. “For me, watching the songs performed live is the best way to experience it because music being played live has no limits, reaching and releasing your emotions, and the record is meant to be felt above all.”
The concert also promises to elevate fitterkarma’s theatrical live identity through an expanded stage production, exclusive arrangements created specifically for the event, and a special collaboration with The Manila String Machine. The orchestral ensemble, which has previously worked with the band in the studio, will join fitterkarma onstage to bring new depth to the album’s cinematic soundscapes.
Guitarist Lory, also known as Mikee Mendoza, believes presenting the album in its intended sequence offers a different kind of listening experience than individual songs released online.
“I think hearing any album in the order intended by the artist is an experience in itself,” Mendoza says. “Aside from the studio album itself, we hope to elevate that experience by bringing it into a live setting and doing justice to the recorded versions of our tracks.”
The collaboration with The Manila String Machine, he adds, felt like a natural extension of the band’s creative process.
“Since we’ve already worked with them on several recordings, it only felt natural to have them join us onstage for the album launch.”
Since forming in 2023, fitterkarma has emerged as one of the Philippines’ fastest-rising alternative acts, carving out a distinct identity through music that blends alternative rock with Philippine folklore, horror imagery, and theatrical storytelling.
Their breakout singles “Kalapastangan” and “Pag-ibig ay Kanibalismo II” became major streaming successes, both reaching No. 1 on Spotify Philippines’ Top 50 chart and the Billboard Philippines Hot 100, establishing the band as one of the country’s most talked-about new acts.
Ahead of the concert, fitterkarma has also unveiled its latest single, “Purgatoryo,” offering listeners another glimpse into the sonic direction of the forthcoming album. The track embraces a darker, more atmospheric palette, layering noise rock and shoegaze influences over the melodic songwriting that has become one of the band’s defining characteristics.
With its debut album finally arriving and its largest headline concert on the horizon, fitterkarma is preparing to bring its music to life on a scale it has yet to attempt—transforming one of Manila’s most iconic theaters into the setting for an immersive performance that bridges live music, visual storytelling, and theatrical production.
Tickets for kung tayo’y nasa isang horror na pelikula, tiyak ako ang una mong papatayin: The Album Concert are now available via Ticketmelon.
Ticket prices are as follows:
- Orchestra – ₱2,999 (includes Soundcheck Access, Meet and Greet, and Signed Poster)
- Orchestra Side – ₱2,199 (includes Soundcheck Access and Signed Poster)
- Loge – ₱2,199 (includes Soundcheck Access and Signed Poster)
- Orchestra Back – ₱1,666 (includes Poster)
- Balcony – ₱999 (General Admission)
Leave a Reply