'Ka ni Kim

Before the new wave of P-Pop, before the rise of AI, and before the world shut down and changed how we work, Ben & Ben were making folk pop music. Some might say it’s folk pop for the broken-hearted, and while they do have a repertoire of ballads about unrequited love and love lost, their full discography covers a much broader range of experiences and emotions. And there is perhaps no better representation of that well-roundedness than The Traveller Across Dimensions.

Celebrating the Music

My husband and I attended our first Ben & Ben gig together way back in May 2017, at the invitation of their sister (also our Ate!), Ate Mads. It was an intimate event at a bar in Taguig. They were one of a handful of acts that evening, and they only played a few songs. This was my first monthsary (is that still what the kids call it?) with my then-boyfriend, and to mark the occasion, they dedicated the song Ride Home to us. Years later, we still think of it as our song.

Ben & Ben soon became a staple of our gig dates. We watched them at the sadly now-defunct Route 196, as well as at Vinyl Day in Makati. We’d show up to support them here and there, and as our relationship evolved, their music remained an integral part of our soundtrack.

Our shared love of OPM was woven into many milestones. When EJ proposed, he hired a four-piece a capella group to arrange and perform Ilang Tulog na Lang and Ride Home. The tears started on the chorus of Ride Home. In fact, you can see our slightly puffy eyes in our photo with the good folks at Cafe de Angelo, who graciously hosted the proposal.

It was only natural that, having featured their music when we got engaged, they would also be part of the soundtrack of our wedding. Our pre-nuptial announcement video, shot and created by the profoundly talented Backstory, was set to a trimmed-down version of Ride Home. EJ, our families, and our Team Groom and Team Bride walked down the aisle to a mellow piano version of the same. And later that day, our first dance was to Ilang Tulog na Lang, covered by Nica del Rosario.

The Traveller Across Dimensions wasn’t the first time they played in Baguio, but it was their first full-blown concert here. So we couldn’t miss it.

Witnessing the Performance

One of my first thoughts was that Ben & Ben had come a long, long way from quick sets in tiny bars. They have always been able to draw a crowd, but on the first night of their two-night Baguio stint, they didn’t just do that — they filled up the entire John Hay Convention Center, over 2,000 seats. We watched on the second night, which, while not a full house, was still completely packed.

Concert goers flocked in, some stopping by the stalls for food, drinks, and merch before entering the main hall. The excitement in the air when the lights dimmed was palpable. Opening act David La Sol was up first. A Baguio-based talent, he brings a youthful charm to the stage and smooth vocals to boot. You can hear Ben & Ben’s influence on his style of performance and songwriting, but his own voice clearly shines through. After the show, I followed him on Spotify and Instagram. You should, too.

One thing we’ve always appreciated about Ben & Ben is that the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. While twins Miguel and Paolo are the most recognizable faces in the nine-piece ensemble, every member of the band gets a moment in the spotlight. The twins are on the mic most often, but some of other band members (percussionist Toni Muñoz, for example) have wonderful singing voices as well. Each person had at least one song where all eyes and ears were on them, plus a moment to address the audience — whether to share a quick anecdote or simply express gratitude for the support.

The Traveller Across Dimensions is a visual feast, both on screen and on stage. LED-lit towers frame the band with colors and patterns suited to each song. A recurring spiral motif also appears, from the digital backgrounds to the band’s outfits, with white swooping, curling lines contrasting against dark and jewel-toned pieces. These elements complement the animation narrating the album’s story. Local animation house Puppeteer Studios brings the story to vivid, breathtaking life.

Living the Story

The Traveller Across Dimensions is a little bit Pixar’s Inside Out and a little bit Buddhist philosophy.

Long-time fans of Ben & Ben know that the band champions many causes, including mental health awareness. Aside from the animated aspect, the chronicle shares some themes with Inside Out, like emotional and psychological balance. Feelings we often think of as negative — like fear and sadness — while uncomfortable (if not outright painful), still serve a purpose. We move past them and grow from them by leaning in and coping in the healthiest way we can.

The beginning of the story revolves around adventure, discovery, and creation. We then see some of those foundations and relationships crumble when faced with conflict — both external, as in experiencing pain and loss, and internal, as in questioning your own self-worth. Main character Liwanag (and her fabulous, voluminous animated hair) runs the gauntlet of attacks from malicious creatures and, perhaps even more harrowing, her own willpower being tested when all hope seemed lost.

What’s the happy ending? This is where a touch of Buddhist thought comes in. It’s not Liwanag getting back everything she lost and returning to a life identical to the one she had before the heartbreak. It’s her emerging scarred but stronger, grieving but growing. She didn’t scramble to reassemble the broken pieces. She accepted that there are things she must let go, and the only way to move forward is to do exactly that.

Suffering, according to Buddhism, is partly caused by the impermanence of life and our tendency to crave for impermanent things. If we stop chasing them and free ourselves from greed, hatred, and ignorance, we can stop suffering, too. Of course, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t appreciate and enjoy what we have, tangible or immaterial. It just means that we must always try to practice gratitude, without the fear of loss looming over us.

The Traveller Across Dimensions celebrates the strength within all of us to overcome adversity, even when we have to do it alone. But it also encourages its audience to reach out and ask for help. Seek community. Be vulnerable. In difficult times, we can all be “liwanag” to each other.

Stream The Traveller Across Dimensions on Spotify and follow Ben & Ben on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more updates.