“It’s SB19’s world and we’re just living in it.”

I just thought of this as a cheeky side comment given the immersive “Simula at Wakas” Experience the other week, but after witnessing SB19’s world tour kickoff at the Philippine Arena last weekend, I now look back at it and can’t help but be amazed at how true this is. SB19 has proven that they’re more than ready to conquer the world.

As an aerial banner flying over the Philippine Arena said over the weekend, “The world is yours, SB19.”

And yet, the P-pop Kings remain grounded as ever, never failing to thank and acknowledge the people who got them there as they performed two consecutive nights* at the world’s biggest indoor arena: their families, their fans, and the company they’ve built from the ground up. 

Many have already commented on how different this concert has been, calling it “world-class” or “even better” than the international acts that have visited our stages. The “Simula at Wakas” concert took a more theatrical route, following the seven-year-old group’s story, all while showcasing impeccable singing and dancing backed by a mesmerizing stage with video projections, lighting, pyrotechnics, a live band, and a massive ensemble.

“Paano ba higitan ang sagad na?” has been at the heart of this comeback, and with each release—from the songs to the marketing activations and promotions, all the way up to the concert—Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin have been consistently outdoing themselves.

SB19’s musical theater era?

Before I started following SB19—first through their social media (because man, these guys are funny), then their releases, until ultimately becoming a fan, too—I was first a theater fan and reviewer. I still am. So when it was teased that the concert would take a theatrical approach, I became doubly excited. 

Some of the members have been spotted watching musicals, and many of the creatives they’ve collaborated with also have strong backgrounds in theater. (Pablo, in a Q&A after the premiere of his short film last year, shared that theater is also one of his dreams. Stell and Justin, recently, got a taste of improv theater, too, through performing a show with SPIT). So it’s really no surprise that this crossover would eventually happen.

The concert’s stage design alone elicited in me pretty much the same reaction I’ve gotten upon seeing the stages of some of Manila’s best musicals: that breathtaking “wow,” as we made our way to our seats, taking in the massive scale of their stage, where they’ve built mountainous backdrops and a diamond-shaped extended stage reminiscent of the group’s logo.

Though we encountered some seating issues in VIP (which was resolved, thankfully, because I paid for that!), the concert was such a spectacle that any minor inconvenience was easily dispelled by excitement, awe, and pride.

A tale of five dreamers

The next thing that struck me was how the energy at the arena was palpable even before the performances began, but even more when A’tin was invited to a karaoke session—literally, with the LED screens flashing SB19’s lyric videos backed by instrumentals of the tracks. This was a request by the fans over X, which concert director Paolo Valenciano openly acknowledged. 

This gave way for the biggest front act ever: A’tin. Even more gut-wrenching was to hear the entire arena—55,000 voices reverberating—coming together to sing one of SB19’s love songs, “Liham.” 

The show was split into five acts, with cinematic videos marking the start of each. The videos served a dual purpose: introducing the next act’s theme and tying together the entire show’s narrative while also keeping the audience engaged and entertained during costume change gaps. 

After an overture—which includes a hair-raising entrance of the entire ensemble, dancers, and the group, in cloaks, the entire arena bathed in red (which honestly reminded me of a fan meme born out of a hate comment likening the fandom to a cult)—the chorale sang a portion of “DAM,” with the quintet then joining in, emerging to perform an explosive back to back medley of “What?” “Mana,” and “Gento.”

The three songs are from the earlier “Pagsibol” and “Pagtatag” EPs, all carrying themes of not settling for the ordinary and offering something worthy of pride—even if not everyone could see or appreciate it. 

The choice of songs for the first act also sets the concert’s tone: Though this concert is “Simula at Wakas,” this is more than just about the latest EP. This is about the entire trilogy—the entire story of SB19’s growth, challenges, and success.

After a group introduction and the customary roll call of each member’s “houses” or individual fandoms, they then delved into the second act, a sensual then sweet set comprised of a rearranged, slowed “Moonlight,” a more heavily R&B version of “I Want You,” their version of Jvke’s viral “Golden Hour,” featuring their all-Filipino rap and verse and angelic harmonies (with A’tin joining in so beautifully at some point!), and the upbeat “WYAT (Where You At).”

This second act is a major flex of the group’s vocal prowess. They’ve already earned a reputation as live monsters, but this set is the perfect showcase of their strength as vocalists. 

The high energy continued through the third act, going into the songs that were made to address the naysayers. The boys emerged in pink and gray outfits, a visual contrast to the strong beats, dynamic choreography, and sharp lyrics. 

The set opened with their latest hit, “Dungka,” then they shook things up with “Bazinga,” as the members switched their usual parts in the song. The crowd stayed hyped through “8TonBall” down to “Crimzone,” where the group asked the entire audience to get up on their feet and jump, a testament to SB19’s skill at effortlessly working a crowd.

A night of firsts

It’s now a running joke among fans that SB19 is the “first Filipino”—and the group added to the now-long list of firsts on their kickoff concert. As the show wound down for a quieter, more reflective fourth act, featuring beloved ballads like “Nyebe,” recent hits “Time” and “Quit,” and their most streamed hit “Mapa,” we also witnessed a few other firsts.

“Mapa” took on a more special meaning on the first night of the kickoff, as Josh revealed something personal: That night was the first time his long-lost father would watch him perform, which made his verse in the song, all about remembering and living out a father’s advice, even more special.

Fans also organized a special project for the group: as Pablo sang the bridge, the entire arena transformed into a Philippine flag, making the line “At kahit na kailan pa ma’y di mawawala, pagkat dala ko ang mapa, sa’n man mapunta, alam kung sa’n nagmula” even more meaningful. (Cue our tears for the second time in the same song!)

PROJECT WATAWHAT: Mission Accomplished 🇵🇭

Thank you, A’tin!

HISTORY BEGINS WITH ESBI@SB19Official #SB19#SaWWorldTourPH pic.twitter.com/qEbay50XfO

— Jorge🪬 (@jorgesnic) May 31, 2025

The concert’s final act headed into lighter territory, mostly featuring songs dedicated to the fans. They performed “Shooting for the Stars” for the first time live, with cute choreography akin to them shooting arrows at the sky (“ready, aim, fire, shoot!” as the lyrics do say). A jazzy introduction of “Freedom” then had SB19 lifted above the stage by a platform. They then closed the act with their official song for A’tin: “SLMT.”

It’s not really the end

As SB19 took their bows and the dancers and ensemble danced and played around on stage as a montage of the concert preparations played on the LED screens, the live band played an instrumental version of “Go Up,” the song that launched the group to virality. Suddenly, the stage was dimmed and tinged in red, ominous, before the screen then changed, signalling another song: “DAM.”

And this is where the “Simula at Wakas” concept comes full circle. SB19 once again emerged on stage, donning their costumes from the first act, now singing the full version of the EP’s lead single as their encore song.

Even their final stage exit completes a cycle: Disappearing into trap doors, followed by the DAM tree emerging, and a girl coming up to the tree holding its fruit, all harking back to the very first teaser of the EP. 

The concert ended with the best mic drop: The words “Made in the Philippines” flashed on screen alongside the concert’s logo. The music has ended, but the statement is loud and clear: This is a production that takes pride in its Filipino-ness, and the world is about to see one of the best—if not the best—that the Philippines can offer from this generation.

SB19 set a high standard with the Simula at Wakas kickoff. Will they continue to outdo themselves on the global stage? The world now has its eyes on them. But if there’s anything fans have realized with this comeback, it’s that we will never know SB19’s next move. They’ll just keep surprising us.

*Update as of June 4: An earlier version of this article noted that both days of the concert were sold out. The Philippine Arena page retracted an earlier comment they posted about the two days being sold out. No updates yet as of posting.