Fans finally experience SB19’s ‘Simula at Wakas’

— From the fascinating virtual reality (VR) zone to never-before-seen photo display,

A’TIN and exhibit-goers could deep dive into the world of SB19 and marvel at the P-pop Kings’ tartistry and musical creativity upon entering “The Simula at Wakas (SAW) Experience” at the L4 Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City. 

A group of press members got the first dibs on the ongoing multimedia exhibit, which runs until June 29.  The SAW Experience transported visitors to an immersive journey, delving deep into the story behind the quintet’s latest EP “Simula at Wakas,” which was released via Sony Music Entertainment. “Simula at Wakas” is SB19’s final installment in a trilogy with 2021’s “pagsibol” and 2023’s “PAGTATAG!”.

We kicked off the SAW Experience at the VR Zone, where we had the chance to see the virtual performance of the group’s newest singles Dam and Time.

We proceeded to the curated rooms which featured behind-the-scenes snapshots of the band, iconic items from their music videos and performances, as well as The Shop where visitors can purchase and take home personal memorabilia from the group.

Beyond the SAW experience, the exhibit represented the SB19’s music legacy and served as an expression of their gratitude to their fandom, dubbed A’TIN, for their utmost support.

“It’s our way of saying thank you and showing how much we’ve evolved,” SB19 said. “‘Simula at Wakas’ encapsulates everything we’ve been through: the struggles, the growth, the milestones. We hope it speaks not only to those who’ve been with us from the start but also welcomes new listeners into our world.”

The SAW Experience is a long-time coming for the group. As Justin said during the presscon, “Even before, one of our dreams is to have this kind of museum experience because there are a lot of things that we want to share. This time around, for ‘Simula at Wakas,’ for this era, we included it in the concept. So even the texture, yung mararamdaman ng tao kung ano yung ginagawa namin is fit for the ‘Simula at Wakas’ experience.”

He teased that even though “Simula at Wakas” is the last part of the trilogy, A’TIN could still watch out for the “pagsibol” and “PAGTATAG!” immersive experiences.

Each of the members shared their favorite spot in the entire exhibit as well.

The Last Room was Pablo’s personal pick. “In the Last Room, there’s a chair that you could sit on,” he explained. “There’s five of us but in our music video (DAM), there’s a round table and nakaupo kaming lima. The visitors could sit there and they could experience the feeling na nag-me-meeting about kung magugunaw na yung mundo. It’s beside the merch booth. The experience is incomplete if it’s not there.”

Justin’s choice is the Time section. “That area is very interactive where you could write and explore. There’s also a prompt where you could share what you want to share and there’s a fingerprint na gagawan mo ng apple dun sa (DAM) tree. So, (it’s) very interactive. As an artsy person, I didn’t follow the prompt, nag-drawing lang ako.”

For Stell, he named the DAM Gate as his personal favorite. “When you open the door, what will welcome you is the DAM. Sa dulo, there’s the throne of Pablo. So parang ang ganda niyang simula to set the mood like, ‘Welcome to the DAM world or welcome to this world.’ That’s what I like because once you enter the area, you would say, ‘Ang ganda. I’m ready. Ano pa kaya ang ma-experience ko dito sa lugar na ‘to.’”

Tech enthusiast, Josh, shared that his most-liked area is the VR Zone. “Because this is where they could experience (our virtual performance), although I’m cringing watching myself.  I’m sure they will like what we have prepared for them to see here.”

Ken, meanwhile, loved the merch booth. “Because it’s where they could take home personal stuff like t-shirts, keychains and photo cards.”

SB19 kicked off their “Simula at Wakas World Tour” at the Philippine Arena just this weekend. The two-night shows were produced by 1Z Entertainment, Live Nation Philippines and Starmedia Entertainment.