In his eagerly awaited visit to the Philippines, Steve Lacy performed as the headliner of the annual world class LaLaLa Fest Manila 2026 at the World Trade Center in Pasay. The Fil-Am star opened the 10-hour music marathon with a number of fan-favourites, Internet era staples and new songs, which she then spent 75 minutes performing.
The moment that Lacy spread his words about his Filipino heritage made the performance of even greater value. He told the audience his father, a dead man, was born in the Philippines and that some of his relatives were in the audience.
Steve Lacy’s Complete Manila Setlist
Lacy began the show with “Bad Habit,” drawing the crowd back into it in a big way with one of Lacy’s biggest hits upfront. “Buttons”, “Infrunami” and “Static” followed with the early part of the set maintaining the same typical belt-fed, inter-religious themes that have come to define his unique alternative R&B style.
The mid portion of the performance came down squarely into some tempo and a mix of more familiar songs as well as some newer ones. This collection comprised “oh yeah?,” “N-Side,” “Helmet” and “Dark Red” revealing the highs and lows of an extended career as well as his newfound musical vision as a Manila fan.
The rest of the songs were “Cydron” and “Ryd” before an encore by Lacy with “Sunshine.” The last show provided the audience with one more opportunity to sing along before the end of the artist’s first performance in the Philippines.
The “oh yeah?” Manila Debut Moment
Lacy’s “oh yeah?” was one of the stands among the various songs highlighted during the night, as per information provided, which also happened to be at No. 39 on the Billboard Philippines Hot 100 table at the time.
The return of the song in the set enabled fans to catch the song live, as it was once building a much sought after chart momentum in the Philippines. Lacy’s growing exposure to her new work was reflected in the response of the crowd.
Steve Lacy Talks About His Filipino Roots
Lacy took a break before presenting “Static” and spoke with the Manila audience on his personal ties with the country. His father was born in the Philippines and he said family members were there in the crowd.
It enhanced this performance emotionally for that very moment. The Manila debut turned out to be more than just an international concert, it was a chance for him to showcase his music in a place where there was a connection to his family history or heritage, and share his music with family!
Live Show Built Around Guitar and Band Chemistry
Throughout, Lacy’s rendition was accompanied by a complete live band with him switching between his polarizing Fender Stratocaster, where he played in the lineup, and the acoustic lineups. The traditional arrangement provided a melodic framework for his music, which tended to be light in tone and expressive.
There was songs and hits for Manila that weren’t quite as well known to some as they were to others, and there were a few newer songs that weren’t in as many studio albums as the others “Sunshine” was quite different from the studio version, and somewhat of a concert song for the Manila performance, as was “Bad Habit” around its opening bars.
FAQs
Which was an encore performance for Steve Lacy?
He ended his 75-minute show with an encore song: “Sunshine”.
Did Steve Lacy mention their Filipino roots?
Yes. Lacy said, “His late father was from the Philippines, and family was present.
What was the length of Manila set in Steve Lacy’s journey?
He got his big break after about 75 minutes of his show.
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