Filipino pop outfit Side A will return next year with a rare musical homecoming that brings both founding and current members on one stage. The two-night concert, titled Now & Then, will run on February 21 and 22, 2026 at the Metropolitan Theater in Ermita. Known for their hits such as, “Forevermore,” “Tell Me” and “Set You Free,” the concert marks a moment for a band whose history has stretched across decades of Filipino pop and slow-burn hits that shaped how listeners understood ballads and melodies. The event is also framed as a reunion across generations, connecting the group’s earliest lineup with the musicians who carried the catalog forward.
Produced by recording studio and event organizers Minsan Studio, the concert concept came after bassist and vocalist Joey Benin attended the anniversary show of his daughter Clara Benin at the Metropolitan Theater in October. He recalled how the venue’s sound and staging pushed the idea into motion. “After the show, Jason [Conanan] of Minsan Studio said, ‘How about we do a passion project with Side A here at the classic Metropolitan Theater?’,” Benin said in a press statement. “I immediately contacted our manager, Lito Fugoso, who pitched it to the band — and here we are now: excited and looking forward to next year’s ultimate gathering. Now & Then doubles as a tribute to Side A’s evolving story and a thank-you to the audiences who stayed with them through multiple eras ever since their formation in 1985.
The concert will feature orchestral arrangements by musical director Ria Villena-Osorio, who also led Clara Benin’s production at the Metropolitan Theater.
