HCM CITY  The year-end period marks a peak for grand scale music events in HCM City.

Towards the end of the year, the city becomes the focal point for large-scale music festivals, featuring international stars as well as a broad lineup of Việt Nam’s top artists.

Popular live shows

The success of concerts such as Anh Trai Vượt Ngàn Chông Gai (Call Me by Fire) and Anh Trai Say Hi (Brothers Say Hi) has created great expectations for the entertainment industry, demonstrating the vast potential for developing large-scale entertainment events in Việt Nam in general and HCM City in particular.

Recent “mega music festivals”, drawing tens of thousands of attendees, such as Hội Thuần Hội 2024 and GENfest 2024, along with numerous other programmes, have transformed HCM City into a “hot spot” and a desirable destination for domestic and international music organisers and producers.

The ongoing HCM City’s 2024 Tourism Week which runs until December 12, features a variety of integrated activities, including unique tourism, sports and music events.

One of the most anticipated is the 8Wonder Winter international music festival at Vinhomes Grand Park in Thủ Đức City, with performances by the superstar American band Imagine Dragons alongside Vietnamese artists like Soobin Hoàng Sơn, Hieuthuhai, Hurrykng, and Manbo.

Simultaneously, a youth-oriented concert at Sài Gòn River Park will host popular artists including Trúc Nhân, Lâm Bảo Ngọc, DJ Wokeup, and Annie, along with stars from the Anh Trai Say Hi lineup such as Isaac, Erik, and Rhyder Quang Anh.

The Dreamy Cities Festival took place on Sunday at the Phú Thọ Stadium, featuring a lineup of celebrated artists like Đen, Vũ, Hoàng Dũng, T'linh, the band Chilies, and Quang Hùng MasterD.

Meanwhile, the Ravolution Timeline festival showcased famous international DJs in an open-air performance at Vạn Phuc City in Thủ Đức from 2:00pm to 11:30pm on Saturday.

One of the most anticipated events is the 4th annual HOZO International Music Festival, which will feature three official nights of HOZO Super Fest 2024 from December 13 to 15 at Nguyễn Huệ Lê Lợi Pedestrian Street in District 1.

Over 100 artists and bands from Việt Nam and abroad, hailing from the US, Wales, Scotland, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea, will perform.

Representing Việt Nam, star performers such as Mỹ Tâm and Hieuthuhai will headline.

The organisers on December 15, will collaborate with Rock’n’Share to host a special rock-themed concert dedicated to Vietnamese rock enthusiasts.

From December 28 to January 1, 2025, the New Year’s festival at Sài Gòn River Park in Thủ Đức City will feature two grand music nights, including the opening ceremony and a Countdown Party.

Forty famous domestic and international artists will participate, with musician, rapper, and producer JustaTee serving as the music director for the entire festival.

The stage will be uniquely designed as a massive speaker, symbolising music spreading far and wide.

Other notable performances include Hồ Ngọc Hà’s Music Festival, expected to draw 20,000 attendees at Sài Gòn River Park, featuring four male guest singers and international DJs.

It can be said that the HCM City performance market has never been more vibrant than it is now.

Promoting cultural values

The wave of large-scale music festivals is not limited to 2024 but is expected to continue developing in 2025, becoming a cultural specialty of HCM City and marking a significant transformation in the entertainment market.

Events featuring major international artists also serve as a catalyst for HCM City to boost international collaboration.

The influx of tens of thousands of spectators attending these festivals generates substantial revenue for the service, tourism, and retail sectors.

Thanh Thúy, deputy director of HCM City’s Department of Culture and Sports, spoke to Thanh Niên (Young People) newspaper about policies supporting and encouraging large-scale music and arts events.

“HCM City always recognises that hosting international events with major brand recognition is a way to promote the city’s image and cultural values globally. Recent highlights like the HCM City International Music Festival, the HCM City International Film Festival, the Áo Dài Festival, and the Water Festival combine rich national cultural traditions with advanced global values, affirming the city’s abundant creative potential and aspirations for sustainable development,” she said.

“The city’s vibrant performance industry has recently witnessed a boom in numerous high-investment live concerts, drawing 20,000–30,000 attendees, significantly contributing to cultural, economic, and social development.

"We highly value the role of businesses and artists in building a thriving cultural and artistic environment in HCM City. Therefore, alongside facilitating and supporting enterprises and organisations, the city is focusing on implementing mechanisms and policies to invest in cultural and sports development. The city is also striving to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, aiming to solidify its role as a global city in the near future.” VNS