Maroon 5 stunned participants with an “explosive” 75-minute performance.
From the first familiar beats of ‘Moves Like Jagger’, an excitable and energetic crowd at Phu Quoc Grand World Square “exploded” with excitement as the band took the stage. The six members of the legendary group appeared against the backdrop of the giant “Heavenly Sphere” stage under the theme “from twilight till first light”, with amazing visuals that lit up the whole Grand World Square.
The 75-minute show included a selection of Maroon 5’s best-loved classics, taking the audience on a musical journey through a three-decade legacy. In addition to the dynamic opening song, other hits performed included ‘This Love’, ‘Sunday Morning’, ‘Payphone’, ‘One More Night’, and ‘Sugar’.
For the amassed fans gathered at the festival, and to those watching online, the craftsmanship and passion of the six experienced band members was all too evident, and Maroon 5 worked tirelessly to ensure the adoring crowd enjoyed every moment. This was the first chance for Vietnamese audiences to get an up-close and personal look at each of the talented band members, from the bombastic, funk-laden drumming of Matt Flynn, the intricate and precise fretwork of guitarists James Valentine & Jesse Carmichael, to the thunderous bass of Sam Farrar and the arrangements of keyboard player PJ Morton. The Grand World square automatically turned into a world-class “music paradise,” resonating with cheers each time the familiar song lyrics began.
As the setlist progressed, Adam Levine took time to involve the Phu Quoc audience in some backing vocals on tracks like ‘This Love’, ‘Memories’, ‘Animals’, ‘Maps’, ‘Don’t Wanna Know’.
But the highlight of the evening was an impromptu visit to the audience to serenade watching fans, supported by guitarist Valentine on ‘She Will Be Loved’. Levine’s effortless charm was encapsulated when mid-song he used a fan’s phone to take a selfie video with lucky audience members, creating a truly memorable moment at 8Wonder Winter Festival.
Addressing the crowd during the show, Levine enthused over his enjoyment in Vietnam and the band’s delight at being invited to the festival, “We’re so honored to be here in beautiful Vietnam for our very first show. It took us 20 years to get here, but we’ll definitely come back, and next time it’ll definitely be sooner!”
Vietnamese stars add their talent, energy and passion to an unforgettable night of music.
The thousands of spectators amassed at Phu Quoc United Center not only had the opportunity to enjoy international superstars Maroon 5, but also got to savor a diverse musical feast featuring a plethora of famous Vietnamese artists. Explosive performances, including new hits and creative collaborations between Toc Tien and GreyD, Phuong Ly and JustaTee, Double2T and Xe Xe and the band Mau Nuoc rocked the stage of 8Wonder, and dazzled local music fans.
One of the unique highlights of 8Wonder Winter Festival was the eye-catching debut performance of the VF 7 Dragon Forged model, appearing onstage with EDM virtuoso Touliver and the Hoang Thong dance group. This is a limited edition of the VinFast VF 7 with only 68 cars made, which will go on sale from January 1, 2024.
This year’s edition of 8Wonder Winter Festival provided an excellent opportunity to elevate the destination of Phu Quoc (translated as Pearl Island), a majestic tropical island paradise with world-class beach resorts, sunny skies and jaw-dropping sunsets. Further, the festival and its associated series of events and activities continue to draw attention towards the increasing stature of Vietnam as a prime tourist destination for global travellers. Indeed, that wonderfully positioned Phu Quoc as a picture-perfect beach destination.
Speaking before the festival, Juergen Doerr, CEO of Vinpearl, said: “After major music festivals like 8Wonder, we expect international tourists to know Vietnam as a country of beautiful, friendly, and unique tourist destinations. With the added value of world music superstars and the elevated level of event experience, 8Wonder will be the leverage for Phu Quoc and Vietnam to become world-famous, loved, and attractive destinations to attract many tourists to return.”
The huge investment in world-class facilities along with the event’s professional crew, sound, lighting and stage equipment and the collection of top Vietnamese music stars exceeded all expectations. The all-in-one ecosystem of culinary, entertainment and discovery offerings enabled 8Wonder Winter Festival to successfully deliver a top-notch festival experience for the thousands who flocked to Phu Quoc for this year’s event.
According to industry experts, Vietnam’s ability to organize world-class music events has now been confirmed after two seasons of 8Wonder Festival. With Charlie Puth taking centre-stage in Nha Trang earlier this year, and Maroon 5 performing in Phu Quoc, 8 Wonder music festival has reached an elite stature as one of the top global entertainment events and music festivals, similar to Tomorrowland and Coachella.
As this year’s 8Wonder festival comes to a close, organizers can look back with pride after witnessing 6 hours of entertainment history in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. Maroon 5’s blockbuster performance, ably supported by famous Vietnamese artists has created a journey of “Infinity Wonder” for thousands of audiences in the most beautiful sunset setting in Vietnam, have truly opened the door for more world-class events, all of which cannot help but to enhance Vietnam’s popularity and position as one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations. 
