You have to hand it to Mei Bastes. A host, a stylist, and an events management specialist (among many other things, of course), Mei is also known for her Meiday! Meiday! series of gigs, which champion and support the local indie music scene. And after a little hiatus, Mei is back to make sure the scene continues to flourish.

She has just put up DOPE MNL, which seeks to expand its repertoire by including all genres of local independent music. It’s already produced three gigs in just the first month of its birth, and now it’s about to reignite the music scene with PopFest.

Admittedly patterned after the NYC Popfest, this “local version” promises to be as (or even more) fun and crazy as the international original. In collaboration with Dr. Martens Philippines, PopFest is happening Saturday, June 2, kicking off at 4pm in the open air of The Fort Strip Plaza.

It will feature music from Nyko Maca and Gafeiria, Pedicab, Ang Bandang Shirley, Ciudad, Sell Our Door, Bee Eyes, The Wilderness, The Strangeness, Twin Lobster, The Discoball, and Misyonaryo, plus DJ sets by FLUXXE’s Kiko Escora and Gian Romano.

The best thing about the whole thing is that it’s for free. Now you have no excuse to not head over to The Fort on Saturday.  Niño Mark M. Sablan, Contributor