AVRALIZE recently marked a major milestone with their first-ever performance in Asia, taking the stage at Taiwan’s renowned Megaport Festival. For guitarist and Vola artist Philipp Tenberken, the experience was nothing short of unforgettable. “This was our first show in Asia, and we couldn’t have asked for a better one. We were truly overwhelmed by the kindness and support of the Megaport Festival.” The band stepped into a completely new environment and immediately connected with a crowd that embraced them with open arms, setting the tone for a standout international debut.

The energy in Taiwan proved to be something truly unique. Reflecting on the contrast with their European shows, Philipp shared, “We’ve often had great experiences with crowds in Europe. The people are respectful and connect with the music. In Asia, the appreciation was on a whole different level, insanely intense and unbelievably expressive. The crowd there is incredibly respectful and truly appreciates all kinds of music. As far as I know, Megaport is the biggest festival in Taiwan and only takes place once a year. That’s why people are so excited to be there and really let everything out during the live shows. Even among themselves, you can really feel how warmly they treat each other.” That intensity translated directly into the band’s performance, creating a powerful feedback loop between artist and audience.

Much of that energy was driven by material from their latest album, liminal, which has quickly become central to their live identity. “From our album “liminal”, “medicine” is definitely a central part of our set. It’s the opening track, so it immediately brings energy and a strong sense of groove. I really like how it goes from a “country djent” part straight into a pop-style piano section, that contrast works really well live. We also play “helium,” which is probably the heaviest song we have. It’s a lot of fun live because some parts are just incredibly heavy and hit really hard, giving the crowd a huge burst of energy towards the end of our set.” Songs also evolved in the live setting, with Philipp noting, “A good example is “bite my tongue.” It’s a fairly simple song, but those always work best live. On the record, it’s more of a vibey track, but live the crowd just went completely crazy. That probably makes it one of my favorite tracks to play live.”

As a Vola Guitars artist, Philipp relied on trusted instruments to deliver that sound on stage. “As with every show, I used my Vola OZ 7T in shell pink, and this time I had the OZ 7 QGM J3 as a backup, since the entire set was in the same tuning.” He emphasized the importance of consistency on the road, adding, “These guitars are incredibly reliable at all times. Even after long flights, they stay in tune and are ready to go right away, which makes a huge difference on tour.” Philipp keeps his approach straightforward when it comes to his instruments. “I didn’t make any modifications to the guitars themselves.” That reliability allows him to focus more on shaping his sound in the moment. “Live, I usually try to get the tone as close to the record as possible. But in some parts, I really enjoy switching things up a bit and using a slightly different sound, just to add some variation and keep it fun.” As he explains, “The Vola guitars play a big role in that, since most of the album was actually recorded using them, so they’re a big part of the overall sound.” With momentum building after liminal and this landmark performance, the band is already looking ahead: “This summer, we’ll be playing a few festivals like Deichbrand Festival in Germany, Mystic Festival in Poland, and also Sziget Festival in Hungary. Toward the end of the year, we’ll be heading out on a European tour with Allt.” AVRALIZE’s momentum shows no signs of slowing as they continue to expand their presence on stages worldwide. We want to extend many thanks to Philipp for taking the time to share his experience with us!