Venue: The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel, Singapore
Date: 6th May 2012
Promoter: Running Into The Sun
Review by: Mandy Lynn
Special Thanks: Denise, and the Eleven Hive and Running Into The Sun teams
Photos by Shane C.
Not many gigs bring people together, but this was definitely one that did. Tonight saw people from all walks of life, locals and tourists alike–downing beers and making merry with like-minded music lovers. It was Vertical Horizon’s second time in Singapore, and their first full-fledged concert held here. With two decades of music-making history, Vertical Horizon was due to grace the stage tonight at The Coliseum at Hard Rock Hotel. It was a breezy Sunday evening with a turnout of 2,000 excited fans–their anticipation was evident in their faces.
15 minutes into the stipulated time, the lights dimmed and my conversation with the friendly blond next to me abruptly ended as screams filled the air–Vertical Horizon had arrived. Waving to their hoard of fans as they took the stage, the band immediately launched into Save Me From Myself as the crowd went mad–bopping up and down to the music.
Performing a song from their latest album, Burning the Days, was The Lucky One. The crowd melted as Matt Scannell shared how he was conflicted about love songs, “It’s great to be in love but when it goes away…” Swooning fans swayed to the music as Matt displayed amazing vocals with another mellow love ballad, Send It Up (from the album, Everything You Want).
Picking up speed was Sunshine, where Jasone Orme’s solo was electrifying. Halfway into the song, the band stopped as the crowd took lead and sang the chorus, word-for-word. As the song drew to an end, Matt’s effortless solo (with Ron Lavella on the drums) captivated the rowdy crowd as hands were outstretched towards the international rock star.
Mellowing down with an acoustic rendition of Miracle, Matt showcased his emotional vulnerability; the crowd swooning to his powerful vocals. “Sometimes when you hope–it’s the hardest thing to do in the world.”
It was needless to say, Best I Ever Had was a crowd pleaser that had the fans on their feet, singing along excitedly, waving their hands in the air. When the gig ended with Everything You Want, an encore was inevitable, with hoards of fans chanting, “We want more!”, over and over again, until Vertical Horizon graced the stage once again–once again taking over with their hit single, You’re A God and We Are.
The chemistry between the band members is undeniable, and it was an incredible gig.