Venue: Gateway Theatre, Singapore
Date: 17th October 2023
Promoter: LAMC Productions
Review by: Anna F.
Special Thanks: LAMC Productions
Photos by Alvin H.
They say it started like a wildfire–
Formed in 2011, pop-rock trio from Poughkeepsie, New York, Against The Current has been hitting city after city on their Nightmares & Daydreams World Tour, which started with a series of shows in America in April. Made up of lead vocalist Chrissy Costanza, guitarist Dan Gow, drummer Will Ferri, and touring member David Whitmore on bass and backing vocals, ATC was incredibly cohesive as a unit, feeding off each other’s energy from the minute they hit the stage.
“It’s been a long time. We’re so happy to be back. Feel free to dance with us. We want you to have fun,” Chrissy hollered before diving headfirst into the setlist, which barely allowed for any sort of breather for the singer between songs.
The charming frontwoman, who paired a corset-like top with a black skirt, translucent glittery leggings, and a pair of platform boots, stole the show as she led singalongs and commanded the crowd in a conductor-like fashion. Standing only at 5’1″, Costanza was undeniably a force to be reckoned with – jumping and emphatically gesturing towards the audience as she belted out song after song, hitting all the right notes.
No strangers to Singapore having played here four times before, the band blazed through their powerhouse discography, playing a good mix of crowd staples like “Paralyzed,” “Chasing Ghosts,” “Almost Forgot,” and “Voices,” as well as newly released singles, “silent stranger” and “good guy”. And judging from the energy emanating from teenagers and hell-raisers alike, each lyric and melody resonated throughout the theatre.
“It’s so good to be back. Tonight is really special because this is the last day of this run for us and we’ve been out for six weeks straight,” Chrissy shared as her band members took a slight breather behind her. Despite how exhausting it must be to be constantly on the road, it sure didn’t look like it for any of them, their energy level high and their spirits ignited by the palpable excitement of their fans.
As the lead singer worked the stage, she somehow spent about 20 percent of the time on the floor or crouched down with her hair in her face. The sheer volume in Costanza’s headbanging red locks was something noticeable when she did this, and her impeccable vocals were almost unbelievable at times. Dan, Will, and David were also steadfast in the beats, notes, and tunes they were driving, resolutely pumping them out with mastery.
“So, Singapore, we’re so excited to be back. For two reasons – to see you guys; debatably the better reason: food.” Making a special mention of chili crab, chicken rice, and sugar cane juice, Chrissy joked that the local food has no right to be as good as it is. “Just like the next song,” she quipped. “You can catch me on my standup tour next time,” she said under her breath as the first notes of the next song kicked in.
“We tried to make sure that we put a little bit of everything in the set,” Chrissy said, making more small talk with the audience. Their fans were also treated to acoustic renditions of some of their favourite tunes as Will swapped the sticks for a guitar for a brief moment before deftly maneuvering his way back to the kit without so much as a whisper for the rest of the night.
“Thank you so much for coming out tonight. I need you to promise me you’ll make these next couple of songs count,” Costanza said, before the band played “Legends Never Die” and “weapon” for the encore.
With only two studio albums and five EPs under their belt, the Poughkeepsie outfit has set out with guns blazing, clearly coming for the empire. And their explosive 90-minute performance was a look into their bright future.
You ain’t seen nothing yet.