RATHER than nursing celebratory Guinness hangovers, one day after the success of single ‘Hall Of Fame’ charting at number two, The Script took to the stage of the intimate Mancunian venue, HMV Ritz.
The Irish guys were on top form, playing an energetic set, featuring hits from their first two albums as well as sampling catchy new delights from album '#3', which was also released on 10 September.
The decibels that were shrieked, cheered and chanted within the HMV Ritz were overwhelming, yet all of the guys were truly appreciative of every applaud they received.
The trio, comprising of Danny O’Donoghue, Glen Power and Mark Sheehan, rocked out a first class performance. They dazzled their droves of adoring fans with powerful renditions of hit singles, including ‘For the First Time’, ‘Breakeven’ and ‘Nothing.’ The chart topping tune, ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved’ left the whole room singing in unison. Definitely a spine tingling moment; one to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
The decibels that were shrieked, cheered and chanted within the HMV Ritz were overwhelming, yet all the guys were truly appreciative of every applaud they received. It was refreshing to see a band so grateful to be stood on their rightful home, the stage, and so committed to proving that they were worthy occupants.
Low ceilings added to an intimate feel within the sold out venue, especially considering the band last played at the colossal Manchester Arena, which is anything but intimate. It would certainly be shocking if The Script ever played somewhere as small as this again in Manchester, making this final, small scale gig extra special.
It was evident that audience participation and interaction was of utmost importance to the three-piece band. Energetic frontman, O’Donoghue, jumped off the stage and passed the microphone over to his frenzied female following. Half way through the set he disappeared from the stage, only to reappear on the balcony of the Ritz, singing amongst the crowds of his adoring fans; a brave move for the most wanted man in the room. Those girls were fierce and that balcony was high.
Anecdotes of the songs' inspiration and creation were often thrown into the mix, adding yet another personal layer. The crowd discovered that new track, ‘If You Could See Me Now’ was written about Sheehan's dead parents and O'Donoghue's late father - the odd tear stained face could be spotted after the lyric ‘When I see my face in the mirror, we look so alike that it makes me shiver’ was uttered. Drunk dialling was also discussed as an explanation to ‘Nothing’.
Lead guitarist, Sheehan appeared ecstatic on stage and could happily have stayed there all night. After the encore had ended, bows had been taken and sweaty musicians had left the stage, this little chap stayed and began singing, encouraging the audience to join in, in a karaoke style sing off.
For those regular Script fans, a new presence was noted on stage in the guise of Rodney the keyboard player. He joined session bassist Ben Sargeant, who is a regular piece of furniture amongst The Script’s live performances.
This gig was a perfect way to first hear the songs from the new album, bringing them alive with raw emotion and meaning, in a way that is not possible via iTunes.
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