The Script powers Manila show with ‘healing’ vibes, energy

MANILA, Philippines — For the fifth time, Irish rock band The Script entertained Filipino fans with their high-octane performance during their Manila show held Friday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Frontman Danny O’Donoghue and his bandmates’ infectious energy all throughout the night was felt by the crowd and vice versa. The jumping, dancing, chanting and healing vibes pretty much reflected the satisfaction gained by the concert-goers from attending the music event.

The group roused up the crowd with a lively performance of Superheroes, the opening song.

One of the highlights of the concert was when Danny came down from the stage, interacted with the audience and sang If You Could See Me Now. He said, “You guys have always been there for us, from the births of some of our children and the deaths of our parents.” He revealed that his dad passed on on Valentine’s Day “just before The Script happened.” Ten years later, he mourned the passing of his mom on the same month of February. “This song… I wanna sing this to my parents… Let us make sure that they can hear us in heaven.”

He moved on with the band’s next track, Nothing. But before that, he asked the crowd to call their ex-partners. “I used to call my ex-girlfriend… Call one of your ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends and give me the (phone). Is there anybody here in Manila crazy enough to give me the phone? Just make sure it’s ringing. Anybody?”

Someone from the jam-packed audience gave her phone to Donny but the person from the other line hung up. He rang the phone again and spoke, “Please stay on the line. This is Donny from The Script… (crowd cheering) Stay on the line or Zoom me, he hung up again.”

Nevertheless, the show continued with Donny reminiscing about the time when the band was in the Philippines. The Script performed in the country a couple of times in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2018.

“The last time we were here was a long time ago. But I remember like it was yesterday. Because of this next song,” the singer-songwriter told the audience before performing The Man Who Can’t Be Moved.

“This is just something going back to the corner where you first met that girl. The last time we sang the song together, it was a magical moment. I wanna replicate that moment,” he added and the supporters happily complied.

“We were supposed to come out here, come to Manila to do a show but it got canceled because of COVID-19,” recalled Donny. “We stayed in our houses not just for one week. (It) turned into a month, turned into a few months, turned into a year, turned into a year and a half, then two years.”

“And what we were doing in those years?” asked Donny. “Some people found themselves… There are those people who were lost in the dark. Reach (my) hand, take my hand and try to pull them into the light. ‘Coz we were all drinking too much, had spoken too much, ate too much, overthinking everything online all day long,” he mused.

Before performing Something Unreal, Donny shared that he has a “good friend” who told him to call those people who were there for you during your hardest times. “And those people who weren’t, set them free… Because we are only here for a click in the realms for infinity. So, let us make the best f***king thing you ever heard in your life.”

He later on teased the audience as if they were about to end the show: “Thank you so much for an incredible night here. A moment we will not forget for a long, long time. We are The Script from Dublin, Ireland. We will see you soon. Thank you. Good night and God bless,” and sang a few lines from their track For The First Time, “Oh, these times are hard/Yeah, they’re making us crazy/Don’t give up on me, baby.”

They took a short break but the fans continued singing For The First Time. But it was not a goodbye yet as the band members came back on stage with No Good in Goodbye and Breakeven.

The Script’s finale was Hall of Fame, dedicated to “the city of Manila, the country of the Philippines.”

Donny gave an inspiring message in front of the crowd before hitting their last song. “Music has gotten me through my hardest times and this good family has gotten me through my hardest times as well. So you guys have been… Look around you. You guys have been the stars of the show the whole night. But what I’m gonna do right now is for those who have lights, keep them going,” he said.

“For those people who don’t have lights, turn on your phones, maybe hold the picture of somebody who isn’t here or hold up a bear, just hold up your hand in the air and rejoice at moments like these. Moments like these, we will take to our grave with us. Because you’re only gonna do this type of thing when we all work together as one.”

“We feel the same feelings. It’s very rare when the band and the audience just become one as the same energy. Doesn’t matter where we are in the world, it’s the same energy. So I’m dedicating this song to anybody who’s going through anything right now, who needs a little bit of strength, who needs a little bit of energy. Every single one of these lights is a touch of a person. We are… family baby and at the end of the day, nothing, ain’t nothing we can’t overcome,” concluded Donny.

He then thanked his bandmates and took a selfie with the crowd.

The fans chanted, “We want more.” But Donny said, “Guys, we just played every f***ing song we have (smiles). Manila, we just wanna say from the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for this incredible 15 years journey that we’ve been all together. We are all the same. We are The Script from Dublin, Ireland. You want more? Here we go: Oh, these times are hard/Yeah, they’re making us crazy/Don’t give up on me, baby…”

Other tracks that were played during the duration of the concert are their newest single Dare You To Doubt Me, “first song that the band wrote together” Before The Worst, Rain, We Cry, Paint the Town Green, Arms Open and Talk You Down.

Irish-Filipina singer AndreaH opened the act for the band. The Script: Greatest Hits Tour 2022 was presented by Wilbros Live and Midas Promotions.