IN PHOTOS: Lifehouse live in Manila 2015

MANILA, Philippines – It was a night to remember for Lifehouse fans Thursday, October 8 at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

The group opened the show firing on all cylinders with one of their new songs “Hurricane,” and even though the crowd may not have been familiar with all the verses, everyone eagerly joined in when it came to the listener friendly, sing-a-long chorus.

And once the driving guitar kicked in, the arena fans were on their feet, with hands in the air. The song has a familiar Lifehouse sound, yet tweaked a bit, different yet the same. 

Just completing the European leg of their Out of the Wasteland tour, they stopped in Manila before heading off to Australia. Lifehouse has been through some changes recently, just returning from a lengthy hiatus.

“We took a couple of years off before we got in and finished this record. We haven’t even been to Europe for four years. For us to come back, get in the studio, make this record, release it independently, then get back on the road and play for all our fans again, it’s kinda like a rebirth for us.” guitarist Bryce Soderbergsaid during a radio interview with Jam 88.3. 

Lifehouse is an American band composed of lead vocalist Jason Wade, Rick Woolstenhulme Jr. on drums, bass guitarist Bryce Soderberg, and their newest member Steve Stout, on guitar. The band has been to Manila on other occasions, in 2008 and 2012.

And it’s no secret that they hold a special love for the Philippine fans. Which works both ways – a sizeable crowd attended, so it’s a safe bet most of the people in the seats were loyal fans. 

There wasn’t much banter in between tracks, they let the music do the talking. At one point Jason addressed the crowd, “We tell our friends, our favorite place to play in the world is Manila!” And Bryce reiterated that sentiment a few songs later in the show. “And we can honestly say this, our favorite place to play in the world is right here in the Philippines!”  

The set list flowed smoothly, with selections of their well-known songs and the new stuff – there’s an impressive back catalog to choose from. The stage lighting was well thought out, tasteful, yet not over the top, just the right balance to complement the music and not distract from it.

The sound system was more than adequate, balanced and consistent throughout the whole show, no problem there, sounded wonderful.  

I’m always impressed when a band can duplicate what you might expect to hear on a record, live. Seems like it would be a relatively easy thing to do, but it isn’t, far from it. Now some may say, that simply duplicating a record, may be a bit on the boring side, as far as live shows go. But they mixed it up well, especially in the acoustic set, where there were songs performed, not at all like the originals, more of a one-of-a-kind version just for the Manila crowd.

They have also been known to occasionally throw in a cover song by a legendary band, like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones or Elvis Costello, but there were no covers that evening. All the selections were executed with the skill and grace of seasoned professionals, obviously this was not their first rodeo.

At one point, something special did happen, seldom experienced in today’s manufactured pop concerts. It took place during the acoustic set, which many bands now add to their set lists. These stripped down performances offer insight to the artists themselves, a highlight of the evening, just one person and a guitar.

 

This is not for the faint of heart, any mistakes are amplified, no room for error and sincerity is tough to fake, so you have to be all in. Just about the halfway mark of the concert, the other band members left the stage, it was just Jason, lit with a single spotlight from above.

And that’s often times exactly what it turns out to be, just drama, lacking actual substance. But not so here, this was the polar opposite, there was a moment, something magical.  

The multitude was unusually quiet, an eerie yet somber hush fell over the crowd, mesmerised with his soulful gravelly voice. There was a palpable connection between the audience and the performer, something in the air. It’s the experience many concertgoers seek out, yet often come up empty-handed.

 

Of course, many of their song lyrics and melodic structures, lend themselves to this type of involvement. But it’s easier said than done, he was really pouring his heart out, genuine and honest. It was touching, masterfully done. 

Also adding to the enjoyment of the show was the animated style of Bryce performing on bass guitar. Typically, the bass player stands relatively still, as he keeps the rhythm along with the drummer. Usually in one small area bopping around or rhythmically swaying to the beat. But Bryce is constantly on the move, keeping the crowd alert, interesting to watch.

 

You had to keep an eye out for him; one moment he would be at his mic stand performing back vocal duties, then seconds later, he’d be off the stage, on the edge of a speaker somewhere. Their voices and playing style complimented each other well, along with Rick on drums, not missing a beat, you can see why this band has sold millions of albums worldwide.  

Predictably, although ironic, they ended the show with ‘Hanging By A Moment’, their first single from back in 2001, the piece which raised them to international fame.

 

 

Bryce began the song, using a violin bow on his bass guitar to produce an unusual yet peaceful sound. As they took their curtain call, after completing the 18-song setlist, the audience beckoned for more, but it was not to be on this night.

If you missed them this time around, it’s a good bet they’ll be back again, and odds are, they’ll make a little magic again. – Rappler.com