It’s been a year and a half since I first saw The Script live. After that show I was buoyed and excited, thrilled to see one of the greatest pop acts of our time doing their thing in the flesh. As they say in the classics, what a difference a year makes.

Let me make it clear: I still think that The Script are one of the greatest pop acts of our time. But walking out after their Sydney show on Friday night, I felt none of the same euphoria.
My mediocre night started with Tinie Tempah. I have no clue who thought it’d be a good idea to pair the inoffensive piano pop of The Script with the stylings of this brash Brit rapper, but it was a weird mix, to say the least. I hated his music, but was amused by his arrogant on stage persona. There’s something very contrived about a performer who demands crowd participation. People will wave their hands in the air and sing along if they feel like it; you really shouldn’t need to push it. I also feel a bit cheated when a performer merely raps over the work of other musicians, but that might just be me. The Video Hits loving crowd on the floor seemed to lap up his set, but I spent it giggling and cringing at his over-the-top antics. At least I was entertained.

Hearing the familiar piano driven music of The Script was a welcome respite from all that hip hop garbage. The Irishmen delivered a really solid set featuring tunes from their self titled debut and their sophomore effort Science and Faith in equal measures. They interacted with the crowd, and I couldn’t help melting every time they told us how much they appreciated our support and country. We sang along loudly to the big hits, no prompting needed. See Tinie? We’ll sing if we want to.

It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly what was missing, but I certainly didn’t feel the adulation I did the first time around. The venue didn’t do them any favours. The Hordern is like a bit shed, with terrible acoustics and a lack of real intimacy. I certainly felt removed from the band, as often it seemed like they were just performing for the squealing girls in the first few rows. I don’t expect that I’ll get the same show sitting on the sides, but I expect a band used to stadiums to play the room a little more. Perhaps after such a brilliant Cyndi Lauper concert last week, most nights are going to pale in comparison. Either way, there was something missing. A night spent with The Script is always enjoyable, but this show wasn’t quite what it could have been.

Image source: Stephen Katulka