Copeland Live In Singapore: A Triumphant Return

The lights fell sharply across each face as a swelling crowd of voices sang along to Copeland’s endearing number “Coffee”. It was an incredibly intimate moment and the slightly-older-than-young-adult crowd cheered as the first chorus ended.

Last week’s gig at TAB Singapore marked Copeland’s fourth time playing in Singapore, and their first since reuniting in 2014. In a live environment, their songs bear a different weight, somehow transforming into something new like a flower’s blossom. The resulting sound is a solemn affair that melds softly together at the edges, evoking emotions that are almost tangible. It’s not difficult to close your eyes and let the music wash over you.

We had predicted that Copeland would mix it up and present the different sounds that they had covered over their many releases, but the five musicians stuck to the singular tone of their latest record “Ixora”, which worked well and provided a cohesive sonic experience throughout. The setlist was decided by fan votes, allowing Copeland to play newer tunes alongside old favourites such as “When Paula Sparks”. It definitely added a personal touch to the performance.

Take a look at Copeland’s full setlist for the night:

Have I Always Loved You?
Disjointed
I Can Make You Feel Young Again
Erase
Should You Return
The Grey Man
Chin Up
Coffee
Brightest
On the Safest Ledge
By My Side
Chiromancer
Eat, Sleep, Repeat
The Day I Lost My Voice (The Suitcase Song)
Hold Nothing Back
Take Care
When Paula Sparks
No One Really Wins This Time
Love Affair
Priceless
You Have My Attention

As guitarist and producer Bryan Laurenson noted in our interview with the band, the instrumentation on the latest album is a lot more careful and subtle, allowing Aaron’s vocals to push to the forefront, while at other times accentuating the band. There were even some moments where they stripped the sound even further, with the band exiting the stage and leaving Aaron accompanied by a single guitar.

At this point in their career, Copeland have nothing left to prove and their years apart have invigorated the unit, with each member bringing something new to the table. Although this won’t be a full-time endeavour, it will be interesting to see what Copeland will come up with next.

We also spoke to Copeland last week about their legacy, past decisions, and their dream music collabs! Read more here.

Many thanks to Snowbird Productions and Anthology Singapore.

Featured photo by: Marcus Lin