*SCAPE’s The Ground Theatre was fit to burst as fans of pop rock trio Against the Current thronged for the band’s third performance in Singapore. The youthful crowd was filled with dedicated fans who had been following the band from their Youtube days, all hoping to catch the new songs from their debut album In Our Bones.
The night kicked off with local outfit The Summer State warming up the crowd with their energetic brand of pop punk laced with a little local flavour. The band seemed to be right at home as they pumped out fan favourites “Trying Was My Only Regret” and “I Do, I Don’t” that got the crowd up on their feet.
The interlude between bands ushered in a restless murmur that broke into a frenzy as Will Ferri crossed over to his drum set. Vocalist Chrissy Costanza was then greeted onstage in a shower of lights from eager phones and cameras. Her small stature belied an incredibly powerful voice that led the crowd along in “Talk” and “Young and Relentless”. The band skittered about their discography delving into their earliest numbers to their most recent work.
The band, being in their early 20’s, related well to the audience, sharing jokes and laughing along between songs. One of the more memorable incidents involved someone screaming something indecipherable to Chrissy which elicited the response ‘nipslip’ and causing everyone to burst out in laughter.
The band would switch to an acoustic setup later, setting a mellower mood reminiscent of their roots. The cover of “Cold Water/Love Yourself” would serve as a lead up to “In Our Bones”, something the fans noticed quickly and prompted Chrissy to remark, “You’re getting ahead of me here!” in response to the crowd ecstatically chanting the song title.
The shift back towards electric instruments was mirrored in the energy of the crowd as well. As the band kicked back into high gear, the audience pumped fists and bounced in concert with the seemingly tireless trio. The inevitable pleas for an encore was rewarded with a performance of “Dreaming Alone” and topped off with “Gravity” for a truly satisfying end to the night.
Even as a fan of Against the Current ever since the release of their debut song “Thinking”, the band’s longevity was questionable but the crowd proved humble beginnings can lead to something truly impressive. They say “Third time’s the charm” but there’s definitely room for a fourth or even fifth time for the band that’s just entering the best part of their career.
The band will continue to play across the Asia region before heading up to Europe.
