OneRepublic has been one of the most successful Pop Rock bands in the world over the past decade. Originating in Colorado, but now international stars, in 2016 they continued their success with the release of their fourth studio album, Oh My My. A record they toured around the globe in 2016, and continued on in the North America in 2017, there have been plenty of memories made along the way.
So, what is the latest dish on OneRepublic? Well, on Friday, February 23, 2018, Eagle Rock Entertainment will be releasing OneRepublic: Live In South Africa Blu-ray/DVD and digital download.
A landmark performance for the band, the concert was documented on June 15, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa at The Ticketpro Dome (then known as The Coca-Cola Dome). This sardine-packed concert of 20,000 fans practically wrapped up their 2 1/2 year Native World Tour with a fire-engine-red gift bow. Within seconds of the announcement, the sounds of feet hitting the ground running could be heard, computers hastily booted up with the accompaniment of girlish squeals of delight and masculine whoops of triumph.
Recapping the history of their Native World Tour, it made stops in a mind-boggling 154 cities and 26 countries that spanned the Earth’s continents! On this particular day, OneRepublic wowed the ocean of fans gathered at the Dome in South Africa that night with a mic-drop performance. The concert set opens with the band hidden behind an opaque curtain. With their shadows casting an aura of mystery over the crowd, the electric guitar strings energetically strummed out those recognizable first notes of “Don’t Look Now” before “Light it Up.” Then, the curtain parts, giving way to reveal the jean clad band members in a blinding interplay of light effects and pyrotechnics.
Throughout each number, Lead Vocalist Ryan Tedder worked the stage with his black hat full of tricks – he sashayed, swiveled hips, and gripped the mic tenderly while singing with megawatts of passion. Amped up, the effect on the crowd is quite impressive as they go wild with enthusiasm, setting the mood for the evening. In fact, the adrenaline is high throughout the set. As the night wears on, the concert continues to gather momentum.
Keeping it high voltage with all-time favorites such as “Counting Stars,” “Apologize,” “Stop and Stare,” “All the Right Moves” and “If I Lose Myself,” the band leaves no stone unturned. Captured beautifully by the film crew, a scan of the crowd shows waves of human bodies gyrating to the familiar tunes as a karaoke atmosphere ensues with most knowing all the words. Simply put, it is an unbridled OneRepublic love-fest.
It is almost near impossible to imagine that these same musicians were one time struggling to make it in the early years of their career, even being dropped by Columbia Records. Since then, they have left an indelible musical imprint and are in constant demand. Like so many others before them, they daydreamed about stardom and establishing a name for themselves, but their outcome exceeded all of their expectations. They have come a long way, and their path to fame was rife with numerous challenges. Thus, the condensed story that contains memorable highlights is graphically displayed in the bonus feature Documentary that runs for 33 minutes called “Don’t Look Down.” A must watch, it proves there was no holding OneRepublic back from reaching the stars.
In enough words, OneRepublic: Live In South Africa is an absolutely purrfect gift for those diehard OneRepublic fans. Another excellent concert to add to an ever-expanding collection of treasured live concerts, the sound and visual quality is impeccable. OneRepublic has all the moves, and that is why CrypticRock gives OneRepublic: Live In South Africa 5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment