VERTICAL RUSH | THE POWER OF POP

I shall have to confess that I am a singularly fervent adherent of Vertical Rush’s music. My regard for their work involves frenetic enthusiasm, perhaps bordering on zealot-esque at times. As such, being at the Substation to witness the launch of Of Real Dreams was a very special experience for me.

Very rarely do we come across a local album launch that’s packed to capacity, much less one with a crowd of movers and shakers (the only recent example of which that comes to mind would be the launch of B-Quartet’s Tomorrow Is Our Permanent Address at the Arts House).

Upon entering the venue, it wasn’t immediately apparent that the show was to be a success. In fact, the bulk of the crowd only began to stream in later in the evening, just prior to Vertical Rush taking the stage.

I had a good chuckle upon opening the “Audience Participation Pack” that was handed to me at the door, which included, among other things: a plastic “Parachute Man”, party poppers (that the crowd really went to town with once the show was underway), and a lyric sheet with exceedingly detailed audience participation instructions. Good humour will always be appreciated.

Supporting acts Trella and Suitcase Heart, a little experimental side project that’s the brainchild of Jean from Giants Must Fall, did however manage to open the show to a very respectable crowd.

Jean, assisted by Esmond and an array of quirky sound effects and samples, sang little ditties about everyday musings, putting up a heartwarming performance that touched the hearts of many who were present, judging from the number of delicate smiles. Just sitting amongst the crowd, that warm, fuzzy feeling of camaraderie was all around, even surpassing the heat from the infamously inefficient Substation air conditioning unit.

I could not however say the same about Trella. They tried their best to connect with the crowd, but it was at best a mediocre attempt as they again fell short on delivery, which I consider the root of their problem. I remain unconvinced by their music, with questionable lyrical coherence holding back the full potential of their songwriting, which has some very decent melodies and vocal/instrumental harmonies. Unfortunate, considering that their tightness has improved somewhat since the spectacle that was their formative period. Perhaps this was the result of maintaining scene-selective affiliations instead of diversifying their musical exposure? Also, is the percussionist supposed to be singing ¾ of each song?

But I digress. It would be in order for me to return to the primary focus of a Vertical Rush show: the band’s music.

As always, I have yet to leave a Vertical Rush show disappointed, tonight was no exception. The caliber of musicality and showmanship was impeccable, as has come to be expected from these seasoned veterans. The quintet effortlessly delivered a comprehensive catalogue of songs spanning their career, from crowd pleasers like Angels, and Spaceman, to the emotional powerpop tune Running With You, which vocalist Esmond proposed to his wife with 4 years ago. House sound was definitely not at its optimum though, with a muddy mix that was probably the result of the number of people wadding every inch of space. The immaculate vocal harmonies that the group are synonymous with still managed to shine through though, even in the midst of the less than desirable sound.

All in all, this was easily one of the most memorable shows in recent memory that I’ve had the privilege of attending, hampered only by minor hiccups that barely dented the resolve of the main event.

After years of watching VR grow into the tour de force that they are now, I am still amazed by their consistent level of all-encompassing musicianship. This show only served to further reinforce it, and what better time than during the showcase for what I consider one of the greatest S-Rock albums of our time. Here’s to whatever the future holds for the boys.

(Sherwin Tay)

Not much I would want to add to Sherwin’s fine review except to say that it was refreshing to attend a show that the band was able to make its own. Unlike most S-ROCK gigs which really is a conveyor belt of bands – 10 bands in 6 hours – VR was able to connect with the audience in ways seldom seen in our scene and the crowd responded in kind. Which reinforces my belief that this is the way to go for the S-ROCK scene – headlining shows with two, maybe three opening bands. I think its time for the scene to mature and VR has certainly pointed the way.