The Script and Joshua Radin party with NYC

November 4, 2010, at Terminal 5

By Annie Reuter
Published: November 8th, 2010 | 7:00am

No amount of rain could deter fans in New York City from seeing the Script and Joshua Radin at their first of two sold-out shows at Terminal 5. While the Script calls Ireland home, one never would have guessed it as the energetic concertgoers welcomed them enthusiastically, lining up early for the chance to land a coveted spot close to the stage.

Joshua Radin kicked off the show with a 45-minute set that began with he and his acoustic guitar for “No Envy, No Fear,” a song he said was inspired by an idea from Bob Dylan’s biography “to lose all envy and all fear.” The crowd went wild when Radin stepped away from the microphone to sing near the edge of the stage.

“It’s so good to be back in New York City [and] I’m so glad you’re here. This is a song on my new record and my old record, I loved it so much,” he said introducing “Brand New Day.” “I went through a huge depression after my girlfriend broke up with me and I wrote this song after a year.” The misery behind it was nowhere to be heard as Radin transformed it into an upbeat number with additional percussion and electric and bass guitars. While some may be used to the singer-songwriter’s solo performances with his acoustic guitar, he switched from acoustic to electric and showcased faster-paced songs from his latest album, October’s The Rock and the Tide (Mom+Pop).

“We Are Only Getting Better” was impressive with a full band, but it was older favorites like “I’d Rather Be with You” and “Today”—which he performed at Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s wedding—that struck a chord.

After Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind” blasted from the speakers, resulting in an entire venue sing-along, the Script took to the stage to thrilled screams. Complete with guitar distortion and an energetic crowd clapping along, the band brought their Irish rock to New York City.

“We’re the Script from Dublin, Ireland, and we’re gonna have a party here tonight,” frontman Danny O’Donoghue said before introducing “Talk You Down.” Fans sang along word for word as his voice reverberated throughout the room.

The band performed a catalog of hits including “We Cry,” their debut single, a moving tale with O’Donoghue changing the vibe with a slow rap style. Midway through the song he jumped onto the floor and handed his microphone to fans to take over. “Before the Worst” and “If You See Kay” quickly picked up the pace with soaring keyboard and guitar accompaniment.

Written at 3 a.m., the band told the story behind “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved,” saying it was inspired when “drunk and feeling lovey dovey,” O’Donoghue told the crowd it’s a selfless song about giving yourself to a person, and with a stripped down vibe accompanied by acoustic guitar and light percussion, it remains a fan favorite.

Between a sneak peak of their upcoming single, the band joked about the difference between Americans and the Irish. “The truth is, we just drink a little bit more. If a friend gets brokenhearted, we take them to the local pub,” bassist Mark Sheehan said while confessing O’Donoghue has a bad case of drunk dialing.

Though they’re thousands of miles from Ireland, the Script proclaimed New York feels like home every time they visit. As their encore of “For the First Time” and “Breakeven” had fans yet again singing along word for word, it seems New York will continue to be their home away from home.

__

The Script official site

The Script MySpace page

Sony BMG Music Entertainment

Joshua Radin official site

Joshua Radin MySpace page

Mom+Pop Records