In their song ‘Superheroes,’ The Script sing, ‘Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power…’ and after the sudden cancellation of Pink’s show in Bern, the band did exactly that: Within 24 hours, they organized a club concert at Bierhübeli Bern, providing a balm for disappointment.
Triumph over the cancellation
Irish band The Script is one of three support acts on US superstar Pink’s current Summer Carnival Tour and were scheduled to open for her at Wankdorf Stadium that evening. Due to Pink falling ill, the concert was abruptly canceled the day before and regrettably, no replacement date was possible. The disappointment among fans is significant. Not because she’s ill and canceled. Health always comes first. What’s painful is the absence of a rescheduled date due to tour logistics.
Many fans had traveled specifically for the concert, some even from abroad, looking forward not only to Pink but also to The Script. ‘Well, here we were in your beautiful city with nothing to do,’ laughed frontman Danny. So, they swiftly mobilized with their crew and the organizer, pulling all strings to set up their own concert. Danny assured that they would have played on the street if the club arrangement hadn’t worked out.
At 8 pm, the Irish band kicked off the sold-out show with ‘Superhero,’ accompanied by a generous shower of confetti, and the party was finally on. It was cool to see them at Bierhübeli, especially after their last appearance in November 2022 at the much larger Zurich venue, The Hall (Read the report here). Back home inn Dublin, they typically fill arenas and stadiums.
From Setbacks to new horizons
Since 2022, a lot has changed for the band. The most drastic incident for the band was the death of their guitarist and co-founder Mark Sheehan in April 2023. Mark, who was absent at The Hall because he was taking time out for family reasons, died unexpectedly after a short illness. This loss was deeply felt by both the band and their fans, as Sheehan had played a central role since The Script’s formation in 2001.
However, frontman Danny O’Donoghue and drummer Glen Power decided to continue and announced a new lineup. They transitioned from a trio to a quartet by officially adding two new members: Ben Sargeant, who had been with them from the beginning as a bassist, and Ben Weaver as a guitarist. In this formation, they have been touring with Pink since June 2023 on the ‘Summer Carnival Tour’ and have not been idle musically. After 10 billion streams, 12 million albums sold, seven Irish number-one albums, and two platinum-certified US singles, The Script return on 16 August 2024 with their new album ‘Satellites.’ They will tour the USA and Canada with their new songs in August and Europe from November onwards. Unfortunately, there are no plans for a concert in Switzerland.
New melodies and familiar hits
With “Rain”, a dynamic pop-rock song influenced by tropical house, The Script brought some summer into the rainy July evening. ‘Both Ways’ followed as the first new song from the upcoming album ‘Satellites.’ ‘Both Ways’ showcases The Script’s renewed energy with lively hip-hop and funk rhythms, bringing light after the dark times of the past year.
Danny mentioned they could play whatever they wanted tonight, leading into many of their hits such as ‘Man Who Can’t Be Moved,’ ‘If You Could See Me Now,’ ‘Nothing,’ and of course, the universally known ‘For The First Time.’ The latter was accompanied by even more confetti and a chorus from the audience, as with most of their songs.
After nearly an hour, The Script left the stage. Considering the time, we expected a few more songs, but they deserved the short break. Danny had joked at the beginning about wearing the wrong pants and feeling too warm. Well, we all did. The club felt like a sauna. They continued with the brand-new ‘At Your Feet,’ also to be found on the upcoming album, a song dedicated to those who have always been there, through thick and thin, nnow wanting to lift the burden from their shoulders and lay the world at their feet.
They brought back ‘Breakeven,’ released in 2008, delivering heartfelt pain, leading into ‘No Good in Goodbye,’ steering towards farewell pain. What’s good inn goodbye? But The Script bid farewell only after their mega-hit ‘Hall of Fame’ and another burst of confetti.
A firework of spontaneity and burning passion
The Script’s concert was an explosion of their energy and dynamism. From start to finish, the atmosphere was captivating, moving, and exciting, especially with the introduction of their new songs. The band’s joy over the success of their impromptu concert was infectious and reflected in the audience’s gratitude for this unexpected replacement.
Perhaps this concert has motivated and inspired The Script to tour Swiss clubs soon. They might take inspiration from Patent Ochsner’s concept and perform several small shows instead of one big one. Fans would love it. Either way, we hope to see The Script back in Switzerland soon, sharing their musicality and passion that define them.
For more information on The Script, visit www.thescriptmusic.com
