A couple months ago, OneRepublic almost stopped their music career. I found this out recently while attending one of their concerts in Pittsburgh. So clearly, they did not stop pursuing music. The lead singer, Ryan Tedder, said he felt burnt out right before this tour was supposed to start in early 2017. They postponed the tour to July and took a few months to be 'regular humans.'
Three summers ago I saw OneRepublic for the "Native" tour. It was my first real concert and with three other girls who are now some of my best friends. That concert still remains one of my favorite memories from high school. When I saw that OneRepublic was coming back to Pittsburgh, I knew that I needed to go. I found two friends who could go and decided to bring my little sister along with us. This was actually my friend Emily's and my sister's first concert ever! I knew OneRepublic would be an amazing first concert for both of them.
After weeks of playing OneRepublic on repeat, I was ready and pumped for the concert. James Arthur and The Fitz and Tantrums opened the show with their own excellent sets. First off, I didn't know much about James Arthur, but his vocals were beyond incredible. Then The Fitz and Tantrums came on and really got the crowd pumped up. They performed every song with high energy. They ended their set perfectly with "HandClap," leaving the crowd excited and ready for OneRepublic.
Flashing lights, rocking instrumentals and the crowd on their feet, OneRepublic's set was starting. The opening instrumental music and the bright light show made me feel like I was entering a new world full of music and leaving reality far behind. As the opening transitioned into one of their biggest hits, "Stop and Stare," I knew that I was experiencing true concert bliss. These songs, this band, those moments; they all mean so much. The stage had triangular screens on the side where you could see the band members up close. They used laser lights throughout the show to enhance the experience.
The first part of the concert was the big hits: "Secrets" and "Good Life." Everyone was singing along to the familiar cords creating nostalgia in the Pavillion. Next, Ryan Tedder started playing some songs that he wrote for other artists such as "Rumor Has It" by Adele. A little later, Ryan Tedder noticed this sign that a girl was holding. It said: "Play Something I need!" So, being the cool guy that he is, he played that song from 'Native' despite not being on the set list. He clearly had not sung it in a while because he messed up some of the lyrics. Around this time he also talked about how they decided to postpone this tour and be real people for some time. This elite pop rock band was starting to seem more vulnerable and real. That's something that makes concerts so special.
Overall, the performance was amazing and entertaining every single moment. The concert ended with Ryan Tedder running right through the audience. To think that just a few months ago Ryan Tedder wanted to quit everything is crazy to think about. I'm glad that they took a mental break and are back better than ever! Catch this amazing band whenever you can and listen Wherever You Go.
