After their last visit to the Philippines in 2019 (back when the world thought that 2020 would just be another boring year), Oh Wonder returned to the Philippines for their second, much-awaited show.
Hallelujah!On 27 September 27, their concert day and Karpos Multimedia's first foray into the live music scene since the pandemic began, the rain poured Heavy and the Drive was long. The streets were so condensed with cars, flooding the sights with the shine of vehicular head and tail lights interspersed with the neons of buildings and billboards—a Technicolour Beat in an urban jungle.
Dinner was skipped that night in favor of getting there just in time for a Landslide of people to enter the venue for Oh Wonder’s opening act: singer-songwriter Paolo Sandejas and his indie pop band.
To say the crowd was Happy when Oh Wonder hopped on stage with their multicoloured lights filling the foggy room with hazy gradients and their iconic “OW” sign, is an understatement. The energy alone was enough for people to Lose It.
Josephine Vander West (née Vander Gucht), of course, was the Livewire of the duo and peppered her performance with this patchwork of singing, dancing, jumping, laughing, and addressing the crowd.
Anthony Vander West was the Rollercoaster Baby of the two, riding along the highs and lows of his wife’s energy while being calm himself, a good balance to Josephine’s spirit.
The overall show was Magnificent! There were a lot of couple- attendees sprinkled in the crowd, hand-holding, arms-on-shoulders action, and a general air of intimacy. Pairs were dancing with each other since it takes 22 Break into song and dance.
Josephine even asked some concert-goers if they were in love.
Luckily for them, no “I Wish I Never Met You’s” were exchanged, only “Fuck It I Love You’s” and “I can’t live Without You’s”.
It was so wholesome as Oh Wonder shows usually are, and their concert elevated life into Ultralife.
The theme of love, connection, and closeness was a welcome surprise since All We Do nowadays is either disconnect, be negative, or fight, especially in this country, especially now.
This is made even more meaningful when you consider that Josephine and Anthony almost ended their relationship, fixed it, got married, opened a coffee business, and continued making music amidst their life's lows.
It was a reminder that if they could win some battles of love and life, we could too.
In a time like this, when resentment is becoming so contagious, Oh Wonder’s slow, calming compositions are our White Blood. And yeah, things won’t get Better Now or soon, but the whole setlist was peace —and we deserve peace from time to time.
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