OneRepublic at Apple Music Festival - Live review

Night four at the Apple Music Festival and it’s time for OneRepublic to take the stage.

While the multi-instrumental band is already on stage, circled by laser lights, Ryan Tedder takes his time, as estimated by Tedder there are only 6.5 billion people watching this show broadcasted around the world, so no big deal at all. Everyone is a part-time drummer or cello player, fair to say that one of the night’s highlight is the virtuosity of the band, from Tedder at the piano and guitar, to an outstanding solo segment of looped flamenco music played by guitarist Zach Filkins.

The band start spreading their energy with “Love runs out”. Sometimes it’s quite difficult to see where Tedder is on the stage while he’s running from one side to the other. At the end of the song we find him proudly standing on top of the piano. 

OneRepublic are inexorably catchy; no matter what we’re all here humming their biggest hits, “All the right moves”, “Apologize”, “Stop and stare”. This is a very well crafted pop show: it’s a triumph of rich sounds and colours. OneRepublic are build on stadium pop-rock tracks and grandiose ballads, filled with sentiment, like “Good life” and “I lived”. 

Something that we already expect to listen to in the new album, “Oh my my” (to be release on October 7th). Tedder is so kind to let us listen for the first time “Let’s hurt tonight” - his favourite from the new album, it’s a song with something borrowed from their previous albums partnered with Tedder amazing lyrical skills. At the end the only ‘off road’ trip is when they close the set with “If I lose myself” in an unexpected rave and disco set up. 

To give further proof that a lot is borrowed from pop music culture Tedder & co. made their redemption of Armstrong’s “What a wonderful world”. But, this is not all bad; to OneRepublic's credit, these are relentlessly catchy tunes that tick every mainstream box.

SETLIST

A.I. (Intro)
Love Runs Out
Secrets
Wherever I Go
All the Right Moves
Let's Hurt Tonight
Stop and Stare
Apologize
Good Life
Spanish Guitar Medley
Counting Stars
Kids
I Lived
Future Looks Good What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong cover)
If I Lose Myself (Alesso Remix)