TGIF with Incubus

MANILA, Philippines - For the nth time in music concert history, American band Incubus did not fail to enthrall fans with their power chords, turntable spins and poetic vocals.

In the country for the third time as part of their Asian tour this year, the widely-popular rock quintet came out with a strong start as they pulled off last Friday (March 13) their Wish You Were Here hit at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

American YouTube sensation and “dancing violinist” Lindsey Stirling opened the act for the band which set the enthusiastic tone of the night.

During the two-hour show dubbed Incubus Live in Manila, the band ignited concert-goers with their solid execution of the group’s hit songs Anna Molly, Dig, Drive, Nice to Know You and Pardon Me.

The group also featured new tracks Absolution Calling and Trust Fall which received wild applause from rock devotees. Trust Fall is due for release on March 25.

In between songs, frontman Brandon Boyd consistently acknowledged and thanked the Manila crowd to which fans responded with immeasurable cheer.

Incubus also did a quick cover of Lionel Richie’s classic Hello that brought the audience to their feet.

Boyd continued to steam up the almost jam-packed arena when he took off his shirt before bursting into the band’s controversial hit Megalomaniac from the 2004 album A Crow Left of the Murder.

In the middle of the concert, the band members greeted their bassist Ben Kenney a happy birthday and Boyd even quipped about his age.

The multi-platinum selling band nailed their performance with their romantic strum of I Miss You to the delight of Incubus diehards. 

High school friends Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger and drummer Jose Pasillas formed Incubus in 1991 in Calabasas, California.

Today, the band is joined by Kenney on bass guitars and Chris Kilmore on turntables and keyboards.

Incubus’ Asian tour started at the outset of the Soundwave Festival in Australia last February.