MANILA, Philippines – They say it’s the little decisions that often create the biggest impact. For alternative-folk band The Ridleys, it was probably when Benny, Jan, Joric, and Bryant got together to join a “battle of the bands” contest in March 2016 when they were just college students.
It was supposed to be a one-time thing. After the competition, the name “The Ridleys” was supposed to have been shelved for good — with the members operating on the assumption that their time as a band would be over once the results were announced. That was, until they started landing gig after gig, and shortly after, put out their very first EP, Aphrodite.
Eight years, several EPs, singles, and four albums later, The Ridleys would unknowingly play their first-ever sold-out solo concert — playing all their songs that have managed to find permanent spots on the playlists of the huge community they’ve fostered over time.
It’s long been a common sentiment among The Ridleys’ listeners that if they were to ever experience any kind of love, may it be how the OPM band paints it in their music. This isn’t a collective feeling that just came out of nowhere.
While the band’s lead singer and songwriter Benny writes songs that chart his real-life, personal experiences, they’re still made with the intention that whoever hears them will find a way to resonate with them. And that’s how it was in The Ridleys’ Someday We’ll Make A Home concert.
“For the longest time, I’ve been writing songs about a certain longing. And I don’t know if you can relate with me. I hope you do. This is about a longing for home. I’ve written songs about this longing for home, a place where I feel like I belong, a place where I feel safe, a place where I feel loved. And if you have that longing within you, then this show is for you,” Benny told the crowd between songs.
Held at the Music Museum in San Juan City on November 16, the show was a three-part production that took fans through The Ridleys’ remarkable eight-year journey so far. Of course, this meant that fans were able to hear the band perform songs from the very first chapter of their story, up to the latest one they’re writing.
Act one was an ode to The Ridleys’ earliest days, with the band opening with “DYWTBM,” “Prodigal’s Anthem,” and “Raconteur,” among others. Towards the end of the first part, The Ridleys then played “Troubadour,” which Benny dedicates to his now-wife Sofia.
Cheers erupted when Sofia made an appearance on stage to share her poetry with the crowd against the backdrop of The Ridleys’ music. It made perfect sense for her to play such a big role in the concert. After all, she’s the muse behind many of the band’s most loved songs.
With this, the concert’s big picture became all the more clear: the people and places The Ridleys have come to find home in. And it’s these concepts of home — from their faith to their listeners — that give life to the art they make.
No matter what song the band was performing throughout their three-hour-long set, fans had sung along the whole way. Every time they’d transition to the next song, the entire venue would cheer as soon as they pieced together what track that intro belonged to. It was endearing to witness firsthand how The Ridleys’ music has made such a huge impact on their fans that even a simple bang of the drums or a singular strum of the guitar are more than enough to ignite instant recognition within them.
But that wasn’t the only way fans showed their support for The Ridleys that day. Some of them had distributed handheld banners meant to be raised during “Someday” and “Germany & Rome,” along with small, colored stickers attendees could cover their flashlights with to turn on at different songs. They even surprised the band with a video after they performed “Aphrodite.”
Another one of the biggest highlights of the show, however, was the last act, where the band mostly played songs from their latest album All These and More. In this record, The Ridleys capture love, its many forms, and the joy of finding and navigating it. This final act was elevated even further with the introduction of a full band: keys, violins, percussion, electric guitars, and vocals.
The addition of all these elements was a welcome treat to the senses. But seeing the whole thing play out on stage almost seemed symbolic, like it was a visualization of the communities The Ridleys have built over the years, and will continue to be surrounded by.
This is the band’s current chapter — but it’s far from the end. They’ve found their way home, and perhaps they have that small 2016 decision to thank. – Rappler.com
