When I first heard the news that Incubus was visiting Manila this year (third time overall), I didn’t get as excited as I was like in their first and second visits. Back in 2008, I was floored like a girl when I saw their tour sched (and practically treated everybody I know to see the show).

Anyway, enough about my impulsive spending. I think my lack of enthusiasm for this year’s show can be directly related to how I feel about their latest album, If Not Now, When? Which is, probably the same way pre-Make Yourself fans felt when Morning View came out: what the hell is this? Other than Michael Einziger’s fascination for simplicity, I thought the band just wrote slower songs to have more “rest songs” during their sets. You know, ’cause they’re “asking their fans to listen to things they would normally listen for” (read: we’re getting old and can’t rock out as much as we used to).

Let’s take a look at their set list:

1. Megalomaniac
2. Wish You Were Here
3. Consequence
4. Pardon Me
5. Anna Molly
6. Love Hurts
7. Circles
8. Look Alive
9. Promises, Promises
10. The Warmth
11. Drive
12. Sick Sad Little World
13. Isadore
14. Glass
15. Talk Shows on Mute
16. Adolescents
17. A Crow Left of the Murder
18. I Miss You
19. In The Company of Wolves
20. Nice to Know You

The last three songs were the encore, two of which are “simple” songs.

All kidding aside, I wasn’t too enthused for this concert because of the way I felt about their latest release. Maybe I’m just asking too much from them as they are of me. I’m still a fan, though. And will listen to anything they pull out of their butts.

Here’s a clip I recorded from the show, enjoy. Just ignore the loud, mostly female crowd.

“In The Company of Wolves”