The Cranberries all set for Big Dome concert

The Cranberries (from left): drummer Fergal Lawler, vocalist Dolores O'Riordan, guitarist Noel Hogan and bassist Mike Hogan. PHOTO BY MAGIC LIWANAG

MANILA, Philippines—The Irish rock band Cranberries arrived Monday, April 9, in Manila and spoke to the media before its concert on Tuesday, April 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

This is only the second time that the band will perform in the Philippines; the first was during the 1990s, when it was enjoying the peak of its success with a string of hits that included “Linger,” “Dreams,” “Zombie” and “Ode To My Family.”

Asked by the Philippine Daily Inquirer how the band crafted its dreamy sound whose character was completed by Dolores O’Riordan’s magical, child-like vocals, Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan said it was partly about having the right chemistry. “We were into the same kind of music as teenagers and we were lucky to have met Dolores … Timing-wise, there was nobody that sounded like us at that time …”

Grunge was the dominant sound of the ’90s, but Hogan pointed out that The Cranberries’ songs like “Linger” and “Zombie” did not sound like grunge at all. “So we probably stood out because of that, we never followed any trend.”

O’Riordan noted that the band had unusual type of chords, and “the band’s members complemented each other … there was a lot of feeling.”

In 2003, The Cranberries took a break to pursue individual projects. It stretched to an eight-year hiatus, until it recorded a new album, “Roses,” in 2011, after reuniting for a North American and European tour in 2009.

They wanted to spend time with their respective families, Hogan said, after the rigors of non-stop touring and recording. “It helps you grow as a person. We needed to that to respect this (being in a band) more.”

Drummer Fergal Lawler added that taking a break “was one of the healthiest things we’ve ever done because it made us appreciate how special and unique this is. We’re more relaxed now.”

For Hogan, the best part of reuniting was the chance to do things as a team again, like “bouncing off ideas, especially in the studio when recording.”

O’Riordan agreed that getting back together was a good thing. “I was knitting and turning into a granny,” she quipped.