Words: Abi Jones
Photo Credit: DEPOT LIVE/CUFFE & TAYLOR
Northern Irish rock band Snow Patrol treated Cardiff Castle to a lively performance in support of their latest album ‘The Forest is the Path’, which reached #1 in the UK album charts during its release week last September. As they warm up to headline TRNSMT this July, the band are embarking on a special 6 date ‘forest’ tour across only the greenest outdoor venues in the UK. Cardiff obviously couldn’t get enough of Snow Patrol as they also performed earlier this year at the Utilita Arena as part of an impressive 17 show arena tour. With over 30 years experience in the industry, the band still fill renowned venues such as the O2 in London with a booming capacity of 20,000, as well as a beloved homecoming show in Belfast to close the successful tour.
Starting off the evening with a fresh indie sound were The Florentinas. Formed newly in 2019, the Bangor four piece warmed up the excitable crowd with their guitar-heavy tunes and familiar Northern Irish twang. Despite the classic British weather, the charming band didn’t fail to deliver an outstanding performance with hit singles such as ‘Sandcastles‘ and ‘Weatherman‘. Towards the end of the set, the sky opened up and let the sun shine on them and the moving crowd. Cardiff were lucky enough to hear new single ‘The Scary Thing Is‘ before they released it later that night for streaming. At this point, the castle wasn’t filled to its full capacity, yet the majority of the crowd were already singing and returning the band’s energy with enthusiasm.
After The Florentinas thanked the crowd for their support, the castle continued to fill with more and more people, all eagerly waiting for the main attraction.
Within a matter of minutes, Freya Ridings took to the stage with her backup vocalists and a smile. Although a different style to the alternative, rock sound of Snow Patrol and The Florentinas, Ridings undoubtedly captured the hearts of the crowd with her powerful, emotional vocals and skilful piano playing. There were a lot of firsts for her this evening; her first night supporting Snow Patrol, her first time playing ukulele on stage, the live debut of unreleased song ‘I Used to Sing‘, and first live performance of ‘I Can’t Hear It Now‘, a fan favourite from the soundtrack of the popular Netflix show ‘Arcane‘. After successfully connecting with the audience through her deep, melodic performance, she closed the set teary-eyed and blew a kiss into the crowd.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. As the sky darkened and the crowd erupted in cheers, Gary Lightbody entered the stage with open arms, announcing that this was the first time Snow Patrol had played Cardiff Castle. The band opened with ‘Take Back the City‘, immediately setting the energetic tone for the night. The audience were also treated to the clear fan favourite, ‘Open Your Eyes‘, this was one of the loudest the crowd had been this evening. Lightbody quickly loosened up, moving across the stage with ease. He was very interactive being the beloved frontman that he is, chatting with fans at the front, telling stories, gushing over the castle, and encouraging everyone to sing, though the crowd clearly didn’t need much prompting!
As you would’ve guessed, the night truly reached its peak when they performed their most celebrated hit – ‘Chasing Cars‘. What’s a Snow Patrol gig without thousands of middle aged parents belting out this iconic, anthemic tune 19 years since its release? There was truly an unbroken connection between the band and the crowd throughout the whole show, but this song is what specifically united everyone.
There was a well-balanced mix of mellow, slow songs as well as the obvious heavy songs that make Snow Patrol the cherished rock band they are. One of my favourites was ‘What If This Is All The Love You Ever Get?‘, this one was certainly a more emotional and piano heavy ballad that left some of the audience with tears in their eyes.
Another part of the show that shouldn’t go unnoticed was the lighting and visuals on the screen. The audience were greeted with an array of reds and purples and blues throughout the whole night, but my favourite part was during the closing song ‘Just Say Yes‘. Teal and violet strobes lit up the now fully dark sky, creating a perfect finale. Despite a long, packed set of songs, the crowd never stopped moving, whether it was light swaying for the calmer songs or jumping up and down for the heavier, guitar-driven tunes.
Even 31 years later, Snow Patrol continue to bring the same energy and deliver heartfelt performances to their loyal fans.
Taped Magazine 