Photo Credit: Isobel Greenhalgh
Words: Abi Jones
After successfully selling out their UK arena tour last November, The Script are back this summer playing some of the most renowned venues across the UK. In support of their seventh studio album ‘Satellites‘, the Dublin band stopped at Cardiff Castle to share a lively evening with a buzzing crowd of loyal fans and newcomers. Before continuing their extended tour in Llangollen Pavilion, The Script are taking a trip to Glastonbury–arguably the most celebrated festival in the world. After over 15 years of being a band, do they still fit in with this year’s striking line-up? Or will they feel out of place alongside the likes of Charli XCX and Amyl and the Sniffers, who are paving the way for the new music scene?
Beginning the excitement for the evening were the Lottery Winners, a high-spirited indie pop quartet from Greater Manchester. Despite an early morning flight from Düsseldorf, the band didn’t fail to deliver a fun, energetic performance. Frontman Thom Rylance was very interactive–not just with the crowd, but also with the venue staff. At times their set felt more like a stand up comedy show than a gig. Rylance joked about their lack of fame and how they “ain’t got no hit songs” compared to Tom Walker, who opened for The Script at previous shows. Ironic since the Lottery Winners have two No.1 albums in the UK! Although their set was very dependent on humour, there were definitely some deeper moments that deserved equal attention. Rylance shared his experience with ADHD and being bullied at school, which was followed by a song called ‘Letter To Myself‘. ‘UFO‘ was another slower, heartfelt tune that encouraged the audience to wave their phone flashlights. After all the light swaying, giggles from the crowd, and a fantastic opening set, the Lottery Winners revealed their matching band jackets and left the stage smiling.
Luckily, the waiting time between the Lottery Winners and The Script wasn’t long. However, the drizzle soon became rainfall, slightly prolonging the wait. At last, 9 o’clock arrived, and the dull grey sky was lit up with fluorescent pearly lights—but it seemed as though Danny O’Donoghue’s presence alone was enough to brighten the crowd. ‘Superheroes‘ opened the night; this hit single immediately set the tone. This was followed by another fan favourite, ‘The Man Who Can’t Be Moved‘, which O’Donoghue described as a break up song for his “first true love” when he was a “broke ass musician” in LA. This really highlighted how long The Script have been in the industry and how far they’ve come since their debut album in 2008. It’s obvious that The Script didn’t let their Irish heritage go unnoticed, not only were there countless tricolour Irish flags visible in the crowd, but they also delivered a hearty performance of ‘Paint the Town Green’. It was just stunning to see a sea of people jumping up and down in waves when this anthemic tune was being played. This was then followed by other upbeat classics as well as songs from the new album like ‘Inside Out‘.
The band may have relied a bit too much on crowd interactions rather than their music alone. There’s no doubt that the sense of community within The Script family is heavily valued, considering the high level of engagement between the band and audience. During ‘Nothing‘, O’Donoghue even walked down from the stage and joined the crowd, giving high-fives and greeting beloved fans along the way. An even more intimate moment occurred when he invited a fan, Maya, on stage to sit at the piano with him during ‘Never Seen Anything Quite Like You‘. He shared that the song was originally dedicated to his wife, but can be a love letter to anyone who needs it. These fan interactions were arguably the most memorable parts of the show. While beautiful to witness and be a part of, they seemed to overshadow the musical elements.
After a short break, the band returned for an encore featuring their smash hits ‘Breakeven‘ and ‘Hall of Fame‘. O’Donoghue encouraged the crowd to shine their phone flashlights to symbolise everyone’s presence. As the show came to a close, ‘Hall of Fame‘ ended with bright pyrotechnics and loud cheers. O’Donoghue waved a Welsh flag, and the band took a four-man bow.
Taped Magazine 