How often can you say you’ve seen your favourite band with a castle as the backdrop? Well, that’s exactly what happened on Thursday night at Cardiff Castle!
As the castle’s majestic keep was bathed in that soft, golden twilight following a day of rain showers, the whole setting felt woven into the music; it wasn’t just a concert but certainly a core memory. The stunning venue lent an unforgettable, atmospheric charm that made the evening truly magical.
The night got off to a great start with alt‑indie band The Florentinas kicking things off. The Northern Irish quartet didn’t seem phased at all with the amount of people already in attendance and smashed through their 30-minute set with their energy levels full force throughout.
Second to take to the stage was Freya Ridings, who brought us a truly stunning set. Her unmistakable voice filled every corner of the castle grounds as the rain had finally stopped, and we were even treated to a rainbow over the city skyline. A really wholesome moment of her set came before she started ‘Castles’, her face lit up as she shared with the crowd that this was the very first time she’d performed it inside an actual castle, a pretty unique moment which I and the rest of the crowd enjoyed.
Having seen Snow Patrol multiple times at both large festivals and small intimate settings, their live performances are frequently lauded for their emotional depth and ability to connect with the audience as well as showcase their diverse repertoire of both old and new material.
Starting their set with ‘Take Back The City’, Gary Lightbody was in fantastic form and completely in his element, while remaining his usual chatty self in between songs. A few chants of “Chasing Cars!” later, Lightbody reassured everyone that they would be playing it, and even he was looking forward to hearing it. Johnny McDaid brought a quiet intensity on keys and backing vocals, anchoring the emotion, while Nathan Connolly’s shimmering guitar work added that soaring, bittersweet edge the band are known for.
After 30 years of being a band, they have quite an extensive back catalogue of songs to choose from, and they didn’t disappoint with tonight’s choices. Not only was the band’s performance outstanding, but the backing graphics were just as stunning. Especially during ‘Lightning Strike’ and ‘Open Your Eyes’.
As well as some new songs off their latest number one album ‘The Forest is the Path’, we were also treated to a couple of crowd sing-alongs in the form of ‘Run’ and ‘Shut Your Eyes’. When they launched into “Chasing Cars,” the mood shifted instantly. The crowd went quiet, swaying, singing along softly like it was everyone’s heartfelt anthem. Gary Lightbody’s vocals hit that sweet spot: raw, honest, and full of heart.
All I can say is that even after 30 years of being a band, you can tell how much this all still means to Gary, Nathan and Johnny. They still put emotion and passion into every single chord and continue to create indie anthems all these years later.
