Cardiff Castle, 8 June 2024
Snow Patrol officially kicked off the summer gig season at Cardiff Castle with the opening night of the TK Maxx Depot Live series – and it didn’t disappoint.
Despite a wet start to the day, the clouds cleared just in time for a dry, golden evening in the castle grounds. First up was Florentines, a Northern Irish band whose melodic indie-pop made for a warm welcome as the crowd filtered in. They set the tone nicely, and their local roots added a nice connection – especially with lead singer Gary Lightbody also hailing from Northern Ireland.
Next up was Freya Ridings, who stepped onto the stage just as a short burst of rain swept across the castle grounds. It didn’t last long – and neither did her nerves, which she admitted to early on in the set. She told the crowd she felt a little anxious being back in Wales, but that melted away as she took in the beautiful setting. Her voice was nothing short of stunning. She delivered hits like Castles with real power, and even played a brand-new song on the ukulele – a stripped-back moment that landed well with the crowd.
Then came the main event. Snow Patrol were greeted like old friends. From the moment they launched into their set, it was hit after hit. The biggest singalong came (of course) during Chasing Cars, with the audience echoing every word back into the Cardiff skyline.
Other highlights included The Beginning – a track that eagle-eyed fans will remember from the final episode of Gavin and Stacey. The encore closed on a high with emotional renditions of What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get? and the anthemic Just Say Yes, leaving the crowd on a euphoric note.
As opening nights go, this was a strong one. Snow Patrol have been at it for nearly three decades now, but they still know how to craft a moment – and Cardiff Castle proved the perfect backdrop. The summer is off to a flying start.
