It was a night of wall-to-wall indie anthems at the Utilita Arena as The Kooks brought their latest tour to Cardiff, supported by Day We Ran and The Ks.
Day We Ran set the tone with an energetic opener,But it was The Ks who really turned heads. From the moment they walked on, the energy in the room shifted — their gritty guitars and no-nonsense swagger were met with roars usually reserved for headliners. The crowd chanted their name between songs, word-perfect to every lyric, and the sheer number of youngsters on shoulders singing along made it feel more like the front row of Reading Festival than a support slot.
Their set was packed with punchy choruses, singalong hooks and a raw, infectious energy that had Cardiff bouncing from start to finish. By the time they left the stage, it genuinely felt like we’d already witnessed a headline performance.
Then The Kooks took to the stage and Cardiff was theirs. Opening with Sofa Song and moving into Always Where I Need To Be, the singalong was in full swing almost instantly. By the time Seaside arrived, the entire arena was belting it out word for word, voices echoing across the room.
The set was a perfect mix of old favourites and new tracks from 10 Tracks to Echo in the Dark and Let’s Go Sunshine. She Moves in Her Own Way had the crowd swaying, See Me Now offered a touching emotional pause, and of course Naiveclosed the night in euphoric style.
With stunning visuals, tight musicianship, and Luke Pritchard’s effortless charisma, The Kooks reminded Cardiff why they’re still one of the UK’s most beloved indie bands.
A night of nostalgia, energy and indie brilliance – Cardiff sang every word.
