By Desh Kapur, Rock At Night Manchester

Venue: Manchester Arena – SNOW PATROL – Kodaline- Wildness Album Tour 2019-30th January 2019

Having lived in Australia for 20 odd years, I was aware of Snow Patrol and especially the song “Chasing Cars”, but it wasn’t until I arrived at a sold-out Manchester Arena that I realised the enduring popularity of this Irish Indie rock band, formed in Scotland in 1994, and still going strong. I was a little taken back.

Snow Patrol have a musical career that spans over 20 years and 7 studio albums in their halcyon days of the naughties.

Arriving a little late to check out Kodaline, I was straight to the main event. Snow Patrol strode on to the dark stage, with the air of a band who are very used to playing to 20,000 cheering fans. But this has been their first tour in six years and WILDNESS being their first long player in seven years.

Tonight, Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly, Paul Wilson, Jonny Quinn and Johnn McDaid brought their ‘A game’ to Manchester, and the crowd loved every minute. The charismatic Lightbody strolls the stage with a beaming big Irish smile, seeming so happy to be back on the big stage, doing what he loves doing best, delivering a set of songs that are soulfully powerful and fragile at the same time. Yes, this man knows his way around an Indie rock ballad and they are all getting an airing tonight and the crowd are lost in the emotion of it all, and all they can do is sing a long.

Opening with “Take Back the City”, “Chocolate” and “Open Your Eyes” to very stripped back lighting, which is highly effective and shows that you don’t need strobes and flashing lights to make a song powerful. They do play “Life on Earth” later on in the set and the light show and visuals are absolutely stunning.

Snow Patrol played about 40% from their new record but there is no shortage of classics, as the band take the audience through fan favourites, including the previously mentioned “Open Your Eyes”, along with the heartfelt and brilliant “Chasing Cars” and the track which put the band on the map, “Run”. And they sit beautifully along side each other.

Going by tonight’s performance, I’d have to say that Snow Patrol are right on top of their game SO it may have taken 7 years for their return, but I think it was certainly worth the wait.