Snow Patrol landed a decade after Bittersweet Symphony broke and the swarm of British heartbreakers ensued. Travis, Stereophonics, Coldplay and The Doves all sold millions, swamped airwaves and awards ceremonies, filled arenas and festival fields alike. Lightbody and band were heralded as just as significant.
They’ve now returned from recording sessions in LA with a burnt sun and a bald eagle (as you do), a sixth studio album and corresponding Fallen Empires world tour. Tonight seems as much about reigniting interest as breaking any new ground, with Lightbody joined only by Quinn (keys) and Connolly (guitars) for a stripped-back event.
It was always going to be easy to appease a sold-out venue of diehards. Chocolate, Run, and In The End all capture Snow Patrol’s momentous rise. The sound and sentiment resonates as Lightbody stands erect, arms out, feeding the audience his tales of love: “in the end there’s nothing more to life than love, is there?’
Take Back The City, a passionate plea to his hometown of Belfast, is played on a single acoustic for the first time since its inception, while This Isn’t Everything You Are is the newest addition to the live set – an uplifting stadium rock anthem that will energise fans. Lyrically, Lightbody remains clean, upfront and focused on attachments of the heart, there’s nothing to misinterpret. Structurally, everything builds to beckon crowd responses and ‘old timer’ clap-alongs, which soon grow…old.
Clare Bowditch joins the trio for Set The Fire To The Third Bar, singing Martha Wainwright’s part. She’s initially drowned out by Lightbody until her tender agony comes to the forefront. A cover of You Shook Me All Night Long is reasonably out of place, even to an Australian audience.
Crack The Shutters is heartwarmingly dedicated to tonight’s local support, Steve Smyth, who was indeed tonight’s cold side of the pillow. Smyth, whose beard would do the Swans’ back line proud, fingerpicked his way through heartbreakers of his own. Bush blues that spanned husky growls to sweet falsetto. It was a treat to see his lone figure fill the room.
It concludes with Cars, the reason most boyfriends would’ve been dragged here tonight, and recent reflection, Lifening, with its repetitious “This is all I ever wanted from life”. Doing the simple things well is something Snow Patrol have always done and seem likely to continue.
BY JOHN DONALDSON
LOVED: The grandeur of the Regent Theatre and the sound it produced.
HATED: The Take 40 crowd’s incessant group clapping.
DRANK: Bottled beer in plastic cups with Rahls.
