Alternative-Indie band Snow Patrol’s performance at the packed BP Pulse Live in Birmingham on February 16th was definitely a memorable experience. The night was filled with powerful vocals, guitar solos, endless sing-a-longs, and a passionate crowd. The band, comprised around the last remaining original member, Gary Lightbody, opened their set with “Take Back The City” from their 2008 album “A Hundred Million Suns.” The crowd was immediately captivated and invested when Snow Patrol took the stage. The passion and loyalty of the fanbase was evident and proved the bond between the band and their fans, who had waited six long years for the band to return to Birmingham.

British singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt opened the evening and Lightbody had later thanked her during Snow Patrol’s set, dedicating their biggest hit “Chasing Cars,” from their 2006 album “Eyes Open,” to her. The song, clearly a crowd favorite, had the audience erupt into loud cheers, many phones raising in the air when the first notes were played. Frontman Lightbody encouraged the crowd to sing along which created a powerful moment that had the entire arena singing in unison. The set was filled with other iconic hits that the band is well known for, such as the chart-topping single “Run,” released in 2004, which they had played earlier in the set. The crowd was immediately drawn in, singing along loudly and illuminating the arena with their phone lights, which very well fitted the lyrics ‘light up, light up’ in the song’s chorus. A few songs later, Lightbody apologized to the audience for messing up the guitar solo in “Run,” eliciting laughs and applause from the crowd.

The band is currently touring their latest and eighth record “The Forest Is The Path” and the ninety-minute show includes stunning visual effects and staging with a running forest and nature theme. The 2024 album proved that the band, and especially remaining original member, Lightbody, are great songwriters, still drawing in big crowds, even 30 years after the band’s founding in 1994. Before playing “The Beginning” of their latest record, a curtain dropped which revealed an immersive light show during the performance. During the next song on the setlist “The Lightning Strike (What If This Storm Ends?)” the curtain displayed a mesmerizing array of lit figures featuring a tree and blowing leaves. The song concluded with the curtain dropping and the audience being showered with confetti swirling like leaves in the wind… very fitting.

During the set, Lightbody dedicated the song “Shut Your Eyes” to the band’s guitarist and pianist, Johnny McDaid, who had recently undergone surgery on his hand after an incident on tour in Germany. Despite the surgery, McDaid had played a show the same day and has proceeded to play every show since then. His hand was still bandaged on stage in Birmingham. Another memorable moment of Snow Patrol’s set was the duet with fellow musician, Martha Wainwright, during “Set The Fire To The Third Bar” in which she had appeared on the screen through pre-recorded footage creating a unique duet between her and Lightbody.

When returning for the encore, Lightbody expressed the band’s love for the city and how much they enjoy playing there. He jokingly added “Check the tape”, assuring the audience that he doesn’t say that every night when coming back for the encore. The band’s return to Birmingham definitely made for an unforgettable evening proving that they still know how to captivate an audience with old and new songs alike. While they may not be returning to Birmingham anytime soon, the band will be playing a few shows and festivals in the UK this summer, giving fans who missed their tour in February a chance to catch the band live in 2025, ensuring they won’t have to wait another six years to experience their music live again.