WORDS AND IMAGES MICHAEL BOND
Snow Patrol embarked on a world tour to promote their new album The Forest is the Path, with a major night at the Co-Op Live in Manchester on February 22, 2025.
Standing the test of time since their first mainstream single, “Spitting Games”, was released back in 2003 (albeit from their third studio album Final Straw), Snow Patrol has endured. Particularly lead singer Gary Lightbody, the last remaining original member of the band, has carried the torch for the group’s legacy. Over the subsequent 22 years, they have released five studio albums and a greatest hits compilation. Judging by tonight’s turnout, their appeal remains strong as they perform at Europe’s largest indoor arena.
The night kicked off with Scottish singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt as the supporting act. Promoting her 2024 album Mountain Music, her setlist was heavily drawn from her new release. Opening with “Pages”, Nina immediately showcased the vulnerability in her vocals and lyrics. This melancholic, subtle beauty continued through her songs, moving from “Mention” to a slightly more up-tempo new track, “Anger”. She quickly won over the early crowd with her delicate approach to songwriting. Although at times her performance seemed almost too delicate for such a large venue, she handled the challenge well, engaging comfortably with the audience.
The tempo slowed again with “Parachute”, another song where she laid bare her insecurities and self-doubt. She closed her set with “I’m Coming Home”, an uplifting track about reminiscing and reconnecting. With a career spanning over a decade, and a beautifully raw simplicity to her live performance, playing to an arena crowd will likely boost Nina Nesbitt’s fan base.
After a captivating opening act, it was time for the main event. Snow Patrol burst onto the stage, opening with “Take Back the City”, instantly creating a massive sing-along with the audience. The energy only increased as they launched into “Chocolate”, another of their huge hits, bringing a wave of early 2000s nostalgia across the arena. A giant backdrop projected images of the band alongside various cityscapes, enhancing the experience.
The sing-along continued with the third song of the night, “Called Out in the Dark”, and by this point, the concert started to feel more like a greatest hits show than a new album tour. Only three of the 18 songs performed were from the new album, The Forest is the Path. The first of these was the album opener, “All”, a slow, melodic, heartfelt track. It almost seemed as though the band wanted to earn the right to play their new music by first delivering a string of fan favorites, making up for the seven years between album releases and live performances. However, it’s worth noting that you can’t get a new greatest hits-worthy track without playing the new material.
This was followed by “Crack the Shutters” and “Set the Fire to the Third Bar”, the latter of which was originally a duet with Martha Wainwright. The melancholic trio of songs ended with “Run”, a crowd favorite that turned the arena into a sea of phone lights as everyone joined in for the chorus: “Light up, light up.” This set the stage perfectly for the next new track, “The Beginning”, which smoothly bridged the gap between the band’s vast back catalog and their latest work.
As the band continued through the setlist, it became clear how much they appreciated the opportunity to still be performing. The past few years have been challenging for the group, with personal struggles along the way. Yet, having worked through those challenges, they’ve emerged on the other side with new material and a relevance that remains recognized by their loyal fans.
Rounding off the set with two more classics, “Chasing Cars” and “You’re All I Have”, Snow Patrol left the stage triumphant, with the crowd still hungry for more. It wasn’t long before the band returned for their encore, kicking things off with the uplifting “But I’ll Keep Trying” and concluding the night with the 2009 Coldplay-esque “Just Say Yes”.
Seven years is a long time in the music industry, but Snow Patrol has not only found their footing again, they’ve written and released new music while seamlessly slotting back into the scene. Judging by the audience’s reaction tonight, the love for the band is still strong, and long may it continue.
SETLIST
1/ Take Back the City
2/ Chocolate
3/ Called Out in the Dark
4/ All
5/ Crack the Shutters
6/ Set the Fire to the Third Bar
7/ Run
8/ The Beginning
9/ The Lightning Strike
10/ Talking About Hope
11/ Open Your Eyes
12/ Make This Go On Forever
13/ Shut Your Eyes
14/ Heal Me
15/ Chasing Cars
16/ You’re All I Have
ENCORE
17/ But I’ll Keep Trying
18/ Just Say Yes
FOLLOW SNOW PATROL
FOLLOW NINA NESBITT
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
