With Gary Lightbody busily engaged in recording the Tired Pony debut album, Snow Patrol have spent the past few months in hibernation. Tonight, however, they play their first gig of the year in Berlin’s jumbo-sized Tempodrom. Kicking off with ‘Open Your Eyes’, the boys from Bangor immediately set the tone for the evening: With Gary Lightbody busily engaged in recording the Tired Pony debut album, Snow Patrol have spent the past few months in hibernation. Tonight, however, they play their first gig of the year in Berlin’s jumbo-sized Tempodrom. Kicking off with ‘Open Your Eyes’, the boys from Bangor immediately set the tone for the evening: we’re talking love, loss, wonder, the depths of ordinary human experience, and finally, connection.
By the time ‘You Could Be Happy’ and ‘If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It’ are played, the crowd are overcome, their senses stormed by the gargantuan speakers (turned up to ‘11’ naturally), the outstanding acoustics of the venue and a phenomenal light show, in which Snow Patrol manage the truly breathtaking without ever creating a distance between the audience and the band – the latter a trap to which the likes of Muse fall victim.
The highlight of the night is ‘Shut Your Eyes’, during which Lightbody and the crowd bounce back and forth, playing vocal table-tennis: “Shut your eyes and sing to me,” Gary intones and the music drops and the crowd repeat the line in unison.
This is followed by ‘Run’, and a classic take on ‘Chasing Cars’ ends the main part of the set. The band re-emerge for ‘The Lightning Strike’, their 16-minute, three-part epic, which is accompanied by the most beautiful origami animation. The boys end the night with an uplifting ‘You’re All I Have’ and the fans walk away elated. Overall, this was was a top drawer show that bodes very well for the group’s eagerly anticipated headliner in Ward Park this summer.

By the time ‘You Could Be Happy’ and ‘If There’s A Rocket Tie Me To It’ are played, the crowd are overcome, their senses stormed by the gargantuan speakers (turned up to ‘11’ naturally), the outstanding acoustics of the venue and a phenomenal light show, in which Snow Patrol manage the truly breathtaking without ever creating a distance between the audience and the band – the latter a trap to which the likes of Muse fall victim.
The highlight of the night is ‘Shut Your Eyes’, during which Lightbody and the crowd bounce back and forth, playing vocal table-tennis: “Shut your eyes and sing to me,” Gary intones and the music drops and the crowd repeat the line in unison.
This is followed by ‘Run’, and a classic take on ‘Chasing Cars’ ends the main part of the set. The band re-emerge for ‘The Lightning Strike’, their 16-minute, three-part epic, which is accompanied by the most beautiful origami animation. The boys end the night with an uplifting ‘You’re All I Have’ and the fans walk away elated. Overall, this was was a top drawer show that bodes very well for the group’s eagerly anticipated headliner in Ward Park this summer.