Back in `99, Snow Patrol were an undiscovered joy as they played to a half empty Roadhouse, their indie styled guitarings and boundless energy were a joy to behold. Prodigious touring and musical development (adding keyboards & scratchin') remained unrewarded, apart from the potentially career threatening "critically  appreciated"  'Live', but it wasn't until the ears of the public decided to re-tune to the more commercially acceptable 'Final Call' that the overdue recognition was granted.

Back in `97 an earlier version of Seafood played on the same bill as Kenickie, so similarities  abound with the aforementioned SP. A new CD is available, their distinctly indie guitar sound has developed and moved on, but is it enough?

And the large crowd here tonight wanted them to succeed so much. Opener 'I Dreamt' is an Explosions in the Sky piece, soft, ethereal noise rising from the guitar of front man David Line. 'Broken' is a crowd sing-a-long number, and at one point the walls ricocheted with the refrain of "….the wasters come alive".  'Summer Falls' continues the experiment; pent up energy, fleetingly discharged, but it's calls for 'Porchlight' that punctuate the set.

Clines' walks along the speaker stacks are attempts to bolster the crowd into action. But try as hard as they might, it's an evening that has too many stops and starts.  Too many broken guitar strings (three).  Too many hassles with the mic stand.

When 'Porchlight' is finally delivered, that's when the moshing truly starts and the crowd comes alive.  An emo/nu metal energy is unleashed and for the first time in the evening they're able to "meld seamlessly one into the other", the bands original intention, but is it too little too late?

Words & Photos: Ged Camera