Venue:
Blackweir Park, Cardiff
Date: 30/06/2026
I like Lewis Capaldi. I know some people are sniffy about him, but he hits the bullseye on three important things. First, he can sing – really sing. Like he means it. Like it matters. Secondly, he knows how to knock out a tune. His good stuff (and there is a lot of it) has hooks in all the right places. Thirdly, his lyrics, whilst sitting firmly in the shiny world of pop, are often incredibly moving and articulate. He is a genuine talent.
So, to the gig. We drove to Cardiff and parked in our pre-booked JustPark space. Eventually. Cardiff’s one-way streets and heavy traffic make it a bit of a chore, but once we’d parked, we had a 25-minute walk into the city centre for a bite to eat. Cardiff is spoilt for choice (even at the decidedly late hour of 4pm), and Honest Burgers was the destination.
Then on to the gig. Blackweir Park (the one beyond Bute Park and the Castle) is a pretty good spot for an outdoor summer concert. I had decided to treat us to VIP Garden tickets, which made the experience much better. It never felt crowded, and we were close enough to the stage that we watched the performers rather than the screens.
First up was Tyler Ballgame. He was joined by a mate on the piano, and he can certainly sing. But the songs lacked any real clout or layered arrangement. He could go far, but he needs a band.
Next up was Jacob Alon. He was excellent. Equal parts lost soul and commanding stage presence, he was, at times, mesmerising. He possibly has all the right influences (Jeff Buckley, Radiohead and Nick Drake), but he also seems original, interesting and, especially with his band, capable of turning delicate songs into something much bigger. I may not be the first to predict a bright future, but I suspect he has one.
Lewis Capaldi came on and kicked off with three fairly rocking numbers to get the party started. His band is tight and talented. The sound was excellent, and the young man can sing. I was somewhat blown away. At a certain point, it felt like a Springsteen show – it was just the songs, the voice and the band. A terrific start.
A bit of chat (not Coldplay/Chris Martin levels, thankfully), and the songs kept coming. My high point was Before You Go. It’s a song that normally brings a tear to my eye (it did again), but with a slightly more rocking, bar-room band arrangement, it gained some real oomph. The band genuinely felt like a band – the rhythm section was particularly good. The staging and camera work were also first class. As someone who generally doesn’t enjoy gigs in a big field, I thought this was excellent stuff.
The rest of the family loved it too, and even getting out afterwards and driving home was surprisingly painless. A top night out with the family.
The audience:
Pretty mixed. More female than male and a wide spread of ages. His demographic is wide. The VIP section (£35 on top of the £80 ticket) was, I hate to admit it, good value. My brownie points were high.
It made me think..
Good songs and a good band is a great start. Add in a genuinely breathtaking set of pipes, excellent staging and a (just about) warm summer evening and you get a properly good night out.
Before You Go – live in Argentina.