Attending this year’s performances at the Llangollen Pavilion has once again highlighted to me how lucky we are to have this fantastic venue on our doorstep. The pavilion itself, along with the vast lawned area and numerous food and drink offerings, provides a wonderful festival atmosphere. The sound inside the pavilion is of the highest quality.
Texas
Scottish rock icons Texas pay tribute to The Alarm’s Mike Peters during Llangollen headline show.
Texas brought their unmistakable sound to North Wales as they launched the summer season at TK Maxx Presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion last week Thursday.
All photos by Desh Kapur Photography/CUFFE & TAYLOR):
It’s been 36 years since they burst onto the music scene with their debut hit I Don’t Want A Lover. The band, fronted by Sharleen Spiteri, were on top form as they kicked off the night with that very song.
A 90-minute set followed, packed with hit after hit – including Halo, Hi, In Our Lifetime, Summer Son, Say What You Want and Black Eyed Boy. All interspersed with Spiteri’s trademark humour and easy conversation with the sell-out crowd.
But it was the encore that delivered the most emotional moment of the night. Returning to the stage, Spiteri shared a heartfelt dedication to her dear friend Mike Peters of The Alarm, describing him as:
“A true gentleman, a great musician, a great songwriter, and one of the kindest, truest people I’ve ever met. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, and he will be very sadly missed.”
Spiteri then dedicated a powerful rendition of Suspicious Minds to his memory.
A video of the special tribute can be found HERE.
Supporting Texas was rising country folk star Rianne Downey, adding to the Scottish flavour of the evening. Downey impressed the crowd with her original material. She also served up crowd favourites Rotterdam and Don’t Marry Her from her collaborations with Paul Heaton.
Rag’n’Bone Man
The very next day, chart-topping British singer-songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man brought a Giant night to North Wales with a sold-out show.
Headlining TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion, the triple BRIT Award and Ivor Novello Award winner kicked off a 90-minute set with last year’s hit Lovers in a Past Life before segueing perfectly into the multi-award-winning Skin.
Rag’n’Bone Man – aka Rory Graham – then introduced his brand-new song Time To Love, before treating the crowd to a hit-filled set including Anywhere Away From Here. The latter was performed with blues star Elles Bailey, who also served as the night’s main support. He continued with All You Ever Wanted, Grace, Ghosts, and Rush of Blood.
He closed the main set with his global smash Human, returning for an encore featuring Put A Little Hurt On Me and the anthemic Giant.
Opening the night was rapidly rising pop talent Kerr Mercer.
UB40 Ft Ali Campbell
UB40 featuring Ali Campbell brought their iconic sound to the historic venue on Saturday and they did not disappoint. They kicked off the night with Small Axe and Food For Thought before segueing perfectly into classics If It Happens Again and Homely Girl.
Duets of Cathy’s Clown and Would I Lie with velvet-voiced support artist Bitty McLean fitted perfectly into the 90-minute set. A performance, which also included Burden of Shame, Cherry Oh Baby, Many Rivers and One In Ten.
To close the night, the crowd joined in for an encore of Red Red Wine and Kingston Town before a finale of hit cover (I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You.
Opening the night was Reggae Roast featuring Mr. Williamz and a set from British reggae singer/songwriter Bitty Mclean.
James
Sunday evening saw Indie heroes James delighting a capacity crowd with a near two-hour masterclass.
The roar and chorus of the audience said it all, as Tim Booth and pals were unstoppable. Opening with Johnny Yen from their 1986 album Stutter, the band powered through a dynamic set. They included fan favourites like Seven, Come Home, Just Like Fred Astaire, and She’s A Star.
All photos by Desh Kapur Photography/CUFFE & TAYLOR):
The reaction to Shadow of a Giant from last year’s Yummy – the band’s first-ever number one album – proved why these Manchester legends are as relevant today as they were more than 30 years ago.
The final run – Sit Down, Tomorrow and Sometimes – became a mass sing-along, with 6,000 voices lifting the roof off of the Pavilion. A euphoric encore of Sound and Laid brought the night to a powerful close.
Supporting James were rising indie stars The K’s and singer/guitarist Tom A Smith.
The Script
The series of concerts continued last night with Irish chart-toppers The Script, who lit up the Pavilion as they brought their Satellites UK Tour to a packed-out crowd.
The multi-platinum band delivered a hit-filled, high-energy set that had fans singing along from the very first note. Opening with the anthemic Superheroes, The Script powered through a career-spanning 90-minute show. They featured fan favourites including Rain, For the First Time, Six Degrees of Separation, The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, Nothing, Paint the Town Green and The Last Time.
All photos by Wowzers Photography:
Frontman Danny O’Donoghue kept the crowd hanging on every word, blending soaring vocals with heartfelt storytelling in true Script style.
The night reached a powerful finale with a three-song encore, featuring the emotional Home Is Where the Hurt Is, global hit Breakeven, and their UK number one hit single Hall of Fame.
Very special guest BRIT Award winner Tom Walker opened the evening with a soulful and captivating set, showcasing his powerhouse vocals and hit songs including Leave a Light On and Just You and I.
Featured image by Desh Kapur Photography/CUFFE & TAYLOR.
TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion continues tonight with headliner Olly Murs. The series of performances will conclude with The Human League tomorrow night.
