Just say yes - Snow Patrol Fallen Empire Tour

Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre - 30/01/2012

I must admit I feel a bit guilty about my thoughts before going to this concert but I can un-shamefully say I am now a fully-fledged Snow Patrol fan. Like anybody, I knew the classic’s and the no. 1’s but it’s not until you hear them played all together in their glory that you really discover just how melodically and lyrically genius this band are.

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The Dundee born band started the night off with “I’ll Never Let Go” and “Take Back This City”, much to the crowd’s delight. They then belted out old favourites such as “Chocolate” and “Crack The Shutters”; along with artistically brilliant lighting effects the room exploded with excitement and admiration. There were poignant moments and more than one wet eye when the ultimate Snow Patrol Song, “Chasing Cars” was belted into the AECC and hit the rafters with both force and tenderness.

The band debuted some of their new tracks off the Fallen Empires album such as “In The End” and “This Isn’t Everything You Are” which matched the brilliance of their past singles and received much love from the North East crowd. The crowd sang along in unison to the command of Gary Lightbody and his crew of dashing musicians; swaying and clapping along to the great hits this really did feel like a gig of a life time.



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The night of stunning entertainment was finished off with the greatly loved “You’re All I Have” before the band returned for an encore. The band played “Lifening” and “Open Your Eyes” before finishing of the night with “Just Say Yes”.

Not only are they great musicians, Snow Patrol seem to be genuinely decent down to earth men who don’t take their fame for granted and know exactly who put them in their fortunate situation, something not very common nowadays.



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This mix of new and old really shows how Snow Patrol has progressed through the years and how the albums have gotten better with their maturity. For anyone who has had any preconceptions about this band, put them to one side, they mean nothing once you see this band in the flesh. Like me you will realise what an idiot you are and just how great this band is at putting on a brilliantly energetic yet touching performance. To sum this all up, just go and seem them, you won’t regret it.

Review: Lee Evans ROADRUNNER tour October 2011 (Better late than never)

Lee Evans marathon tour of UK arenas brought him to a rather windy Aberdeen on the 18th of October (See, it was that windy, I even remember over a month later.)

A mass audience crammed into the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre to watch the master of large scale comedy at his best. He may be nearing the big 50 but the man has more energy than a three year old and a bag of skittles. Not one moment did he stand in one spot and if he did he was moving just about every other part of his body.

As for his microphone technique, he can make just about any sound under the sun and beyond with just his mic and his body which completely maximizes his performance. However it is the content of his comedy that has earned him a life time of faithful fans. Lee Evans is one of only a handful (if you are lucky) of comics who can make a room laugh without offending anyone. His tales of real life situations make him believable, and one of us. He doesn't come across as an ego maniac who has more money than sense. He is a Father and a Husband who shares all the same experiences most working class people have.

Evans shared tales of family life, being on the road, growing older and basic life. This is why people love him and continue to do so, each and every one of us can relate to him. I'm only eighteen and even I can relate to his family life!

I have been a huge fan of Lee Evans since I first watched a DVD of his years ago, and since I have found utterly brilliant and knew that one day I had to see him in life. Even his laugh can send a room in stitches, and the amount of sweat he pours out just echoes his enthusiasm and passion for what he does.

At the end of the gig, after he sand a beautiful song about life (by the way he is a brilliant musician also) he said a speech to the crowed sharing his love for Aberdeen and its people, good move Evans. I then decided that I had to meet this man, a man who has everything but yet remains humble and very shy. When shaking his hand and hearing him say thank you for coming to his show I realised just how down to earth he really is, if he could say thank you to every individual who came, he probably would.

In previous interviews he has stated how he doesn't believe what he does is a "job", how wrong he is. His job is to make people laugh in a way that is innocent, to make people feel happy when the country seems to be in an utterly miserable state and to let us know that it isn't just our family who does that "thing" we are indeed normal. He certainly fills that criteria.

In short, if you ever get to see this man go and do it, you won't regret it. Trust me. Oh and you'll see me there.

Until the next time, Bronwen.


(p.s I am reading Lee Evans autobiography and will post a review as soon as I have finished, in the mean time it's bloody brilliant, buy it.)