In an evening bursting with Welsh spirit, Stereophonics headlined their mega-gig at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday. Undoubtedly a long time coming – the concert was set back six months due to the pandemic – and despite it being the second night of playing a 27-song set to a packed-out stadium, the band showed no lack of energy.
The We’ll Keep A Welcome show kicked off with powerpop newcomers Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, followed by Gruff Rhys – whose talented balafon player N’famady Kouyate certainly stole the show. And Tom Jones defied age during his set, with the 82-year-old delivering impressive vocals whilst belting hits like What’s New Pussycat? and Delilah with a cheeky grin on his face the entire time.
By this point, the crowd had tripled in size, and the cheers grew more and more after each classic – particularly after Tom’s cover of Prince’s Kiss, which felt like the perfect track for his velvety voice. You wouldn’t be blamed for wondering if Stereophonics could even live up to the legend’s performance.
Luckily, this wasn’t the case. Before the Cwmaman band’s set began, an unexpected male choir boarded the stage, whose voices fused together beautifully for the national anthem. Spirits were high throughout the mostly Welsh crowd of a whopping 60,000, with not a seated person in sight at this point. With goosebumps still very much present, Stereophonics burst into the first song, C’est La Vie. Making immediate use of the runway, frontman Kelly Jones delivered his gravelly, distinctive vocals from within the sea of fans.
The tempo slowed for songs like I Wanna Get Lost With You, but the crowd was whipped back into a frenzy when Tom Jones rejoined the stage to front their cover of Mama Told Me Not To Come. The blue and red light show was imposing, and there were towering pyrotechnics that mirrored the show’s explosiveness. At one point, the entire band were on the end of the runway immersed in the crowd, which was the height of audience interaction – Kelly wasn’t the most talkative of frontmen between songs.
In fairness, trying to get a word in edgeways was futile through the constant screams from loyal fans. The set was a fulfilling blend of slow and upbeat songs, and the encore concluded on a high note with anthem Dakota. Stereophonics proved that, even after 30 years, they can still put on a hell of a show.
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Sat 18 June
words INDIA MUNDAY for BUZZ CULTURE photos ALEX WILLIAMS
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