The Ulster Hall
15th March 2014
After having played Tennant’s Vital with Snow Patrol and Jason Mraz last August, Kodaline have made their long awaited return to Belfast to play Ulster Hall; one of the city’s most well known and highly acclaimed venues.
White Chalk, a seven piece hailing from Westmeath, Longford and Dublin, are first up tonight with a cellist and a lead vocalist whose distinct tone draws comparisons from the likes of our very own Owen Strathern (General Fiasco), only a little more rural. The wholesome, homegrown indie-folk tunes grab the attention of the room, with the melodies and harmonies of songs such as 'Carnival of Lights' standing out.
James Bay, originating from Hertfordshire, is the next support and is sailing through tracks such as 'Move Together' and the more upbeat, 'Best Fake Smile'. Bay is accompanied by a band, but with a more relaxed and less urgent sound than White Chalk. The more chilled out vibe still manages to maintain an energy diffusing through the room as everyone settles into the music.
The audience is sent into a fit of hysteria as Kodaline enter the stage to the uplifting piano introduction of 'After The Fall', and without stopping for air, the band power through tracks 'One Day' and 'Pray'. The lights reduce to a wild red and the strobe lights go crazy as the band pound their way through the all-powerful ballad. After surging through popular tracks such as 'Brand New Day' and 'Love Like This', frontman Steve Garrigan speaks fondly and proudly of the history of the band and growing up together in Dublin before reminiscing with the crowd to 'Way Back When'.
The song which saw the band rise to fame, 'High Hopes', renders the crowd powerless as each and every pair of lungs cries the words that give the song its name. After playing two more songs, Kodaline exit the stage, but the band reveal themselves once more to play not one, but four more songs. The second of which includes a very moving tribute to Woody – a friend of the band who had passed away. The band then finish on the remarkably poignant 'All I Want' which becomes more layered and textured as the song plays before building up into a stunning end to the encore, and the whole crowd on their feet with arms raised.
The unison of the stunning acoustics in the Ulster Hall and the exemplary performance creates an unbeatable atmosphere which, at times, overflows with rich vitality while, at others, it's so still you could hear a pin drop. Both acts and audience have worked to make this evening truly unforgettable and inerasable.
Tiarna Armstrong
