The first night of June and Cardiff is drenched in summer rain and whipped by restless wind. However, arriving inside the Utilita Arena, beneath a waterfall of amber light cascading from the top of the stage, Dermot Kennedy’s Weight Of The Woods tour provides a beautiful comfort.
Our first shelter is given by opening act Amble, who return to a city that has become woven into their own story. Having reviewed the Irish trio’s Tramshed performance at the end of last year, it’s really exciting to watch them command a stage of this size. They delight with a set rich in harmony, heart and hints of what comes next, teasing new material from an upcoming album while further cementing their place as one of Ireland’s most compelling rising voices.
Emerging through the rays at the top of moss-covered rocky stairs, Dermot Kennedy is met with a triumphant roar, earned by his reputation. Here is an artist whose journey has always felt honest. Throughout the show he reflects on the push and pull of his busking years, on the uncertainty that surrounded his earliest releases, and on the quiet hope that carried them into the world.
“I had this song that I was proud of and put it out there with zero expectation,” he tells us. For a while, he continues, nobody listened – until they did. Now, thousands sing the words back to him at the top of their lungs.
While Kennedy’s voice remains unmistakable, the brilliance of the band behind him deserves equal praise. The violin, in particular, becomes a second narrator throughout the evening. Lifting songs to their true live potential, transforming them into something even more emotional, cinematic and special.
An unmistakable Celtic spirit runs through Kennedy’s storytelling and it is clear from the audience that these songs have soundtracked defining moments in many lives. Moving to a smaller, crowd-central stage brings intimacy to five songs performed with magical calm and openness – peaking with a fan-led sea of green lights during Weight Of The Woods, transforming the arena into a glowing woodland.
Returning to the main stage for an energetic closing stretch of Better Days, Power Over Me and the devastating beauty of Funeral, there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude: from Kennedy, for this opportunity to share his purpose, and from the audience for the chance to bask in it.
Dermot Kennedy + Amble, Utilita Arena Cardiff, Mon 1 June
words and photos JOSEPH ELIJAH
