Isn’t it funny when you look back on certain events many years on they actually take on a whole other significance.
The year is 2010. It is a week away from Julia and my 30th birthday. She got herself a toy boy as I am two days younger. We are heading to Ward Park to see our favourite band ‘Snow Patrol’. We were delighted that this show was happening again. The previous Ward Park concert was the first of its kind in Bangor and was incredible. This show was going to set a new record for the biggest concert ever to be held in Northern Ireland. It’s a sunny afternoon, I have my shorts on and a replica Snow Patrol old school football top which I had got at the the first Snow Patrol Ward Park Show.
We had a few friends around in the afternoon for a bite to eat and a few drinks building up the atmosphere before making the short 10 minute walk to the show. Off we went amongst the thousands of people, the buzz around the town in the build up to the day had been phenomenal and crowds travelled from all across Ireland to be there. It was a special setting for the band as Gary Lightbody (lead singer) and Jonny Quinn (drummer) had both grown up in Bangor just like myself. There is a sense of ownership of Snow Patrol because of Gary and Jonnys ties with the town. From start to finish the show was epic. Tune after tune, hit after hit, honestly I’ve never experienced an atmosphere like it. The crescendo of the show saw Gary walking on stage wearing the brand new Northern Ireland football top and bowing to the crowd. He called out Northern Ireland international Johnny Evans who then played for Man Utd and stated that he got to wear the new shirt first which I thought was very funny.
The only downside to the day was that my wife Julia wasn’t feeling 100% but was still having a good time. The gig came and went and has been talked about since from those who were there and those who wished they had of been. Simply put, it was incredible.
The reason this gig takes on a whole new significance for me now looking back is that two days later we found out that we were expecting our first child and that explained why Jules hadn’t been feeling 100%. Little did we know that was the case that evening. A week later on my 30th Birthday Julia presented me with a photo she had tracked down from the bands official photographer Bradley Quinn of the image of Gary bowing to the crowd. I loved that moment and the picture was captured perfectly. In fact it is used in the new Snow Patrol programme for their current ‘Wildness’ tour. By the way, it was a lovely gift and she went well out of her way to get it for me.
Fast forward 8 years and I am called upon to host the Snow Patrol press conference for ‘Ward Park 3’. I couldn’t believe it, aside from being my favourite band, playing my home town again, that weekend, that show, those moments will forever hold a special place in my heart and to be there with the guys as they announced the hat trick of Ward Park shows was personally amazing.
You can watch the announcement here:
After a 7 year hiatus I questioned whether this show would ever happen but in the press conference Gary said every time he went out in Bangor he was asked, when is it happening again? Now it is. May 25th, 2019. Those who have been before will buy tickets, those who missed out first and second time around will buy tickets and those who love the hits, the new album plus everything in between will buy tickets. It once again promises to be an amazing day with a stellar line up. Believe me, the buzz in Bangor has started already.
Bring it on, more good times and more memories coming up.
#PS005
