Snow Patrol returned to Chicago for a sold-out show at The Salt Shed, bringing the hits and a dash of nostalgia.
The last time Snow Patrol visited Chicago, they performed an intimate acoustic show at the 4th Presbyterian Church, which is not your usual music venue. It was originally slated for 2020 but was rescheduled due to Covid and eventually took place in 2022. This week’s show was such a contrast to their last appearance in the city. The Salt Shed was packed from wall to wall as the ample-sized venue was sold out. Before the band even made it onto the stage, the people in the GA section were squeezing into every gap on the floor, in hopes of getting as close to the stage as possible.
As the lights went down to signal the wait was over, the screen on the back of the stage illuminated with a large colorful heart from the cover of their latest album, The Forest Is The Path. This was then replaced with the word “Chicago” which received a huge cheer of appreciation from the crowd. Without further ado, Snow Patrol took to the stage.
They kicked off their set with “Take Back The City” which had the entire crowd singing along. To be honest, this was one of those shows where there was barely a moment the audience wasn’t singing their hearts out. As the opening notes of “Chocolate” rang out, the atmosphere became electric and you were very aware of just how many people were packed into The Shed.
While The Forest Is The Path is their latest album, having been released last September, they only performed three songs from it – “All,” “Talking About Hope,” and “The Beginning.” Instead, this show was more of a celebration of their lengthy career, with them performing songs from the majority of their back catalog. The audience choir gave their all when it came to singing along to the mega-hits “Run” and “Chasing Cars.” It’s impossible not to join in when you hear those two anthems.
While the lyrics to their songs are typically emotional, discussing loss, regret, and self-doubt (with the new album having some of their most laid-bare lyrics to date), this was not a sad or mournful evening. Quite the opposite, in fact. It felt like a night full of nostalgia, hearing songs that have clearly stood the test of time, sounding as fresh today as the day they were released.
There’s a handful of East Coast dates left on their North American tour, so be sure to snatch up those tickets while you still can. Their last full tour of the US was six years ago, so make sure to get your fix of them while they are stateside.
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