Snow Patrol
Snow
Patrol
Brit Pop is Bliss
March 25, 2006
By
Adam Carney
Contributing Writer
A
new breed of British pop/alternative is taking over the music scene and capturing
all of our thirsty hearts. There's something about the aura of British rock
that we simply can't get enough of. It is foreign, bright-eyed and dreamy,
reminds us of old relationships, good and bad, and brings us to a romantic
place that lives in the caverns of our minds. Brit pop is simply bliss.
If you are a fan of Coldplay and remember how you felt when you heard their
debut album "Parachutes," then you will absolutely fall in love
with Snow Patrol's 2004 release, "Final Straw." It has songs about
broken love, forgiveness and self-inflicted rejection. "Final Straw"
is a melancholy album, yet it has undertones of sheer happiness.
The
band formed in Scotland and currently resides in the religiously tormented,
Northern Ireland. This band has seen struggle and accomplishment, yet they
still sport a great attitude and haven't forgotten what it's like to be a
fan.
Snow Patrol performed in Boston on March 25 at the Paradise rock club. When
tickets went out sale, the show sold out very quickly. The Paradise Rock Club
is a small venue, and that night the place was brimming with hundreds of anxious
fans. There wasn't a bad attitude in the entire building; it's safe to say
that almost everyone was resiliently happy and glad to be there. You could
assume that the majority of the fans were of Irish/Scottish descent and if
you closed your eyes, you could envision yourself at a small venue in Ireland,
watching this band play.
The band has recently hit stardom and is currently topping the billboard charts
with songs like: "Chocolate," "Run" and the heart throbbing
"Spitting Games." They had just finished touring with U2 and gained
tremendous notoriety while on the road with the band. Fans of U2 immediately
picked up on Snow Patrol because of both bands' Irish backgrounds.
The show opened with the song "Wow" and barreled into the audience
with a very high energy surge. The brilliant lighting changed with every chord
progression and different colors painted the stage. It went perfect with the
mood of the music they presented. They played all of the hits from their album,
"Final Straw," and completed the set list with a wide spectrum of
songs from older records. In between songs, lead singer and guitarist, Gary
Lightbody talked and joked about many different things, in his proud Irish
drawl.
One of their final songs, "Ways and means," nearly made the entire
crowd melt into one giant puddle of warm, pulsating muck. Lightbody sang as
if the world depended on it. His voice echoed emotion and devastation through
the audiences' ears and minds. That night, Snow Patrol gave passion and heart
back to a lackluster music scene.
