Snow Patrol Live at Palace Theatre 3/31
Northern Irish & Scottish rock band Snow Patrol, returned to Minnesota to play the historical Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Monday March 31st. Attending this show felt nostalgic to say the least, as I remember jamming to Chasing Cars and Open Your Eyes when I was just a teenager finding my music taste. Seeing them perform at Palace definitely felt right with the atmosphere that the venue provided.
Kicking the show off was Sorcha Richardson - an Irish pop/rock artist who I haven’t gotten the chance to listen to before this show, but is definitely an artist I added to my playlists as I was leaving the venue - honestly one of the coolest things about live music is discovering artists and opening acts that you haven’t heard of, or wouldn’t have had the chance to see. Something I truly look forward to with every show I attend. Sorcha’s set was moody and soft with a deep blue light focused just on her and Irish musician Ben Bix, who was accompanying her on stage. In addition to Sorcha’s collection of release singles and EPs, she has two released albums, First Prize Bravery released in 2019 followed up by her newest album Smiling Like an Idiot released in 2022. Her set painted the perfect storyline of growing into adulthood, leaving the familiarity of home, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with experiencing the world for the first time. While at first the two artist looked so small on stage - from the first song, her vocals and instrumentals filled the room and suddenly the stage didn’t feel so large. An ode to self discovery and coming of age, will forever be a music theme that grabs my attention and allows me to connect to the artist.
The crowd jitters before the lights dim and the main act takes the stage is arguably one of my favorite parts of live music. There’s something about the collective energy in the room—how it pulses through every person, creating a tangible buzz. But this time, the excitement was deafening. After a long hiatus, Snow Patrol was finally back on tour for the first time since 2019, and it had been even longer—since April 2012—since they last played in Minnesota. Their return was long overdue, and the crowd made sure they knew it.
Though the tour was in support of their latest album, The Forest Is the Path, released on September 13, 2024, the band chose to open their set with “Take Back the City”, a fan favorite from their 2008 album, A Hundred Million Suns. Kicking off with such dynamic energy and an intricate light set up instantly set the tone for the night, proving that Snow Patrol was just as excited to be back as their fans were to have them. Frontman Gary Lightbody’s presence was magnetic—his passion for the music and lyrics made the spacious theatre feel remarkably intimate, an impressive testament to the band's ability to connect deeply with their audience.
Throughout the set, the band showcased a well-curated mix of fan favorites and new tracks. New releases such as "The Beginning" and "All" from The Forest Is the Path were perfectly sandwiched between nostalgic hits like "Crack The Shutters" and "Run" from their 08 and 06 albums to kick off the set and “Chasing Cars” and “Just Say Yes” to close out the night. The structure of the setlist felt like a love letter to Snow Patrol’s discography—an acknowledgment of the songs that built their legacy while embracing their continued evolution.
Snow Patrol is one of those bands that will be known for a long time regardless of the years between releases and tours. Whether it’s the songs that first put them on the map or their latest releases, their music continues to resonate, drawing in longtime fans while captivating new ones. Their return to Minnesota was nothing short of phenomenal, and if this tour is any indication, they’re far from slowing down.
