When I caught wind that The Kook’s major UK tour was coming to Cardiff, I knew it would be an unforgettable event. But with Day We Ran and The Ks as support acts, it was a truly sensational evening.
As we walked through the centre of the city, Cardiff was buzzing with anticipation of the much-revered indie band. Guided into the arena, we found our seats upstairs in balcony 1, with a direct view of the stage, eager to see it brought to life. Below us, the standing area was already crammed and in an instant the throng began to surge as Day We Ran took the stage.
This guitar driven rock band lit the room with a charged pulse, emanating from their surf rock roots in Lennoxhead, New South Wales. The band is comprised of three brothers: Daniel Lough, Mathew Lough and Michael Lough. Whilst their set was short, it was captivating; guitar licks and smooth lyrics gliding through the venue. Day We Ran played their singles ‘Piha Lounging’, ‘Snake With a Bone’ and ‘Forestry’, with each song radiating a sun-drenched sound. The set featured their most famous song ‘Foaming’, with thirteen million streams on Spotify. ‘Foaming’ also appeared in Netflix’s hit show ‘Outer Banks’, fitting the series’ surf-swept plot and aiding the emerging band’s rise to fame.
With the evening opening on a high note, The K’s took to the stage after a short interval. The Merseyside indie-rock band galvanised the crowd, brimming the stage with their musical talent.
Lead guitarist Ryan Breslin showcased his thrilling solos and Jamie Boyle’s voice soared over the cheers of the crowd. After starting with some of their classics, like ‘Icarus’, The K’s began to play songs from their 2025 album ‘Pretty On The Internet’. Jamie Boyle cheerfully introduced ‘The Bends (Here We Go Again)’ as their ‘best song’, playing to the sea of raised hands.
The band then turned their rock anthems to a more ballad-like song, ‘Helen, Oh I’. This quickly became my favourite song of the night, sharing my name with the title of the song. This song is a perfect combination of a serenade alongside their more up-beat rock roots weaved into the chorus, with the lyrics of longing visualised by the dramatic spotlight on The K’s main singer.
To end their stunning performance, The K’s delivered their iconic debut single ‘Sarajevo’, released in 2017. The punchy lyrics backed by the pounding drum throbbed and reverberated as the frenzied fans recited the well-known verses. It was an astonishing end to The K’s stage time.
After the northern English sound of The K’s, the concert took a turn down to a southern sound from Brighton: The Kooks. A roar of cheers and applause exploded from the throng, keen to see the highly anticipated, iconic band. Whilst we rose from our seats to join the energy, I found that the crowd reflected the broad fan base; my partner and I in our early twenties as well as an older demographic. It just goes to show that masterful songwriting and talent never gets old!
The Kooks, as of this tour, consist of Luke Pritchard (lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar), Hugh Harris (bass and rhythm guitar) and Alexis Nunez (drums). Opening the set with ‘Sofa Song’, the band harked back to their origins – Harris and Pritchard bumping into each other at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music and forming the band in 2004.
Very fitting with Storm Amy overhead, The Kooks changed up their set background to a compilation of stormy scenes to accompany the hit song ‘Stormy Weather’. This visual added to the immersive feel of the concert – it really felt like we were wrapped in blustery elements with the wind of the music.
Switching between their debut album ‘Inside In/ Inside Out’ and their 2014 album ‘Listen’, The Kooks played some legendary tunes: ‘She Moves In Her Own Way’, ‘Bad Habit’, ‘West Side’ and Sweet Emotion’. These songs were dynamic and vibrant, and the crowd hung onto every lyric and drum fill, longing for more.
Fast forwarding to their new album ‘Never/Know’, the band channelled vibes similar to Day We Ran and performed ‘Sunny Baby’ – a song radiating sunshine and a feel-good mood. Engaging with an immersive atmosphere once again, this golden song was backed by visuals of the seaside and love. Continuing this lighter energy, The Kooks played the recognisable ‘Junk Of The Heart’.
With a piano rolling onto the stage, the spirit shifted to a more heartfelt feel as Luke Pritchard sang the song dedicated to his father, ‘See Me Now’. This emotional tribute to his deceased father underscores the spectrum of sound that The Kooks delivered.
As the set progressed, the band kept the energy and delivered passion across ‘Seaside’, ‘Sway’ and ‘Taking Pictures of You’ – some personal favourites of mine. Luke Pritchard thanked committed fans and played ‘Gap’, featured on the ‘Konk’ album.
After playing ‘Matchbox’ and ‘You Don’t Love Me’, The Kooks thanked the crowd and bid everyone a good night. The classic ‘but they haven’t played their best songs yet’ rang out across the audience, leading to ‘one more song!’. This charged the audience even more. The band reappeared and performed the highly awaited ‘Ooh La’ and their 2006 debut single ‘Naïve’, which sold over 2 million copies. The crowd erupted into a thundering ovation and confetti launched from canons, danced in the air.
Funnelling out of the arena, my partner and I agreed this was an undoubtedly spectacular concert, with each band connecting with the crowd and performing their hit songs with such skill and talent. It was an unforgettable experience!
Reviewed by Helen Turnbull
Utilita Arena Cardiff
