So on Monday I popped down to the Albert Hall for a gig. Yes! The Royal Albert Hall! Me! It’s enough to get anyone excited, even if they’re going to see Snow Patrol.

Yes, admittedly they’re not the coolest band in the world, but I like them. They’ve got the same sort of label the Manic Street Preachers did in the nineties after Richie left – music for Mondeo drivers. I don’t know what the modern automobile equivalent is though – music for Prius drivers? Whatever man, I like them. I’ve seen them a few times before, and they always put on a good show.

The "mushroom" sound dampeners at the Royal Albert Hall.

The venue was as much part of the appeal, though. There’s something about the Albert Hall that screams awesomeness – it’s where they do the flipping Proms, for crying out loud. And ever since they put the mushroom sound dampeners in in the sixties, it’s been a pretty great place for music. I bet ol’ Vicky herself would be proud.

During the opening set.

But to the music! The concert was divided into two sets – the first being a more quiet, acoustic collection of reworked Snow Patrol and The Reindeer Section tracks, and the second set made up of their more upbeat and faster tracks. An interval in the middle broke up proceedings, making it feel very much more like a performance than a concert. There was even talk of choc ices but there were none to be had.

As for the music, there were a number of highlights for me – hearing The Reindeer Section’s Cartwheels live was a particular delight, alongside a bluegrass version of chart-botherer Set the Fire to the Third Bar. Lead singer Gary Lightbody was part host, offering out hugs to those in attendance and part band leader as he corralled his band plus a brass section and Elbow’s string quartet into some amazing re-workings of his songs. As a nod to Guy Garvey’s band, a beautiful cover of One Day Like This filled the hall in spectacular fashion.

During the second, louder set.

At the end of the day, you’re either going to like Snow Patrol or you’re not. I’m happy to like them, and to see them play in a setting as vast and grandiose is a pleasure I’m glad I was able to take. Even if I didn’t get a hug. At least I was spared the dubious pleasure of a duet with James Corden, mind.

More photos taken with the decidedly average camera on my iPhone can be found over at my Flickr gallery. Some of them are sort of okay!