Castles, Choruses and Chaos – Funeral for a Friend bring a stellar Welsh line-up to ‘Rock the Castle’ in Cardiff

★★★★★ (5/5)

FURNEAL FOR A FRIEND HEADLINING AT TK. MAXX PRESENTS… DEPOT! LIVE AT CARDIFF CASTLE 2025 - ROCK THE CASTLE.
PHOTOCREDIT: CHARIS LYDIA BAGIOKI

Cardiff Castle has always been one of the most stunning outdoor settings to host a festival, and with a line-up of various artists gracing the grounds of Wales’ most famous landmark, it was time for pioneers of an entire genre Funeral for a Friend to celebrate the scene under the historic castle walls. With a sold out crowd of about 10,000 people and a thunderous all-Welsh line-up leading up to the headliner slot, the castle grounds turned into an open air cathedral of emo rock. The sky might have held back its tears (mostly), but the crowd definitely didn’t.

Opening up the day were Kill The Lights, storming the stage early on to bring melodic metal and emo guitar riffs to offer a refreshing set. The band had incredible power live, performing songs from their latest album ‘Death Melodies’ against the roaring guitars and bassline. It is important to note that backstage there was only one thing that was mostly talked about – the golden drum kit – and the colour scheme matched Kill The Lights’ signature aesthetic perfectly. The band definitely set the mood for the day by putting on a powerful performance that had the first early moshers itching to get into the pit, making it clear that they are not just flying the flag for Welsh metal – they are proudly shaping it.

Second up were Dream State, a band that brings a different kind of ferocity to the mix. No matter how many times I have watched them this year, in different festivals and different settings, they bring an emotional intensity that is hard to find in other bands. Their set was moving and relentless at the same time, with tracks like ‘Bloom’ and ‘Bittersweet Scars of My Past’ having people mosh, sing along, crowdsurf and scream back the lyrics. There are not many bands that can make music sound this personal and raw whilst also being badass and volcanic in energy – but Dream State definitely know how to deliver. And no surprise, they did!

Mellowing out the set, Casey came on stage to alter the tone. Going from intense walls of death to meditation on grief and healing, Casey know how to play songs that feel like a slow burn and an explosion all at once. Commanding attention, the crowd was definitely there to support a band that confessed they almost did not perform due to health struggles, but then showed how it is to stand on stage, overcome anything that life throws at you and have the crowd in tears. Leaning more into atmosphere over spectacle, the band let the weight of each lyric do the talking. The crowd was silent at times, screaming at others, pouring their hearts back into the lyrics that felt like a confession. And there was definitely a wild moment there when ‘Teeth’ was performed after 8 years, just before the band ended their set on a high with ‘Little Bird’.

The emotional energy did not last long as shortly after Punk Rock Factory came on stage. Known for their punk renditions on nostalgic (and ridiculous) favourites, they tore through covers of everything, from Disney Anthems, to the Pokemon theme, to ABBA, to Michael Jackson. You don’t need to know the songs of a band to sing along when ‘Boom! Shake the Room’ comes on, followed by punk guitars and chaotic stage presence as people sing along to ‘SpongeBob Squarepants’ and ‘Life is a Highway’. The people bounced across the grounds, jumped, sang along, cheered and seemed to have a great party time as the sky turned a bit more stormy. If the band’s job was to make people crack a smile, they very much accomplished their mission. And they are an amazing band to watch live if you need a pick-me-up, or a wild night out. Or both.

The chaotic energy of the night peaked when The Blackout returned to the stage, with theatrical flair and hunger for assertion. Igniting chaos with a grin, and kicking off the night with ‘Ambition is Critical’, The Blackout brought the castle visitors to a frenzy. Crowdsurfing and moshing reached a new high as co-vocalists Sean Smith and Gavin Butler complemented each other with clean and screamo vocals, swagger and sarcasm on stage, looking like two unsupervised mischievous kids with a microphone. As ‘We’re Going to Hell…So Bring the Sunblock’ came up, security scrambled to get the crowdsurfers, as the crowd was then treated to Jessie from Dream State joining the band on stage to perform ‘I’m a Riot? You’re a Fucking Riot’ (chaotic version). If there was a lesson to be learnt from The Blackout’s set was that they provide a masterclass in controlled destruction – and they are on their castle tour this summer, so make sure you catch them next time!

As the light rain poured and the twilight settled, the stage lights and smoke reminded us all the reason we were here. Funeral For A Friend emerged to a hero’s welcome, kicking off the set with ‘All The Rage’. Their setlist was a nostalgic journey through records that defined a generation, solidified a genre and accompanied teenagers into their adult life. As thousands of people chanted the choruses of ‘Monsters’, ‘History’ and ‘Alvarez’, there was a familiar ‘full circle moment’ that resonated in the hearts of the attendees, like a torch was being passed from the older generation to the newer. It would be unfair to say that this band has not written its own history in the scene – and continues to do so – by creating music that has been the soundtrack and inspiration of many people and musicians in the past decade.

As the encore came, people’s hearts cracked wide open. With ‘Rookie of the Year’, ‘Juneau’ and finally ‘Escape Artists Never Die’, the night closed in tears, sweat and triumph. Lucas’s voice sounded completely reborn, the riffs felt like they were shaking the castle walls and the drums echoed into the night. If you’ve ever loved a band like Funeral For A Friend, you know the feeling: that sting in the back of your throat when a lyric hits just right. Multiply that by 9,000, and you’ve got Cardiff Castle on Saturday night.