Stereophonics' epic Cardiff gig proves that Wales' rock royalty still has it

Wales Online

12-07-2025

Stereophonics' epic Cardiff gig proves that Wales' rock royalty still has it
Cardiff baked as Welsh icons Stereophonics swaggered back into the Principality Stadium
Stereophonics put in a powerhouse performance under the Cardiff sun
(Image: John Myers )
Trust the sun to come out for rock royalty. Cardiff baked as Welsh icons Stereophonics swaggered back into the Principality Stadium, bringing their aptly named Stadium Anthems tour and a couple of decades' worth of classic bangers behind them.
Of course this isn't their first rodeo in Cardiff. They've rocked the capital on many occasions and the last time they performed in the stadium was in 2022, when they were flanked by the legend Sir Tom Jones, and the reviews glowed as brightly as Tom's tan. No pressure then.
‌
After performing at the UK and Ireland's biggest venues this year the 2025 summer tour culminates with a Wales homecoming with two nights rocking the roof-open stadium on one of the hottest days of the year so far.
‌
Fans were treated to their expansive catalogue including smash hits like Dakota, Have A Nice Day, Maybe Tomorrow, and A Thousand Trees as well as songs from their new studio album.
The 'Phonics have developed an enduring success and unbreakable bond with long-standing fans who have supported the band since its early days.
Phenomenal achievements so far include eight UK number one albums, matching the success of artists like Taylor Swift, Oasis, and R.E.M, 12 UK top 10 albums and 11 UK top 10 singles including the UK number one hit single Dakota. The powerhouse group has also sold more than 10m albums, had 1.5bn global streams, and won a Brit award .
Article continues below
Friday's buzzing performance saw charismatic frontman Kelly Jones masterfully leading the way, Richard Jones on bass guitar, Adam Zindani on lead guitar, Jamie Morrison on the drums, and Tony Kirkham on the keyboard.
Formed in the tiny south Wales village of Cwmaman in 1992 the band had several different monikers in the early days. They signed with Richard Branson's V2 label in 1996 before releasing their debut record, Word Gets Around, in 1997.
Alongside the late Stuart Cable on drums they carved out a distinctive, gravelly sound that rode the dying coattails of Britpop then promptly outlasted it.
‌
While others faded into the HMV bargain bins of history the 'Phonics doubled down on punchy riffs, working-class poetry, and choruses you can belt out in a boozer or the top tier of a packed stadium.
Their distinctive blend of working-class grit, pub-rock swagger, and radio-friendly anthems turned them into chart fixtures. Thirteen studio albums later they're still belting out heartbreak and hope like it's 1999 and everyone's wearing bootcut jeans again.
As a fan I was obviously delighted to attend the homecoming Wales gig. Scanning the crowd I could feel that the anticipation was high. Okay, not the Oasis levels of hysteria from earlier this month, but not far off.
‌
The support acts did their job with flair, warming up the crowd (as if it was needed in 30-degree heat) as the stadium steadily filled with sunburnt excitement.
First up was Finn Forster, a fresh-faced singer-songwriter from Middlesbrough, tasked with the enviable job of kicking things off. He's joining the 'Phonics across their UK dates and called the tour 'the biggest shows of my life to date'.
Next, English indie band Blossoms also delivered a rock-solid performance (see what I did there). At one point they even wheeled out a giant gorilla prop, subtlety clearly taking the night off.
‌
Fresh from their Glastonbury slot the Stockport lads are known for distinctive rock songs like Charlemagne, Honey Sweet, Your Girlfriend, and The Keeper. Their latest album, Gary, dropped last September. It's named after the 8ft fibreglass gorilla famously stolen from a Lanarkshire garden centre. As origin stories go it's certainly in keeping with the band's kooky vibe.
With barely enough time for a crafty loo dash or an overpriced pint the moment arrived. The lights dropped, the crowd roared, and the boys hit the stage, clearly right at home among their adoring faithful.
Pyrotechnics erupted as Kelly Jones strutted out in his trademark leather jacket and shades looking every inch the swoon-worthy rock god – part Elvis, part Valleys legend.
‌
They launched straight into Vegas Two Times from 2001's Just Enough Education to Perform, swaggering on stage like a Welsh Adonis and radiating peak early-noughties Cool Cymru energy.
From there the jacket came off and it was hit after hit, a nostalgic journey through the band's stacked back catalogue. Just Looking and Pick a Part That's New threw us right back to 1999's Performance and Cocktails, the album that cemented them as Britpop survivors and gave us some of their most enduring anthems that are still loved today.
Maybe Tomorrow, from 2003's You Gotta Go There to Come Back, brought a moment of introspection. Its breezy melancholia sounds as fresh now as it did when it soundtracked every early-2000s breakup montage.
‌
The sheer range on show reminded me of how prolific the 'Phonics have been. You forget just how many hits they had and how many songs you can sing along to effortlessly.
Graffiti on the Train, the cinematic title track from their 2013 album, was belted out alongside more recent material like C'est La Vie (from 2015's Keep the Village Alive), which arrived with a burst of giant balloons for added flair.
Mr Writer, the brooding, slow-burn hit from Just Enough Education to Perform, still simmers with attitude. Step on My Old Size Nines saw Kelly with an acoustic guitar performing a fuss-free solo under a spotlight. It was stripped-back perfection from the 51-year-old musician because who needs theatrics with world-class vocals like these?
‌
Local Boy in the Photograph, their 1997 breakout single from debut album Word Gets Around, remains as bittersweet and powerful as ever, a clear fan favourite and a reminder of how far they've come from those early gigs in smoke-filled south Wales pubs.
Despite being at this since the 90s Kelly's voice is still as gritty and flawless as ever and he's still somehow ageless, the Paul Rudd of the rock world. I seriously need to know that man's skin care routine.
By the time they reached Dakota, the 2005 chart-topping behemoth from Language. Sex. Violence. Other?, the entire stadium was in rapture to the band's only UK number one – a fact that still astonishes me, given their huge success.
‌
It wasn't just a standard paint-by-numbers gig from a band that's been around the block. It was a goddamn time machine. As the setlist unfolded so did the soundtrack to our lives.
My takeaway is that over the decades the ' Phonics evolved just enough to keep things fresh without surrendering to the Spotify algorithm and with this show they proved it with a slick blend of 90s bangers seamlessly woven with tracks from their newest offerings, including Make 'em Laugh, Make 'em Cry, and Make 'em Wait, which dropped in April 2025.
The stadium was buzzing
(Image: John Myers )
‌
Admittedly the classics are still my favourites. As a Welsh elder millennial 'Phonics were the soundtrack to my admittedly hazy, misspent youth, when not everything was 'content' and music really meant something.
Trust me, you value something so much more when you've nearly broken your wrist diving across the room to hit 'record' on the stereo the second your favourite song came on the radio. Or when you planted yourself in front of the telly bang on time just to catch your beloved band on Top of the Pops because if you missed it there was no catch-up on iPlayer.
Back then we swapped our treasured CDs while necking warm Bacardi Breezers in the park and blasted A Thousand Trees from cassette players on long road trips to the coast. Every Wales v England rugby clash was an excuse, nay, a duty to yell-sing As Long As We Beat the English patriotic fury and pride.
‌
As they've evolved so have I. The raw energy of Bartender and the Thief has mellowed into the wistfulness of Maybe Tomorrow. But that emotional punch is still there.
They remain my go-to comfort band when I want to feel burning nostalgia, when I need to be transported back to the glory days of Cool Cymru, when hope was high, indie bands played Cardiff Castle for buttons, and you could still get a pint and a chip butty for under a fiver. What a time to be alive.
That's the thing about the 'Phonics: while they might stir up all kinds of feels, they're not just a band trapped in the past. They're still releasing fresh material, still touring, and still giving the fans exactly what we want. A varied, crowdpleasing set delivered with flair without being overblown and dialling up the theatrics to eye-roll levels.
Article continues below
They didn't need gimmicks to carry them here – just years of superb songwriting, loyal fans decked out in merch, and that unmistakable gravelly voice accompanied by extraordinary musical talent. On a blistering summer night in Cardiff Stereophonics reminded us once again why they've endured. You made us all feel like the one.