Snow Patrol acoustic concert: Bangor buzzing for freeman Gary Lightbody

The band put on an acoustic gig at Bangor Marina to celebrate Lightbody being awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Ards and North Down.

The McKee Clock area was transformed from the usual evening thoroughfare of dog walkers and those tending their boats with a temporary arena erected for the lucky 5,000 people who secured tickets before they sold out within 26 minutes of being released.

Lightbody focused on music rather than speeches, opening the gig with one of the band’s best loved hits, ‘Chocolate’, before running through a series of their classics, including ‘Run’, ‘Crack The Shutters’ and ‘Set The Fire To The Third Bar’.

He described the performance as the band’s biggest acoustic gig yet.

Noting the band is almost 30 years old, Lightbody said he needed notes to remember all the lyrics, but promised he had indeed written them all.

The festivities started at 6pm with support act performances from The Florentinas, Lucy Gaffney and David C Clements.

Tuesday evening had seen the formal conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Ards and North Down on Lightbody in a private ceremony in Bangor Castle.

However, tonight saw him share his celebration with the rest of Snow Patrol and their fans.

The seafront gig was part of the Open House Festival, with profits to go towards the redevelopment of the old Bangor Court House into a non-profit music venue.

Lightbody, described as Bangor’s most famous son, grew up in the Co Down town which was recently awarded city status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

He went to university in Dundee where he formed Snow Patrol.

Ards and North Down Mayor Karen Douglas paid tribute to the music man for putting Bangor on the international map with three massive gigs in Ward Park.

“He is a superb role model in the music industry and an ambassador for Northern Ireland so it is very appropriate for him to receive the highest honour that Ards and North Down Borough Council can bestow,” she said.

Freedom of the borough is an ancient privilege dating back to the 1600s.

Lightbody was made an OBE in 2019 after he founded the Lightbody Foundation, a group which gives annual donations to charities across the country.

He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Oh Yeah Music Centre in 2007, a charity and social enterprise, formed as a resource for music makers and to support the NI music business.