Image Credit: Magdalena Kanecka

CARDINALS

The supporting act, Cardinals, from Cork, Ireland, opened with their most-streamed song to date, “Twist and Turn.” The band got the crowd hyped up and jumping in time with their upbeat guitar riffs and expressive vocal range from the lead singer, Euan Manning. 

The track “The Burning of Cork,” was up next, referencing the historical events during the Irish War of Independence between 11-12 December 1920, where the British forces set fire to Cork’s commercial and civic areas, causing damages worth over £3million. Though short, this song was one of the highlights of their set for me. The drums and guitars blended particularly well with the emotional lead vocals.

Taking photos of them was a great pleasure, and the band was very cooperative with all of the photographers, ensuring everyone had good material to work with. Manning further spoke out about the band’s support for the Free Palestine movement, and upon watching their set, I was an instant fan.

The band played several unreleased tracks from their debut album, Masquerade, which is set to come out on 13 February 2026, so for those looking to find new music, and for all fans of post-punk-esque tracks, I would recommend checking them out.

Follow Cardinals on Instagram here!

Image Credit: Magdalena Kanecka

NEWDAD

Opening with the electronic, dreamy track “Other Side,” from their brand-new album Altar, NewDad were next to take the stage. Lead singer Julie Dawson’s vocals are so mellow and soft, and the entire band’s stage presence stood out to me in particular.

The alt-rock band from Galway, Ireland, continued with the track “Heavyweight,” during which the crowd was preparing to take on the setlist and watch as NewDad played their biggest ever headline show to date.

Briefly taking a look behind me upon photographing and seeing everyone in the crowd smiling as they screamed the lyrics and danced or jumped around was truly the highlight of the night for me.

Tuning it up with the track “Entertainer,” the most-streamed track from their latest 2025 release, the guitar riffs from Sean O’Dowd, as well as the bass from the touring member Marie Freiss, reflected the track’s popularity and outdid its studio version.

NewDad, just like their supporting act, have been openly outspoken about their support for a Free Palestine in the past, even boycotting the 2024 SXSW Festival in Texas due to its ties with Collins Aerospace and its parent company, RTX, which supply the US Army and by extension, the IDF, with weapons used to attack Gaza.

The band’s stage presence was particularly notable, and Dawson’s outfit was perfect for taking photos; her bright red dress was a great contrast with her reflective white hair colour and, production-wise, the lightwork clearly worked in the band’s favour.

Closing with their most popular track, “Angel,” from their 2024 album MADRA, and “Roobosh” from their recent album, the energy didn’t die down once. The concert was full of vigour, not only from the band but also from the crowd. It is evident that NewDad’s fans are here to stay as the band continues their musical journey.

Follow NewDad on Instagram here!

Image Credit: Magdalena Kanecka

REFLECTIONS AND ALTAR, THE NEW ALBUM

As an aspiring concert photographer, getting the opportunity to photograph both NewDad and Cardinals was not only great practice for me, but also a chance to get used to the job and experiment with my camera settings.

Going in, I was not aware the show was both bands’ biggest crowd to date, but finding this out did not put any more pressure on me – I enjoyed the experience thoroughly, and the fellow photographers there were very welcoming and understanding as we individually did our best to capture the special moments.

NewDad’s new album, Altar, released on 19 September 2025, has become a staple in my playlists since its release – and in my opinion, there is something in it for everyone. Whether you’re a fan of more upbeat, indie tracks for a feel-good moment, or whether you want some background music to listen to while you relax. My personal favourite tracks are “Everything I Wanted”, “Entertainer,” and the closing track “Something’s Broken” – all of which sounded equally as good live.

As I look forward to more similar opportunities, I urge our readers to check out NewDad and their newest album if you haven’t had the chance to yet. You won’t regret it! Listen to Altar on Spotify here!