Swansea Arena
By Jeremy Gluck
By proclamation a mere "test event", on its fresher outing Swansea's sparkly, shiny hip people magnet Digital Arena delivered. Arriving for the first of two nights, one couldn't help feeling excited, intensified by the coinciding of the event with the fading of the pandemic from the city. Illuminated with revolving mottos of welcome, and with a tangible buzz in the air, we made our way through some perfunctory security into the capacious interior of what will no doubt become a very popular venue. The design of the upper level, with its long bar, and rococo ceiling detailing, is winning, the concert hall itself not exceptional but nevertheless inviting and superior to many of its kind.
The homecoming headline show from Trampolene kicked off with The Vega Bodegas, the first band to play a set on the big stage, their somewhat zany pop-punk a perfect primer for the following two acts, Inscape, and The Now.
Inscape, clearly with a rabidly devoted local following, raised the temperature inside the hall, with the full sound system kicking in for their intense set, giving a crystal clear yet very loud sonic impact. Endearing for being both overwhelmed and exhilarated to be part of this groundbreaking night, Inscape's prog electronica came across to me as a sort of unholy collision of The Smiths and Nu Metal, their energy and intensity impossible to contest. In a similarly spirited set, alt.rock quartet The Now set the mood for the headliners, Trampolene, whose achievements - not least their last album 'Love No Less Than a Queen' hitting the UK Official Independent Albums Chart at number 5, and a recent collaboration with Peter Doherty - speak for themselves and whose charged hour set made for an ideal closer to a celebration of Swansea's new city centre entertainment hub.
A long time already emerging from the shadow of Cardiff in establishing itself as a major player in Wales for showcasing emergent and established music and art, with the opening of the Arena Swansea's city centre now has a jewel in the crown to hook up with the accelerating High Street redevelopment in an uplifting and ambitious push.
You can check out the Arena virtually via its State-of-the-Art Digital Fly-Through and 360 Degree Virtual Auditorium Video
Trampolene live at Swansea Digital Arena February 25th, 2022
The Now live at Swansea Digital Arena February 25th, 2022
Inscape live at Swansea Digital Arena February 25th, 2022
The Vega Bodegas live at Swansea Digital Arena February 25th, 2022
