Delamere Forest Live With Snow Patrol, Freya Ridings and The Florentinas

Delamere Forest, Cheshire. 13 June 2025

On returning from six years in Australia we decided to make our home in Chester, Cheshire, close to near-relatives. For our first Christmas we decided to travel the short eleven miles to Delamere forest to acquire the Christmas tree. This became a regular event in the years that followed. After a long absence from the forest I am returning for what has become an annual and popular event.

Forest Live, Forestry England’s summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor, has confirmed Northern irish indie-rock band Snow Patrol as the latest headliners for 2025. Best known for their emotive and anthemic Snow Patrol hits including ‘Chasing Cars’, ‘Run’, ‘Just Say Yes’ and ‘Open Your Eyes’, Snow Patrol will head to Forestry England Delamere on Friday 13 June 2025.The Northern Irish three piece of Gary Lightbody, Nathan Connolly and Johnny McDaid, formed in Dundee in 1994 the band. They released their 5x-platinum, major-label debut FINAL STRAW in 2003. Hit track ‘Run’ saw the group catapulted to national fame as they led the charge of the post-Britpop movement.

Over the course of their career, Snow Patrol have earned a momentous seven Meteor Ireland Music Awards, an Ivor Novello award and been nominated for six BRIT Awards and one GRAMMY. Earlier this year, the band released their aptly titled UK Number One album THE FOREST IS THE PATH to widespread acclaim. Forestry England manage and care for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests. They use the money Forest Live raises to maintain these beautiful natural areas for everyone to enjoy, run important conservation projects and keep growing trees. Last year they planted some 7.4 million trees and welcomed 285 million visits in 2023/24. Everyone in England lives within a one-hour drive of one of the nation’s forests. Over two million people have enjoyed the Forest Live gigs over the last 23 years. This year sees Forestry England present the concert series in partnership with Live Nation’s Cuffe & Taylor for the second year running.

THE EVENT

The introduction to the show came in the form of The Florentinas, a four piece alternative rock band from Bangor, Co. Down. Formed in early 2019, Paddy, Jacob, Luke and Jakob quickly garnered attention following live performances in Belfast. They recently signed a major publishing deal with BMG in London.

In summer 2019, The Florentinas were invited to record a BBC Introducing Maida Vale session. Upon joining forces with Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody’s artist development company, Third Bar, The Florentinas secured support slots with bands such as Good Cop Bad Cop, The Maine and Brand New Friend.

Young, brash and lively begins to describe this young band who then cemented the deal with alt rock that majored on melody, and all delivered with skill and passion. I would assess the audience numbers at around 15,000-20,000 and judging from the response (of a very mixed aged crowd) to the band I reckon the lads are definitely on the way up.

The Florentinas Setlist

Porcelain
Sandcastles
Ghosts
The Scary Thing Is
Miami
For You
Killer
Weatherman

https://www.theflorentinas.com/