Making their very welcomed return to the capital after supporting Keane last year, The Lathums were back on Welsh soil for a headline performance at Cardiff's Tramshed. Riding high on the release of their third studio album, Matter Does Not Define, the Wigan four-piece delivered a powerful, emotionally rich set that balanced indie anthems with tender vulnerability - a sonic tightrope they’ve learned to walk with increasing confidence.
With it being the hottest day of the year they needed no help in raising the temperature inside, but that didn't stop them taking the atmosphere one notch higher. Opening with the energetic No Direction the band immediately set an electrifying tone. Frontman Alex Moore's dynamic vocals, especially on Say My Name resonated powerfully throughout the venue as the room sang back in unison.
The band, rounded out by guitarist Scott Concepcion, bassist Matty Murphy, and drummer Ryan Durrans have matured sonically. Concepcion’s guitar work was particularly evocative on tracks like Heartbreaker and Stellar Cast weaving shimmering textures that added a dreamlike layer to the more introspective moments of the night through climatic riffs. Meanwhile, Durrans’ drumming gave I See Your Ghost its nervy momentum, and Murphy’s basslines locked the groove in tight, especially on deeper cuts from their earlier LP How Beautiful Life Can Be.
A surprising mid-set highlight came in the form of All My Life, performed solo by Moore. "I'm going to need your help with this one Cardiff" he exclaimed. Stripped of the band’s usual instrumentation, the ballad became a haunting moment of stillness in an otherwise rousing night. You could hear the emotion catch in his throat, and in the breath of the audience as they belted out the soaring chorus.
But make no mistake, The Lathums know how to lift a crowd. The latter half of the set leaned into their more driving material with Fight On delivering their melodic urgency which reflected the band’s more expansive songwriting of late. It’s clear they’re no longer content to be just “another indie guitar band”. The arrangements are more layered, the lyrics more introspective, and the ambition bigger.
With no encore, the set rounded up with the explosive Sad Face Baby which has become a staple in their live shows. Stretching out the song into a near-epic, the band created a wall of sound that slowly unfurled into a gentle fade as the crowd clung to each and every note.
The Lathums have always had heart, but tonight showed something more: control, vision, and an emotional range that elevated them far beyond their indie roots. Cardiff’s Tramshed became a proving ground for a band quietly becoming one of Britain’s most essential live acts.
*****
