The atmosphere throughout Cardiff University’s Great Hall on Tuesday night delivered a great sense of camaraderie amongst the large crowds, as they anticipated the arrival of Irish folk band, Amble, onto the stage. As they ‘ambled’ into the spotlight, jumping straight into the first number on their setlist, Schoolyard Days, the crowd immediately revealed just how passionate they were. 

This energy was definitely reciprocated, as lead singer Robbie Cunningham poured his heart into expressing his love of playing gigs in the Welsh capital. Unlike many concerts at present, we were impressed to see how engaged the crowds were, with very few audience members on their phones or recording. Everyone was up and dancing to the music, which is so refreshing to see in 2026. 

There was a real sense of Irish patriotism in the air all night, with several sightings of Irish flags scattered within the crowd. This ran on to the stage itself, with a purposeful lighting choice of orange, white and green throughout the set. As Amble played new songs, as well as hits such as The Swell, the crowd seemed to be very familiar with the lyrics. It was clearly a close knit, loyal fanbase, rather than a gig where people were discovering Amble’s music for the first time. 

Personally, we found the music to be a bit repetitive, with each song following a similar structure and musical vibe. So, if you were someone seeing Amble for the first time, the set becomes slightly disengaging about half way through. You knew exactly what was coming next and that would be my biggest critique of the band. However, they have definitely mastered their own sound, with a huge loyal following who clearly have an ear and a love for the Irish folk music that Amble have channeled their passion into.

Words by Eve Harris