LIVE REVIEW: Biffy Clyro, SOFT PLAY, The Armed, Utilita Arena, Cardiff, 18/01/2026
Photo Credit: Lene Ray
On the 18th January, we had the absolute pleasure of attending Utilita in Cardiff for the Biffy Clyro’s The Futique Tour.
The venue was vast, the whole ground floor packed for standing whilst the upper tier offered seated views over the crowd below.
First to kick off the night was Detroit-based band The Armed. They had such brilliant energy to start the night off. They blurred the lines between hardcore punk, industrial noise, pop hooks, and performance art with their chaotic energy, similar to 80s punk themes. The reaction was interestingly mixed, equal parts bewilderment and bedlam. But in all, they were an epic band to start with and we loved it!
For the second support there was London-based two-piece band SOFT PLAY (previously known as Slaves) describing themselves as a cockney punk band that only has a drummer and guitarist because ‘none of their other friends would join them’. The duo; Isaac Holman (vocals/drums) and Laurie Vincent (guitar) had an absolutely awesome sense of humour, that dry sarcastic cockney humour we all know and love. What blew us away though was that despite the band being just a duo, they created a huge noise that was insane! Punky but rocky vibrations through the arena really packed a punch and had the audience going crazy straight away, which included a mosh pit. The band also encouraged a female-only mosh pit which we loved.
The drums were relentless, the riffs were jagged and dirty, and the vocals swing between barked fury and tongue-in-cheek swagger. It’s confrontational but self-aware, political without preaching, angry but oddly celebratory. We thought they were an ideal band to get the crowd warmed up and ready for Biffy.
Soon it was time for Biffy and the excitement was palpable. It started with drapes covering the stage. Once the music started, silhouettes of the band were seen behind the drapes that cleverly changed, with white, red and black silhouettes all moving and shifting. The beat, sounding like bullets, had everyone pumping with adrenaline. Then the drapes dropped and the band began to play A Little Love from their new album Futique. It was evident how their new album had already caught the nation, with the whole crowd singing along with all the lyrics. The band were scattered on platforms on different levels of the stage which gave a grand look; Simon Neil being on the stage itself, Ben Johnston on the upper platform on drums and Naomi Macleod on bass at centre stage, with violinists on platforms. The sound was immense and sparked so much joy in the crowd instantly. Biffy’s new album had a similar feel to their previous albums with their grand, epic arena rock anthems they do so well, and we were excited by this. Some bands drift away from what they do best but Biffy never fail to disappoint their fans with their layered, meaningful but powerful rock ballads. It’s an accomplishment when the crowd already know all the words to their new music and everyone sang in unison to each song, which they did, and it gave us goosebumps.
The mix of classical violin and rock is always a stunning combination and was evident during Instant History and True Believer, which felt as theatrical as it did electrifying. The visuals were captivating, with the large screens either side of the stage changing from colourful and trippy visuals to live footage. The most heartwarming and powerful parts of the gig were the confetti cannons that went off during the peak of the chorus of well-known tracks such as Bubbles and Mountains, which they ended the night with. The whole crowd waved their arms through the confetti raining down on our heads as they sang their hearts out. They also had streamers shoot through cannons and CO2 cannons for dramatic effect. We really did find the whole gig a treat to all our senses; it was truly an amazing experience throughout. The audience were all in high spirits on their way out, even singing along to the background music as we all left the arena. Strangers were chatting to each other on the way out, joking and having banter. The atmosphere reminded us of New Year’s Eve. Everyone joyful and euphoric.
Words and Photos: Lene Ray
