We arrived five hours early to secure a place at the front, and felt the excitement as the hall filled up behind us. White debris - as the band's frontman Gary Lightbody later called it during his rant about its tackiness - started floating around, and everyone enthusiastically grasped at the air.
As the lights dimmed, the audience brought the house down with their cheers. Gary strolled on stage, clad in a skin-tight T-shirt and what he referred to as "Hong Kong pants", with his bandmates who entered in a similar fashion. It was an epic moment when the opening guitar riff of Hands Open shook the entire hall and kicked off proceedings.
Many aspects of the show need to be praised, including the intricate lighting design and the graphic projections. In particular, strobe lighting and fiery images accompanying Fallen Empires' title track engulfed us all in a frenzy. The audience also played their part, drowning out the band as they sang along to Chasing Cars. "Don't need me at all!" Gary said with a grin.
One of the best moments was when Gary dedicated This isn't Everything You Are to a man in biker gear, after spotting him on someone's shoulders. We were all green with envy since it was one of the few interactive moments, which was the only downside to the concert.
When the band left the stage, everyone gave them a rapturous ovation. "Encore! Encore!" the audience begged. The applause had not died down when the band reappeared. They played the retrospective, acoustic guitar-driven Life-ning and the concert ended with Just Say Yes, leaving us all thrilled. The band were pleased with the reception and promised to be back. "Immense! First gig here. Not the last" Gary tweeted afterwards.
As musicians ourselves, the gig was inspiring. We knew Snow Patrol didn't receive formal musical training; they didn't have the flashiest skills or the fanciest equipment, yet their dedication was evident. We hugely admire the way they channel emotions into songs, linking the audience together in ecstasy. Do yourself a favour and check them out.
Additional reporting by Ruby Leung