Kodaline review: Cork fans say farewell at 'bittersweet' Musgrave Park gig
Kodaline lead singer Steve Garrigan amid the delighted crowd in Cork's Musgrave Park (Virgin Media Park) tonight. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Kodaline played to a stadium full of people celebrating 10 years of their successes, as they performed their Farewell Tour set in Cork.
The Irish indie-pop band announced the “bittersweet” decision to say goodbye to Kodaline after more than a decade together back in October 2025, informing fans that they would part ways after the release of their final album and their global farewell tour.
Members Steve Garrigan, Vincent May, Mark Prendergast, and Jason Boland were met with screams and cheers of excitement when they walked on the stage at Musgrave Park (Virgin Media Park) on Friday evening — many fans aware that this was their final opportunity to see Kodaline perform live.
The overall atmosphere at the venue was enhanced by the clear skies over Cork, with people soaking up the evening sunshine after a day of scattered showers.
Donning their skirts, sunnies and light jackets for the impending drop in temperatures, most people in attendance knew this would be their final opportunity to see the band play some of their greatest hits.
First arriving on stage, they kicked off their set with their hit tune, before addressing the crowd by saying: “We’re in Cork!” During their next song, the crowd could be heard belting out the lyrics: “I’ll be waiting, waiting on a brand new day”.
The energy in the stadium continued with the performance of the song which was nominated for Irish Song of the Year at the 2015 Choice Music Prize, before people swayed and embraced their loved ones next to them during the 2018 hit
Vocalist Steve Garrigan told the crowd they were “beautiful singers" before the band performed their nostalgic hit, as the sun began to set on Musgrave Park.
A rendition of on harmonica was met with applause before Garrigan broke into the familiar vocals of their hit and transported people back 13 and 11 years, respectively, to 2013 and 2015.
Addressing the crowd ahead of their final performance of the night, Garrigan said: "Thank you so much for joining us on this tour. Thanks for supporting us over the years. Cork, you guys are amazing. Thank you, cheers."
Special guests on the night included The Academic and Nell Mescal, who warmed up the crowd before the four boys and their supporting musicians took to the stage.
Originally known as 21 Demands, the Dublin-formed band adopted the name Kodaline in 2012 to coincide with a change in their music.
Under their new name and sound, they released , which went to number three in the UK and number one in Ireland in 2013.
The band also landed a nomination for the MTV Brand New award in 2013 and were shortlisted for the BBC's Sound of 2013.
Their follow-up albums, 2015's and 2018's , continued their streak as they both went to number one in the Irish album charts. Their fourth album reached number two in 2020.
The band will release their fifth and final studio album, titled , on October 2, 2026.
They will continue their Farewell Tour with a gig at Malahide Castle on Saturday, followed by international dates in Singapore, Australia, Europe, and the UK.
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