Ethel Cain transformed Cardiff Castle into an altar
Words: Ciaran Hiscox
Photos DEPOT Live
★★★★★
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Ethel Cain stopped by Cardiff Castle on her The Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour, marking her first-ever performance in Wales. The stage was draped in bayou foliage, drawing the eye to a mound at the centre of a fog-covered set.
Ethel took to the stage to deafening screams as the show opened with the hypnotically ambient ‘Sunday Morning’, before jolting the enthralled audience awake with ‘American Teenager’, an upbeat, 80s-inspired blend of dark melancholia and Americana that proved hugely popular.
‘Janie’ and ‘Nettles’ slowed the momentum, introducing a softer core rich in atmosphere and detail. Their lyrics unfolded a personal lore full of immersive vulnerability, while Ethel’s beautiful vocal performance enchanted throughout the night. Her lush tones left you with no choice but to listen. The stage design complemented the music perfectly, ensuring the audience remained visually and sonically engaged.
A shortened version of ‘Willoughby’s Interlude’ maintained the narrative depth before giving way to ‘Dust Bowl’, which embraced a lo-fi drone sound. This led into a darker sonic stretch with songs such as ‘Perverts’ and ‘Vacillator’. As the performance progressed, the songs built towards a massive crescendo. The tension that had been steadily mounting was released in the powerful closing note of ‘Ptolemaea’, accompanied by a burst of backlighting that commanded everyone’s attention.
‘Gibson Girl’ flowed seamlessly into another abbreviated ambient piece, ‘Radio Towers’, before ‘Tempest’ delivered a transcendental experience. Its methodical build became almost hypnotic, an intensity I could feel even from the back of the crowd, highlighting the strength not only of Ethel’s performance but also of the musicians on stage with her.
From one powerful anthem to another, my personal highlight of the night was ‘A House in Nebraska’. Everything that came before it, the storytelling, atmosphere, and world-building, combined to create a peak moment that delivered a deeply emotional performance.
The first song of the encore, ‘Crush’, marked a tonal shift as Ethel moved around the stage and engaged with an audience that had been fully invested all night. The crowd sang along, providing backing vocals, and erupted in loud cheers when Ethel held up a Pride flag featuring the Welsh dragon.
Closing the evening with ‘Sun Bleached Flies’, Ethel brought the night to an emotional, cathartic, and honest conclusion, sending her fans home with lasting goosebumps. Through passionate lyrics and music, she forged a profound connection with the audience, weaving stories rich with metaphor, emotion, and humanity.
The summer continues at TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle 2026 – which sees a record 24 headline shows from some of music’s biggest and best-known stars – until mid August.