REVIEW: THE SCRIPT 06/11/2026
Some gigs are good, some are great, and then there are nights when the energy in the room is so infectious that you find yourself singing every word, grinning from ear to ear and wishing it would never end. Tonight, The Script delivered exactly that.
But first, let’s talk about the support act, James Morrison.
What a voice! That unmistakable husky, soulful sound that makes you feel like he’s been part of the musical furniture forever – and that’s certainly no bad thing. A brilliant, well-seasoned performer who knows exactly how to work a crowd. A particularly lovely moment came when he invited his daughter, who is one of his backing singers, forward to sing Broken Strings. A genuinely special touch and a fantastic way to warm up the arena. James was the perfect opener and set the night up beautifully.
Then it was time for the main attraction – The Script!
The Utilita Arena was absolutely buzzing with anticipation, and the opening notes of Hall of Fame, accompanied by fireworks, got things off to a spectacular start.
With Danny O’Donoghue now the only original member of the band, there’s clearly been a lot of change over the years, but one thing hasn’t changed – the connection between Danny and the audience.
And Birmingham certainly made its feelings known!
Danny couldn’t stop talking about how much he loved the city, reminiscing about those early gigs at The Hummingbird and The Academy. There was nothing but love in his words, and you could tell just how much those early Birmingham memories meant to him.
Paint the Town Green? More like paint Birmingham green! The crowd were absolutely loving it.
Throughout the night, Danny seemed determined to get as close to the audience as possible. During Nothing, he made his way through the crowd, singing “I’m coming to join you”, and later came down the stairs right next to where I was standing. Even his steamer for his throat somehow looked cool! He spent time in the crowd singing two songs and even invited a young fan to join him. Moments like that make a gig feel personal rather than just another arena performance.
The crowd were feeding off Danny’s every move, and he was feeding off them just as much. Old, young, friends, families and couples – all singing together, every word coming straight back at him. There wasn’t a seat being used and certainly nobody was short of a voice!
One of the biggest spectacles of the night came during After We’re Gone. Danny took to the air on a harness, surrounded by drones, looking as though he was literally walking on air. With the band firing on all cylinders and the crowd giving absolutely everything, who could blame him for wanting to fly?
The band also treated us to five tracks from their new album, alongside a brilliant trip down memory lane. A fantastic medley brought together songs from across The Script’s career, including We Cry, Six Degrees of Separation, Man on a Wire, Science & Faith and Millionaires. It was a reminder of just how many songs this band have given us over the years.
There were some particularly emotional moments, too. If You Could See Me Now, dedicated to their much-loved former drummer Mark Sheehan, was a beautiful tribute to a bandmate who is clearly still hugely missed.
And then came Superheroes, dedicated to Birmingham. Danny seemed genuinely taken aback by the passion of the audience throughout the night. It was obvious that this wasn’t just another stop on the tour – there was a real connection between the band and this city.
The encore was just as special.
Scars Align got things moving again before The Man Who Can’t Be Moved delivered one of the night’s most memorable moments. Danny sat on the stage, taking in the atmosphere and sharing a moment of genuine connection with the audience. Sometimes you don’t need fireworks, drones or a huge production. Just an artist and thousands of people sharing the same moment.
And then, to finish, Breakeven.
What a way to end! Heart, soul, drones and confetti – everything you’d want from a final song. The arena was bouncing, the voices were raised and the atmosphere was absolutely electric.
Setlist:
1. Hall off Fame
2. Man in the arena
3. Paint the town green
4. Nothing
5. The crowd was singing wonderwall
6. Rain
7. For the first time
8. Grow old with grace (Sang in the stands)
9. Never seen anything “quite like you”(Sang in the stands)
10. After we’re gone
11. The users guide to being human / We Cry / if you could ever back / Six degrees of separation / It’s not right for you / Man on a wire / Good ol’ days / Science & Faith/ Millionaires (Melody of Songs from the Career of the script)
12. The last time
13. If you could see me now (dedicated to Mark Sheehan)
14. Superheroes
Encore:
15. Scars Align
16. The Man Who Can’t Be Moved
17. Breakeven
THE VERDICT
Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, without hesitation.
This was so much fun. The energy never dropped, the crowd gave everything back tenfold and Danny O’Donoghue was a brilliant frontman who knew exactly how to bring an arena together.
It was clear throughout the night that The Script love coming to Birmingham, and Birmingham absolutely loves having them here.
From the early days at The Hummingbird and The Academy to filling the Utilita Arena, it’s been quite a journey.
A brilliant night, a brilliant band and a crowd that played its part every step of the way.
Birmingham, you did yourselves proud. And The Script? You can come back anytime!
DJ Pork Pie – signing off from another fantastic night of live music.
#ConcertChronicles #TheScript #JamesMorrison #Birmingham #UtilitaArena #DJporkpie
