Cardiff Castle, a Welsh heritage gem, welcomed a parade of stellar acts in summer 2024, and Madness etched a dazzling chapter in its storied legacy. On July 18, the Two Tone pioneers headlined, transforming the castle grounds into a vibrant ska-pop spectacle. The eccentric sextet—Chris Foreman (guitar), Mike Barson (keyboards, piano, percussion, backing vocals), Lee Thompson (saxophone, percussion, vocals), Graham “Suggs” McPherson (vocals), Dan Woodgate (drums, percussion), and Mark Bedford (bass)—unleashed a performance brimming with nostalgia and electrifying energy.

Gates opened at 5pm via Bute Park’s north gate, with last entry at 8:30pm. Pop-rock duo The Hoosiers, formed in Indianapolis in 2003 and now featuring Alan Sharland (drums) and Irwin Sparkes (lead vocals, guitars), kicked off the evening from 7:45pm to 8:30pm. Their hits, including “Worried About Ray” and “Goodbye Mr A,” set a buoyant tone. Madness stormed the stage at 9pm, captivating until 10:30pm. Their setlist was a triumph, weaving classics like “One Step Beyond,” “Baggy Trousers,” “House of Fun,” and “Our House” with tracks from their 2023 chart-topping album Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie. The euphoric “Night Boat to Cairo” closed, igniting mass singalongs and skanking.

The castle’s open-air grandeur amplified the festival atmosphere, despite some grumbles about slow entry queues. Suggs’ razor-sharp banter and the band’s seamless chemistry electrified a multigenerational crowd, from young fans to seasoned nutty boys. Madness reaffirmed their timeless brilliance, leaving Cardiff Castle resonating with unbridled joy. Their ska-pop mastery, undimmed by decades, cemented their status as Britain’s cherished musical eccentrics, with fans buzzing long after the final note.