Review: Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Who saw Sir Tom Jones at Cardiff Castle last night? If you weren’t there, you missed what we can only describe as the best gig in Cardiff all year. It was one of those rare gigs where an iconic Welsh legend, in an iconic Welsh venue and an iconic Welsh crowd, all line up to make something genuinely unforgettable.
Images: Depot Live/Cuffe & Taylor
From the moment Tom walked on stage it felt personal. The evening opened with a stripped-back, intimate rendition of “I’m Growing Old”, a brave and tender choice that set the tone, this wasn’t going to be a greatest-hits karaoke, it was going to be a show with heart.
What followed felt almost impossible to reconcile with his years. We felt like Tom moved across the stage with a performer’s confidence and physicality that could have belonged to a man decades younger. He danced, he smiled, he owned every note. At 85 his voice is still astonishingly present; if anything, tonight it sounded richer and more emotive than I’ve ever heard it.
The setlist was a loving balance of the anthems people come for and a few delicious surprises. Of course, plenty of fan favourites, It’s Not Unusual, Delilah, Sex Bomb and Green, Green Grass of Home, but Sir Tom also threw in a playful cover of Prince’s “Kiss”, a moment that underlined his willingness to completely subvert expectations even now.
Images: Depot Live/Cuffe & Taylor
The band were tasteful and tight throughout, arranging the songs to let Tom’s voice sit front and centre while adding tasteful flourishes that kept the classics feeling fresh.
One of the most striking things about the night was how it bridged generations. Teens stood beside grandparents, and the whole audience sang along as if those records soundtracked every stage of life. That multigenerational Welsh energy gave the evening a really warm, communal vibe.
Cardiff turned into one big family singalong under the castle lights. Personally, I loved a small moment on the way in, a man asked us why two “young folk” were coming to see Tom Jones. We said, “Being Welsh, it’s simply part of our heritage, we’d be stupid not to!”, and that felt truer than ever as the night unfolded.
Images: Depot Live/Cuffe & Taylor
If you’re a fan of Tom, you’ll know he is a natural storyteller and that was true at last night’s concert. He used his gift between songs, exploring memories of the long road that brought him here. Working with icons like Burt Bacharach, anecdotes from his school days, and genuine reflections on what performing at home means to him. At several points he paused to thank the crowd and to marvel at the setting; there was a real sense of reciprocity, Tom giving through his performance and Cardiff giving back through its cheers and warmth.
If you measure a great concert by the moments that stick with you afterwards, this one racks up plenty: the hush during the opening, the eruption at every chorus, the delight of an unexpected Prince cover, and the sight of multiple generations united in song. It was less a nostalgia trip and more a reminder that great music ages like fine wine.
In short, this was a homecoming that really did live up to the hype. Sir Tom Jones reminded us why he’s not just a star of the past but still such a legend today. A joyous, emotional and downright brilliant night. For us, this was the best concert Cardiff Castle has ever hosted, it was a real 10/10 night.
