Kodaline bids tender farewell to Pinoy fans
MANILA, Philippines — Irish rock band Kodaline made sure to deliver an unforgettable last hurrah for Filipino fans during their “Farewell Tour” at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
For one final time, the band performed the emotional anthems and soundtracks for saying goodbye that have resonated with fans since the release of their debut EP in 2012, including the hit song All I Want.
The farewell was especially poignant following Kodaline’s announcement in October 2025 that the band would be disbanding.
Longtime fans arrived with their partners as Kodaline’s romantic and bittersweet anthems filled the arena. The songs were a perfect match for the cool, cuddle-worthy weather that Monday night. Opening with Wherever You Are, the band followed it with Brand New Day and Ready.
“I hope you guys have a great time. Thanks for singing so loud as well. If anybody knows this song, you guys sing along?” frontman Steve Garrigan asked the crowd, who responded with enthusiastic voices as they sang along to the fan-favorite High Hopes.
The soul-piercing track struck a chord with concertgoers, who sang their hearts out to lyrics that perfectly captured the farewell theme of the night. “But I’ve got high hopes, it takes me back to when we started/High hopes, when you let it go, go out and start again/High hopes, when it all comes to an end/But the world keeps spinning around...”
Adding to the romantic atmosphere were the band’s love-laden tracks, including The One, which Steve penned for a friend as a wedding present, and Without You, his own wedding song.
“I figured it’s quite a romantic song. So, it would be nice if we could get some lights on,” Steve requested. The arena lit up with phone flashlights as spectators beautifully sang along to the chorus of The One.
“This next song is also a wedding song. I got married last year, and instead of doing a speech, I wrote this song, and it’s obviously quite romantic. You can get some lights going again... And if you know the words, feel free to sing along. But it’s a new song. So, you probably don’t know the words. It’s called Without You,” Steve said.
David Prendergast, the band’s session keyboardist who is now based in the Philippines, took the spotlight as Steve introduced him and gave him his moment on stage.
“I finally got my moment. This is the first time that he (Steve) allowed me to say anything into a microphone,” David quipped. He joined Steve, Vincent May, Mark Prendergast and Jason Boland for the show.
“I was gonna try a lot of words, but my Tagalog is sobrang pangit, kunti-kunti lang. But my friends, every time I wake up in the morning and I get a text from friend and he just goes, ‘Shot muna tayo, g*go.’ I’m like, ‘OK fine.’ But seriously, malungkot kami na natapos na, pero masaya kami na naulit naman ito. Sa huli, magiging maayos din ang lahat. Mahal ko kayo, Pilipinas. Salamat po.”
Steve couldn’t help but praise the crowd’s “beautiful singing” and “incredible” tunes as a sea of souls held on to one last moment together, singing along to Love Like This, One Day and Way Back When.
“This is our last song… or maybe it’s not,” Steve teased, leaving the crowd with a glimmer of hope. “Thank you so much for coming along. I really need it. Thanks for being an incredible crowd. Thanks for supporting us over the years, our music. Manila, we love you, guys.”
As the band performed Love Will Set You Free, Steve changed the lyrics to, “You know the Philippines will set you free,” as stage pyrotechnics erupted behind them. He then urged the crowd to keep chanting the song’s “woah-oh-oh-oh,” while the band members slowly exited the stage one by one.
The audience kept the chant going, seemingly luring the band back for one more moment. And they did. The band returned for an encore featuring Everything Works Out in the End and, of course, All I Want.
This time, Steve appeared on stage wearing a blue jersey adorned with “Pilipinas,” a heartfelt gesture paying tribute to their Filipino fans, who had supported them from the beginning to what could be their final show in the country.
“You guys have always been incredible. It means the world to us. Thank you so much. Have a great night,” Steve said, as David mouthed, “Salamat po.”
Steve then mimicked David, repeating, “Salamat po. Have a good night.” The obvious coda, All I Want, was an apt farewell words as the band bade adieu to their Filipino fans, bringing the night to an emotional close, “When you said your last goodbye/I died a little bit inside/I lay in tears in bed all night/Alone without you by my side/But if you loved me/Why did you leave me…”
Steve took out his phone to capture a video with the crowd while the band members knelt down for a photo with fans amid thunderous cheers. Steve also took a moment to interact with fans and sign autographs.
The show was presented by Live Nation Philippines.
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