Welsh capital revels in summer of musical success

Sarah Bosley

After a very wet and cold winter, it’s not just the summer weather that’s given us the opportunity to leave our houses to relish in warm sunshine and blue skies.

Here in the heart of the city of Cardiff, we’ve been spoilt with a truly global line up of artists picking Wales as the place to be.

Whether it’s at the Principality Stadium, Bute Park or Cardiff Castle, the Welsh Capital is attracting a plethora of top bands, which is something to celebrate against the backdrop of other challenges being felt in the wider economy right now.

With headliners such as Stevie Wonder, The Pet Shop Boys and of course Oasis, it’s clear that “Cardiff is the b*ll*cks”.

Well connected

No matter what your music preferences might be, there has been something to tempt everyone and while we often don’t take time to think about it, as far as most other UK cities go, Cardiff is well connected, making it a prime location for people to visit. 1hr 45 from Central London, 1hr 50 from Birmingham, a new sprawling South Wales Metro that is connecting our Welsh Capital with major towns up and down the valleys, and of course Cardiff Airport which continues to grow its passenger numbers since the pandemic.

However, it is clear that residents living closest to the Blackweir have growing concerns, with more than 100 noise complaints recorded by July—48 of them following the Alanis Morissette concert alone.

Questions over whether the events comply with existing planning consent have further challenged Cardiff Council, highlighting the need to balance the management of major events with engaging residents on the short and long-term benefits they can bring.

Strength in numbers

The cultural industries have really given the Welsh economy a huge boost this summer, with an estimated 149,000 fans descending on the capital to see Oasis take to the stage for two nights. Initial figures show that in total this reunion alone has supposedly generated over £100 million in local spending with £26.8m of this being spent on accommodation, tickets, merchandise, food and drink and transport.

Data released from Beauclair also showed that in the month of July 2025, monthly sales in Cardiff city centre hit £44.1m, up 15.6% for the same period in 2024. This has been attributed to a 17.5% increase in customer numbers, with entertainment sales seeing a huge 231% year-on-year surge. Hospitality too has benefited, with Food & Drink sales reaching £18m for the month, up by over 20% on the same period in 2024.

The benefits for local SMEs like the much-loved shops such as Fabulous Welsh Cakes, Wally’s Delicatessen and the numerous bars and restaurants on St Mary Street, tour operators and hospitality, is that this activity will deliver a much-needed boost in revenue for those who face unprecedented challenges in recent years.

Sustained rising costs such as energy bills, business rates and now increased National Insurance Contributions and National Living Wage costs which will significantly drive-up employment costs, making it more challenging for firm’s weather unforeseen economic shocks.

Cardiff’s increased footfall for concert goers is fantastic for tourism in Wales, giving it a new dimension in which will help boost and attract visitors and drive-up spending, which should be re-invested in local communities through jobs and employment opportunities.

Last summer, Taylor Swift was a huge hit, helping to generate £16 million for the local economy. But not only that, she donated £1 million pounds to the local food banks, this was a huge gesture that was greatly appreciated by the people of Cardiff struggling in these difficult times.

Team effort

For Cardiff, hosting major concerts and events delivers clear economic benefits. Increased revenue for local businesses creates valuable job opportunities for young people and provides a much-needed boost to local authority finances during the quieter winter months.

The next step is to ensure these events also drive improvements in local infrastructure while fostering collaboration between residents and organisers.

The wider benefits can be shared by all, but this must be achieved in a way that recognises local concerns and builds enthusiasm for the new opportunities such events bring to the Welsh capital.

As a nation, we aspire to always punch above our weight but to continue doing this, we need a capital city that is ambitious in being not just a destination amongst the four nations, but globally as well.