In Photos: Ethel Cain at Cardiff Castle

Ethel Cain kicks off the UK and European leg of her Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour with a headline show at Cardiff Castle.

Taking place within the walls of Cardiff Castle on 19 June, the first UK show of Ethel Cain’s Willoughby Tucker Forever Tour was a sea of lace, camo and Americana outfits, a homage to Cain’s distinct aesthetic. Bar Italia provided a high-energy opener before Cain and her band took the stage beneath the illuminated medieval castle, which, as night fell, became a dramatic backdrop for the performance. 

Opening with American Teenager, she drew the crowd in early before moving through a set that balanced new material from Willoughby Tucker with older favourites including Ptolemaea, Gibson Girl and A House in Nebraska. The swamp-inspired stage design added a brooding atmosphere throughout, with Cain’s raised, central position on the stage portraying her as a preacher, her band’s sound and energy complementing her voice as the set built toward its close. The encore of Crush and Sun Bleached Flies left many fans in awe and some in tears.

Look back at the show in photos below.