Two decades in, Coheed and Cambria prove their cosmic saga burns brighter than ever at Cardiff’s great hall…

Words & photos by James Crisp (@james_taking_pictures) | Oct 21, 2025

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As the lights fade inside Cardiff’s Great Hall, a low hum of anticipation ripples through the crowd. Conversations hush, phones rise, and a thousand fans hold their breath in unison. For over two decades, Coheed and Cambria have existed in their own orbit. Equal parts sci-fi storytellers and prog-metal craftsmen and tonight’s show on the Welcome to Forever Tour proves that their cosmic saga is still very much alive, and still capable of moving mountains.

The opening chords hit like a lightning bolt. Within moments, the band erupts into a wall of sound and light that floods the room. Claudio Sanchez stands centre stage, curls haloed by a golden glow, his voice soaring with that same impossible clarity that’s carried this band through the years. Beside him, guitarist Travis Stever locks in tight, grinning through every riff, while Josh Eppard’s drumming is a masterclass in balance and skill. One moment, thunderous and the next moment, intricate and precise. Bassist Zach Cooper, calm and composed, anchors the storm with funky unshakable rhythm.

This is a band at full power, four musicians moving as one.
The new material from Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe fits seamlessly into their mythic canon. The Suffering arrives early and feels newly revitalised, euphoric, sharp, and sung at full volume by a room full of devotees. Continuum II: The Flood is an immediate standout, swelling into a breathtaking epic that could easily close the show on its own and The Liars Club is something else entirely, cinematic, dreamlike, stretching into a hypnotic, atmospheric climax that leaves the audience momentarily silent, completely under the band’s spell.

Between songs, Claudio doesn’t say much he rarely has to. There’s an unspoken connection here, a mutual understanding between performer and crowd that transcends small talk. When he does address the room a quick “Thank you Cardiff” before diving into Searching for Tomorrow, the response is deafening.

The classics, though, are where the Great Hall truly erupts. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 transforms into a mass choir, thousands of voices chanting in perfect unison, a sound so huge it feels like it might shake the building apart. A Favor House Atlantic, sends the floor into pure chaos, all smiles and sweat and shared euphoria.

And then, that moment every Coheed fan waits for. Claudio slings on his iconic Gibson SG double-neck. The crowd knows what’s coming. The lights turn crimson, the opening riff of Welcome Home cuts through the air, and the entire hall detonates. It’s a flawless finale, ferocious, theatrical, and deeply satisfying. Watching Sanchez rip through that solo, curls flying, grin wide, is a reminder that some rock moments simply never lose their magic.

Visually, the show is stunning without ever tipping into excess. The stage setup, truly stunning and the lighting rig, just wonderful, moody palettes of blue, red, and gold that perfectly mirror each song’s emotional arc. The sound mix is crisp and full-bodied, giving space for every intricate guitar line and rhythmic turn to breathe.

There’s a real sense of progression in tonight’s set, a reflection of how far Coheed and Cambria have come, and how fearlessly they continue to evolve. Vaxis – Act III doesn’t feel like a side chapter, it feels like a culmination. The storytelling is deeper, the hooks sharper, the performances tighter than ever.

By the time the final note fades and the band waves their goodbyes, Cardiff is buzzing. Fans spill out into the cold October night, drenched in sweat and filled with adrenaline. It’s clear that Coheed and Cambria have achieved something few bands manage after so long, they’ve stayed true to their world, while still expanding it.