THE CORNERSTONES LAUNCH THE SEAL WITH PACKED UNION BAR SHOW
A busy Union Bar welcomed The Cornerstones for their headline show last night, with Tarot and Running Out The Clock taking on support duties. What followed was a night that steadily built in energy, from two strong opening sets to a headline performance that had the whole room locked in.
TAROT
We had only just arrived at Union Bar when Tarot were getting started, and it didn’t take long for them to pull us in.
Before they’d even mentioned it, we’d already said to each other that they were giving Mom Jeans vibes - only for them to launch into a cover of Edward 40 Hands, which felt like instant confirmation. There were also moments in their original material that reminded us of The Backseat Lovers, but in a way that still felt fresh and fully their own.
Their closing track, Hanging Around, was a real standout - the kind of song that leaves you hoping for a release announcement. Vocally, they brought something really distinctive to the set, and the chemistry between the band made everything land even better.
There’s something especially exciting about catching a band this young and this promising, already sounding so assured. A seriously strong start to the night, and definitely a band we’d go back to see again.
RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK
We’d been following Running Out The Clock on Instagram for a while, so getting to finally see them live felt a bit overdue and they more than lived up to it. From the moment they started, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
There were people singing along, dancing, and fully giving themselves over to the set, which told us everything we needed to know about the kind of connection this band already has with a crowd.
The four-piece came across like a group of best friends just having fun and making music together, which gave the whole performance a really natural, effortless energy - helped, of course, by the fact they’re also seriously talented. Their bond on stage is obvious, and it adds so much to the performance.
The lead singer brought a strong vocal that suited the songs perfectly, and we were especially drawn to No Parking, their latest release. They also threw in a cover of one of Olivia Dean’s most popular tracks, which went down exactly as you’d expect.
THE CORNERSTONES
By the time The Cornerstones took to the stage, Union Bar was packed, and it was immediately clear their set was going to be one of those genuinely fun live moments. From the first note, the crowd were all in. Looking around the room felt almost surreal at times - everyone seemed completely locked in, watching in a kind of collective trance.
One of the nicest parts of the set was hearing tracks from their new EP, released at midnight that very night, woven throughout the setlist. Having already heard The Seal before release, we found ourselves slipping easily into singalong mode from the crowd.
While She’s was our initial favourite from the EP on first listen, Clockwork City really came alive in the room. It took on a whole new energy live, and we always love when a song manages to surprise us like that in a different setting.
Their track Closer, which was the debut song from The Seal EP, got exactly the kind of reaction you’d hope for, with the crowd fully behind it from start to finish.
It was also hard not to be impressed by the length of the set. The band stayed on stage for what felt like a seriously generous amount of time, but never once did it lose momentum. If anything, it just felt like more of a good thing.
More than anything, The Cornerstones felt completely at home in that headline slot. Between the crowd reaction, the strength of the new material, and the sheer energy they sustained across such a lengthy set, they closed the night in a way that felt both satisfying and exciting. It was the kind of performance that left the room buzzing afterwards - and the kind that made the release of The Seal feel even more significant.