The Script

Concert goers flocked to Thetford Forest on Friday 20th June to watch The Script with opening act: Tom Walker. This event is part of 'Forest Live' a three-day concert with various musician such as Gary Barlow and Rag N Bone man at multiple forests across the UK.

Under the summer sun setting on the backdrop of a vast, gorgeous forest, I went along to see if this local event with big names was worth it.

To begin, the various world food options have to be commended, from Greek, to a hog roast, to freshly baked pizza and even fish and chips. Everyone is likely to find some food they will like, but possibly at an disagreeable price with one small coffee costing £4.50.

The management of the event was as easy as it can be with various methods of travel catered for: a designated drop off space for taxis and friends/family, a shuttle bus directly to the event and multiple carparks.

Once I had arrived at the event, a long, bumpy, winding path through the forest awaited me to get in the concert area so I made sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Getting in the event was very simple with friendly staff stationed at every corner. After a quick bag check, I was in.

As I entered through one of the many gates one thing caught my eye, the enormous stage viewable from wherever you sit. Those who set up the event also outdid themselves with lots of decoration such as bunting and fairy lights making the concert feel at a premium.

Settling down on my foldable chair I brought, the show began. Tom Walker opened with a great stage presence, getting the audience involved. For each song it seemed he brought out a different guitar. At first, it was interesting to see what the next one would look like, but he had a few duplicates in different colours which felt he cared more about being a showman than using different guitars to their full ability. All his songs were performed with passion, it was clear that no energy was spared, but it was sung in such harsh cursive it was difficult to understand what he was saying and at times a bit cringey.

Halfway through I thought I'd risk popping to the loo. There was plenty of toilets/ accessible/ baby changing and urinals so there were rarely any queues. As for the toilets themselves, they were as nice as any public toilets can be.

One thing I wish I had brought was bug repellent as, being in a forest, midges and other creepy crawlies were abundant.

Onto the main event: The Script. Every song was sung to perfection. Each member of the band put their all into the performance even though it's a smaller crowd than they're used to. Lighting and special effects were expertly curated to create an immersive experience. With funny anecdotes between their world-famous songs, it was an absolute delight.

Lastly, it has to be said from what I saw the concert and summer sun seemed to bring the kindness out of people. I saw friends being made who had originally come alone. I saw a stranger give a little girl a five-pound note as it was her sixth birthday.

Overall, a wonderful event, greatly planned and perfect for a hot summer evening, but heavily dependent on a certain music taste.