New York, March 26, 2007 – If you're from Ireland and are reading this, then Snow Patrol played Madison Square Garden Monday night. Everyone else, Snow Patrol played the Theater at Madison Square Garden. (That white lie is per the explicit instructions of Snow Patrol lead singer Gary Lightbody, who asked Irish folks in the audience NOT to tell anyone they played the smaller Theater, but to say that they actually played the Garden proper.)

The difference is only 14,000 or so seats, and selling out two nights at the Theater is still a massive leap forward for this Glasgow-based, Northern Ireland-bred rock group. It is especially so when you consider their first-ever show in New York was during the CMJ festival years ago, at the long since closed East Village club Brownies.

At MSG on Monday, Lightbody asked how many in the audience were at that Brownies show, and a chorus of cheers rang out. “You're all bloody liars”, he replied, “only the promoter and the guy selling T-shirts were at that show.” From the TMSG stage, I couldn't see any T-shirt vendors or promoters, but did notice throngs of starry-eyed young women singing along with the affable Lightbody's songs. The next time Snow Patrol comes to New York, they might actually play the Garden proper. - Damien Neva

Photos: Damien Neva